Randy W. DeYoung

In south Texas, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) translocations have become a common technique for non-lethal means of deer removal with the implementation of a Trap, Transport, and Transplant (TTT) permit program. However, the effectiveness of TTT as a management tool has not been evaluated. We monitored survival, movements, and body condition of 51 adult white-tailed deer from two translocations to two 2,000-ha south Texas properties, one of which was partially enclosed by a 2.5-m net-wire fence. Annual survival of all translocated deer was lower in the partially fenced...

The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is widely distributed in North America and a common inhabitant of urban areas. Striped skunks represent a reservoir and vector for the transmission of diseases that pose a significant human health risk, including rabies and the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Therefore, understanding population structure and movements among striped skunk populations will assist in the management of disease issues within urban landscapes. Here we present a spatial analysis of striped skunk population structure within greater Houston, Texas, based on 7 microsatellite DNA...

A rancher near Hebbronville, Texas, recently discovered that an unknown large animal had attempted to gain access to a metal outbuilding on the ranch. The metal was torn and completely bitten through in several places. Because of the strength required to inflict this damage, a large animal, such as a mountain lion (Puma concolor) or black bear (Ursus americanus), were suspects. However, insufficient evidence was available to conclusively identify the culprit. We extracted DNA from hairs found at the scene and amplified a portion of the mtDNA control region. The DNA fragment was a 100%...

The breeding structure of white-tailed deer has been described as dominance based. In age-structured populations relatively few dominant males were thought to do most of the breeding. However, recent studies have documented the successful breeding of all age classes. It has been suggested that the breeding success of young males is the result of exclusively mating with young females, while older males concentration their efforts on mature females. We tested this idea by capturing 337 male white-tailed deer from an age-structured population (>50% of the males ≥ 3.5 years old) in south...