MDF Projects

Deer Capture

USFWS and CO DOW seek assistance from MDF Volunteers
Summer, 2006

By Scott Hampel

Nearly two years ago, MDF member and US Fish and Wildlife Service employee, Stephen Smith, contacted the Denver, Colo. Mile High Chapter of MDF to see if the volunteer committee members were interested in a tour of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (RMANWR) to view large mule deer during the rutting season. At that time, it was a “unanimous” yes as it resulted in some great viewing opportunities for MDF members and their guests.

Shortly after this tour in December 2004, several members of the USFWS attended a Mile High Chapter meeting to see if help in the form of manpower/labor could be received from volunteers with a tree and shrub planting project on the RMANWR in the spring of 2005. MDF volunteers from Mile High and Northern Front Range Chapters were obliged to help. Thus, a partnership was born.

In the fall of 2005, the “deer tour” was again offered to MDF volunteers, their families, and invited guests. This was again followed with another tree planting project in the spring of 2006. To date, over 2200 trees/shrubs have been planted and enclosed with fence to offer forage for this resident mule deer herd in future years. Let’s just hope that Mother Nature will cooperate with some good rains and snows to allow these plantings to be effective.

Following the tree planting efforts, USFWS biologist, Judson Spicer, contacted Mile High Chapter Chairman, Stan Grebe, to see if additional volunteer labor could be provided with a “deer capture” project. This project would involve a combined effort of MDF, USFWS and the Colorado Division of Wildlife to take blood and tissue samples from deer to test for Chronic Wasting Disease (and other possible diseases and research). Again, MDF volunteers were excited and enthused to do additional work for this unique opportunity.

The project started on August 31, 2006 as MDF volunteers and staff met at the RMANWR. After some short instructions and training, volunteers worked with Judson Spicer to set 10 traps. These traps were constructed of 1” steel tubing which was welded together with a trap door. The steel frame, itself, was enclosed with a mesh netting material in the shape of a “box”. Each corner of the trap contained a durable wire anchor that was used to secure the trap to the ground.

Over the next 13 days, a designated group of MDF volunteers received driving privileges to be on RMANWR to bait these traps. The initial baiting included using alfalfa hay and condensed hay cubes containing sweets like molasses. Light baiting was done in the initial days. As MDF volunteers continued the baiting effort, baiting became heavier in the later stages leading up to the designated capture dates. The heavier baiting included using pieces of apple within the traps to get the deer used to moving inside the trap.

On September 13-14, USFWS staff arrived early at the RMANWR at approximately 6:00 am to complete some final baiting with apples. Only this time, the USFWS staff members set the traps by setting the trip strings. Meanwhile, MDF volunteers and CDOW staff members arrived at 7:00 am. MDF volunteers received some final instructions. Since whitetail deer also exist on the RMANWR, workers would expect to find whitetail deer or mule deer in the traps. Upon completion of the overview, the days’ work was started.

The work started as specific MDF volunteers and USFWS staff members drove pickup trucks throughout the RMANWR to check each of the 10 trap sites. Each vehicle contained 2-3 people, a map of the trap sites and a transmitter radio. Once a deer was spotted in a trap, the radios were used to communicate with Judson Spicer and CDOW veterinarian staff. When everyone was near the trap, the fun would begin. USFWS and MDF personnel would jump out of their respective vehicles and rush the traps. One or two individuals would open the trap door while two or three individuals would rush inside the trap to “tackle” the deer. A blindfold was placed over the eyes of the deer, its feet secured with a belt, and the CDOW veterinarian would inject a muscle-relaxing drug to sedate the deer. Soon the deer would be asleep. (Note: This method was to be used for doe deer only. If a buck was found in a trap, the instructions were to reach inside the trap and hold the antlers while the drug was injected. As it turned out, only whitetail doe deer were caught in these traps.)

