In-depth analysis of deer management in Nova Scotia:critique of current policy and suggestions for futuremanagement approaches

This project will support improvements to deer management in Nova Scotia. Improved management
and conservation of Nova Scotia’s most important big game species supports wildlife habitat
conservation by NS DNR, but is also of importance to the forestry industry, and stakeholders such as
the NS Federation of Anglers and Hunters, and the Fur Institute of Canada. The objectives of this
project include critiquing current NS DNR deer management policy and suggesting improvements,
evaluating current deer data collection and identifying information gaps, assessing the usefulness of
Pellet Group Inventories (pGIs) for deer density and population estimates, and investigating the
development and application of population indices and population surveys. Improving the knowledge
of deer management policies will provide an excellent basis for future deer studies. In addition, this
analysis will help guide future management and policy decisions for other large mammals over time.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ying Zhang

Student:

Partner:

Port Hawkesbury Paper LP;Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters;Fur Institute of Canada;Nova Scotia Natural Resources and Energy

Discipline:

Mathematics

Sector:

Agriculture; Manufacturing

University:

Acadia University

Program: