What's eating your guts? Citizen science project for MN deer hunters!

[offal_watch]

The Offal Wildlife Watching program is a research and citizen science program with volunteer deer hunters throughout Minnesota. The purpose of our research is to better understand what and when Minnesota wildlife species use hunter-provided deer gut piles (also called offal) and to understand how offal affects wildlife food webs. We ask volunteer hunters to set up camera traps on the offal they leave in the field to monitor and capture images of wildlife visitors for one month. We also use volunteers to help classify and identify wildlife in our many thousands of captured images each hunting season.

We’re actively recruiting hunter volunteers before deer hunting seasons start (we can provide project cameras and equipment for use) and are also trying to spread awareness of the project so Minnesota residents can follow our results and the interesting images we capture. If you're a hunter who would like to participate, more information is at: z.umn.edu/offal. To follow project updates follow us on Facebook: Offal Wildlife Watching, Instagram: #offal_watch or Twitter: @offal_watch

[attachment deleted by admin]

[savage270]

I always leave a trail camera on my gut piles and boned out carcasses and find it interesting to see what comes to eat.  With that being said, in my opinion, this "citizen science project" is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to eliminate lead ammunition as an option to hunters.  Just think of all the free pictures they will collect from unwitting hunters to then use as "evidence" to harm those same hunters by reducing their ammo options.  Maybe my tinfoil hat is on a bit too tight, but convince me I'm wrong.

On the plus side I did learn a new word today: offal.

[Pulleye16]

I was going to post the same thing savage.

Unfortunately, I bet they get many hunters to volunteer for this all the while, unknowingly, it’s against them.

Better get he word out to fellow forums.

[offal_watch]

Effect of any type of ammunition is NOT the focus of our research. We are simply focused on understanding how offal affects wild food webs. We do not ask volunteer participants what type of ammunition they use.

We do ask what type of hunting (bow, rifle, muzzleloader) and hunting unit #. We also ask for specific locations of the camera setups but do NOT share that information. Happy to answer any questions prospective participants may have!

[roony]

Nope

[dakids]

I've put a cam on gut piles for years.  Location plays a role on what comes in.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Jerkbiat]

We get those on ours too. Mostly birds that eat them up. Ravens, eagles and magpies are the common ones.