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47
GAME MANAGEMENT OF THE WILD UNGULATE POPULATIONS IN NORTHEASTERN POLAND
Witold Frackowiak, Marta Wojciuch-Ploskonka
Department of Ecology, Wildlife Research and Ecotourism, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland
Introduction
The national area of Poland is
312.000 km2 and 82% of this area is covered by hunting districts (n = 4939). Of these, 4727 hunting districts are leased by hunting clubs whereas the remaining 212 are managed by government administrations, chiefly the State Forest Administration. Each year, at the end of the hunting season (15 March), a nationwide inventory of game animals is taken which should provide a basis for harvest plans for the next hunting season. In March 2011, according to game statistics,
180.000 red deer (Cervus elaphus),
23.000 fallow deer (Dama dama),
822.000 roe deer (Capreolus capreo-lus), and 250,000 wild boars (Sus scrofa), were living in Poland, and their respective harvests amounted to 51,000, 5000, 176,000, and 218,000 respectively. The objective of this study is to present the population dynamics and harvest figures of these species in the Masuria region in northeastern Poland.
Study area, material and methods
The study area is situated in northeastern Poland and covers 22,300 km2, of which 29.1% are forests. The annual sum of precipitation ranges from 500 mm - 634 mm, the average annual temperature ranges from 7.0 -7.7 °C and the vegetation season lasts from 190 to 200 days. A characteristic feature of the study area, and particularly of its northern portion, is the presence of many lakes.
Fresh coniferous and fresh mixed coniferous forest types occupy ca. 65% of forested land, whereas fresh deciduous and fresh mixed deciduous forest types cover 28.0 and 27% of the forested area, respectively. The main species in stands is Scots pine (Pinus silvestris) which grows on ca. 65% of the forest area, followed by birch (Bet-ula sp.), spruce (Picea excelsa), alder (Alnus sp.), and beech (Fagus silvati-cus). The large predators that roam there are wolf (Canis lupus) and lynx (Lynx lynx). The data was collected from 365 hunting districts, where game management is supervised by 33 forest inspectorates of the Regional Directorate of State Forests in Olsztyn. The data on the population numbers and harvests of red deer, fallow deer, roe deer and wild boars, as well as information about habitat improve-
ments in hunting grounds were obtained from all the hunting districts. The population numbers represent the levels at the end of the hunting season.
Results. Population numbers and harvest
During the six years of study there was a dramatic increase in the numbers of red deer from 141,000 individuals to 171,000 individuals (Fig. 1). Finite population growth rate (A) amounted to an average of 1.0392 which means that the average annual rate of increase in population numbers was 3.92%. Red deer were present in all forest inspectorates and the average
population density in 2009 was 26.5±2.4 (x ±SE) individuals/ 1000 hectares of forest. In particular forest directorates this value ranged from 3.8-73.6 individuals/1000 hectares. The harvest of red deer in the first four hunting seasons remained at similar levels (2700-3000 individuals) and only in the last season did it increase to 3500 individuals. The average harvest of red deer in the last season was 6.2±0.52 individuals / 1000 hectares and ranged from 0.6-13.6 individuals/ 1000 hectares of forest. The average annual rate of increase in the har vest was 14.6%.
■ NumbEI UlllllllalNw&Sr of animals; 2009;
Numbei uf diiiiiidlb, 2007,------16 0/fa 17,108
Number ofanimal -----------T4T5T
WEimber of animals; 2006; 14,404
Harvest rate; 200»; Harvest rate; 2005^00»....^ rcfc, 2006* /Pa™*1 rate, 2007*1 05»™* rate; 2008; 3,486 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
• Number uf animals
Number uf animals; 2007;
1,402
Number ufflnimalN|Umb8r uf animals; 2009, T*t8-
| Harvest rate; 2004^ H5'™e*t rate; a)05*1»^ rate; 2006;‘0,iH9a5I“esl^^2007-,26ai'est^^2008; 0,247
■ ■ urn ~i
v_
• Number uf animals
Fig. 1. Dynamic of population number and harvest rate of red deer (left) and fallow deer (right) in north-eastern part of Poland, data for period 2004-2009.
The dynamics of population numbers of fallow deer displayed an increasing tendency (4.0%), similarly as the harvest of this species which has increased annually by an average 14.6% (Fig. 1). Fallow deer occurred in 12 forest directorates, and the average population density in 2009 reached 5.6±1.5 individuals/ 1000 hectares and ranged from 0.5 - 17.2 individuals / 1000 hectares. The average harvest in the last hunting season was 1.2±0.49 fallow deer/ 1000 hectares (max=4.9; min=0.1).
The population numbers of roe deer dropped in the period 2004 - 2006 from 51,500 to 47,200 individuals (Fig. 2), but in the next three years the population climbed to 59,200 individuals. In 2009, the average roe deer population density was 92.3±8.0 individuals/ 1000 hectares and ranged from 28.3 - 182.6 individuals/ 1000 hectares. Over a period of six years, the average rate of increase in the numbers of roe deer amounted to 2.8%. In the first two hunting seasons, the harvest level of roe deer was 3000 animals but
in the next hunting season the number of harvested animals dropped to 2700 individuals. In three subsequent hunting seasons the harvest of roe deer increased to 3500 individuals. In the 2008/09 hunting season, the average harvest of this species was 20.7±2.2 individuals/ 1000 hectares (ranging from 1.8 - 46.9 roe deer/ 1000 hectares). The rate of roe deer harvest was negative and its annual average amounted to -2.0%.
