Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

The technique of sampling fish in coves by the application of rotenone ("covesampling") was evaluated in Barkley Lake, Kentucky, 26-28 September 1978. In 85 ha Crooked Creek Bay (which was subdivided into 24 coves and other subareas), 776 kg/ ha of fish were recovered; the total adjusted for non-recovery of marked fish was 865 kg/ ha. The numbers and biomass of fish in various coves within the Bay did not closely approximate the standing crop in the total area. Most major species of fish were either overrepresented or underrepresented in the cove samples. Larger coves (mean area, 4.9 ha) produced a more representative sample of the 85-ha Bay with respect to species composition, abundance, standing crop and length distribution. Results of the Barkley Lake study and those of a similar study in Douglas Lake, Tennessee, in 1965 indicated that many adjustment factors are required to equate small-cove standing crop estimates to those of a large bay or an entire reservoir.

Population growth differences were demonstrated for channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) and freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) from mainstream bays of Barkley Lake, as well as between these bays and adjoining subimpoundments. Growth in Crooked Creek Bay fish was atypical, with those fish exhibiting overall superior growth. Subimpoundments contained viable fish populations, but those fish were generally in poorer condition than mainstream fish. Great heterogeneity in growth existed within a large flood control reservoir.

Methods proposed in Pollution Committee Guidelines for estimating numbers and values of dead fish in open water are practical under field trial.

Large deposits of recoverable lignite (> 16 billion tons) occur in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Commercial surface mining of these reserves has occurred only in eastern Texas, but additional mining has been proposed for Texas and the other states during the 1980's. Almost all of the new mining would occur in the Southeastern Mixed Forest· (Pineywoods) ecoregion, and the Prairie Parkland ecoregion of eastern Texas. Potential impacts on fish and wildlife will be lessened because of the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (P.L. 95·87) and the permanent program regulations. However, major impacts on fish. and wildlife may still occur as a result of habitat destruction and inadequate reclamation strategies.

This report summarizes information on approaches by states to educating future licensed drivers to handle problems created by free roaming animals on highways.

Fisheries and wildlife education is plagued by the impossibility of giving students the extensive field experience which future employers desire. A practical solution is the creation of specially prepared videotape programs illustrating actual field techniques. A series of approximately 10 programs in each discipline would provide a standardized instructional unit for undergraduate training at more than 500 colleges and universities and for in-service training in state and federal agencies. Such programs offer several advantages over traditional lectures or slide programs. Video-tape programs can be used in both auto-tutorial and standard format classes. Slide programs and films can be put in video-tape format, eliminating technical and theft problems. Current cost of professional services and materials for producing a 10-20 minute program, including field taping, editing, narration, aDd special effects is approximately $4,500.

Declining license sales and unchecked inflation are causing severe financial problems for most state fish and wildlife agencies. One of the methods used by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to help balance the budget is to increase the number of fishing and hunting license buyers. A promotional campaign by the Information Section was begun in 1977 to increase the number of resident and non-resident license buyers. Emphasis has been placed on promoting warm water fishing, where the agency planning process has identified that the supply is greater than the demand. The results of this campaign cannot yet be fully analyzed, but early license sales indicate that a continuous 3 year decline in license sales has been reversed. There are many problems associated with treating hunting and fishing as marketable commodities, but a well planned promotional campaign can be very beneficial.

With the increase in illegal commercial fishing, there is a need for better and faster means of detecting nets in our reservoirs. With the improvements in Sonar depth finders for fishermen came the idea to use electronics, especially the Graph Recorder in the detection of nets. Its use makes law enforcement personnel more effective.

Woodcock (Philohela minor) singing grounds were located in 39 counties in Tennessee. Harvest records indicated that the Great Valley and the Central Basin were the most productive hunting areas during 1966-1976. During 1977 and 1978 February hunting seasons, western Tennessee hunters, contributed about one-third of all woodcock. Spring migration through Tennessee occurred from mid February to mid March both years of the study. Testes of males shot during February averaged 9.2 mm in length both years (n =20, 1977, n =46, 1978). Follicle measurements offemales collected during February showed a wide variation in degree of sexual maturation. Clutch and brood observations in 1978 indicated that peak nesting occurred during the second and third wks. in March.

