John W. Bowers

We used scat analysis to evaluate the food habits and potential impacts of coyotes (Canis latrans) on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in Georgia's Piedmont physiographic region. From March 2010 - February 2011, we analyzed 146 and 207 coyote scats on Cedar Creek (CC) and B. F. Grant (BFG) Wildlife Management Areas, respectively. Although separated by only 8 km, habitat composition and therefore prey availability was dissimilar between sites. We assumed small mammal density was greater on BFG than CC because early successional habitat was more common on BFG (28% of...

Coyote (Canis latrans) depredation rates on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns are variable across the southeastern United States, perhaps due to varying dispersion of coyotes as related to social behavior and habitat preferences. To evaluate fawn predation risk related to coyote distribution, we studied home range patterns and habitat use of 15 female coyotes during the 2012-2013 fawning periods. Seasonal home range sizes varied but followed two general patterns. Small home range coyotes (SHR; likely breeding females) had a mean home range area of 7.4 km² (CL = 5....

The Game Management (GM) Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) implemented several processes in the late 1990s geared toward systematic long-term forest management of state-owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). These included development of 50-year management plans for individual WMAs, expansion of the Forest Management Unit (FMU), and development of a cooperative timber harvest proposal protocol. The effort culminated with a detailed forest stand inventory integrated with desired future stand conditions into a model that...

We used known-fate analysis in Program MARK to estimate retention rates for radio collars equipped with leather spacers on American black bears (Ursus americanus). We radio collared 72 bears 81 times in the Upper Coastal Plain of middle Georgia along the Ocmulgee River. For the 59 spacers that broke, they lasted an average of 365.5 days (SE = 31.3, 38-782) for males and 519.2 days (SE = 63.4, 139-1482) for females. Retention rate for leather spacers varied by month and sex (x- = 0.8736, SE = 0.0390, n = 50 for males and x- = 0.9391, SE = 0.0231, n = 50 for females). Leather spacers did...

Hunting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with dogs is a 400-year-old tradition in the Southeastern United States. Today, this method of hunting involves using dogs, vehicles, and public roads to trail deer. Frequently, deer and dogs cover vast acreages requiring large consolidated tracts to keep dogs off neighboring lands. Conflicts among landowners, still hunters, and dog deer hunters in ascending order of intensity are: blocking of public roads, trespass to recover dogs, and trespass by deerhounds. During the 2002-03 hunting season, these conflicts escalated in four counties...

We studied the effects of 3 planting dates (Sep, Oct, Nov) and 2 fertilization rates (the recommended nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P], and potassium [K] based on soil testing and twice the recommended N, with P and K) on rye (Secale cereale), oats (Avena sativa), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) planted for white-tailed deer {Odocoileus virginianus) from 1991 to 1993. Forage plantings established early (September) in the cool season produced the most forage during the season and maximized production during hunting season. Doubling the recommended rate of N fertilization increased forage...