Posted: 02.25.2011

The Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources is scrapping a program to track and study deer by
capturing them from a helicopter.

WSAW-TV reports the helicopter had repeated mechanical problems.
DNR researcher Christopher Jacques says the helicopter flew just
eight days and captured about half of the 120 deer the agency was
hoping to capture and collar.

Jacques says the Utah company that supplied the helicopter
didn't have a replacement.

Jacques says the helicopter allows the DNR to capture deer much
more quickly than on the ground, and allows researchers to more
easily target bucks. Before the helicopter plan was scrapped, the
DNR was able to use the 'copter to capture and collar 66 deer,
mostly in the Shawano area. The DNR plans to continue to capture
and collar deer using ground traps.

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