A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deer

Abstract Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male (IBAM) method is a popular camera technique for estimating white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) abundance. Demographic ratios are estimated from raw photographic occurrences (RPO) of males, females, and fawns. Point abundan...

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Main Authors: Mark Weckel, Robert F. Rockwell, Frank Secret
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-12-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.64
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author Mark Weckel
Robert F. Rockwell
Frank Secret
author_facet Mark Weckel
Robert F. Rockwell
Frank Secret
author_sort Mark Weckel
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male (IBAM) method is a popular camera technique for estimating white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) abundance. Demographic ratios are estimated from raw photographic occurrences (RPO) of males, females, and fawns. Point abundance estimates of each group are estimated by using said ratios to extrapolate from a count of uniquely identifiable males. In 2009, using camera‐trap data from the Mianus River Gorge Preserve (NY), we modified the IBAM technique to 1) generate measures of uncertainty for parameter estimates via bootstrapping camera stations, and 2) address the concern that RPO ratios may be biased if groups of animals differ in their probability of being photographed (e.g., trap success [TS]). For each sex–age group, we evaluated RPO as a function of TS using linear regression to generate photographic counts standardized by TS (standardized photographic occurrences [SPO]). We generated estimates of sex–age ratios and abundances using both RPO and SPO. To evaluate the accuracy of using SPO in conjunction with the IBAM method, we independently estimated the abundance of a marked group of female deer using a Poisson log normal (PNE) mark–resight estimator. Abundance estimates across sex–age classes were most similar between PNE and IBAM when SPO demographic ratios were used. Owing to the greater TS of females, using SPO discounted the relative abundance of females and, thus, lowered the female:male ratios and raised the fawn:female ratio. Uncertainty was broad across all approaches, yet accounting for TS reduced the confounding variability owing to differences in detection probability and generated more accurate parameter estimates. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
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spelling doaj-art-7c94d2cdb5514e758f6e58076f1aebe62024-12-16T11:35:42ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402011-12-0135444545110.1002/wsb.64A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deerMark Weckel0Robert F. Rockwell1Frank Secret2Mianus River Gorge Preserve, 167 Mianus River Road, Bedford, NY 10506, USADivision of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park W at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USAJohn Jay High School, 60 N Salem Road, Cross River, NY 10518, USAAbstract Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male (IBAM) method is a popular camera technique for estimating white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) abundance. Demographic ratios are estimated from raw photographic occurrences (RPO) of males, females, and fawns. Point abundance estimates of each group are estimated by using said ratios to extrapolate from a count of uniquely identifiable males. In 2009, using camera‐trap data from the Mianus River Gorge Preserve (NY), we modified the IBAM technique to 1) generate measures of uncertainty for parameter estimates via bootstrapping camera stations, and 2) address the concern that RPO ratios may be biased if groups of animals differ in their probability of being photographed (e.g., trap success [TS]). For each sex–age group, we evaluated RPO as a function of TS using linear regression to generate photographic counts standardized by TS (standardized photographic occurrences [SPO]). We generated estimates of sex–age ratios and abundances using both RPO and SPO. To evaluate the accuracy of using SPO in conjunction with the IBAM method, we independently estimated the abundance of a marked group of female deer using a Poisson log normal (PNE) mark–resight estimator. Abundance estimates across sex–age classes were most similar between PNE and IBAM when SPO demographic ratios were used. Owing to the greater TS of females, using SPO discounted the relative abundance of females and, thus, lowered the female:male ratios and raised the fawn:female ratio. Uncertainty was broad across all approaches, yet accounting for TS reduced the confounding variability owing to differences in detection probability and generated more accurate parameter estimates. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.64abundancecamera trapscensus techniquedetectionOdocoileus virginianussex ratios
spellingShingle Mark Weckel
Robert F. Rockwell
Frank Secret
A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deer
Wildlife Society Bulletin
abundance
camera traps
census technique
detection
Odocoileus virginianus
sex ratios
title A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deer
title_full A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deer
title_fullStr A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deer
title_full_unstemmed A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deer
title_short A modification of Jacobson et al.'s (1997) individual branch‐antlered male method for censusing white‐tailed deer
title_sort modification of jacobson et al s 1997 individual branch antlered male method for censusing white tailed deer
topic abundance
camera traps
census technique
detection
Odocoileus virginianus
sex ratios
url https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.64
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