Deer In Michigan Research Articles

Psoroptes cuniculi in captive white-tailed deer in Michigan.

Psoroptes cuniculi in captive white-tailed deer in Michigan.

Nonconsumptive Uses of the Michigan Deer Herd

Nonconsumptive public uses of wildlife were divided into 4 categories: (1) nonconsumptive experiences while hunting, (2) active pursuit with intent to observe wildlife, (3) incidental observation, and (4) conceptual activities related to wildlife. This classification system was applied to measure the nonconsumptive uses of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) by Michigan taxpayers who filed individual income tax returns in 1974. A mail questionnaire revealed that 41% of the respondents were involved in searching for deer solely to observe and/or photograph the species. Nearly 90% thought that seeing deer would add, or added, to the enjoyment of their favorite outdoor recreation. An estimated 78% of the respondents during the year participated in conceptual activities related to deer. About V3 of the respondents were not involved in deer-related activities during the prior year. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 43(3):620-625 Hendee (1969) differentiated appreciative uses of wildlife, such as viewing, research, and photography, from consumptive uses such as hunting and trapping. Since that time, nonhunting uses and benefits of wildlife have received increasing attention. The economic value of nonconsumptive wildlife recreation, at least in the southeastern United States, has been evaluated and was found to exceed the combined value of hunting and fishing (Horvath 1974). The psychological values of wildlife to nonconsumptive enthusiasts have been studied (Kellert 1976), as well as the demographic characteristics of these people (Applegate 1974, Horvath 1974, Aney and Cowan 1975, Allred and Jones 1976). All of these studies have used different definitions of nonconsumptive uses of wildlife, and have focused on wildlife at a general level rather than on individual species. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to develop a preliminary classification system for describing nonconsumptive uses of a single species, white-tailed deer, and to investigate perceptions and indirect use of the herd by Michigan taxpayers. For inspiration and advice I thank G. A. Petrides, J. H. Fitch, R. L. Levine, and D. E. Ullrey, all of Michigan State University. Technical assistance was provided by G. C. Jamsen, Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Assessment of Natal Mortality in Upper Michigan Deer

Assessment of Natal Mortality in Upper Michigan Deer

Movements of White-Tailed Deer in Upper Michigan

Movements of White-Tailed Deer in Upper Michigan

Some Longevity Records for Female White-Tailed Deer in Northern Michigan

Longevity records are presented for 14 ear-tagged wild female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) known to be from 9 to nearly 1S years of age at the time of their final handling. Two were taken by hunters, 12 were recovered when they returned to the winter deeryard. Table 1. Longevity records for female white-tailed deer in northern Michigan. Age Date Age Date Method and Fate Juv. 3-10-55 14 yr. 9 mo. 3-12-69 Capture-gun and released Adult 2-22-35 14 yr. 7 mo. 1-15-48 Live-trapped and released Juv. 1-29-54 13 yr. 7 mo. 11-67 Highway kill Adult 36-56 12 yr. 11 mo. 56-67 Found dead Juv. 2-25-55 12 yr. 8 mo. 1-27-67 Snared and released Adult 25-52 12 yr. 8 mo. 21-63 Live-trapped and released Juv. 2-28-41 11 yr. 8 mo. 2-13-52 Live-trapped and released Adult 22-55 11 yr. 6 mo. 11-27-64 Hunting season kill Juv. 1-23-42 10 yr. 10 mo. 43-52 Live-trapped (died in captivity4-12-53) Juv. 28-51 10 yr. 9 mo. 3-10-61 Live-trapped and released Adult 1-27-54 10 yr. 8 mo. 2-20-63 Live-trapped and released Adult 3-16-60 9 yr. 9 mo. 37-68 Snared and released Juv. 2-17-52 9 yr. 8 mo. 2-21-61 Live-trapped and released Juv. 2-27-51 9 yr. 5 mo. 11-16-59 Hunting season kill 1027 Records of extreme longevity in whitetailed deer generally concern captive or semi-wild females that have received special care and/or feeding. Popov (1950), Palmer ( 1951), Severinghaus and Cheatum ( 1956 ), and Verme ( 1962 ) report instances of such animals living 12 to 20 years. However, longevity records for wild deer continually facing natural hazards are scarce. Since 1935, nearly 2,000 deer have been live-trapped, ear-tagged, and released at the Cusino Wildlife Research Station in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Subsequent recovery of some of these animals provides evidence of the maximum life span of wild females of the species. Data for all deer 1 A contribution from Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-117-R, Michigan. known to be more than 9 years old when last examined are shown in Table 1. Animals judged to be adults at their initial handling were arbitrarily assigned the age of 1 year as of the previous spring. Their designated age at recovery is therefore minimal. Although juvenile males were livetrapped in about the same proportion as juvenile females, the oldest known-age male in our records is 8 years and 5 months old. Only 2 of 14 does listed were eventually taken by hunters, despite antlerless deer hunting seasons in this area for the past 12 years. All other does were recovered when they returned to the winter deeryard. Thus, it seems that the most important mortality factor for these aged animals is their survival during the critical winter period, rather than their escape from hunters. INITIAL CAPTURE RECOVERY This content downloaded from 157.55.39.243 on Wed, 05 Oct 2016 04:05:56 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms BROWSE QUALITY INFLUENCED BY TREE OVERSTORY IN THE SOUTH LOWELL K. HALLS, Wildlife Habitat and Silviculture Laboratory, Southern Forest Experiment Station, USDA Forest Service,

