Methods of population estimates of a hunted Wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) population in Tuscany (Italy)

Abstract

On the basis of demographic data on 1253 wild boars hunted in Monticiano (Siena) from 1984 to 1991, age, sex and life tables were computed. Demographic parameters in combination with hunting effort provided the basic data to check the population trends year by year. Estimates of the population were computed through 9 different methods which fall into three general classes (Catch per Unit Effort, Population Reconstruction, Lang and Wood’s Pennsylvania method). An evaluation of these methods is provided.