| 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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