Increased commercial demand for wild furs had substantial influence on various aspects of Missouri's furbearer harvest system. Significant (P < .05) positive correlations existed between inflated market values and fur trader numbers, trapper numbers, raccoon (Procyon 1010r) hunter numbers, raccoon hunter individual efforts and harvests of high demand furbearers and certain other species. Little correlation existed following transformation of inflated values to inflation-adjusted standards. Trapper recruitment during active market periods concentrated heavily on young individuals. Mean trapper efforts and total catch were lower in 1977-78 than 1972-73 despite increased market demand and increased mean trapper expenditures.

Food habits of pen-raised wild turkey poults (Meleagris gallopavo silverstris), age 4-14 days, were studied for a 3-yr. period (1975-1977) in the loblolly pine-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda, P. echinata, forest type in eastcentral Mississippi. Crop and gizzard contents of poults that fed on recently burned subplots (0.65 hal were compared to the contents of poults that fed on 3- and 4-yr.-old "roughs" or unburned subplots. Total animal food eaten (insects, spiders, snails, etc.) was significantly (P < 0.01) higher on burned subplots. Mean oven.dry weight of selected animal food eaten (insects and spiders), was not significantly different when recently burned areas werecompared to 3yr.- old "roughs." However, a highly significant (P < 0.01) difference was detected for recently burned subplots compared to 4-yr.-old "roughs" for selected animal food. Total plant food, mostly seeds of dewberry (Rubus trivialis) , was significantly (P <0.01) greater on unburned subplots. A 3-yr.

Total forage yield (TFY) on a pine-hardwood forest site in east Texas was sampled before and I growing season after clearcutting (1972 and 1973), also I and 3 growing seasons after planting site preparation by burning, choping, or KG blading (1974 and 1976). Total forage yield was only 359 kg/ ha in the uncut forest, but 2217 kg/ ha after clearcutting. On control plots (no site preparation), TFY peaked in the first growing season after clearcutting with 2917 kg/ ha, but by 1976 decreased to 1983 kg/ ha. On burned plots, TFY peaked the first growing season after burning (3540 kg/ ha) and remained steady till 1976. On chopped plots, TFY rose from 3053 kg/ ha in 1974 to 3619 by 1976, and on KG-bladed plots from 2935 to 3774 kg/ha, because browse growth increased.

Distributions of game animals in relation to a four-lane, limited-access highway were monitored before, during, and after highway construction along Appalachian Highway 48 in northern West Virginia from 1971 to 1975. All game species monitored were affected as a result of habitat loss due to the highway itself occupying land but none exhibited a chance in distribution due to highway construction. Only the wild turkey (Meleagris gal!opavo) seemed to avoid the highway.

Home range and activity patterns were determined for one male and one female radio-collared bobcat (Lynx rulus) in an eastern Tennessee hardwood forest. Home range of the male was calculated to be approximately 3076 ha while the female utilized 1416 ha. Both bobcats' ranges were larger than previously reported values for the southeast. Measurements of both average net distance traveled per day showed the male moved a statistically significant greater distance than the female. The larger home ranges may be primarily the result of relatively low prey populations in the mountainous terrain of eastern Tennessee as compared to upper coastal plains areas where most of the previous research on southeastern bobcats has been carried out.

Waterfowl food production, availability, and use in brackish impoundments were studied in South Carolina. Widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima), dwarf spikerush (Eleocharis parvula), and seeds of saltmarsh bulrush (Scirpus robustus) were sampled each month. Standing crop of widgeongrass vegetation declined from 241.11 kg/ ha in August to nearly none in December, due mainly to competition from filamentous algae (Cladophora spp.) Widgeongrass seed production was estimated at 6.16 kg/ ha. Although waterfowl fed intensively on widgeongrass seeds, no depletion was detected, and seeds apparently accumulated from year to year. Standing crop of dwarf spikerush declined from 856.20 kg/ ha in September to 363.46 kg/ ha in February, apparently because of waterfowl use. Saltmarsh bulrush seed production was estimated at 464.60 kg/ ha.

