Home Range Of Deer Research Articles

Home range sizes of red deer in relation to habitat composition: a review and implications for management in Sweden

Knowledge about deer spatial use is essential for damage mitigation, conservation, and harvest management. We assess annual and seasonal home range sizes in relation to habitat composition for red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Sweden, using GPS-data from two regions with different management systems. We compare our findings with reviewed data on red deer home range sizes in Europe. Annual and seasonal home ranges during calving, hunt, and winter-spring, decreased with increasing proportion forest. Female annual home ranges in a mixed agricultural-forest landscape were three times larger than in a forest-dominated landscape. Core areas (50% Kernels) were approximately 1/5 of the full annual and seasonal home ranges (95% Kernels) regardless of habitat composition. Home range size in the forest-dominated landscape showed little inter-seasonal variation. In the agricultural-forest landscape, home ranges were larger during calving, hunt, and winter-spring compared to summer and rut. In the forest-dominated landscape, management areas are large enough to cover female spatial use. In the agricultural-forest landscape, female spatial use covers several license units. Here, the coordinated license system is needed to reach trade-offs between goals of conservation, game management, and damage mitigation. Males had in general larger home ranges than females, and the majority of the males also made a seasonal migration to and from the rutting areas. The license system area in the agricultural-forest landscape is large enough to manage migrating males. In the forest landscape, a coordination of several management areas is needed to encompass male migrations. We conclude that management needs to adapt to deer spatial use in different types of landscapes to reach set goals.

"Spatial and Temporal Use of an Urban Landscape by White-Tailed Deer"

White-tailed deer (WTD) (Odocoileus virginianus) home range size, habitat use, and seasonal movement patterns were assessed within the Greater Winnipeg Area (GWA) in comparison to the rural area of Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP), Manitoba. Urban deer monthly home range sizes were significantly smaller (GWA average Minimum Convex Polygon [MCP] area=2.21km²) than deer residing within RMNP (RMNP average MCP area = 6.65km²). Urban female deer home range size was substantially smaller than that of urban males. A majority of the GWA deer did not migrate between summer and winter core use areas, appearing to display a strong fidelity to an annual home range. Urban deer shortest and slowest movements occurred in city neighborhoods, likely in association with the supply of artificial food resources. Management of urban deer habitats may be most effective with efforts tailored to specific localized areas to mitigate human-deer conflicts.

Farmed red deer home range, habitat use and daily movement patterns in a Southland, New Zealand, tussock grassland over calving and lactation

Considerable expansion of red deer farming has occurred in the South Island high country of New Zealand. On these farms, breeding hinds are usually continuously grazed (set-stocked) at low population densities in large highly modified native-tussock grassland paddocks during their calving and lactation seasons. The present study determined how these hinds use the tussock grassland over this critical period, identifying the most essential resources for them and also some potential long-term consequences of their behaviour on the grassland ecosystem. This was achieved by tracking nine GPS-collared hinds over 2 years on a high-country deer farm in Te Anau, Southland, New Zealand. The home ranges of the GPS-tracked hinds varied widely, occupying between 15% and 52% of the total paddock area. Vegetation dominated by naturalised exotic pasture species covered the greatest proportion (>60%) of eight of nine hind home ranges. In contrast, tussock-dominant vegetation coverage was far more variable (0.4–46%), with several indicators suggesting that this vegetation type was used as a substitute for pasture areas under high intra-specific competition among the deer. Both pasture- and tussock-dominant vegetation was used in proportion to its availability. In contrast, shrub-dominated vegetation was used less than its proportional availability, indicating that it was not being put under as much foraging or grazing pressure. This has implications for the further ingression of this vegetation type over time. There was also clear evidence that certain paddock topography was being favoured by the hinds, namely steeper and higher-altitude areas of a paddock. On the basis of these findings, some potential methods for aiding in the management of these extensive tussock grassland paddocks under deer grazing are suggested.

