The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has employees in the field armed with thermal imaging cameras in an effort to better count the number of deer the state actually has. Most states that manage their deer populations estimate the deer numbers using complicated and sometimes not so accurate formulas. Others at times pay the high cost of doing wintertime flyovers. Winter is chosen because deer are yarding up and they are easier to spot against the white snowy background.
But not all states have snow to count deer against. Tennessee in the past has sent their biologists out under cover of darkness with high-powered spotlights to count. Now they are armed with thermal imaging in hopes of being able to more accurately assess how many big allusive bucks come out at night who never appear during the daylight hours.
Photo came from WBIR.com.
Tom Remington