In the period of study, the population numbers of wild boars increased dramatically from 15,200 to 24,100 individuals (Fig. 2). In 2009, the average density of the population reached the level of 38.2±3.4 individuals/ 1000 hectares and ranged from 9.3 to 74.1 individuals/ 1000 hectares. The harvest of wild boars also rose from 10,700 individuals to 20,200 individuals. In 2009, the average harvest of this species was 33.5±3.9 individuals/ 1000 hectares and ranged from 3.2 -85.9 individuals/ 1000 hectares. The average annual increase in population numbers was 9.8% whereas that of the harvest was 17.5%.
Habitat improvements in hunting grounds
In 2009, the study area had 2752 high seats of various types, with some of them adapted to winter hunting conditions. Some 931 baiting and feeding places were set up. The fodder was mostly supplied in pasture, and was mainly bulk fodder (hay, dried shoots and leaves), as well as nutritive fodder, such as maize. Close to the feeding racks, a total of 2624 salt licks were placed. In the 2008/09 hunting season, throughout the whole area of 33 forest inspectorates, 3238 tonnes of nutritive fodder and 42 tonnes of salt were offered. In order to reduce damage inflicted by wild boars in cultivated fields, a total of 117 km of so-called feeding site strips were set up, where mainly maize was offered.
Discussion
The presented data on the population numbers of four species of wild ungulates represent guess-estimates made by hunters, whose error cannot be calculated. The studies conducted in other regions of Poland, indicate that hunters' statistics with respect to deer and wild boars are mostly underestimates (Bobek et al. 2009, Kopec 2012). As a result, the harvest was lower than the annual finite population growth rate and for this reason the increases were recorded in population numbers of the species studied. High population densities of deer and wild boars resulted in an increase in the damage caused by these animals in farmlands (Frackowiak et al. 2011), as well as major outlays for the protection of forest against feeding by deer.
In Poland, the compensation which farmers received in 2010, for damage caused by wild boars, amounted to 11 million euro. In 2011, the financial resources allocated to the protection of forests against browsing and bark stripping of forest plantations and young growths was 31 million euro. The majority of forest plantations and young growths are now fenced which increases the pressure of the animals on cultivated fields, and in forests - on the ground flora and understorey. The considerable quantities of nutritious fodder offered has resulted in increased reproduction rates for wild boar and the early maturation of one-year old sows (Merta et al. 2011; Orlowska et al. 2011). In the years to come, the number of deer and wild boars should be reduced by at least 50%, although implementing this necessitates the assessment of population numbers with the use of credible methods.
^^^"“Wimbei uf animals, Number uf animals; 2009; 59,185 Niimhpr uf animals;-2008; 53,894
Number uf aa|ma|S; Number
Harvest rate; 2004 Harvest rate; 200I
5 Harvest rale; 2006 Harvest rate, 200f! HarveSV ratPi 2008;
dm
• Number uf animals
Number uf animals; Number uf animals; 2009; 24,117
nrnbenS^iMsTOmbProirammalls
2004; 15,168 2005; 14,971
Number uf animals;
Number uf animals; 2007; 19,23;
Harvest rate; 2008;
2 •“ttarvp^
I ate, 200
: Hnco-1 ■ Harvest rate, 20091 Harvest rate, 2006, i
i 10,681 9,563' ; 9,568 ; ■
I III
Number uf animals
8,957
Fig. 1. Dynamic of population number and harvest rate of red deer (left) and
fallow deer (right) in north-eastern part of Poland, data for period 2004-2009.
REFERENCES
Bobek B., Kosecki W., Majewski M., Szneider B. and R. Wasilewski. 2009. Population Dynamics and harvest structure of red deer in Regional Directorate of State Forest in Gdansk. 2009. Pages 52-61, In: B. Bobek, J. Mikos I R. Wasilewski (eds.). Management and conservation of wildlife in eastern Promerania - northern Poland. Gdansk 2009. (In Polish with English abstracts).
Frackowiak, W., Gorczyca, S., Merta, D., and M. Wojciuch-Ploskonka. 2011. Factors affecting the level of damage by wild boar in farmlands in northeastern Poland. 8th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference Berlin, Germany, 26-30 September 2011; Book of Abstracts: 221-223.
Kopec K. 2011. Plan regulacji liczebnosci jeleni w Nadlesnictwie Rudziniec. Brac Lowiecka 1: 60-61. (In Polish).
Merta, D., Albrycht M., Frackowiak W., Furtek J. and T. Mamok,. 2011. Reproductive parameters, birth date-effect and body condition of wild boars (Sus scrofa) inhabiting forest and forest-farmland environments in Poland 8th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference Berlin, Germany, 26-30 September 2011; Book of Abstracts: 233-234.
Orlowska, L., Rembacz, W. and C. Florek. 2011. Carcass weight, condition and reproduction of wild boars harvested in north-western Poland. 8th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference Berlin, Germany, 26-30 September 2011; Book of Abstracts: 230-232.
