RESEARCH: Tracking Fawns with Thermal Drones

This episode of Prairie Sportsman features the Casey Jone State Trail and thermal drones used to locate and track fawns.

The Casey Jones State Trail was the first trail in the state to be dedicated by the Minnesota Legislature in 1967, but it was never completed. While there are almost 600 miles of paved state trails in Minnesota, only 14 are in southwest Minnesota. The Casey Jones State Trail, built on a railroad right away, runs 8 miles east of Pipestone and includes an unconnected 6-mile loop in Lake Shetek State Park. “The Trail Minnesota Forgot” also features The Friends of the Casey Jones Trail Association and their work to advocate for funding and land purchases to complete a 100-mile trail from Pipestone to Redwood Falls.

Having the right amount of proper habitat is important to sustaining a healthy population of deer in the state. Figuring out what that is rests on the shoulders of wildlife biologists with the Minnesota DNR. “Finding Fawns” looks at one study being used to determine the habits of deer involves locating fawns with a thermal drone, then fitting them with a… READ MORE.