Effects of Baiting and Relatedness on Contact Rates Between Individual White-tailed Deer

Effects of Baiting and Relatedness on Contact Rates Between Individual White-tailed Deer PDF Author: Ryan Daniel Walrath
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Effects of Baiting and Relatedness on Contact Rates Between Individual White-tailed Deer

Effects of Baiting and Relatedness on Contact Rates Between Individual White-tailed Deer PDF Author: Ryan Daniel Walrath
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description


Home-range Fidelity and the Effect of Supplemental Feeding on Contact Rates Between White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) in Southern Illinois

Home-range Fidelity and the Effect of Supplemental Feeding on Contact Rates Between White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) in Southern Illinois PDF Author: Matthew Rustand
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
White-tailed deer (Odocoileous virginianus ) are an important game animal and provide intrinsic value to many people. However, disease has become of great concern within white-tailed deer populations. Frequency of contract drives the establishment and spread of infectious diseases among susceptible hosts. Supplemental feed provided to increase white-tailed deer survival or create hunting opportunities, as well as bait stations to aid in capture of deer, may increase contact opportunities and disease transfer. The author's objective was to quantify the effects of bait sites on indirect contact between deer. The author examined data from global positioning system (GPS) collars placed on 27 deer near Carbondale, Illinois, USA, from 2002 to 2005. Location data from GPS collars were used to ensure that the author quantified contacts between deer in separate social groups, based on the volume of intersection of their spatial utilization distributions and correlation of movements. Understanding the spatial distribution of white-tailed deer is important to implement effective disease and population management within localized areas. The objective of this study was to measure the home-range fidelity of female deer in an exurban deer herd in southern Illinois.

Effects of Baiting on White-tailed Deer Hunting Success

Effects of Baiting on White-tailed Deer Hunting Success PDF Author: David R. Synatzske
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Fishing baits
Languages : en
Pages : 17

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Ecology and Behavior of White-tailed Deer in Southern Illinois

Ecology and Behavior of White-tailed Deer in Southern Illinois PDF Author: Marie Irene Tosa
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Illinois
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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An understanding of the ecology and behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is necessary for proper conservation and management, especially in the face of emerging infectious diseases. The objectives of my study were to estimate juvenile survival, compare methods of quantifying contact rates (simultaneous GPS locations vs. proximity loggers [PLs]), and investigate the impact of group depopulation on contact rates of remnant adult female and juvenile deer. To achieve these goals, I captured, radiotracked, and monitored adult female and juvenile white-tailed deer in southern Illinois during 2011-2014. Survival analysis of juveniles revealed that main causes of mortality were capture related and predation, though some dead animals also showed signs of hemorrhagic disease. Comparison between simultaneous GPS locations and PLs showed evidence that deer coming within the general vicinity of each other are less likely to come in close contact if they are in neighboring social groups than deer whose home ranges overlap little, if at all. Finally, experimental removal of group members caused few if any remnant adult females to alter their contact rates or space-use, but caused remnant juveniles to have lower space-use fidelity compared to control deer and to increase their direct contact rates with other groups temporarily. Using these results, I discuss the large effects that severe weather events can have on juvenile survival, the importance of social structure on the potential transmission of disease agents among female and juvenile deer, and the difference between adult females and juvenile deer in their need for social interactions. My research provides ecologists, wildlife biologists, and managers with valuable information concerning the potential impacts of the environment, infectious diseases, and management strategies on white-tailed deer populations.

White-tailed Deer in Eastern Ecosystems

White-tailed Deer in Eastern Ecosystems PDF Author: William F. Porter
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biotic communities
Languages : en
Pages : 72

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The Genetic Structure of White-Tailed Deer to Evaluate the Potential Epizootiology of Chronic Wasting Disease in an Area of Recent Emergence

