Blacktail Deer Foundation kicks off 2025 in Kodiak Alaska!
Staff from the Blacktail Deer Foundation team kicked 2025 off right by assisting with a conservation project on Kodiak Island Alaska that involves capturing, collaring, and tracking Sitka black-tailed deer.
Lead by researchers from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), the team used a thermal drone to locate deer and through coordination with a biologist using a tranquilizer gun, attempted to capture adult deer in order to collect DNA samples and apply GPS tracking collars.
The deer population on Kodiak is incredibly sensitive to the weather and general habitat use is a knowledge gap. As snow pushes deer down from the mountains towards the coast, deer have less space to live and have an increased risk of mortality from severe weather or predation. These GPS collars will help us determine how deer are using available habitats are adjusting to snowfall levels and other local conditions.
More to follow on this project but we are excited to start the new year in the field and kick off the conservation work for the Blacktail Deer Foundation.
Great Work Conservation Team!
As always, Good luck this winter and remember to send any success pictures or stories from the field to [email protected] and you could be featured on our website or in our magazine. If this article or any of our articles have helped you become a better hunter or conservation steward, consider becoming a member of the Mule Deer Foundation or the Blacktail Deer Foundation or both. Click here to join: https://muledeer.org/product-category/membership/ or https://www.blacktaildeer.org/
Trevor J Hubbs @TrevorHubbs on Instagram
Trevor is the Communications Manager for the Mule Deer Foundation. He grew up hunting and fishing the eastern edge of the Ozark Mountains for quail, ducks, and bucks. Trevor is also a contributor for “Fur, Fish, and Game”, “Lethal Minds Journal”, “Strung Magazine”, “Fly Fisherman”, and “Shooting Sportsman” among others.
