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large (See Hunting Programs section in this document for hunt data summaries). This year‟s
survey was conducted at the AHATS and TCAAP properties on January 20, 2009. One hundred
and four deer were counted during the survey (Table 21), which may indicate that additional
hunting pressure may be needed to reduce the deer population.
Table 21. Aerial surveys of White-tailed deer at the Twin Cities Army
Ammunition Plant and Arden Hills Army Training Site, 1999-2009.
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Deer Counted 41 47 30 -- 30 47 -- 84 124 87 104
Plains Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavescens)
The plains pocket mouse (Perognathus flavescens) is listed as a state special concern
species. AHATS is the site of the only known plains pocket mouse population in Ramsey County.
First documented at AHATS in 1995, this species has been located in 13 other counties in
Minnesota and is the largest known population of pocket mice in the state (MNDNR Rare Species
Guide 2009). The closest pocket mouse capture was in Anoka County, 10.5 miles from AHATS.
At AHATS, plains pocket mice are found in a gravel pit near Marsden Lake (Figure 65).
The preferred habitat for the plains pocket mouse contains well-drained sandy soils, with sparse,
grassy or brushy vegetation (Higgins et al. 2000 and MNDNR Rare Species Guide 2009). The
vegetation around the gravel pit area is gradually becoming thicker due to lack of disturbance. At
AHATS, thicker vegetation is more commonly inhabited by meadow voles and Peromyscus
species. In order to maintain the amount of suitable habitat available for the plains pocket mouse
at AHATS, vegetation manipulations need to be conducted. In October 2003, an ATV was used
to drag a chain link harrow to partially remove vegetation in a 2,700 m 2 (0.67 acre) parcel of land
to the north of the pocket mouse capture sites (Dirks and DeJong 2004).
On May 28, 2009, 78 Sherman live traps were placed in locations where pocket mice had
been live trapped in previous years at the gravel pit. The traps were placed in the survey areas
then left closed for 12 days so the mice could acclimate to the traps. The areas were trapped the
nights of June 9 to June 11, then closed for several days, and trapped again for the nights of June
23 to June 25, for a total of 468 trap nights. The traps were baited with a mixture of rolled oats
lightly coated with peanut butter. Traps were set then checked the following the morning. Four
different species were captured in 2009 (Table 22); one Peromyscus spp., one meadow vole
(Microtus pennsylvanicus), two meadow jumping mice (Zapus hudsonius), and three plains
pocket mice. It is unknown if the same pocket mouse was recaptured as they were not marked
upon capture. There were at minimum two individuals captured as one pocket mouse was
noticeably smaller in size than two captured earlier in the week. Both capture sites in 2009 were
within the 2003 vegetation treatment area (Figure 68).
2009 Conservation Program Report
Page 102