Assessing factors affecting adult female white-tailed deer survival in the Northern Great Plains
Katherine L. Moratz A , Bailey S. Gullikson A , Eric S. Michel
A C , Jonathan A. Jenks A , Daniel M. Grove B and William F. Jensen B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA.
B North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Bismarck, ND 58501, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: eric.michel@sdstate.edu
Wildlife Research 45(8) 679-684 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR18032
Submitted: 20 February 2018 Accepted: 16 September 2018 Published: 18 December 2018
Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2018 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Context: Documenting cause-specific mortality and deriving survival estimates for a population are both vital to understanding potential restrictions to population growth. Survival varies among populations of the same species and depends on several factors, including climatic events, density-dependent and density-independent factors, observed predator composition and whether recreational hunting occurs. Therefore, understanding factors affecting adult survival and estimating survival rates at biologically important times will help refine management of these populations.
Aims: We aimed to assess cause-specific mortality, estimate survival rates, and determine at what part of the winter (January to April) most mortalities occurred for female white-tailed deer located in the Northern Great Plains region of the USA.
Methods: We captured 165 adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) located in western North Dakota and north-western South Dakota, USA, during the winters of 2014 and 2015. We fitted individuals with Very High Frequency (VHF) radio-collars and located them 1–3 times per week to monitor survival. We investigated all mortalities to establish proximate cause of death.
Key Results: Survival was lowest during our Hunt time period (S = 0.93), although hunter harvest was not the leading cause of mortality. Predation was the greatest source of mortality, particularly during our Post-hunt time period. Additionally, almost 90% of mortalities occurring during the Post-hunt time period happened during late winter before spring green up.
Conclusions and Implications: Predation was the main source of mortality for adult females in our study, with coyotes (Canis latrans) being the sole predator capable of depredation in our study area. Predation by coyotes may indicate that potential factors, including winter severity and nutritional restrictions, have decreased female body condition, making individuals more susceptible to predation. Although we report relatively high survival, managers should consider the possibility that coyotes may impact adult populations, particularly in regions where other large-sized predators occur, or in regions where coyotes are newly established. Managers should also acknowledge that overwinter density estimates may need to be adjusted during severe winters to account for mortalities that occur after population surveys are conducted.
Additional keywords: grassland Ecosystems, mortality, Odocoileus virginianus, predation.
References
Arnold, T. W. (2010). Uniformative parameters and model selection using Akaikie’s Information Criterion. The Journal of Wildlife Management 74, 1175–1178.Ballard, W. (2011). Population dynamics. In ‘Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer’. (Ed. D. G. Hewitt.) pp. 251–286. (CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL.)
Beringer, J., Hansen, L. P., Wilding, W., Fischer, J., and Sheriff, S. L. (1996). Factors affecting capture myopathy in white-tailed deer. The Journal of Wildlife Management 60, 373–380.
| Factors affecting capture myopathy in white-tailed deer.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bishop, C. J., Unsworth, J. W., and Garton, E. O. (2005). Mule deer survival among adjacent populations in southwest Idaho. The Journal of Wildlife Management 69, 311–321.
| Mule deer survival among adjacent populations in southwest Idaho.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brinkman, T. J., Jenks, J. A., DePerno, C. S., Haroldson, B., and Osborn, R. G. (2004). Survival of white-tailed deer in an intensively farmed region of Minnesota. Wildlife Society Bulletin 32, 726–731.
| Survival of white-tailed deer in an intensively farmed region of Minnesota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brinkman, T. J., DePerno, C. S., Jenks, J. A., and Haroldson, B. S. (2005). Movement of female white-tailed deer: effects of climate and intensive row-crop agriculture. The Journal of Wildlife Management 69, 1099–1111.
| Movement of female white-tailed deer: effects of climate and intensive row-crop agriculture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brodie, J., Johnson, H., Mitchell, M., Zager, P., Proffitt, K., Hebblewhite, M., Kauffman, M., Johnson, B., Bissonette, J., Bishop, C., Gude, J., Herbert, J., Hersey, K., Hurley, M., Lukacs, P. M., McCorquodale, S., McIntire, E., Nowak, J., Sawyer, H., Smith, D., and White, P. J (2013). Relative influence of human harvest, carnivores, and weather on adult female elk survival across western North America. Journal of Applied Ecology 50, 295–305.
| Relative influence of human harvest, carnivores, and weather on adult female elk survival across western North America.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bryce, S. A., Omernik, J. M., Pater, D. E., Ulmer, M., Scharr, J., Freeouf, J., Johnson, R., Kuck, P., and Azevedo, S. H. (1998). Ecoregions of North Dakota and South Dakota. (Map poster). US Geological Survey, Jamestown, ND.
Buderman, F. E., Diefenbach, D. R., Rosenberry, C. S., Wallingford, B. D., and Long, E. S. (2014). Effect of hunter selectivity on harvest rates of radio-collared white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania. The Journal of Wildlife Management 78, 1456–1465.
| Effect of hunter selectivity on harvest rates of radio-collared white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Burnham, K. P., and Anderson, D. R. (2002). ‘Model Selection and Multimodel Inference: a Practical Information-theoretic Approach.’ (Springer-Verlag: New York.)