The Genetic Structure of White-Tailed Deer to Evaluate the Potential Epizootiology of Chronic Wasting Disease in an Area of Recent Emergence PDF Author: William Leroy Miller
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Wildlife diseases are important stressors of natural populations and commonly impact species of management and conservation interest. Because of this, mitigating the negative effects of these diseases is a common goal of many management strategies. One of the key goals in areas of recent disease emergence is to minimize the geographic diffusion of diseases across landscapes so that nave populations remain minimally impacted. Prospective tools for predicting disease flow are particularly helpful in the initial stages of the epizootic cycle. Evaluating patterns of population structure, susceptibility, and connectivity can provide important insights into the potential spread of diseases across landscapes. Landscape genetic analyses, in particular, have proven particularly useful in elucidating these population characteristics. Chronic wasting disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disease of members of the family Cervidae, is a disease of particular concern due to the ecological and economic importance of infected species. Chronic wasting disease is caused by an infectious prion protein that can be passed by contact among individuals and/or through the use of shared environments. Contact among nave and infected individuals is thought to play an important role in the geographic diffusion of this disease, and management plans commonly focus on minimizing contact among these groups. Population structure and patterns of gene flow impact the distribution and occurrence of chronic wasting disease on landscape where it occurs. Thus, assessing these factors may help to identify effective management units and to predict transmission patterns within and among populations. Additionally, individual and population susceptibility to this disease is modulated by genetic variability in the prion protein (PRNP) gene, so evaluating transmission dynamics in tandem with spatial PRNP variability provides a means of assessing the innate vulnerability of populations to disease occurrence and establishment.In this study, I evaluated the genetic structure of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States of America in order to evaluate factors that may influence the epizootiology of chronic wasting disease. I used a panel of 11 microsatellite markers to assess spatial genetic structure and gene flow. These markers were chosen from a large suite of available loci (106 candidate markers) identified from 58 previous or ongoing studies of white-tailed deer genetics. These markers were chosen because they were characterized by low genotyping error rates and were inferred to be broadly applicable across the range of white-tailed deer in North America given the geographic distribution of previous studies. I genotyped a total of 2222 individuals to assess spatial genetic structure of white-tailed deer in the Mid-Atlantic region. White-tailed deer conformed to a pattern of isolation-by-distance at both fine and broad spatial scales. Despite this, 11 distinct subpopulation clusters were identified throughout the region. The edges of these subpopulations were associated with high-volume traffic roads and areas of greater elevational relief. Despite significant structure, subpopulations maintained high rates of connectivity. There was evidence of hierarchical genetic structure with the bounds of larger population units generally corresponding to physiographic provinces. Subpopulation units defined this way are more likely to be an effective disease management unit relative to those commonly defined by anthropocentric boundaries. Population structure is only one factor influencing the geographic distribution of diseases. Cervids are farmed in this region, and several captive cervid facilities have experienced recent outbreaks of chronic wasting disease. Egression from infected facilities represents another potential pathway for transmission. I used a Bayesian assignment algorithm to test for captive egression and dispersal events among free-ranging populations, both of which may contribute to epizootic patterns. I found a low (2.0%) but significant proportion of free-ranging deer that assigned to captive origin. Two deer that were infected with chronic wasting disease had a high probability of sourcing from captive populations. The proportion of individuals that assigned to a migratory origin was as high as 13.8% among the four subsampling units, and the proportion of individuals with admixed ancestry was as high as 46.7%. This suggests dispersal is common and ongoing and is commensurate with the high migration rates reported previously. One deer infected with chronic wasting disease assigned to a migratory origin. These results may indicate that both captive egression and natural dispersal have the potential to contribute to the spread of this disease into previously uninfected regions.Individual susceptibility to chronic wasting disease is thought to be linked to variation at two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the PRNP gene. Thus, population-scale variability at these loci may influence the risk of infection and establishment. The Mid-Atlantic populations of white-tailed deer generally had a higher proportion of susceptible individuals relative to populations with a longer history of chronic wasting disease. Variability at these loci varied spatially within the region and generally conformed to patterns of population structure. This suggests that some populations may be more innately susceptible than others to chronic wasting disease establishment. Understanding patterns of population structure and susceptibility provides insights into the potential occurrence of chronic wasting disease but does not necessarily explain transmission dynamics among populations. Transmission is expected to be facilitated by dispersal, but how deer move among populations is likely a consequence of the underlying landscape matrix. I evaluated the correlation between landscape features and patterns of gene flow using a resistance surface modeling approach to identify potential transmission corridors. Patterns of genetic differentiation were best explained by a resistance surface including percent forest cover, elevational relief, and traffic volume. While large streams were also included in the resistance surface, landscape resistance related to streams was negligible. Elevational relief and traffic volume were less resistant features than areas of low forest cover, highlighting the permeability of these features to deer movement. Gene flow was facilitated through forested corridors in heterogeneous landscapes and was more diffuse in homogeneous landscapes. A large number of chronic wasting disease cases occurred in areas of high connectivity, indicating that these areas may influence disease transmission among distinct groups of deer. In conclusion, patterns of white-tailed deer genetic structure are cryptic and associated with features that are permeable to movement. Nevertheless, these features may influence the distribution of chronic wasting disease and the possibility for transmission among populations. Furthermore, spatial variability at loci associated with disease susceptibility suggests that some populations may be more innately at risk for disease establishment than others. Incorporating the inferred patterns of population structure, connectivity, and susceptibility into disease forecasting models represents a logical extension and may further elucidate the trends observed here. Other sources of infection, such as captive egression, may pose a risk independent of patterns predicted by natural population structure. Thus, joint consideration of anthropogenic and natural sources of infection may further aid in predicting future epizootic patterns.

