Deer Impact Project

Information for selected participants

Link to enter Fall 2018 collected data online (optional) Enter seedling measurement data here, or scan the data sheet and email to ifwoa1@gmail.com, or mail to the IFWOA office at 1007 North 725 West, West Lafayette, IN 47906.

Link to upload exclosure photos (optional)

Fence installation and tree planting instructions (PDF, 569 KB)

Data sheet (for collecting seedling height information) (PDF, 137 KB)

Project status

Participants installed fencing in 2017 spring and collected initial seedling height measurements inside and outside the exclosure. Measurements were taken in Winter 2017 and Spring 2018 and any evidence of browse noted.

Questions should be addressed to ifwoa1@gmail.com or 765.583.3501.

About the Project

Sixty citizen volunteers from around the state are installing deer exclosure fencing on their property to demonstrate deer impact effects. While there is anecdotal evidence of negative effects from deer browse, there is little data about deer impact on forest regeneration on private lands.

The exclosures are being installed across all six ecoregions on three types of sites: 1-3 year old tree plantings, forest sites harvested in the last 1-2 years, or forest sites with no harvest in the last 10 years. Landowners are planting red oak trees inside and outside the exclosure and will monitor those seedlings over time for browse and growth.

Original application (PDF, 177 kb)  Applications are now closed, all participants have been notified.

This project is supported by a grant from the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry in coordination with the Indiana Division of Forestry.