Pine (Pinus spp.)‐dominated forests are commonly managed with prescribed fire in the southeastern United States to reduce fuel loads, maintain diverse plant communities, and increase habitat quality for wildlife. Prescribed fire alters understory vegetation, which is a key component of nesting habitat for ground‐nesting birds. We assessed the influences of vegetation, prescribed fire, and landscape features (e.g., roads, edge) on nest site selection and nest survival of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in a pine‐dominated ecosystem in west‐central Louisiana. We radio‐marked 55 female wild turkeys and evaluated vegetation and landscape characteristics associated with 69 nests during the 2014 and 2015 reproductive periods. We used conditional logistic regressions with matched‐pairs case‐control sampling and information‐theoretic approaches to determine if vegetation characteristics within 15 m of a nest site, distances to surrounding vegetation communities and edges, and prescribed fire history of patches where a nest was located influenced nest site selection. We calculated hazard ratios for covariates in our top‐performing models to determine if any of these characteristics affected nest site survival. Turkeys in our study had a longer reproductive season and higher nesting and renesting rates relative to other populations in the southeastern United States. At the local scale, turkeys nested in areas with higher percent ground cover vegetation. At the landscape scale, turkeys nested closer to roads and farther from edges of 2 plant communities. Turkeys selected to nest in forest stands burned 2 years prior. Nest survival was not affected by percent ground cover, distance to roads, or distance to edge but was negatively associated with time‐since‐fire; turkey nests in stands burned ≥3 years prior had lower survival than nests in stands burned the current year. We suggest that burning on a 3‐year fire return interval is compatible with management for wild turkeys in southeastern pine‐dominated forests. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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Large carnivores are considered a primary source of mortality for many ungulate populations, but harvest by hunters is the primary means of population management. However, research is needed to evaluate how human predation risk influences observability (a surrogate to harvest susceptibility) of ungulates. We determined how hunting intensity and duration influence observation rates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and how deer behavior (i.e., movement rate and resource selection) affects observation rates. We sampled 37 adult (!2 yr) male deer at 2 levels of risk (i.e., low-risk ¼ 1 hunter/101 ha; and high-risk ¼ 1 hunter/30 ha) during 3 exposure periods (i.e., first, second, and third weekend of hunting) on a 1,861-ha property in Oklahoma, USA, during the 2008 and 2009 rifle deer-seasons. Observation rates (collared deer/hunter-hr/day) were greatest during the first weekend in both the low-and high-risk treatments, but declined each weekend thereafter in both treatments. Immediately prior to hunter observation, movement rate of observed collared deer was greater than that of unobserved collared deer, but only when hunting risk was high. Greater movement rates of deer in the high-risk treatment also led to a greater probability of observation. Hunters also had a greater probability of observing collared deer at higher elevations. Overall, deer modified their behavior to avoid detection by hunters. These results can be used to explain decreased observation rates to hunters and to modify harvest rates by altering timing and intensity of human predation risk during the recreational hunting season to help achieve population management goals through harvest. Ó 2014 The Wildlife Society.

