Development of a Deer-guard Prototype for Florida Key Deer

Due to increased deer/vehicle collisions involving endangered Florida Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) planned to fence a stretch of U.S. Highway 1 that crosses Big Pine Key, Florida. Public access roads, which would allow deer to enter the fenced portion of the highway, posed public and wildlife-related hazards. Currently there are no structures (deer guards) that are effective in preventing deer from entering access roads. Our purpose was to design, construct, and test a deer guard that would allow normal passage of vehicles while preventing Key deer from crossing. Between September 1998 and December 1999, we constructed and tested deer-guard prototypes within a deer-holding facility at the Welder Wildlife Foundation Refuge near Sinton, Texas. Wild-trapped Texas white-tailed deer (O. v. texanus) were used as test animals. Deer-guard prototypes were subjected to 4 tests: (1) no incentive to cross; (2) extra food and water incentive to cross; (3) fawn separated from mother; and, (4) estrous doe separated from mature buck. Three deer-guard designs included: (1) a guard installed at ground level, (2) a guard raised (0.6 m) off the ground, and (3) a raised guard with sloped ends. Deer guards were tested at two lengths (either 3.6 m or 5.5 m) and had 1.9 cm cross-member spacing. We monitored effectiveness of each test visually and with infrared-triggered cameras for one week except for the fawn-separated-from-doe tests (2 hours). Deer jumped 3.6-m guards and walked through guards placed on the ground. No deer crossed a raised 5.5-m guard during any of the tests. With slight modifications, the design should be useful with other ungulates, including Key deer, and for use in urban environments.

Publication date
Starting page
337
Ending page
347
ID
4978