Tracking maps and deer management plans

[Leigh Robinson]

Hi,
I am thinking about producing a tracking map for the woods I visit. This way I can better understand the movement of the animals and will have a better chance of seeing them.

The wood may have a deer management plan but I doubt it is as detailed as a animal tracks map would be.

Does anyone have any good examples i could look at for some ideas on my own? I thought it best to seek your knowledgeable views before I go ahead!

 

[squantrill]

Hi,
I am thinking about producing a tracking map for the woods I visit. This way I can better understand the movement of the animals and will have a better chance of seeing them.

The wood may have a deer management plan but I doubt it is as detailed as a animal tracks map would be.

Does anyone have any good examples i could look at for some ideas on my own? I thought it best to seek your knowledgeable views before I go ahead!

I cant help you to much but I was thinking along similar lines for the local woods here, I did find some software called cybertracker


http://www.cybertracker.org/

I am guessing this will do what you need, I haven't had a chance to take a good look yet.

I can also recall there was a number of projects using gps units to make maps ala openstreetmap and a few spine offs like kayaking put in and get out points. It would be fairly easy to create a online map using details from gps units and create maps you could go global

Simon

 

[Leigh Robinson]

Excellent Post!

Cyber tracker is more sophisticated than as far as I had got. I wonder if it works as well as described? I can see I need to do some reading on conservation methods.

I can't make the research global and open as the focus is on deer and animals in an open access woodland so the info is ripe for poachers. It would have to be quite edited first.

I have got about halfway in my proposal. Perhaps we can combine resources? or bounce ideas off each other?

 

[320]

while not as high tech.

get a topograhic map the the area.

use transparent overlays to record significant data. an overlay for navigation points. an overlay for birds, one for trees, etc.

the map remains your base line. as you add points of interest on each successive overlay you will begin to see the patterns of activity in your area.

one year i used this method to track fish movements in a large pond based on temp and time/date. didn't catch anymore fish, but it was fascinating.

you can use photoshop layers on a google map.

most any gps unit will let you add points of interest and waypoints.

 

[bearbait]

Hi Lee,
You could use the free version of Map Maker (http://www.mapmaker.com/). For example you could scan a regular map of the area you're interested in, calibrate it with the appropriate Grid Refs., and then, using Map Maker's own layers (as 320 suggested above), plot the information you're interested in. You can switch layers on and off, colour them, use different symbols etc. You could use a different layer for each month of the year, or each animal/specie, or both. There's an underlying database so you can record as much or as little information about the points or tracks as you wish. It's actually a reasonable basic GIS. There's a support forum (http://www.latitudecartography.co.uk/forum/default.asp) and good manuals.

Another thing you could try is to talk to a Conservation Officer from your local Wildlife Trust. The Trusts often use GISs and may be able to provide you with help and/or advice; they may also be pleased to have sight of your findings at the end of your project. Many Trusts have special interest groups, e.g. mine has a Mammals Group, and you can often get direct access to some top-notch people, as well as training days, through these groups.

Good luck with your project...

 

[badgeringtim]

Id suggest the easiest way is a target noting system (which is most likely to be the system used if you go on training with the above).
In essence it is a note number on the map in the location of something interesting and a coresponding note with more detail. Depending on the objective these can be species specific with a simple code or colour and have some constants like a universal sign for mammal path or if species specific re-use the signs.
Not sure if that made much sence.
Cambridge does have a good mammal society - they merged with another group and i cant recall the name now. If interested PM me and i can point you in the right direction.

Unles you have very accurate GPS i dont enjoy them - especially in woodlands. I think you are looking for a detailed repeated excercise of a specific area not a broad scale information over a larger one?

cheers