Once the deer was sedated, the deer was removed from the trap and the CDOW veterinarian staff would begin its work. This would involve taking tissues samples from the tonsils and rectum. In addition, blood samples were taken from each deer. The deer was “aged” by examining its teeth. A radio collar or identifying ear tag was also placed on the deer. And, of course, data was recorded. While this work occurred, MDF volunteers assisted by re-securing the trap (if necessary), re-setting trip string to the traps, re-baiting the traps, and holding tarps in position to shade and cool the deer while the vets performed their work. Once the CDOW staff had the necessary samples, another “wake-up” drug was injected to allow the animal to regain consciousness. Each deer behaved slightly different. Some would wake up (while still laying), examine its surroundings, and then stand up. Some deer were able to get up and move away quickly. Others were drowsier. Their initial steps were clumsy. Some would fall and rest for a minute before attempting to get up again. As I observed, it appeared to me that the deer’s body size had an impact on how quickly each would wake up. However, I’m happy to report that each of the deer was able to get up and begin moving within a relatively short period of time usually lasting from 10-15 minutes. As this occurred, all personnel would watch over the deer to ensure that it resumed its mobility from this peculiar and disruptive activity.

The majority of activity within these traps took place in the morning hours of the two-day period. However, the traps were set and monitored throughout the afternoon hours. In the late afternoon, all trap doors were closed so that deer would not be captured during the evening and night. As mentioned above, the traps were successful in capturing whitetail doe deer. Once the appropriate number of whitetail does were captured and tested, those caught would simply be released. Six whitetail does were caught and processed using this method and zero whitetail bucks were captured.

Since the traps were not successful in capturing mule deer, “Plan B” was used in the afternoon and evening hours. This involved all MDF, USFWS and CDOW staff patrolling the entire RMANWR to locate and find mule deer. Once a mule deer was located, radio communication was used to move the CDOW veterinarian staff to the area with a dart gun. The dart gun was used to tranquilize the deer with the same muscle-relaxing drug. Once a deer was darted, it would take a few minutes and soon the deer would lie down and fall asleep. The deer was blindfolded, its feet secured, and the same type of testing described above would take place; that is, tissue and blood samples were taken, examination of teeth occurred to determine the age, and the placement of a collar or ear tag on the deer was completed. Once the necessary samples were taken and data was recorded, the “wake-up” drug was injected and the deer would again regain consciousness and resume its normal life. Over the two days, this effort resulted in a combined total of 13 mule deer does and bucks being sedated and tested.

To complete the project, MDF volunteers met again with Judson Spicer on September 29, 2006 to remove the traps and place them in storage for use in the future. In all, volunteers and staff put well over 300 hours into this effort.

With shrinking budgets and increasing costs for the USFWS and CDOW, it’s partnerships such as this which will help our wildlife agencies complete their work. In addition, this was an exceptional opportunity for volunteers to contribute to mule deer conservation as well as become involved in a unique experience. The following is a direct quote expressed by Judson Spicer of the USFWS. “I want to thank you and the MDF again for all of your help and hard work with the CWD sampling project. The MDF did a great job, and it was a pleasure working with all of you. Myself and the other service personnel, including CDOW, were impressed by the MDF's work ethic, professionalism and field skills. I look forward to working together with you and the MDF again in the future.” I think that USFWS and CDOW can count on additional help from MDF.

The following were contributors to this project. USFWS – Judson Spicer, Joel Colvin, Stephen Smith, Aaron Rinker, Scott Whiteaker and Jim Woods; CDOW – Dr. Mike Miller, Dr. Lisa Wolfe, Michael Sirochman and Tracy Sirochman; MDF Volunteers and Staff – Stan Grebe, Cheryl Grebe, Vince Martinez, Terry Jud, Mike Duffy, Chuck McCammon, Chris DuChane, Mike Moline, Tom Jansen, Scott Hughes, Jarred Webber, Doug Wesley, Dale Reisbeck, Bob Meulengracht and Scott Hampel.