Burd S. McGinnes

Approximately 10,500 locations of 234 individually marked white-tailed deer (Odocoileus cirginianus) in an 826-ha enclosure at Radford Anny Ammunition Plant in Dublin, Virginia, were analyzed to determine when and why deer wander and disperse from their home range. For the first 10 months after birth, over 95 percent ofall locations were within O.8km ofeach deer's center ofactivity, but of those which lived past 15 months ofage, 30 percent ofthe does and 53 percent ofthe bucks are known to have wandered beyond 1.6km, considered the limit of normal activity, sometime during their lives. The...

Dogs were used to chase female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a 2.04Q-acre enclosure at Radford Army Ammunition Plant, Dublin, Virginia, during late pregnancy from April to June 1972 (Phase I) and throughout pregnancy from October 1972 through May 1973 (Phase II) to determine the effect on reproduction. During Phase I, trained deer hounds were used to chase approximately 40 percent of the deer in the study area; the other 60 percent were used as a control. During Phase II, hounds and other dogs were used for chasing deer on the entire study area. All healthy deer easily...

A circular plot method of censusing non-game birds on southern Appalachian forest recreation Forest recreation areas was devised and tested, Plot boundaries were defined with a range finder. Accuracy of the method was affected by the variability inherent in wild bird populations, rain and wind, dense vegetation, and complexity of the late summer period, Data are presented indicating significant differences in evening and morning bird activity and a significant within-season decline in late summer bird population estimates. The census method used was judged satisfactory for a post-breeding...

The influence of environmental factors on the timing of the rut and the length of the gestation period in the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is poorly understood. Since 1965, we have been recording population data for a confined herd of whitetails in Virginia. Although the peak of the fawn drop appears to be rather consistent from year to year, some variation has occurred during our 8 years of study. This variation led us to examine some factors which might bear on the time of fawning. Environmental factors as influences on deer reproduction have been studied by several...

The incidence and degree of infection by P. tenuis was studied in western Virginia deer herds (Odocoileus virginianus). The objectives of the research were (1) to determine the distribution of pneumostrongylids in the white-tailed deer in seven western Virginia counties and (2) to correlate incidence and degree of infection by pneumostrongylids with deer age, sex, geographic location, and physical condition. Specimens were collected from Shenandoah, Augusta, Bath, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Giles, and Craig counties. Deer heads were obtained from hunters at check stations. Three-...