Digestible Energy Requirements for Winter Maintenance of Michigan White-Tailed Does

Twenty-four pregnant white-tailed does (Odocoileus virginianus) were assigned to 8 trios on the basis of age and weight. They were penned individually out-of-doors from January 18 to April 12, 1967, and were fed a pelleted diet with a gross energy density of 3.48 kcal/g and a crude protein per- centage of 9.2. One member of each trio received the diet ad libitum; the second and third members received 75 and 50 percent of this amount, respectively, for a period of 9 weeks. For a subsequent 3 weeks, feed was provided ad libitum to all deer. A linear regression of feed intake with average daily body weight gain or loss provided the basis for estimating maintenance energy requirements at mean weekly ambient temperatures ranging from -1.0 to -13.0 C. Although the estimated maintenance re- quirement declined with time on experiment, the average estimate for the entire 9 weeks was 160 kcal of apparently digested energy per kg BW0'76 per day. During the recovery period of ad libitum feed intake, those deer which had previously lost weight most rapidly tended to gain weight most rapidly. Effects of level of food consumption on rumen fluid composition and certain blood components were also determined. It is common for Michigan deer to lose body weight during the winter. There are a number of reasons for this including a simple shortage of food as well as a short- age of preferred food species. There has been speculation that deer will not main- tain their body weight during this period of

A Die-off in White-Tailed Deer of the Central Mineral Region of Texas

A die-off of 20,000-31,000 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) occurred during January-August, 1962, on a 350,000-acre study area in the Central Mineral Region of Texas. This loss was indicated by both deer census data and carcass counts. From the fall of 1957 to the fall of 1961, deer populations increased from 16.9 ? 2.7 deer per 100 acres to 26.1 ? 3.7. The 1962 census, following the die-off, was 14.6 ? 2.1 deer per 100 acres-a reduction of approximately 44 percent, of which some 30,000 were lost in the die-off. The deer herd responded to lowered population pressures with a higher reproductive rate, and the 1963 deer census showed a population of 26.7 ? 3.7 deer per 100 acres. Searches of 30, 128-acre plots (3,840 acres) for carcasses revealed a loss of 7.3 1.7 deer per 100 acres (20,000-31,000 deer). This agreed closely with mortality losses estimated from census counts. Deer harvests, though the highest reported for North America, were inadequate. Deer lost in this die-off approximated the legal kill during the preceding three seasons combined. Antlerless deer harvest was reduced following the die-off. Since population recovery occurred in 1 year, hunting pressure on antlerless deer should have been maintained in the face of natural herd, reduction to hold deer populations at an acceptable level. Die-offs have played an important role in the management and production of most established North American deer herds. The causes of reported die-offs have varied, with the primary cause usually suspected to be overpopulation resulting in malnutrition with its various side effects. Detailed reports of the causes and extent of these die-offs are rare in the literature. This paper reports a die-off following heavy overpopulation and range abuse. Deer mortality checks were supervised by Jerry L. Butler and H. M. Otto. Albert W. Jackson performed much of the statistical treatment of the data, supervised the remainder, and encouraged the preparation of the paper for publication. The manuscript was carefully edited by Dan W. Lay and Drs. R. B. Davis, R. M. Robinson, and James G. Teer. We gratefully acknowledge these contributions. REVIEW OF LITERATURE North America excluding Texas Die-offs of black-tailed deer and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) due to overpopulation and malnutrition have been reported (Klein and Olson 1960, Dasmann 1956, Rasmussen 1941). State and federal records indicate that approximately 50 major white-tailed deer die-offs have occurred in the southeastern United States from 1890 to 1958 (Hayes et al. 1958). Whitlock and Eberhardt (1956:560) reported a loss of about 32,500 deer in Michigan to starvation, crippling loss, and illegal doe and fawn shooting during the winter of 1954-55. Sudden, significant deer losses attributed to epizootics have been reported in Michigan (Fay et al. 1956), in New Jersey (Shope et al. 1955, 1960) and in North Carolina (Ruff 1960). Migratory white-tailed deer herds in New York have been reported to live on 70 square miles during the summer and congregate on 8-14 square miles in the 1 This study is a contribution of Texas PittmanRobertson Project W-62-R.