Living on the boundary of a post-disturbance forest area: The negative influence of security cover on red deer home range size

In the face of climate change and the probable rise in the frequency of severe natural disturbances, successful management of forest ecosystems requires profound knowledge, including the one connected with the temporal and spatial relations between populations of wild herbivores and their habitats. Animal location data collected with VHF collars and spatial GIS data were used to investigate home range size of red deer living along the boundary of two contrasting forest environments which were created after a large-scale (10,000ha) stand-replacing fire in south-western Poland. We found male home ranges to be nearly twice as large as female ones. Surprisingly, the percentage of the burned area (less penetrated by humans, although of lower food availability) was negatively correlated with deer home range sizes in all seasons. The conditions in the post-disturbance forest were relatively stable during the year, which could explain the lack of differences between seasonal home ranges. Our findings suggest that the relationship between home range size and open habitats may be determined by the distribution of the latter: patches offering the best forage seem to be worth the effort of travelling, even at the cost of home range expansion. Heterogeneity features (patch and edge density) of forest interior habitats in this study did not emerge as an important determinant of the total size of home ranges. When burned and unburned areas were analysed separately, the results revealed that their size could be at least seasonally adjusted to habitat heterogeneity: in the burned area, deer seemed to travel longer distances between preferred patches (an increase in patch density was positively correlated with home range size), whereas the opposite was observed in the undisturbed forest in winter and spring. Our findings suggest that in populations under strong hunting pressure, security cover is a key resource, determining deer space use, especially in post-disturbance forests. We concluded that large areas of cover-offering habitats may lead to local increase in deer population and higher browsing pressure also in surrounding forests. Proper planning and introduction of feeding places (open areas) might help to control the population size by hunters and thus mitigate this effect.

At home in a new range: wild red deer in south-eastern Queensland

Context Wild deer are increasing worldwide and, in Australia, prompting land managers to review management strategies. Management activities may be ineffective without a sound understanding of the ecology of the species. No peer-reviewed research has been published for wild red deer in Australia, where they have been introduced. Aims To help land managers gain an understanding of some movement parameters of introduced wild red deer out of their natural range. Methods GPS collars were used to obtain movement rates (m h–1), annual home range using three estimators and seasonal home range using the Local Convex Hull estimator. Key findings Deer at our study site displayed typical crepuscular movements. However, the lack of elevated activity for stags in summer varies greatly to reports from overseas. The annual home range of hinds was much smaller than that of stags. Large differences for seasonal home ranges from the same deer for two winters suggest that seasonal conditions may exert a large influence on the size of home ranges. The home ranges of deer at our study site were comparable with the largest reported in European studies, but the relationship between deer density and home-range area was markedly different. Conclusions It appears that Australian wild red deer behave differently from their European conspecifics for several important movement parameters. Wild stags did not display the high levels of movement activity in summer, like those in Europe, and the home-range areas of our deer were very large for the high densities we encountered compared with overseas reports. Implications Targeted management of hinds may prove beneficial as hinds had a much smaller and continuous home range than stags. If managers want to target stags, there is only a short rut period when they continually associate with hinds and that may be the most efficacious time for control. Additionally, future research may need to explore the link between home range and deer density, and the effect of variation in rainfall on home range and movement of wild red deer which may influence management activities more than do the regular seasonal patterns found in Europe.

Sika deer distribution and habitat selection: the influence of the availability and distribution of food, cover, and threats

Large populations of sika deer occur in lowland heath, woodland, and grassland mosaics in southern England. Previous studies have focused on understanding single factors potentially affecting distribution and habitat selection of sika deer rather than considering simultaneously effects of landscape configuration and human disturbance on their distribution and habitat selection. This study measured effects of habitat availability, landscape structure, and human disturbance on where sika deer placed their home ranges and habitat selection within those ranges. Two main hypotheses were tested: (1) habitat selection differs according to landscape structure and habitat availability at both landscape and home range scales and (2) distribution of sources of human disturbance within the home range of deer affects their distribution. Results from radiotracking 31 females provided support for the first hypothesis and partial support for the second. Habitat selection at the landscape and home range scales differed between landscapes with different habitat structure and availability and was driven by distribution and availability of food and cover and a perceived risk linked to disturbance. Furthermore, deer selected open areas close to cover and this selection was stronger with presence of human disturbance, although results differed between study areas with different habitat distribution and level of disturbance. The study highlights the importance for managing deer of a balance between grazing and cover resources and the distribution of human disturbance.

