Application of the tyraliera counting method to the large-scale inventory of red deer Cervus elaphus in the northern part of Western Pomerania, Poland

Abstract

Game animal damage in the forests and fields of Central Europe, which dramatically increased at the turn of the 21st century, has undermined the reliability of the size of game population estimates. It is hypothesized that this problem can be attributed to errors in the assessment of animal density. This study conducted game inventories in a region characterized by a large ungulate population using a count method with drivers in line formation (direct counts in control plots). The size of the red deer population in the investigated area was estimated using generalized linear models assuming a negative binomial distribution based on the compound distribution (including the zero-inflated model). The mean red deer density in spring 2012 was 21.5 animals/km2 of forest. The number of red deer determined during this study is often higher that hunters indicated in annual game management plans. For the rational management of populations, it is therefore necessary to verify those estimates periodically, e.g. every five years. The statistical analysis of data from tyraliera method counts may show the actual population size during spring. Thus, it can be the basis for adequately planning hunting bags. Adjusting the population density to the carrying environmental capacity should make it possible to reduce the pressure of red deer on forests and agricultural land.

Methodology for verifying/determining the boundaries of Game Management Regions: a case study of the Regional Directorate of the State Forests in Lublin (Poland)

“…Game management is an integral part of forest management, and game should be an integral component of the forest ecosystem. The responsibilities of foresters and hunters in hunting management include creating optimal living conditions for animals and mitigating conflicts between game animals and human activities (Kamieniarz et al 2023). By 2022, within the borders of Poland, there were 147 Game Management Regions.…”

Alien vs. Native—Influence of Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Introduction on the Native Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) Population

“…Unfortunately, there is no scientifically based system for game monitoring in Poland. Yet, such mostly hunterreported game statistics may be underestimated by as much as five-fold [23]. Nevertheless, fallow deer populations have clearly increased.…”