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Predators can influence populations through top-down effects, but most large predators have been extirpated from the range of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)). Hunters have filled this predatory role, but also can indirectly influence prey species. Indirect behavioral responses can include altered resource selection, space use, or movement. Herein, we developed a controlled study that contained both temporal and spatial risk levels to assess how deer behavior changes relative to temporal periods of risk. Total distance travelled and microrange area over 2-day periods were used to determine the general effects of hunting season on deer spatial behavior. Generally, distance travelled, microrange area, and exploratory behavior decreased during the course of the study, with the greatest decrease occurring during the active 16-day hunting period. Despite potential risk and disturbance from hunters, deer maintained site fidelity to previously established ranges and did not expand microrange areas. These data indicate that deer recognize threats from humans on the landscape and adapt behavioral strategies by minimizing movement and exhibiting high residency times in well-established ranges, factors known to influence harvest susceptibility. This information can be used to assess potential impacts from hunting for management purposes, but also to test the adaptive ability of animals to risk.Key words: altered behavior, fidelity, home range, white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, predation risk, GPS tracking. Résumé :Si les prédateurs peuvent influencer des populations par l'entremise d'effets descendants, la plupart des grands prédateurs sont disparus de l'aire de répartition du cerf de Virginie (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)). Les chasseurs ont joué ce rôle de prédateur, mais peuvent également exercer une influence indirecte sur des espèces de proies. Les réactions comportementales indirectes peuvent comprendre la modification de la sélection des ressources, de l'utilisation de l'espace ou des déplacements. Nous avons conçu une étude contrôlée qui intègre des niveaux de risque tant temporel que spatial afin d'évaluer les changements de comportement des cerfs de Virginie par rapport aux périodes temporelles de risque. La distance totale parcourue et la superficie du microdomaine sur des périodes de deux jours ont été utilisées pour déterminer les effets généraux de la saison de la chasse sur le comportement spatial des cerfs. En général, la distance parcourue, la superficie du microdomaine et le comportement d'exploration ont diminué au fil de l'étude, la plus grande diminution ayant été observée durant la période de chasse active de 16 jours. Malgré le risque potentiel et les perturbations causées par les chasseurs, les cerfs maintenaient leur fidélité aux domaines déjà établis et n'élargissaient pas la superficie de leur microdomaine. Ces données indiquent que les cerfs de Virginie reconnaissent les menaces posées par les humains dans le paysage et adaptent leurs ...

Frequent prescribed fire ( 3 yr) and selective harvest of off-site hardwoods are the primary restoration and management tools for pine (Pinus spp.) savannas in the southeastern United States. However, a knowledge gap exists in our understanding of eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) habitat selection in longleaf pine savannas and research is warranted to direct our future management decisions. Therefore, we investigated habitat selection of female turkeys in 2 longleaf pine savanna systems managed by frequent fire in southwestern Georgia during 2011-2013. We observed differential habitat selection across 2 scales (study area and seasonal area of use) and 3 seasons (fall-winter: 1 Oct-30 Jan; pre-breeding: 1 Feb-19 Apr; and summer: 16 Jun-30 Sep). During fall-winter, turkeys selected mature pine, mixed pine-hardwoods, hardwoods, and young pine stands, albeit at different scales. During pre-breeding, turkeys selected for mature pine, mixed pine-hardwoods, hardwoods, young pine, and shrub-scrub, although at different scales. During summer, turkeys also demonstrated scale-specific selection but generally selected for mature pine, hardwoods, and shrub-scrub. Days-since-fire did not influence selection of stands managed by frequent fire ( 3 yr). In cases where female turkeys used pine-dominated stands (i.e., mature pine, young pine, and mixed pinehardwoods), selection was not influenced by days-since-fire; however, these results are at least partially due to a lack of longer burn rotations (>3 yr) on our study areas. We suggest land managers consider scale of selection by turkeys when developing habitat management strategies. In addition to creating early successional habitat conditions by using prescribed fire, we recommend managers retain hardwoods and recognize the importance of shrub-scrub cover to management of turkey populations in longleaf pine savannas. Ó

Introduction: Reproductive success is a critical factor affecting avian demographics and can be influenced by many factors including nesting chronology, predation risk, and fine-scale nest site selection. Methods:We modeled the relative influences of habitat-related covariates at six spatial scales (nest site: 15-, 40-, 80-, 120-, 160-, and 200-m radii) on Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) nest site selection in two pine savannas managed by frequent prescribed fire (≤3 years) in southwestern Georgia during 2011-2013.Results: Nest site (15-m scale) habitat metrics (mean visual obstruction [cm] and canopy closure [%]) had the greatest influence on nest site selection relative to covariates measured at larger spatial scales. Scaled odds ratios suggested that nests were 26.8 % more likely to occur for every 10 cm increase in mean vegetation height with a range of 7.5 to 150.0 cm and 18.5 % less likely to occur for every 10 % increase in canopy closure with a range from 0.0 to 97.8 %. Total ground cover, canopy closure, edge density, and percent land cover type (e.g., mature pine, mixed pine/hardwood, shrub/scrub) had minimal influence on nest site selection.Conclusions: Management of pine savannas for turkey nest sites should focus on creating early-successional vegetation to conceal nests from potential predators. Additionally, we suggest that future studies consider evaluating the influence of spatial scale on turkey nest site selection.

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