Estimation of the Ecological Density of Some Species of Game according to Winter Route Censuses

—The possibility of determining the ecological density of game animals according to winter route censuses is considered. Determining the density of game animals is a prerequisite for determining their prey quotas. The most valuable parameter characterizing population numbers of species of game animals is the ecological density. It is calculated for the area actually inhabited by a particular animal species. The population density, calculated for the area of land suitable for the species, is widely used in the practice of domestic hunting. Territories with feeding and protective properties for this species are considered suitable sites. The materials of winter route counts confirm that the territories suitable for any animal species are not always completely populated by it and that territories recognized as unsuitable are visited by these animals. Tracking the activity of game animals is recorded both in areas that are considered suitable for the species and in areas that are not typical for it. The territory of the animal during the day is the area lying inside the minimum convex contour drawn around the daily track of this animal. In this case, as the territory occupied by an animal, we can consider the territory obtained by combining all the minimum convex contours drawn around all daily traces left by this animal for a certain time. The union of the minimum convex contours drawn around all daily traces left by all animals of a given species during the period of the census work can be considered as the territory inhabited by them at this time of the year. The crossing of a track by a route is a random event. Therefore, to determine the ecological density of a species according to the winter route censuses data, it is necessary to apply probability theory.