Campbell, T. A., Laseter, B. R., Ford, W. M., and Miller, K. V. (2005). Characteristics of a central Appalachian white-tailed deer herd. Wildlife Society Bulletin 33, 212–221.
| Characteristics of a central Appalachian white-tailed deer herd.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chitwood, M. C., Lashley, M. A., Kilgo, J. C., Moorman, C. E., and DePerno, C. S. (2015). White-tailed deer population dynamics and adult female survival in the presence of a novel predator. The Journal of Wildlife Management 79, 211–219.
| White-tailed deer population dynamics and adult female survival in the presence of a novel predator.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooch, E., and White, G. C. (2016). ‘Program Mark: a Gentle Introduction.’ (Cornell University: Ithaca, NY.)
DelGiudice, G. D., Riggs, M. R., Joly, P., and Pan, W. (2002). Winter severity, survival, and cause-specific mortality of female white-tailed deer in north-central Minnesota. The Journal of Wildlife Management 66, 698–717.
| Winter severity, survival, and cause-specific mortality of female white-tailed deer in north-central Minnesota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
DelGiudice, G. D., Fieberg, J., Riggs, M. R., Powell, M. C., and Pan, W. (2006). A long-term age-specific survival analysis of female white-tailed deer. The Journal of Wildlife Management 70, 1556–1568.
| A long-term age-specific survival analysis of female white-tailed deer.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Demarais, S., Miller, K. V., and Jacobson, H. A. (2000). White-tailed deer. In ‘Ecology and Management of Large Mammals in North America’. (Eds S. Demarais and P. R. Krausman.) pp. 601–619. (Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ.)
DePerno, C. S., Jenks, J. A., Griffin, S. L., and Rice, L. A. (2000). Female survival rates in a declining white-tailed deer population. Wildlife Society Bulletin 28, 1030–1037.
Gabbert, A. E., Leif, A. P., Purvis, J. R., and Flake, L. D. (1999). Survival and habitat use by ring-necked pheasants during two disparate winters in South Dakota. The Journal of Wildlife Management 63, 711–722.
| Survival and habitat use by ring-necked pheasants during two disparate winters in South Dakota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gaillard, J. M., Delorme, D., Boutin, J. M., and Van Laere, G. V. (1993). Roe deer survival patterns: a comparative analysis of contrasting populations. Journal of Animal Ecology 62, 778–791.
| Roe deer survival patterns: a comparative analysis of contrasting populations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gaillard, J. M., Festa-Bianchet, M., and Yoccoz, N. G. (1998). Population dynamics of large herbivores: variable recruitment with constant adult survival. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 13, 58–63.
| Population dynamics of large herbivores: variable recruitment with constant adult survival.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gaillard, J. M., Festa-Bianchet, M., Yoccoz, N. G., Loison, A., and Toïgo, C (2000). Temporal variation in fitness components and population dynamics of large herbivores. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 31, 367–393.
| Temporal variation in fitness components and population dynamics of large herbivores.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gingery, T. M., Diefenbach, D. R., Wallingford, B. D., and Rosenberry, C. S. (2018). Landscape-level patterns in fawn survival across North America. The Journal of Wildlife Management 82, 1003–1013.
| Landscape-level patterns in fawn survival across North America.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grovenburg, T. W., Swanson, C. C., Jacques, C. N., DePerno, C. S., Klaver, R. W., and Jenks, J. A. (2011). Female white-tailed deer survival across ecoregions in Minnesota and South Dakota. American Midland Naturalist 165, 426–435.
| Female white-tailed deer survival across ecoregions in Minnesota and South Dakota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grovenburg, T. W., Klaver, R. W., and Jenks, J. A. (2012). Survival of white-tailed deer fawns in the grasslands of the Northern Great Plains. The Journal of Wildlife Management 76, 944–956.
| Survival of white-tailed deer fawns in the grasslands of the Northern Great Plains.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Huxoll, C. (2015). Big game harvest projections. Game Report No. 2016–02. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, Pierre, SD.
Jenks, J. A., Smith, W. P., and DePerno, C. S. (2002). Maximum sustained yield harvest versus trophy management. The Journal of Wildlife Management 66, 528–535.
| Maximum sustained yield harvest versus trophy management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kaplan, E. L., and Meier, P. (1958). Nonparametric estimation from incomplete observations. Journal of the American Statistical Association 53, 457–481.
| Nonparametric estimation from incomplete observations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kilgo, J. C., Vukovich, M., Conroy, M. J., Ray, H. S., and Ruth, C. (2016). Factors affecting survival of adult female white-tailed deer after coyote establishment in South Carolina. Wildlife Society Bulletin 40, 747–753.
| Factors affecting survival of adult female white-tailed deer after coyote establishment in South Carolina.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Magle, S. B., Chamberlin, J. C., and Matthews, N. E. (2012). Survival of white-tailed deer in Wisconsin’s Chronic Wasting Disease zone. Northeastern Naturalist 19, 67–76.
| Survival of white-tailed deer in Wisconsin’s Chronic Wasting Disease zone.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mautz, W. W. (1978). Sledding on a bushy hillside: the fat cycle in deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin 6, 88–90.
