With some recent snows in the last week, North Dakota Game and Fish officials are anxious to get in the air and begin aerial surveys of big game. With such little snow that doesn’t seem to want to last, it has been impossible for officials to do any surveying. There needs to be at least a foot of snow on the ground to make spotting the deer,elk and moose easier.
During the aerial survey, game counters will fly over large blocks of territory – upwards of 1,200 square miles at an altitude of 500 feet. The data collected during these fly-overs is used to solidify suspected game populations. From that, officials can then determine how many of each species should be harvested the following year.
Recent reports show that the deer herds are doing well. With very little snow and mild temperatures, the deer are spread out over larger areas and are better able to find food.
Tom Remington
