Seasonal movements and survival of white-tailed deer in eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota

Jenks, J.A.

Knowledge of movement patterns, cause-specific mortality, and survival rates is important to the understanding of population dynamics of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The purpose of this study was to obtain accurate, site-specific data regarding deer population dynamics for eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota. Deer (49 adult, 16 neonate) were radio collared in Brookings and Grant counties in eastern South Dakota and in Lincoln County, Minnesota. A total of 6,707 locations was collected on radio-collared deer. A total of 175 seasonal movements was documented during this study. Primary stimuli influencing seasonal migration included temperature and snow depth. Mean migration distance between seasonal home ranges was 10.1 km. Deer dispersed a mean distance of 90.8 km. Overall survival rate of adult deer was 0.49. Adult survival was primarily dependant on human-related factors (i.e., hunting, vehicle collisions), which caused 76% of all mortalities. Pooled neonate survival was 0.95 during May-August 2002-03. High neonate survival was attributed to low predator (coyote [Canis latrans]) densities, quality vegetation at neonatal bed sites, and high nutritional condition of reproductive females. (Presentation pdf)