The use of trackway counts to establish an index of deer presence

The use of transect counts of faecal pellet groups together with counts of trackways crossing the perimeter of a woodland block were investigated as a means of establishing an index of deer presence and relative abundance. Su rveys were undertaken in 38 sites in agricultural landscapes in south and e ast England. Correlations between trackways per 100 m and faecal pellet gro ups per 100 m were highly significant when all sites or sites with Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) as the main species present were considered. Deer de nsities were estimated from the faecal pellet group counts and the results used to calibrate the method, Trackway counts as described provide a quick and effective means of establishing a scalar index of deer presence.