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Few studies have documented fine-scale movements of ungulate species, including white-tailed deer(Odocoileus virginianus), despite the advent of global positioning system (GPS) technology incorporated into tracking devices. We collected fine-scale temporal location estimates (i.e., 15 min/relocation attempt) from 17 female and 15 male white-tailed deer over 7 years and 3 seasons in Oklahoma, USA. Our objectives were to document fine-scale movements of females and males and determine effects of reproductive phase, moon phase, and short-term weather patterns on movements. Female and male movements were primarily crepuscular. Male total daily movements were 20% greater during rut () than postrut (). Female daily movements were greatest during postparturition (), followed by parturition (), and preparturition (). We found moon phase had no effect on daily, nocturnal, and diurnal deer movements and fine-scale temporal weather conditions had an inconsistent influence on deer movement patterns within season. Our data suggest that hourly and daily variation in weather events have minimal impact on movements of white-tailed deer in southern latitudes. Instead, routine crepuscular movements, presumed to maximize thermoregulation and minimize predation risk, appear to be the most important factors influencing movements.

Nutritional habitat quality in unmanaged southeastern forests often is limited because a dense midstory and litter layer impede growth of high‐quality, shade‐intolerant forage species. Management actions often are designed to improve the quantity of natural forages and to supplement natural forages with agronomic plantings. We evaluated the use of a selective herbicide, prescribed fire, and fertilizer to improve forage production for white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in naturally regenerated, mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands in north‐central Mississippi, treated during 1998–1999. We compared nutritional quality and production of selected forages in treated plots (n=4) and untreated plots (n=4) during years 2 and 3 post‐treatment. We also measured quality and production of cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) produced in food plots (n=4). Treatment plots produced an average of 435 kg/ha of leaf biomass and 34 kg/ha of digestible protein; untreated plots averaged 119 kg/ha of leaf biomass and 7 kg/ha of digestible protein. Cowpea food plots produced 545 kg/ha of leaf biomass and 110 kg/ha of digestible protein. Carrying‐capacity estimates (deer‐days/ha) increased from 7 in untreated plots to 268 in treated plots. Extrapolated over a 10‐year economic planning horizon, the cost of producing digestible protein was $8/kg for treated plots and $15/kg for cowpea food plots. Vegetation treatments as described can cost‐effectively produce high‐quality, natural deer forages.

Predation is the dominant source of mortality for white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) <6 months old throughout North America. Yet, few white‐tailed deer fawn survival studies have occurred in areas with 4 predator species or have considered concurrent densities of deer and predator species. We monitored survival and cause‐specific mortality from birth to 6 months for 100 neonatal fawns during 2013–2015 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, while simultaneously estimating population densities of deer, American black bear (Ursus americanus), coyote (Canis latrans), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and gray wolf (Canis lupus). We estimated fawn predation risk in response to sex, birth mass, and date of birth. Six‐month fawn survival pooled among years was 36%, and fawn mortality risk was not related to birth mass, date of birth, or sex. Estimated mean annual deer and predator densities were 334 fawns/100 km2, 25.9 black bear/100 km2, 23.8 coyotes/100 km2, 3.8 bobcat/100 km2, and 2.8 wolves/100 km2. Despite lower estimated per‐individual kill rates, coyotes and black bears were the leading sources of fawn mortality because they had greater densities relative to bobcats and wolves. Our results indicate that the presence of more predator species in a system is not entirely additive in its effect on fawn survival. © The Wildlife Society, 2019

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BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cause for spatial variation in phenotypic quality of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations is of great interest to wildlife managers. Relating phenotypic variation of populations to large‐scale land‐use patterns may provide insight into why populations exhibit spatial variation and elucidate how management can influence population phenotype. We used an information‐theoretic approach to relate average antler size of 203 deer populations to composition and structure of the habitat occupied by those populations. We used interspersion, edge, and diversity indices to represent habitat structure and percentage of area in vegetation types to represent habitat composition. Landscape composition was a better predictor of deer population antler size than was landscape structure. Percentages of the management unit in agriculture, pasture, and pine forest were variables commonly found in the region‐specific set of best models. Model‐averaged estimates of agriculture and pasture parameters were always positive and estimates of pine forest parameters were always negative, which suggests that land‐use types that promote growth of early successional herbaceous plants will positively influence antler size and, most likely, body growth and reproduction of white‐tailed deer populations. Conversely, our findings suggest landscapes dominated by pine forests did not provide optimal amounts of quality forages for white‐tailed deer. Pine forest effects should be mitigated using a combination of increased harvest to lower deer density and silvicultural practices like thinning, prescribed burning, and selective herbicide applications that stimulate growth of high‐quality forages beneath the forest canopy to improve deer phenotypic quality.

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