Pellet group count of roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) at Herrevad Abbey : How has the hunting affected the population and how will it develop?

Abstract:

The land around Herrevad Abbey consists mostly of pastures with a lot of old coarse oaks,a touch of broad-leaved decidous forest andmixed deciduous and coniferous forest.

In the year 2010 the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency became owner of the area around Herrevad Abbey, previously owned by the Swedish National Fortification Administration. A high pressure from hunting occurred during the Swedish National Fortification Administration ownership. This resulted in a decrease of the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) population.

A pellet-group count is a reliable, indirect inventory method that is used with high frequence within wildlife management since the 1930s. Pellet-group count is used in Swedish Wildlife research since the 1977 at Grimsö Research Station and today an increasing interest for this method is seen both in nature management, among hunters and  in the Swedish Association for Hunters.

Through a pellet-group count of a roe deer population, an underestimated index of the total density is shown, which means that the investigated population can be larger than the survey shows. The pellet-group count in this study covered 3,20 km^-2 with a total of 315 plots. The plot had a circular shape and covered 10m², which is recommended for roe deer surveys. Each plot was investigated twice, one round clockwise and one round counter clock-wise to increase the precision of the survey. The calculation showed 10,76 roe deer per 1,00 km^-2 in winter population during 2010; with a 10% set-off for winter mortality and 8,22 roe deer per 1,00 km^-2 in winter population with a 30% set-off. The density with 10,76 roe deer /km^-2 is low compared to experimental plots at Bogesund, Ekenäs, where the population is estimated to around 17-23 roe deer/ 1,00 km^-2. A calculation for carrying capacity shows that the population will reach the density limit within four years at Herrevad Abbey.