Originally, when I applied for a position to trap deer this winter, I thought that I would be working on the other half of the Deer-Forest Study. If you recall, I spent two seasons sampling herbs and woody species as a Forest Field Technician. The supervisor for the deer and elk section had other plans for me, however. During my job offer, he asked if I was interested in working on the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) study in South Central Pennsylvania. He added that I would make a good fit to the crew that he was assembling. I still don’t know what that means but I could not pass the opportunity to assist a new study. After all, wildlife disease is fascinating! I accepted a position on the Blair County CWD deer trapping crew. That is why I am here in Martinsburg this winter. Continue reading “The Purpose of Trapping Deer”
Tag: wildlife disease
Why Deer?
I often said I’m not interested in working with deer. This winter however, I find myself working as a Deer Biologist Aid. It goes to show that you never know where you will end up. So, why did I take a job working with deer? Continue reading “Why Deer?”
Looking for Trouble
After publishing my last post, some of you inquired about what happened to the amphibians at that pond in Canyon. I was sad to report on the demise of this cohort; however, I was pleased to hear of the concern for these wonderful yet vulnerable animals. They often do not get the attention or the funding that they deserve. In this post, I’ll tell you about my amphibian work with the Wildlife Health Program and present my hypothesis on what caused the amphibian die-off. Continue reading “Looking for Trouble”