Distance Sampling for Estimating Deer Abundance

October 21-24, 2002
SUNY-ESF
Syracuse, New York

Preliminary Program

Monday, October 21
12:30 pm  Registration
1:00-5:00 Session 1(Moon Conference Room)
Introduction to Abundance Estimation
a) Welcome and Workshop Background
b) Traditional and conventional methods and associated problems
c) Brief overview of distance sampling history
d) Applications of distance sampling
e) Collecting distance data
f) Assumptions
g) Data sheets
h) Equipment needs
5:00 pm  Reception
 

Tuesday, October 22

8:00 am Session 2
Density Estimation Field Exercise
Noon Lunch (provided)
1-5 pm Session 3
Data Entry and Program Distance
a) Introduction to Program Distance Version 3.5
b) Project set-up
c) Data entry using Data Browser
d) Data entry by importation using Import Wizard
e) The Analysis Browser
f) The Detection Function
g) ESW statistics
e) Density summary

Wednesday, May 23
8:00 am Session 4
Putting the Puzzle Together
a) The density estimator in detail
b) Components of uncertainty
c) Definitions
d) A focus on effective strip width
e) Missed animals and the detection process
Noon Lunch (on your own)
1-5 pm Session 5
Analysis Made Easy
f) Crews analyze data
g) Troubleshooting quirky distance data
 

Thursday, May 24

8:00 am Session 6
A Short Statistics Lesson
a) Accuracy (and Bias)
b) Precision
c) Construction of confidence intervals around density
e) Comparing density estimates
f) Planning surveys
g) Spotlighting protocols
h) Equipment embellishments
i) Constraints
Noon Conclusion and evaluation