George H. Matschke

Hazards to birds and mammals were evaluated following the aerial application of 0.75% nifluridide (EL-468) bait for controlling imported red fire ants (Solenopsis invicta). Birds were recorded on 12 transects (6 treated and 6 control) pre- and posttreatment. Small mammal abundance was estimated by live trapping 6 plots (3 treated and 3 control) pre- and posttreatment. Bait disappearance rates were measured for 3 different densities of red fire ant mounds. Overall, more birds and small mammals were counted posttreatment than pretreatment. Posttreatment ingress by northern cardinals (...

Yearling male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, had bony protuberances covered with hair in place of bone antlers. The testes were subfunctional but did contain type-A spermatogonia. The seminal vesicles were not producing seminal plasma. These abnormal deer had significantly smaller body and endocrine gland weights than normal yearling male deer. Since these abnormalities were not observed in older male deer, we considered the condition to be transitory. MorfQver we believe that the abnormalities were caused by a hormone deficiency between...

Silastic tube-type implants containing diethylstilbestrol (DES) were placed subcutaneously in five male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Implants were recovered from four deer and determined to have a mean daily release rate of 205 ug. At this rate DES drastically suppressed antler growth, but the velvet was shed and bone antlers were formed. Treated males had significantly lower testes weights than controls. However, DES affected spermatogenesis but the response was not uniform, ranging from almost complete cessation to limited sperm production. The round spermatid population...

The acceptance and antifertility action of microencapsulated diethylstilbestrol (DES) administered in feed was investigated with penned female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus viirginianus). A switchback designed oral acceptance test at 0, 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 mg was conducted just before the breeding season. The 1,000 mg level was as well accepted as the other three concentrations, but none were as well accepted as the control. Six does were presented 1,000 mg of DES, homogenized in 1.362 kg of feed, every 17 days throughout the breeding season. Five of the six does demonstrated aversion...

Cap-Chur-Gem was injected intramuscularly into 22 pen-reared and six wild trapped European wild hogs. In pen-reared hogs, complete immobilization occurred in 13 hogs (68 percent) at dosages of 1 cc./9.9 to 1 cc./18.6 pounds of body weight and incomplete immobilization occurred in six hogs within the same dosage range. The remaining three penreared hogs showed little or no effects when injected with dosages smaller than 1 cc./19.0 pounds. Three of the wild trapped hogs were immobilized at dosages of 1 cc./10 pounds and three were not immobilized at dosages of 1 cc. per 14 to 20 pounds. The...

Movements and homing instinct of transplanted European wild boar were studied on adjacent wildlife management areas in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee over a six-year period (1960-1965). Ninety-one wild boars were live-trapped within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, transferred to the game department representing the state within which they were captured, ear-tagged for subsequent identification, and released at distances ranging from 13 to 27 airline miles from the point of capture. Movements information was derived by (1) recovering tags and pertinent kill data from...