ADVENTURES IN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT: DEER SURVEY

By Kameron Bain, Business Development

One of my favorite memories of growing up in New Hampshire was the anticipation of an unexpected wildlife sighting - a deer, a fox, a moose - as we explored our property or drove the scenic roads. There is something about seeing an animal in its natural environment that makes the experience a little more thrilling. That thrill has not worn off as I have grown older, hence my excitement when I finally got the opportunity to go on a Plateau Spotlight Deer Survey, an important tool (and qualifiying wildlife management activity) for landowners managing their property for white-tailed deer to determine population and generate useful harvest levels to prepare for the hunting season.

The night of my survey was amazing. Full moon, clear skies, comfortably warm and some serious girl power. All of my previous adventures have been male dominated, but on this night it was all about a team of women not afraid to be leaders in the field, and get a little dirty while doing it. Our biologist and navigator/identifier, Romey, was the odd man out. Riding in the back of the truck, Sarah and I held the spotlights while Kyndal manned (womanned) the binoculars, identifying and, well, saving me from headaches (but more on that later).

As we rolled up to the property's gate, nerves started to kick in as it was time for the most intimidating part of all my adventures, the rundown of my job duties for the night. This is when reality hits me that I am stepping into the unfamiliar role of a wildlife management services technician and I do not want to let my team down. I have learned throughout my past adventures that our technicians are very dedicated and precise individuals; knowing that part of the success of this survey depends on me makes the spotlight shake a little. Thankfully, my job seemed pretty easy with two clear goals to focus on: find the deer and not blind anyone with my spotlight.

Nerves quickly dissipated when the survey began. The truck engine started, I turned on the spotlight, grabbed the side of the truck, and within moments we saw about 7 deer. It was a sign of good things to come. As we traversed the dusty trail, it felt like a Hill Country Safari. Not only were we counting many deer, but other Hill Country all stars including a skunk, a few rabbits, several armadillos, a porcupine, some raccoons and a possum made an appearance. One of the highlights of the evening came thanks to the keen spotting skills of Sarah, who spied a coyote. We took a few minutes to watch him in the moonlight, and I could not help but think how much I loved my job.

As in every adventure, there are awards and challenges. I thought holding a spotlight while standing on the back of a truck would be the tough part, but I was unaware of another challenge ahead - tree branches. I generally consider myself the master of multi-tasking, but I was so focused on finding deer that everything else was difficult, especially when it came to watching out for my own head. There were a few close calls. One of them was so close that Kyndal had to grab my head and push me down. When I looked behind me I saw a large branch that probably would have given me a headache supreme. Thank you, Kyndal!

With my team watching my back - or my head in this case - I continued searching for deer. Finding them was easier then I had imagined with the spotlight. All you had to do was find a set of bright eyes. And it was exciting each time. I left that evening feeling fulfilled. That old thrill of my childhood was back. Thank you to Romey, Sarah and Kyndal for letting me tag along. It was a great adventure and I cannot wait for the next!

Deer survey girl power!

*****

Plateau Land & Wildlife Management helps Texas landowners protect and enhance their greatest asset -- their land -- with wildlife management plans, wildlife tax valuation assistance, qualifying wildlife management valuation activities, and more.