The Value of Acorns in the Diet of Michigan Deer

The Value of Acorns in the Diet of Michigan Deer

Late Breeding in Northern Michigan Deer

Journal Article Late Breeding in Northern Michigan Deer Get access Louis J. Verme Louis J. Verme Michigan Dept. of Conservation, Shingleton. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 42, Issue 3, 21 August 1961, Pages 426–427, https://doi.org/10.2307/1377070 Published: 21 August 1961 Article history Received: 23 January 1961 Published: 21 August 1961

Brucellosis and Leptospirosis in White-Tailed Deer in Michigan

The question of the occurrence of brucellosis in wild deer is of concern to game managers, livestock people, and disease-eradication agencies alike. The game manager is concerned about the direct effects the disease may have on the deer themselves, and the conflicts that might develop between wildlife and livesock interests if deer should be reservoirs for the disease. Cattle owners often suspect that deer are disseminators of brucellosis. State and federal disease-control workers are concerned because, if the disease should be prevalent among deer, it would complicate their program for eliminating brucellosis in cattle. From 1947 to 1956, the Michigan Department of Conservation made occasional collections of blood from deer killed by hunters and from captive wild deer (Odocoileus virginianus) held for experimental work. The Department of Agriculture Brucellosis Testing Laboratory located at Michigan State University tested 55 such samples for brucellosis. All were negative. During the 1957 deer-hunting season (November 15-December 2) the Michigan Department of Conservation with the co-operation of the U.S. and Michigan Departments of Agriculture carried out an extensive program for screening deer serum for brucellosis. In addition, after the hunting season in 1957 and early in 1958, Conservation Department

A Study of Productivity and Mortality of Coralled Deer

Deer populations have been maintained under fence for many reasons. Europeans have held them for sporting and esthetic purposes, and for meat. Americans have done the same. In Texas a deer-production area has been established on a peninsula along the Gulf Coast in Aransas County (Wilke, 1947). In Michigan deer have been held in enclosures (Davenport, 1939; Davenport, et al., 1944) to determine the carrying capacity and other factors associated with various types of winter range. Deer also have been held on the George Reserve in Michigan where their productivity and other wildlife relationships have been studied (O'Roke and Hamerstrom, 1948). Deer were held in an enclosure in Ulster County, New York in 1896 for the purpose of restocking the Catskill forests (Whipple, 1935). For many years a population of approximately 100 deer was held in a 750-acre enclosure on the Burnham estate in Essex County, New York (Leopold, 1939). Lantz (1908, 1910) has described many other private and public deer parks over the nation but little has been published on the population changes in the enclosures he listed.

Michigan Deer

Michigan Deer

Studies on the Blood of White-Tailed Deer

to several species including man there tends to be a similarity in symptoms and in pathology although this is not always true. The following discussion deals with a condition in a game animal which in one aspect resembles a rather serious disease in man. Since 1910 when Herrick (1) described elongated and sickleshaped cells in a case of severe anemia in a Negro, a considerable literature has accumulated on the subject of sickle-cell anemia in man. For a time it was thought that this condition was confined to negroes and that it was always associated with anemia. It is now known, however, that apparently healthy people of both the Negro and Caucasian races may have sickle cells in their blood. Surveys show incidence of about 6%. O'Roke (2) has recently described a comparable condition in deer, mainly rom young animals found dead in winter yards in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. His principal conclusion was that it might be a definite, if obscure, factor in the heavy losses among deer in Michigan observed during the past few years. He ventured the opinion also that the condition may be hereditary, a suggestion based on the fact that it was not revealed in a large number of examinations of a captive and rather highly inbred deer herd. During the past two years efforts have been made by the Game Division of the Michigan Department of Conervation further to investigate the situation. Observations were made on numerous captive animals and studies were carried on of blood smears from ani als found dead in the wild and from deer shot by hunters. Red blood-cell counts and hemoglobin determinations were made at intervals from about twenty animals. Sickle cells were found in blood smears taken from a few young fawns, which were later periodically subjected to blood examinations. These animals have been under observation for the past two

Notes on Winter Foods of Michigan Deer

Notes on Winter Foods of Michigan Deer