Basic physical parameters and health characteristics are presented on raccoons (Procyon lotor) representative of animals offered for sale to raccoon hunting clubs in the southeastern United States. Comparisons were made with similar data on samples of wild raccoons live-trapped by noncommercial wildlife agencies. Raccoons from animal dealers had more fresh bite wounds and fracture calluses, significantly greater numbers of infected soft tissue lesions (P <.05), and generally were in poorer physical condition than animals live-trapped by game biologists. Bite wounds, and infected soft tissue injuries which may have originated as bite wounds, were considered as an enhancement factor for possible rabies transmission. The generally poor physical condition of the raccoons offered to hunters for purchase was viewed as a possible factor contributing to the low survival previous authorities have reported in translocated raccoons.

Two field techniques were developed to detect and evaluate crop gland activity in live mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). An inexpensive, commercially-produced "inspection light" was successfully used as a crop examination device (CEO). Crops of 45 adult and 40 juvenile doves of both sexes were examined by palpation and CEO. There was a significant (P <0.00 I) dependence of test score upon crop phase; a significant (P < 0.00 I) difference also occurred between test procedures used. Best results were obtained when palpation and the CEO were used together. Under these circumstances, active, inactive, and developing or regressing crops were classified correctly 100,96.5, and 77.8% of the time, respectively.

Prey utilization by bobcats (Lynx rufus) was studied on 2 quail (Colinus virginianus) plantations in southern Alabama from 1975 through 1977. Estimates of relative densities of principal prey species were obtained by various procedures. Analysis of 136 stomachs, 137 large intestines, and 218 scats indicated that the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) and the cottontail rbbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) were the 2 most important food items. The cotton rat had the highest frequency of occurrence and the cottontail rabbit was second for each month of the year. Mammals as a group were more important than birds in the bobcat's diet. Despite its high density on the study areas, the bobwhite quail was unimportant in the bobcat's diet. This study revealed that the bobcat is not a serious decimating factor of bobwhite quail in southern Alabama. Prey utilization was related to both prey availability and prey size.

Experience in investigating panther (Felis concolor coryl) reports showed that most people, including wildlife biologists, cannot readily and accurately distinguish panther tracks from those of other species, particularly from large dogs. Characteristics by which to identify panther tracks are presented.

Legal harvest, illegal kill, crippling loss, and movement of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) related to multiple species hunting were studied on 2 state wildlife management areas in Alabama using 125 radio instrumented birds. During spring 1978 hunts an estimated 35.7% of the gobblers were killed and 7% were crippled and died on I area while 20% were harvested and 20% were crippled and died on the second area. Illegal kill of instrumented birds was 7.8% over a 2-year period on I area and 9% for a 7-month period on the second area. Multispecies hunting on state game management areas as carried out in Alabama was not a major factor limiting turkey populations. Movements of turkeys were closely monitored before, during, and after squirrel, (Sciurus sp.), deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and turkey hunts on both areas; no permanent movements out of established ranges were noted that could be attributable to hunting pressure.

During the summers of 1976 and 1977, predation rates were determined for 350 dummy Rio Grande turkey (Meleagris gal!opavo intermedia) nests on the Welder Wildlife Refuge in south Texas. Grazing system, pasture deferment time, plant community, and coyote ( Canis latrans) exclusion significantly affected predation rates. No differences were found for soil type, CQver type, egg type, or the effects of hair-catchers at nests. Based on 'hair sample's, striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and raccoons (Pro(von lotor) were the major nest predators on the Welder Refuge, whereas coyotes and armadillos (Das.vpus novemcinctus) were of minor importance. No patterns of nest predation could be characterized based on predator sign left at the nest.

A study of nesting and brood rearing in a coastal island wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) population was conducted in Georgia from 1975 through 1977. Thirty-nine hens were instrumented during the 3 years. Pre-nesting movements and nesting ranges were determined for 9 hens in 1977. Average maximum straight-line movement for the 9 was 4.60 km; movements from release sites to nests averaged 2.38 km. Twenty-seven of the hens were known to nest. Twentv-two nests were located by telemetry fixes on incubating hens and I nest was found incidentally. Fourteen hens selected similar nest sites in saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) dominated habitat. Two others nested in similar forest type under clumps of perennial vegetation. Four nests were located in oak-pine forest and 3 others were found in open situations. Predators destroyed 6 nests; I was abandoned for unknown reasons. Nest clustering appeared to be influenced by both habitat selection and sociological factors.

