How to Contact Zach
Zach Wesner was raised in the southern Indiana town of French Lick. In 2016, he graduated from Ball State University where he earned a B.S. degree in Biology, concentrating in Zoology. During his time as an undergraduate, he discovered his passion for deer ecology and management working as an intern on Ball State University’s urban deer study in Bloomington, Indiana.
Since his introduction to field work, Zach has been involved with various research projects including Indiana DNR’s bovine tuberculosis (bTB) surveillance, an epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) study with the SEER Lab at the University of Florida, a population demographics study for the Apalachicola subpopulation of black bears with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the North Georgia Deer Study with the UGA Deer Lab. His involvement with these projects included assisting with the capture and chemical immobilization of native and exotic cervid, bovid, and antelope species, as well as black bears.
While pursuing his M.S. degree, Zach will be studying the efficacy of GPS-sized expandable radiocollars designed for white-tailed deer fawns. He will be evaluating fit and function of collars during the first twelve months of life and conducting regular focal sessions to determine if the collars change fawn behavior. He will also be studying acorn preferences of white-tailed deer, focusing on oak species found on the barrier island and mountain habitats of Georgia. Zach’s research will be conducted at the Whitehall Deer Research Facility under the direction of Dr. Gino D’Angelo.
