Call of Duty: Modern Deer Surveys – Military resources are being put to use in Southern California, but not for reasons you may think. Recently, Camp Pendleton’s game wardens received recognition from the Department of Defense for their ingenious idea to use drones to monitor the deer population on base.
The deer population totals roughly 500 and was typically accounted for by using low flying helicopters. This method of calculating deer populations is also the leading cause of death for biologists. Instead, Operation Buck Rogers is Camp Pendleton’s new tactic to keep tract of the friendly enemy on their land.
The Operation is A Go!
The Operation is simple: use infrared technology already on-board high-flying unmanned drones to monitor the herd and count the population. The Marines get practice targeting a new heat-sensed object in their simulators, and the deer get to be counted.
The base’s chief game warden, Michael Tucker, says the hundreds of hours already spent are worth it so far. Using the Skyranger helicopter-type flying drone system, Tucker’s men have had greater success in monitoring the deer that roam on Southern California’s sunny shores.
As more and more homes going up in the region, the deer need somewhere they can run to for safety. It’s always nice to drive or ride your bike through Camp Pendleton, and now it’s nice to know the deer will be there for future generations of Marines to hunt.
Hunting Camp Pendleton
The only way to hunt the deer is if you are a Marine, a veteran, or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense. But if you have the chance to hunt them, you’re not likely to go home empty handed.
With 500 deer closely monitored, and up to 120 deer taken per season, your chances of success are high. So if you’re one of the few and the proud who get to hunt this region, enjoy! You’ve earned it.
Check out EHuntr’s recent article on Colorado Mule Deer for more deer news.
Have you hunted Camp Pendleton? How did it go? Share your stories with us in the comments below!
