Munty numbers

6.5/284matt

Well-Known Member
How do you guys estimate munty numbers on your ground. Iv never had much to do with them but just took some new ground on with muntys on and walked it today for the first time. Iv walked round for about an hour an half an struggled not to stand on a munty slot, they were everywhere.
Only saw one but I was striding out to get round it all.
Any thought?

Cheers. Matt.
 
Muntjac census work to establish numbers is virtually impossible and therefore pointless! If you have relatively thick areas of cover, then you have no chance of getting an accurate count even with the most sophisticated thermal imagery equipment! Munty Does rarely leave the safety of cover and have fairly small territories. What you can do though is establish what impact they are having by indirect census methods. We use the Dr Arnold Cooke impact assesment technique which is endorsed by the FC. It gives the woodland a 'score' of low, medium or high impact and indicates what level of culling you need to adopt. It sets a benchmark which can then be referred to in subsequent years. It is very important that it is done by the same person on the same route at the same time each year though! If I were you I would keep shooting them until you see no more slots appear!;)
MS
 
someone on here did say they saw about 30 to 40 munties whilst in a seat one evening imo it was probably no more than 6 to 10 munties back and forward 4 times each :D busy little blighters

norma
 
Muntjac census work to establish numbers is virtually impossible and therefore pointless! If you have relatively thick areas of cover, then you have no chance of getting an accurate count even with the most sophisticated thermal imagery equipment! Munty Does rarely leave the safety of cover and have fairly small territories. What you can do though is establish what impact they are having by indirect census methods. We use the Dr Arnold Cooke impact assesment technique which is endorsed by the FC. It gives the woodland a 'score' of low, medium or high impact and indicates what level of culling you need to adopt. It sets a benchmark which can then be referred to in subsequent years. It is very important that it is done by the same person on the same route at the same time each year though! If I were you I would keep shooting them until you see no more slots appear!;)
MS

I pretty much agree with MS on the above.

Since getting a trail camera, I am beginning to realise how little I know about muntjac territories.

I am not so sure about the Impact Assessment technique, particularly when other deer and mammals spp are present. I suspect that you would have to have virtually no deer before it gave a low score. Having said this, I haven't come up with a better method.

I would also question why you want to put a figure on the population? Be very careful because if you give anyone a figure they may later use it as a stick to beat you with.

My main area of muntjac stalking is 3000 acres enclosed by a nine mile long, seven foot high brick wall, I am on the ground all the time and I wouldn't like to even have a wild guess at the numbers present.

Glyn.
 
you could always pay to have arial thermal snapshots taken and guesstimate what's actually munties, fox, roe etc
 
If it's like that I would get stuck in to them.
A very good read is Muntjac, managing an alien species, by Charles Smith Jones.
 
shoot every one you see , then at the end of the season add up how many you shot then times it by 3
 
Just got back in. Only played about in a small corner, about 100 acre area. There were deffinatly five different muntys barking in the close vicinity. Only clapped eyes on one. The little bliters don't stand still do they.
Do both sexes bark equally or does one more than the other?

Matt.
 
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