Post-recruitment Survival of White-tailed Deer Fawns in Southern Illinois
Reliable estimates of survival for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns are needed for sound deer management. Several studies have estimated fawn survival prior to recruitment (i.e., before the onset of hunting season) but few have monitored fawns post-recruitment, especially in the lower Midwest or Southeast. We captured and radiocollared 166 neonatal fawns during 2002-2004 in southern Illinois. Ninety-one fawns survived to recruitment and were monitored for survival from 1 October until the end of the firearm hunting season (typically 8 December). Post-recruitment survival...
