WILDLIFE REPORT: 2014 WV MAST SURVEY

(09/29/2014)

The Division of Natural Resources (DNR) in cooperat ion with the Division of Forestry annually surveys West Virginia to determine relative abundance of soft and hard mast of important trees and shrubs. The mast crop this fall looks pretty good for most regions. Two hundred twenty nine (229) locations covering a ll regions of West Virginia were surveyed in 2014. The mast survey is a relative estimation of mast p roduced by 18 different species. Because of the importance of mast conditions, biologists and wildlife managers are able to forecast black be ar, squirrel, white-tailed deer, wild boar and wild turkey population changes and ha rvests. Compared to the 2013 survey, the mast ind ex for all species combined was up four percent. Compared to the 43-year average, the 2014 mast index for all species combined increased eight percent.

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