Mech, L. D. (2007). Femur-marrow fat of white-tailed deer fawns killed by wolves. The Journal of Wildlife Management 71, 920–923.
| Femur-marrow fat of white-tailed deer fawns killed by wolves.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moratz, K. L. (2016). Effect of oil and gas development on survival and health of white-tailed deer in the Western Dakotas. PhD Thesis. South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.
Nixon, C. M., Hansen, L. P., Brewer, P. A., and Chelsvig, J. E. (1991). Ecology of white-tailed deer in an intensively farmed region of Illinois. Wildlife Monographs 118, 3–77.
North Dakota State Climate Office (2016). Monthly station normal of temperature, precipitation, and heating and cooling degree days 1981–2010. Available at https://www.ndsu.edu/ndsco/data/ 30yearaverage/#c343059. [Accessed 12 July 2016]
Patterson, B. R., MacDonald, B. A., Lock, B. A., Anderson, D. G., and Benjamin, L. K. (2002). Proximate factors limiting population growth of white-tailed deer in Nova Scotia. The Journal of Wildlife Management 66, 511–521.
| Proximate factors limiting population growth of white-tailed deer in Nova Scotia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pollock, K. H., Winterstein, S. R., Bunck, C. M., and Curtis, P. D. (1989). Survival analysis in telemetry studies: the staggered entry design. The Journal of Wildlife Management 53, 7–15.
| Survival analysis in telemetry studies: the staggered entry design.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robinson, K. F., Diefenbach, D. R., Fuller, A. K., Hurst, J. E., and Rosenberry, C. S. (2014). Can managers compensate for coyote predation of white-tailed deer? The Journal of Wildlife Management 78, 571–579.
| Can managers compensate for coyote predation of white-tailed deer?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sandercock, B. K., Nilsen, E. B., Brøseth, H., and Pedersen, H. C. (2011). Is hunting mortality additive or compensatory? Effects of experimental harvest on the survival and cause-specific mortality of willow ptarmigan. Journal of Animal Ecology 80, 244–258.
| Is hunting mortality additive or compensatory? Effects of experimental harvest on the survival and cause-specific mortality of willow ptarmigan.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Severinghaus, C. W. (1949). Tooth development and wear as criteria of age in white-tailed deer. The Journal of Wildlife Management 13, 195–216.
| Tooth development and wear as criteria of age in white-tailed deer.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sikes, R. S., Animal Care and Use Committee of the American Society of Mammalogists (2016). 2016 Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the use of wild mammals in research and education. Journal of Mammalogy 97, 663–688.
| 2016 Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the use of wild mammals in research and education.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Simard, M. A., Coulson, T., Gingras, A., and Côté, S. D. (2010). Influence of density and climate on population dynamics of a large herbivore under harsh environmental conditions. The Journal of Wildlife Management 74, 1671–1685.
| Influence of density and climate on population dynamics of a large herbivore under harsh environmental conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith, J. R., Sweitzer, R. A., and Jensen, W. F. (2007). Diets, movements, and consequences of providing wildlife food plots for white-tailed deer in central North Dakota. The Journal of Wildlife Management 71, 2719–2726.
| Diets, movements, and consequences of providing wildlife food plots for white-tailed deer in central North Dakota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sternhagen, K. M. (2015). An evaluation of life history parameters and management of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Red River Valley of northeastern North Dakota. PhD Thesis, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.
Stillings, B., Jensen, W., and Smith, J. (2016). Study No. C–I: Deer population studies. Project No. W-67-R-56, Report No. A-232, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Bismarck, ND.
Toïgo, C., Servanty, S., Gaillard, J. M., Brandt, S., and Baubet, E. (2008). Disentangling natural from hunting mortality in an intensively hunted wild boar population. The Journal of Wildlife Management 72, 1532–1539.
Tyler, N. J. C. (2010). Climate, snow, ice, crashes, and declines in populations of reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus L.). Ecological Monographs 80, 197–219.
| Climate, snow, ice, crashes, and declines in populations of reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus L.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2015). USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Cropland Data Layer. USDA, NASS Marketing and Information Services Office, Washington, DC.
Van Deelen, T. R., Campa, H., Haufler, J. B., and Thompson, P. D. (1997). Mortality patterns of white-tailed deer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Journal of Wildlife Management 61, 903–910.
| Mortality patterns of white-tailed deer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
White, G. C., and Burnham, K. P. (1999). Program MARK: survival estimation from populations of marked animals. Bird Study 46, S120–S139.
| Program MARK: survival estimation from populations of marked animals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Whitlaw, H. A., Ballard, W. B., Sabine, D. L., Young, S. J., Jenkins, R. A., and Forbes, G. J. (1998). Survival and cause-specific mortality rates of adult white-tailed deer in New Brunswick. The Journal of Wildlife Management 62, 1335–1341.
| Survival and cause-specific mortality rates of adult white-tailed deer in New Brunswick.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
