Suchergebnisse

Context Scent-trailing dogs ('hounds') are used to hunt introduced sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) in south-eastern Australia, but little is known about this recreational hunting technique. Aim The aim of this study was to characterise hound hunting of sambar deer in Victoria, Australia. Our study had three objectives as follows: (1) to report the hunting success of the technique; (2) to estimate pursuit times and distances; and (3) to investigate the landscape features associated with kill sites. Methods Data were collected from four hound-hunting crews during 2020–2021. GPS data from collars fitted to hounds were used to quantify hunt duration (min) and hunt distance (m). Logistic regression was used to estimate the effects of deer sex and hound pack size on the probability of hunting success. We used a Bayesian multinomial regression resource selection function (RSF) to identify the characteristics of sites where deer were killed (elevation, aspect, and distances to water and roads). Key results The four hunting teams ranged in size from 2 to 10 people and from one to eight hounds. Of 136 hunts, most (88%) harvested a deer, with pursued deer escaping on the other 12% of occasions. Pursuit times and distances were highly variable, with pursuit time >60 min for 46% of hunts and pursuit distance >5 km for 30% of hunts. The probability of killing a pursued male and female deer were similar, and there was not a positive relationship between pack size and hunt success. The RSF showed that both male and female deer were more likely to be killed on steeper slopes and closer to roads. Conclusions Successful hound hunting of sambar deer involves pursuits of considerable duration and requires a network of roads, with geographical features associated with deer kills sites being related to hunter access. Implications Hound hunting may be a useful wildlife management tool for land managers, but further studies are needed to assess its efficacy for achieving management goals.

Context Little is known about wildlife harvesting by licensed recreational hunters in Australia, where both native and introduced species are hunted. It is important to understand harvest trends to assess sustainability for native species and implications for population control of introduced species. Aim The aim of this study was to analyse trends in hunter participation, activity and efficiency, and wildlife harvest, including effects of climate, in Victoria, Australia, for three game species groups: introduced deer, native waterfowl (ducks) and one native grassland species, stubble quail (Coturnix pectoralis). Methods Telephone surveys of a random sample of licenced Victorian hunters were performed annually from 2009 to 2019. Hunters were asked to quantify their hunting effort and the number of animals harvested. The respondents' answers were analysed to estimate measures of hunter success, activity and efficiency. Bayesian modelling was applied to these data, accounting for changes over time, differences between survey periods for all licence types, and random effects for over-dispersion. The effect of climate on game bird hunter activity and harvest was estimated, as measured by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Results Over 11 years, annual deer harvest (all species) increased exponentially, at a mean annual rate of 17% (95% credible interval: 14–21%), and the number of deer hunters increased at 8% (5–11%). In contrast, for ducks and stubble quail, hunter numbers remained relatively unchanged, with no evidence of consistent change to total harvests over time, unrelated to changes in environmental conditions or regulations. The annual duck harvest was influenced by ENSO and hunting regulations. The annual stubble quail harvest exhibited 'boom-and-bust' dynamics, with an exceptionally large harvest immediately after a La Niña season. Conclusions Long-term monitoring of harvest trends in south-eastern Australia revealed stark differences between introduced deer and native birds: harvest of deer increased rapidly whereas equivalent rates for game birds were either stable or declining. Seasonal effects had a strong influence on game bird harvest. Environmental and regulatory conditions were influential for harvest outcomes for ducks and stubble quail. Implications This study filled a key knowledge gap around managing harvesting of game species, but increased scrutiny is warranted in this field.

Context In response to the toxic health threats posed by lead (Pb), there is currently a focus on transitioning to lead-free bullets for shooting wild animals. Aim We aimed to quantify the killing efficiency and animal welfare outcomes of lead-based and lead-free (copper-based) bullets for ground-based shooting of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) in Victoria, south-eastern Australia. Methods We used shooter-collected data from recreational diurnal hunting and professional nocturnal culling during 2020–2021. Shooters recorded rifle calibre, cartridge type, bullet mass, bullet type, shooting outcomes (miss, wound or kill), shooting distance, flight distance (the distance between where the animal was shot and where it died) as an assumed positive correlate of time to incapacitation, anatomical zones struck by bullets, and frequency of bullet exit wounds. We used flight distance as our response variable, assuming that it is positively correlated with time to incapacitation. To examine the role of several predictor variables (including bullet type) potentially influencing flight distance, the dataset was reduced to those deer killed with a single thoracic shot. Key results Our data captured shooting events involving 276 deer, with 124 deer shot at with lead-based bullets and 152 with copper-based bullets. Most (87%) of the deer were killed with a single shot. The frequency of non-fatal wounding was <4% for both bullet types and there was no distinct difference in the probability of a single shot kill for deer shot with either bullet type. For those deer killed with a single thoracic shot (n = 198), there was no evidence that bullet energy or shooting distance influenced flight distance. After accounting for differences in terminal kinetic energy, the mean flight distance of deer shot with lead-free bullets (35 m) was 56% greater than that of deer shot with lead-based bullets (22 m). Conclusions Lead-based and lead-free bullets produced similar animal welfare outcomes for shooting sambar deer. Implications A transition to lead-free ammunition for shooting sambar deer would have minimal impact on efficiency or animal welfare outcomes.