Nebraska Deer

IN COMMON with the experience of most states, Nebraska\u27s deer herds were reduced to a very low level by excessive harvests in our early history. Most American big-game animals were overharvested in the early history of this nation because of commercialization. Buffalo were killed for their hides, deer for their meat. This slaughter continued as long as the hunter (or poacher) could sell his take at a profit. Modem game management and public opinion reversed this trend. Deer are on the way back all over America, and in some states the protection-complex was so strong that deer were restored to such high population levels as to be detrimental .to the deer, their range, and the crops of the men who own that range. In Nebraska our restoration efforts have borne fruit, and we have reached that stage where adequate harvest is becoming a major factor in our deer management problems. This bulletin is intended to give the rea der essential information concerning deer, their management, and their harvest. Public understanding and active participation in the management and use of this great resource is essential. In truth, the most important factor of all in this restoration and use of a great wildlife resource, is you, Mr. Citizen. May we have your understanding and help

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER DENSITY AND NUMBERS DURING MIGRATORY STOPOVER IN THE RAINWATER BASIN, NEBRASKA

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis) is a shorebird of conservation concern whose migration patterns and population size are poorly known. We conducted surveys in the Eastern Rainwater Basin, Nebraska, in 2004 and 2005 using distance sampling. This survey produced density estimates of 0.09 birds per ha in 2004 and 0.04 birds per ha in 2005. Because the study area was explicitly defined by soil characteristics, we were able to extrapolate from density estimates to produce predictions of overall numbers in the study area. We produced minimum estimates of the numbers of Buff-breasted Sandpipers stopping over in the region—43 300 in 2004 and 22 924 in 2005. When we restricted our predictions to only the area adjacent to roads, numbers of birds ranged from 13 488 to 41 513, depending on the area used. These predictions indicate two important findings—that 1) the current estimate of the world population of Buff-breasted Sandpipers of 15 000 to 20 000 individuals is too low, and 2) the Eastern Rainwater Basin appears to be a primary spring stopover site for the species in the North American Great Plains. Tryngites subruficollis es un ave playera con estatus de conservación preocupante, de la cual se conoce poco sobre sus patrones migratorios y tamaños poblacionales. Realizamos muestreos en el este de la Cuenca de Rainwater en Nebraska en los años 2004 y 2005 utilizando el método de muestreo que considera las distancias. Este muestreo produjo estimaciones de densidad de 0.09 individuos por ha en 2004 y de 0.04 individuos por ha en 2005. Debido a que el área de estudio fue definida explícitamente por las características del suelo, fuimos capaces de extrapolar las estimaciones de densidad para predecir los números totales en el área de estudio. Produjimos estimaciones mínimas del número de individuos de T. subruficollis que realizan paradas migratorias en la región—43 300 en 2004 y 22 924 en 2005. Al restringir las predicciones sólo a las ´áreas adyacentes a los caminos, el número de aves varió entro 13 488 y 41 513, dependiendo del área utilizada. Estas predicciones señalan dos hallazgos importantes—que 1) la estimación actual de la población mundial de T. subruficollis de 15 000 a 20 000 individuos es muy baja y que 2) el este de la Cuenca de Rainwater parece ser uno de los puntos de parada migratoria más importantes para esta especie en la región de las grandes planicies de Norte América