Wildlife damage to agriculture causes significant economic loss worldwide annually. Game managers or hunters are responsible for the financial compensation of the crop damage caused by game species in several countries, including Hungary. Accredited experts estimate the level of the damage; however, currently, there are no standardised methods that would be obligatory to apply. In order to obtain information on the accuracy and bias of the different sampling methods, we designed GIS simulations in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), which covers a significant proportion of the arable land not only in Hungary, but also globally. We tested two sampling methods with three sampling plot arrangements in a GIS environment. Our questions were the following: (1) How accurate and biased are the examined samplings? (2) Does the rate or the spatial distribution of the damage (or the interaction of these factors) affect the results of the investigated methods? We created 15 wheat field models with 1:2 side ratio, 12 cm row width and the area of 3 ha. We simulated 5 damage rates (10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 90%) and 3 spatial damage patterns [random, aggregated in 1 and 2 field edges], of which the latter two follow the actual pattern of crop damage caused by big game species. V, W and X sampling tracks were allocated on each field model, and then they were sampled with square shaped, 1 m2 quadrats and 1 m long row sections (with 5 repetitions). The sample size was 20 and 25 plots, respectively (determined by the original description of the methods). At the sample plots, the total number of plants and the number of damaged plants were counted. According to our results, the statistical parameters of the different samplings were similar; the difference between the best and the poorest values was low. The rate and spatial distribution of the damage, as well as their interaction, had a significant effect on the estimation of each quadrat sampling, while the row sections were significantly affected only by the damage distribution (V and W tracks) or the damage rate (X track). According to our findings however, the difference between the labour-intensity of the two approaches can be decisive. With the sample sizes in our study, remarkably lower number of plants had to be examined along the row sections, than in the quadrats. This suggests that the experts can obtain similar quality results with less effort, if they choose the row section sampling over the quadrats.

A simple, fast, and cost-effective organic solvent-based protocol was developed for DNA extraction from deer antlers and prepared trophy skulls without the need for commercial kits or cryogenic grinding. The method combines bead-based mechanical homogenization with a 4-hour enzymatic digestion in EDTA buffer containing N-lauryl sarcosine and Proteinase K, followed by phenol-chloroform-isoamyl alcohol purification and centrifugal filtration. DNA quality and quantity were evaluated using agarose gel electrophoresis, Qubit fluorometry, and Nanodrop spectrophotometry. The protocol was tested on 60 samples, including 31 antlers and 29 pedicle parts of prepared trophy skulls from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), and red deer (Cervus elaphus). Statistical analysis was performed to assess concentration differences among species and sample types. To assess suitability for downstream applications, species-specific microsatellite markers were amplified using multiplex PCR, successfully generating complete genotypes from all 60 samples. These results, along with a demonstrated case study, confirm that the developed protocol provides high-quality DNA suitable for molecular genetic investigations, enabling reliable genotyping from small amounts of both antler and processed trophy materials in forensic and conservation contexts.

A simple, fast, and cost-effective organic solvent-based protocol was developed for DNA extraction from deer antlers and prepared trophy skulls, eliminating the need for commercial kits or cryogenic grinding. The method combines bead-based mechanical homogenization with a 4 h enzymatic digestion in EDTA buffer containing N-lauryl sarcosine and Proteinase K, followed by phenol–chloroform–isoamyl alcohol purification and centrifugal filtration. DNA quality and quantity were evaluated using agarose gel electrophoresis, Qubit fluorometry, and Nanodrop spectrophotometry. The protocol was tested on 60 samples, comprising 30 antlers and 30 pedicle parts from prepared trophy skulls of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), and red deer (Cervus elaphus). To assess suitability for downstream applications, species-specific microsatellite markers were amplified using multiplex PCR, successfully generating complete genotypes from all 60 samples. These results, along with a demonstrated case study, confirm that the developed protocol provides high-quality DNA suitable for molecular genetic investigations, enabling reliable genotyping from small amounts of both antler and processed trophy materials in forensic and conservation contexts.