Technical Bulletin

Technical Bulletin PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Agricultural extension work
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer

Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer PDF Author: David G. Hewitt
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1482295989
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 668

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Book Description
Winner of the Wildlife Society Outstanding Edited Book Award for 2013! Winner of the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Outstanding Book Award for 2011! Winner of a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award for 2011! Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer organizes and presents information on the most studied large mammal species in the world. The book covers the evolutionary history of the species, its anatomy, physiology, and nutrition, population dynamics, and ecology across its vast range (from central Canada through northern South America). The book then discusses the history of management of white-tailed deer, beginning with early Native Americans and progressing through management by Europeans and examining population lows in the early 1900s, restocking efforts through the mid 1900s, and recent, overabundant populations that are becoming difficult to manage in many areas. Features: Co-published with the Quality Deer Management Association Compiles valuable information for white-tailed deer enthusiasts, managers, and biologists Written by an authoritative author team from diverse backgrounds Integrates white-tailed deer biology and management into a single volume Provides a thorough treatment of white-tailed deer antler biology Includes downloadable resources with color images The backbone of many state wildlife management agencies' policies and a featured hunting species through much of their range, white-tailed deer are an important species ecologically, socially, and scientifically in most areas of North America. Highly adaptable and now living in close proximity to humans in many areas, white-tailed deer are both the face of nature and the source of conflict with motorists, home-owners, and agricultural producers. Capturing the diverse aspects of white-tailed deer research, Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer is a reflection of the resources invested in the study of the species’ effects on ecosystems, predator-prey dynamics, population regulation, foraging behavior, and browser physiology.

Implications of Direct Contacts Between Mule Deer (odocoileus Hemionus) on Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease

Implications of Direct Contacts Between Mule Deer (odocoileus Hemionus) on Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease PDF Author: Maria Angelica Dobbin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Chronic wasting disease
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, prion disease of cervids that was first detected in Alberta in 2005. Transmission of CWD occurs by direct contact with an infected individual or via contaminated environments. I investigated the seasonal effects of landscape heterogeneity on direct, sex-specific (same or mixed sex) contacts of individuals within and between groups of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in central eastern Alberta. Using data from collared deer, I determined group membership based on simultaneous movement, pair-wise relatedness from genetic sampling at capture, contact rates based on proximity loggers, and habitat characteristics of dyad (pairs) in space-use overlap based on GPS telemetry. I found that within-group contact rates were several orders of magnitude higher than between-group contacts, contact rates were unrelated to genetic relatedness, and within-group contacts rates were more dependent on the sex of individuals, between-group rates were more influences by habitat. I also determined where seasonal contacts were most likely to occur by comparing habitat characteristics of contact locations to random locations within areas of shared space use. In winter, contacts occurred in areas with higher use by deer, whereas in summer contact locations were less constrained and were more varied between sexes. The exceptions were that contacts were more likely to occur than expected by use in areas of limited woody cover in both winter and summer, less likely to occur in forest-open edges in winter, and closers to roads in summer. Predictions of where contacts occur among within and between-group male dyads in winter and between-group female dyads in summer were the best predictors of CWD risk derived from hunter-harvested infected deer detected during Alberta's CWD surveillance program. My results suggest that the pattern of CWD risk on the landscape is related to areas of deer contact, and that the seasonal, sex-specific contact rates may better inform transmission in spatially explicit models to help guide management strategies for an emergent wildlife disease.

White-tailed Deer Habitat

White-tailed Deer Habitat PDF Author: Timothy E. Fulbright
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
ISBN: 9781603445658
Category : Range management
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Book Description
For most of the last century, range management meant managing land for livestock. How well a landowner grew the grass that cattle ate was the best measure of success. In this century, landowners look to hunting and wildlife viewing for income; rangeland is now also wildlife habitat, and they are managing their land not just for cattle but also for wildlife, most notably deer and quail. Unlike other books on white-tailed deer in places where rainfall is relatively high and the environment stable, this book takes an ecological approach to deer management in the semiarid lands of Oklahoma, Texas, and northern Mexico. These are the least productive of white-tail habitats, where periodic drought punctuates long-term weather patterns. The book's focus on this landscape across political borders is one of its original and lasting contributions. Another is its contention that good management is based on ecological principles that guide the manager's thinking about: Habitat Requirements of White-Tailed Deer White-Tailed Deer Nutrition Carrying Capacity Habitat Manipulation Predators Hunting Timothy Edward Fulbright is a Regents Professor and the Meadows Professor in Semiarid Land Ecology at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville. J. Alfonso Ortega-S., is an associate professor at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville.