ABSTRACT
In North America, most white-tailed deer inhabit deciduous or coniferous forests where observer error can be great and weather can fluctuate drastically between seasons. Also, deer in northern regions concentrate in yards each winter and disperse to summer ranges each spring. Thus, it is important to plan carefully when attempting to minimize or standardize spatial and temporal factors affecting observer bias. Our census technique involves three basic steps: designing the census, aerially counting deer in census plots and analyzing the data, and testing deer observability in test plots that are similar to census plots. Stratification of and plot allocation within an area can be facilitated by an aerial strip survey, recording deer and track sightings. Deer observability can be measured by using radio-collared deer whose collars are visible from the air.