Toward an Identification of Resources Influencing Habitat Use in a Multi-Specific Context

Interactions between animal behaviour and the environment are both shaping observed habitat use. Despite the importance of inter-specific interactions on the habitat use performed by individuals, most previous analyses have focused on case studies of single species. By focusing on two sympatric populations of large herbivores with contrasting body size, we went one step beyond by studying variation in home range size and identifying the factors involved in such variation, to define how habitat features such as resource heterogeneity, resource quality, and openness created by hurricane or forest managers, and constraints may influence habitat use at the individual level. We found a large variability among individual's home range size in both species, particularly in summer. Season appeared as the most important factor accounting for observed variation in home range size. Regarding habitat features, we found that (i) the proportion of area damaged by the hurricane was the only habitat component that inversely influenced roe deer home range size, (ii) this habitat type also influenced both diurnal and nocturnal red deer home range sizes, (iii) home range size of red deer during the day was inversely influenced by the biomass of their preferred plants, as were both diurnal and nocturnal core areas of the red deer home range, and (iv) we do not find any effect of resource heterogeneity on home range size in any case. Our results suggest that a particular habitat type (i.e. areas damaged by hurricane) can be used by individuals of sympatric species because it brings both protected and dietary resources. Thus, it is necessary to maintain the openness of these areas and to keep animal density quite low as observed in these hunted populations to limit competition between these sympatric populations of herbivores.

How does local weather predict red deer home range size at different temporal scales?

1. There is a rapidly growing literature on how climate affects populations of vertebrates. For large herbivorous mammals, most attention has been paid to demographic responses to climate variation. Much less information is available regarding how climate affects animal behaviour, i.e. the climate mechanisms. Further, the appropriate measurement scale of climate variables remains debated. Here, we investigate how local climate variables determine home range sizes at four temporal scales using the Börger-method on GPS telemetry data from 47 female red deer Cervus elaphus L. in Norway. 2. If local climate operates directly on the immediate activity level of the animal, we predict home range sizes to show season-specific variation on short temporal scale (weekly-daily) related to temperature and precipitation. If local climate operate indirectly through plant growth, we rather predict variation in home range sizes to be apparent on longer time scales (biweekly-monthly), and during summer only. 3. At all time scales home range size was positively correlated with temperature during winter and negatively during summer, while the effect of precipitation was season- and scale-specific, except when accumulating as snow. Extensive snow cover decreased home range size, indicating direct effects of climate. 4. The effects of local climate was weaker at the shortest time scales (weekly-daily) compared to the longest time scales (monthly-biweekly), while the effects of day length on home range size was only apparent on the monthly and daily scale. At the longest time scales variation in local climate had a large effect on home range size. This is consistent with climatic variables operating indirectly through plant growth, but we cannot exclude a certain direct effect even at longer time scales. 5. We show how local climate-home range size correlations measured over different temporal scales can be used to infer direct and indirect climate mechanisms. Insight on the behavioural basis of responses to climate enables more accurate predictions of possible nonlinear relationships to future global warming.

Regional assessment on influence of landscape configuration and connectivity on range size of white-tailed deer

Variation in the size of home range of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has broad implications for managing populations, agricultural damage, and disease spread and transmission. Size of home range of deer also varies seasonally because plant phenology dictates the vegetation types that are used as foraging or resting sites. Knowledge of the landscape configuration and connectivity that contributes to variation in size of home range of deer for the region is needed to fully understand differences and similarities of deer ecology throughout the Midwest. We developed a research team from four Midwestern states to investigate how size of home range of deer in agro-forested landscapes is influenced by variations in landscape characteristics that provide essential habitat components. We found that for resident female deer, annual size of home range in Illinois (mean = 0.99 km2), Michigan (mean = 1.34 km2), Nebraska (mean = 1.20 km2), and Wisconsin (mean = 1.47 km2) did not differ across the region (F 3,175 = 0.42, P = 0.737), but differences between agricultural growing and nongrowing periods were apparent. Variables influencing size of home range included: distance to forests, roads, and urban development from the centroid of deer home range, and percent of crop as well as four landscape pattern indices (contrast-weighted edge density, mean nearest neighbor, area-weighted mean shape index, and patch size coefficient of variation). We also identified differences in model selection for four landscapes created hierarchically to reflect levels of landscape connectivity determined from perceived ability of deer to traverse the landscape. Connectivity of selected forested regions within agro-forested ecosystems across the Midwest plays a greater role in understanding the size of home ranges than traditional definitions of deer habitat conditions and landscape configuration.

