Evaluation of a GPS collar for white-tailed deer

New collar designs should be tested in controlled settings to determine whether accuracy is comparable to currently available technology We evaluated a new Global Positioning System (GPS) collar for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to determine whether positional accuracy was comparable to previous literature and whether behavior of collared animals or vegetation characteristics affected positional accuracy. We collared 5 male white-tailed deer at the enclosed Wildlife Research and Education Facility at Mississippi State University. We observed deer from a fixed observation stand. We recorded behavior, head position, and location of deer when GPS collars attempted to acquire a location. Global Positioning System collars collected locations on 85% of the attempts. Positional error was not affected by behavior (i.e., bedded, moving, or standing) or head position (i.e., down, mixed, up, P>0.05). Ability of the GPS collar to acquire a fix was affected by behavior (P<0.001), but not by head position (P=0.099). Vegetation characteristics (i.e., basal area, canopy coverage, and distance to nearest tree) did not affect ability of GPS collars to acquire a fix, although there was a narrow range of vegetation characteristics within the captive deer facility. This new GPS collar design can be used cost-effectively to obtain animal locations with great accuracy and precision and with little operator or equipment error.