Delegated Big Game Surveys, 2011/2012 Survey Season

Author(s)

Mike Ranger and Karl Zimmer

Summary

Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) uses levies on hunting and fishing licenses to collect and analyze population inventory data that can be used by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) in setting hunting and fishing seasons and regulations. Big game surveys (BGS) are currently used to determine the population status and trends for ungulates in select areas of Alberta, and provide information for setting hunting guidelines. Beginning in 2007, ACA became an active partner in delivering big game surveys, and now works collaboratively with ASRD to plan and conduct surveys and to summarize survey data. A portion of the overall survey plan is delegated to ACA
for delivery (D-BGS) in collaboration with ASRD. During the 2011/2012 fiscal year, ACA funded and delivered 131 surveys across Alberta. These surveys included summer range trend surveys for pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) and mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), winter range trend surveys for bison (Bison bison), and random stratified block surveys for moose (Alces alces), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). This document summarizes the methods used to conduct these surveys, as well as the survey results.

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