We tested the possibility and feasibility of assembling Arduino GPS trackers without previous engineering experience and modified them for upland game birds under extreme environmental conditions. Low-cost GPS trackers were assembled and deployed on ring-necked pheasants Phasianus colchicus in conjunction with an ongoing winter survival study. To assess GPS receiver accuracy, we deployed trackers in a static test. The static test fix rate was 1.0, median error was 2.5 m and mean error was 13.3 m (SD = 39.5). During the mobile test, wild pheasants were captured using walk-in funnel traps baited with corn from January to March 2019. During winter, 407 VHF locations and 1574 GPS locations of 35 individuals were collected, resulting in a 287% increase in data density at only 23% increase in cost. The fix rate during the mobile test averaged to 0.83. To determine if trackers were low-cost, we calculated cumulative costs of equipment and supplies required to recreate the GPS tracking unit. GPS costs were $47.60 per unit with an additional $202.00 for the supplemental VHF transmitter.
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10 April 2020
Low-cost DIY GPS trackers improve upland game bird monitoring
Hilary R. Kauth,
Robert C. Lonsinger,
Adam J. Kauth,
Andrew J. Gregory
![](/ContentImages/journals/wbio/2020/2/2/WebImages/065.026.0200.cover.jpg)
Wildlife Biology
Vol. 2020 • No. 2
2020
Vol. 2020 • No. 2
2020
Arduino
diy
GPS
low-cost
modified trackers
Phasianus colchicus
ring-necked pheasant