A big thank you to the many residents of Oak Bay who have sent in photos of deer seen within our community.
These images are a valuable contribution to our program to determine the number of deer residing in the municipality.
Along with scientifically designed roadside counts, which will be repeated seasonally, the photo inventory will provide information on trends in numbers and movement patterns.
For instance, we know that bucks tend to wander greater distances than does, and with the help of your photos we hope to determine which individuals stay within Oak Bay and which may wander into Saanich, Victoria or even further afield.
We’re encouraged by the number of photos received so far and ask that you continue to provide more. Digital images, along with the date and location of each photo, can be sent to brgates@shaw.ca. Right now, we’re particularly interested in the bucks while they still have their antlers. They’ll shed those antlers within the next few weeks, which will add to the challenge of positive identification.
Even the shed antlers can help us. If you find a shed antler, please contact the above email. We may be able to determine which individual buck dropped the antler, and therefore can log its location at that time. You can then keep the antler if you wish.
Zoomed-in images of the deer’s head, face toward camera, are best. However, we urge you to keep a safe distance so as not to stress the deer. Be cautious if you’re near a roadway, and it’s best not to attempt photos if you are with a dog.
We look forward to continued submissions, and thank all contributors for your involvement.
Bryan Gates, president,
Urban Wildlife
Stewardship Society