![]() Abundance estimates were confounded by shifting elk social dynamics during the rutting season, indicating that sampling during times of increased social cohesion and increased site use (i.e., January and February) could be more efficient for estimating group size. I also found that more intensely used sites indicated by LoCoH yielded more unique genotypes when compared to lesser used locations for 2 of the 3 elk groups in this study. I found that GPS location data from female elk were sufficient in delineating discrete fecal DNA sampling sites that could be used to calculate group size estimates within 2-4 sampling occasions. I also evaluated the relationship between increased site use and the rate of capturing individual elk through fecal DNA by analyzing GPS collar data in Local Convex Hull (LoCoH). We used radio-telemetry to monitor annual and seasonal survival of 34 female elk Cervus elaphus at Fort Riley, Kansas in a 3. I tested the hypothesis that GPS (Global Positioning System) collar data from adult female elk could indicate discrete site use locations of their social groups, which in turn yield sufficient sample sizes for use in a capture-recapture framework of abundance estimates of group size. Understanding the influence of management actions and environmental conditions on demographic vital rates is important for effective conservation and management of wildlife populations. ![]() Using DNA collected through fecal samples left by elk groups can aid in addressing these difficulties. However immigration and emigration, the inability to sight elk behind viewing obstructions, and a lack of individual identifiers makes precise and accurate estimates difficult to obtain. Group size abundance estimates of Roosevelt elk ( Cervus canadensis roosevelti) in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, California have largely been inferred through visual counts.
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