The mating system of white-tailed deer under Quality Deer Management

Turner, Melissa M.; DePerno, Christopher S.; Booth, Warren; Vargo, Edward L.; Conner, Mark C.; Lancia, Richard A.

doi:10.1002/jwmg.1067

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Recent research on paternity in white‐tailed deer indicates age structure has little effect on breeding opportunities for males because subadult males (1.5–2.5 yr old) sired offspring even when mature males were present (Sorin , DeYoung et al ). Under a deer management strategy where objectives were to balance the sex ratio and sustain an older age structure of males, Turner et al () reported that 1.5‐ and 2.5‐year‐old males sired 59% of offspring when >50% of the population was estimated to be ≥3.5 years old. However, when ≥30% of the male population was ≥3.5 years old, DeYoung et al () and Sorin () reported that 1.5‐year‐old males sired a smaller proportion of offspring compared to their relative abundance in the population.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of male age structure on reproduction in white‐tailed deer

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Selective harvest regimes that create female‐biased sex ratios can potentially lead to delayed breeding, reduced breeding synchrony, reduced productivity, and a female‐biased sex ratio of offspring. These resulting changes in breeding behavior and population dynamics have potential to adversely affect population growth. In 2002, Pennsylvania implemented harvest regulation changes that reduced deer density (increased harvest of antlerless deer) and increased the number and age of antlered deer (implemented antler point restriction regulations) that resulted in a less female‐biased sex ratio. We monitored date of conception, productivity (embryos/female), and sex ratio of embryos during 1999–2006 to test if timing of breeding occurred earlier and with greater synchrony, if productivity of females increased, and if the sex ratio of offspring would shift towards more males. Deer density decreased 23% and the adult (≥1.5 yr old) sex ratio declined from 2.30 to 1.95 females/male. The ratio of ≥2.5‐year‐old to 1.5‐year‐old males shifted towards more older males (1:3.7 in 2002 to 1:1.59 in 2006) and the ≥2.5‐year‐old male population increased from 41,853 during 1999–2001 to 54,064 by 2006. We found no evidence of any change in the timing or variability of date of conception, productivity, or offspring sex ratio. We conclude that harvest regulation changes implemented in Pennsylvania, USA, were insufficient to affect timing of breeding or population dynamics and that efforts by managers to identify a desired sex ratio or manipulate sex ratios to achieve management goals on a statewide scale will be challenging. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of male age structure on reproduction in white‐tailed deer

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…age classes than is often assumed, especially in comparison with lekking or haremdefending cervids(DeYoung et al 2009;Acker 2013;Turner et al 2016). Although the searching and tending strategy of older males requires a large investment of body reserves(Johns et al 1982, Strickland et al 2017, yearling males may obtain matings using low-energy, non-confrontational strategies(Sorin 2004;Holtfreter 2008; Jones et al 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition and ontogeny influence weapon development in a long-lived mammal

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Selection in male cervids should optimize allocation of nutritional resources to the competing demands of body growth versus weapon development. We investigated allocation decisions of growing and mature male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman, 1780)) from three regions of low, moderate, and high diet quality. We tested (i) if deer under greater nutritional limitations would allocate proportionally less to antler growth, (ii) if antler and body mass became less variable with age, and (iii) if antler size consistently exhibited positive allometry with body mass across age classes and nutritional planes. Greater nutrition increased antler allocation in 2.5 to 4.5 year olds but not in yearlings or prime-aged males. Variability of antler mass decreased with age and was generally less in more fertile regions, but body mass was equally variable across all ages and regions. Antler mass was positively allometric with body mass for all combinations of age class and region but exhibited age- and region-related differences. Our results suggest that accruing body mass is more important to lifetime reproductive success than increasing weapon size. Reduced allometric coefficients in older males likely stem from increasing use of skeletal mineral reserves, selective pressures favoring greater body mass, and possible selection for optimal weapon strength and structure.

show abstract

“…The available studies of male breeding success in white‐tailed deer have reported that reproduction is spread among a larger group of sires than is typical of ungulates that defend territories or groups of females, presumably because of the obligations of tending and frequently wide distribution of females (Sorin , DeYoung et al , Turner et al ). Male reproductive success in white‐tailed deer has been positively associated with age, with individuals ≥3 years of age being responsible for the majority of offspring in multiple studies; however, younger males (1.5–2.5 yr) have been reported to make significant reproductive contributions under a variety of demographic conditions (Sorin , DeYoung et al , Turner et al ). Occurrences of multiple paternity in the same litter have been reported in populations of white‐tailed deer, which further supports the concept that a high proportion of males participates in reproduction (DeYoung et al , Sorin ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing reproductive success in male white‐tailed deer

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Positive relationships between age, sexually selected traits, and male reproductive success have been reported for a number of polygynous ungulates; however, relatively little is known about the factors influencing male reproductive success in ungulate species whose mating system is characterized by tending‐bond behaviors. Broad interest in the genetic consequences of selective harvest supports a greater understanding of the role of these factors as determinants of male reproductive success in important game species (e.g., white‐tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus]), that exhibit tending‐bond behaviors. We investigated male reproductive success in white‐tailed deer across a range of sex ratios and age structures using a known population of deer housed in a 175‐ha enclosure in central Alabama, USA. We measured age, annual antler size, and annual body size of male white‐tailed deer and assigned paternity to 143 known‐age offspring during 2007–2014. Reproductive success was attributed to a high proportion of males during each of the 6 breeding seasons. Our most supported model indicated that annual body size and antler size of the individual were positively associated with annual male breeding success. The effects of annual antler size were sensitive to changes in mean male age of the herd, with antler size having the greatest effect on male reproductive success under older male age structures. Young (≤1.5 yr) males reproduced most frequently when male age structure was youngest (which correlated with female‐biased sex ratios in this population). Our results suggest that male age structure and sex ratio played a key role in establishing patterns of male reproductive success in white‐tailed deer. Management practices that encourage balanced adult sex ratios and older male age structures (e.g., Quality Deer Management) may promote a highly competitive environment where sexually selected traits are of increased importance to male breeding success. However, the ability of managers to alter herd genetics in a positive or negative direction through selective harvest is limited in white‐tailed deer because of the high proportion of reproducing males. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

show abstract

The mating system of white-tailed deer under Quality Deer Management

Cited by 14 publications

References 37 publications

Effect of male age structure on reproduction in white‐tailed deer

Effect of male age structure on reproduction in white‐tailed deer

Nutrition and ontogeny influence weapon development in a long-lived mammal

Factors influencing reproductive success in male white‐tailed deer

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About