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Volunteer drone survey finds 53 deer at Origin Park; council considers management options
Summary
Hoosier South Drone Services presented a thermal-and-4K drone survey that detected 53 deer at Origin Park and found the herd to appear healthy; presenters offered their data and video to council to inform potential herd-management decisions.
Representatives from Hoosier South Drone Services presented volunteer drone survey results to the Clarksville council at a March 17 work session, reporting 53 deer observed at Origin Park during the flight and describing the equipment and methods used (thermal imaging and 4K cameras, flight path covering the park).
Presenters said vegetation provided plentiful forage and that none of the observed deer appeared sick or overbrowsed; they noted the survey was a point-in-time count and that numbers vary seasonally. The presenters offered to provide the video and analysis to staff and council so that municipal decision-makers would have an unbiased data point to inform any management action.
Council and presenters discussed management options, including timing differences by season, controlled hunts in partnership with local organizations, and other nonlethal or targeted approaches. A retired DNR officer who helped coordinate the visit described how baiting and habitat manipulation can change deer distribution and cautioned that multi-year study is typical for considered herd-reduction decisions.
Next steps: presenters will provide the video and flight data to staff; council indicated the material will be reviewed and used to inform further discussion about whether and how to pursue herd management.