The Influence of Landscape Structure on Female Roe Deer Home-range Size

Animal distribution and abundance are greatly affected by the availability of their food resources, which also depends on landscape structure. Lothar hurricane in 1999 had profoundly modified the structure of the forests in France, affecting the habitat quality of ungulates. We tested whether the variations in home-range size of 23 female roe deer were influenced by the fragmentation of the landscape caused by Lothar in the Chize forest, namely by the increase in heterogeneity associated with the localized massive tree felling. Home-range size was studied in the summers of 2001 and 2002 and we found that variation in home-range size was mainly explained by only one landscape variable: edge density. Home-range size decreased as edge density increased, which is consistent with the fact that edges are good browsing habitats for roe deer. The result of this study suggests that, after 2 years, the hurricane had improved the quality of the home ranges by creating more forest heterogeneity and increasing the contacts between the different vegetation patches within the home range. These results highlight the fact that spatial heterogeneity is likely to be a key factor influencing the distribution and local population density.

Desert Mule Deer Use of Grazed and Ungrazed Habitats

We studied use of pastures and habitats in relation to moderate cattle grazing for 19 radio-collared desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus crooki) in a southeastern Arizona grass-shrubland. For each deer, use of grazed or ungrazed pastures and habitats in relation to their availability within the deer's home range was tested on a seasonal and annual basis. Deer, especially females during summer, tended to use currently ungrazed portions of their home range and dry wash habitats more than expected. Most deer showed a strong preference for ungrazed dry wash habitats, followed by grazed dry washes and ungrazed uplands. Although deer used grazed uplands less than expected based on availability, deer were still observed frequently in this abundant type. Deer use of currently ungrazed habitats may have been due to absence of cattle or to effects of recent cattle grazing in these habitats. During 2 years of favorable precipitation and forage conditions deer appeared to be adjusted to moderate rest-rotation cattle grazing. Leaving some areas periodically ungrazed might also provide a contingency for deer against impacts of cattle grazing during drought.

Habitat Relations of Mule Deer in the Texas Panhandle

Telemetric observations of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) does were used to determine seasonal relationships between deer use and availability of habitats on two study areas in the Panhandle region of west Texas. Juniper breaks was the only type used in greater proportion than its availability on the Canadian River study area (CRSA). On the Clarendon study area (CSA) mule deer shifted seasonal preferences between riparian, cultivated fields, and juniper breaks. Annual and seasonal home ranges were considerably larger on the CSA. Larger home ranges and variability in seasonal use of the habitat types on the CSA were attributed largely to the presence of cultivated winter grain fields. Shifts in home ranges coincided with the season wher production in the cultivated fields was highest and native forage availability was lowest. Comparisons of indirect deer observations (pellet groups and bed sites) with random measurements within each habitat type characterized deer use sites as east and north facing slopes, located close to a canyon rim, and receiving light livestock and human use. The placement of cultivated grain fields could be used to influence overall range use and attract deer to or away from localized sites. Also, consideration should be given to directing heavy livestock and human traffic away from sites that are used by mule deer. Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, were nearly absent in the mid-1880's to the late 1940's from formerly inhabited regions in the Texas Panhandle. Severson (1981) discussed reasons for the decline. From the late 1940's to the late 1960's, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department released approximately 1,100 mule deer into the Texas Panhandle in an effort to restock the population. Mule deer now occur in isolated pockets throughout the region, although densities remain low (Wiggers, 1983). There is a paucity of information regarding habitat use by mule deer in this portion of its range. Because deer numbers are low, baseline knowledge of deer home range, habitat use, and habitat characteristics is essential before management guidelines can be proposed for improving habitat quality and increasing deer abundance. This paper discusses the seasonal and annual home ranges of adult mule deer does in relation to macro- vegetation types and also the micro-habitat features that influence mule deer

Pheromones in black-tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus columbianus)

Black-tailed deer in captivity and in the field were observed for 3000 hr. The various contexts in which pheromones play a role were determined. For short-range sex, age and individual recognition, the tarsal scent is most important. Gas chromatograms show differences related to sex, age and individuals. Metatarsal scent is discharged in ‘fear-inducing’ situations. Female urine attracts males. Rub-urinating serves as a distress signal in fawns, but as a threat in adult males and females. The home range of deer is marked by rubbing the forehead against dry branch tips. Bioassays were developed for testing fractions of tarsal and metartarsal scents. The active components are being more narrowly defined in both scents.

Mule Deer Home Range and Dispersal in Utah

Mule Deer Home Range and Dispersal in Utah