White-tailed Deer Movements.

Tyler A. Campbell, Benjamin R. Laseter, Karl V. Miller, David A. Osborn, Parshall B. Bush, D.B. Warnell School of Forest Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

W. Mark Ford, USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station, Parsons, WV 26287

PROBLEM AND JUSTIFICATION

The movement ecology of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the central Appalachians has received little attention. Much of this region is owned by timber companies, timber harvests are abundant, and deer densities are often excessive. Consequently, it is imperative that forest and natural resource managers understand the intricate relationships between forest management practices and deer movements. By providing managers with this fundamental information, they will be better equipped to ensure sustainable forests and healthy deer populations. The purpose of this research is to quantify and evaluate white-tailed deer movements in an intensively managed forest in the central Appalachians. Specific objectives are to (1) determine seasonal home ranges and habitats used by male and female deer; (2) compare dispersal rates and mortality factors among male and female deer; and (3) describe the movements and use of artificial mineral sources by deer. In general, this research effort will increase our understanding of the movement ecology of white-tailed deer in managed forests of this region. Specifically, it will provide crucial information to be used in future manipulative studies on the study site intended to investigate an alternative management technique for white-tailed deer populations.

SUMMER MOVEMENTS OF WHITE-TAILED DEER IN RESPONSE TO LOCALIZED MINERAL AVAILABILITY

Abstract. White-tailed deer have been reported to move £ 3.2 km outside their home range boundaries to visit mineral licks. During a deer movement ecology study in the central Appalachians, we observed numerous sallies of individuals and social groups outside of their normal home range boundaries. We hypothesized that these peregrinations were in response to localized mineral sources and tested this hypothesis using radio-telemetry locations and motion activated video cameras. Between April and September 2000, 34.1% (28 of 82) of radio-collared deer made sallies > 1 km outside their home range boundaries (50% contour, Adaptive Kernel Method). Mean (range) distance of sallies was 3.5 km (1.0-6.8). Duration of sallies was between 1.4 and 25.9 days and sallies occurred most frequently in May. Directionality was not random, and 2 sites with high deer activity were located via homing and observation. Both sites were active gas wells that produced effluent. Three deer made sallies to the vicinity of one well and 14 deer made sallies to areas surrounding the other well. During September 2000, motion activated video cameras at one of the wells revealed that deer were present an average of 49 min/day, and consumed well outflow during 71.4% of visits, which lasted an average of 6.6 minutes. Water samples collected from the outflow at the 2 wells had Na concentrations of 785.5 ppm and 23.2 ppm, respectively, whereas control wells (no observed deer activity) had Na concentrations between 0.2 and 0.6 ppm. Our data suggests that deer will travel up to 6.8 km in pursuit of Na, thus validating the premise that deer use of mineral licks depends on their distribution and availability across the landscape.