An inventory of beaver (Castor canadensis) impounded water 0.4 ha and greater in area in Mississippi was conducted using the same technique as a survey made a decade earlier. The data revealed almost a 300% increase of beaver impounded areas. The increase indicates a probable yearly increase of impoundments of 11.5% per year.

In 1976, a survey was conducted to ascertain the incidental capture of sea turtles by shrimp trawlers in Georgia waters. Interviewed were captains and strikers representing 101 commercial trawlers (average length 17.4 m) which principally offload their catch at commercial docks on the Georgia coast. During that period, 1,388 vessels were registered to shrimp in Georgia, including a 321 vessel commercial fleet with Georgia registration and vessel length greater than 9.14 m. Commercial shrimpers trawled an average of 22 days per month during a 6.7 month shrimp season; they averaged 4.5 drags per day and 2.1 hours per drag. Commercial shrimpers estimated that 30.7 turtles are incidentally captured per vessel per year (I turtle per 16 drags during a 5-month season when turtles are numerous in Georgia estuarine waters). The minimal mortality rate was 7.9% of captured turtles. It is estimated that a minimum of 778 turtles were drowned in 1976.

Annual alligator (Alligator mississipiensis) nest counts were conducted in Louisiana coastal marshlands, 1970-1977. Alligator populations were projected from nest count transect data. Total estimated population ranged from a low of 135,000 to a high of 280,000. Highest population densities were located in the Chenier Plain Marsh Zone of southwest Louisiana. Alligator population density (1 alligaotr: 3.2 ha) was highest in the intermediate marsh type. The brackfish and fresh types were about equal with I alligator: 5.7 ha.

Seasonal prediction models for understory production from simple overstory measurements were developed using regression analysis. During the summer of 1976 and winter of 1976-1977, production of understory vegetation was recorded by species or species groups in timber stands on the Savannah River Plant using a 100% clip method. Overstory density and basal area were also recorded. Sampled timber stands ranged from pine regeneration sites with measurable overstory (stems > 3 cm dbh) to immature sawtimber of pine and upland hardwoods. Quadratic equations using basal area of all stems yielded seasonal regressions for woody leaf and twig production and combined woody production. Variation in the total understory forage yield (fungi, grasses and sedges, herbaceous plants and woody plants) was also explained with quadratic equations using either basal area of all stems or basal area of only large stems.

A questionnaire was developed to characterize Virginia bear hunters, their hunting methods, and attitudes concerning Virginia bear hunting, Game Commission policy, and potential management alternatives. Ofthe respondents 61%were dog hunters and 39% incidental hunters. These 2 classes differ in hunting methods as well as attitudes concerning hunting and proper management strategies. Although these differences complicate decisions, they must be considered in planning bear management policy and education efforts.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Number 206 Tomahawk Live Trap for capturing coastal marsh furbearers in a simulated commercial trapping operation. Live trapping of marsh furbearers was conducted from 17 January 1976 to 16 December 1976. A total of 35,078 trap days produced 1,983 captures of which 89.9% were furbearing animals. Nutria (Myocastor coypus), muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) comprised 91.5% of the catch of furbearing animals. Overall, the live traps caught fewer furbearers than did the leg-hold and Conibear traps evaluated in earlier studies. The live traps were found to be applicable only in specialized situations but still did not perform as well as other trap types when considering captures per 100 trap days.

Fates were determined for 458 nests of the Atlantic loggerhead ( Caretta caretta caretta) on 4 South Carolina barrier islands. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) destroyed 56.1% of the nests overall and from 16.4 to 86.3% on individual islands. Poachers took 47.5% from I island and abiotic factors accounted for 14.2%. Ghost crabs (Ocypode quadrata) were not important predators, destroying only 2.4%. The overall hatch was 6.1 %. The spatial and temporal aspects of nesting and predation, age of nest when depredated, density of nesting, and feeding efficiency of raccoons are discussed as they relate to the .number of nests affected by each factor.

Errors generated when determining the sex of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) from plumage characteristics and their effect on sex ratio projections from banded and shot samples were evaluated in a 2-year study in Louisiana. Error rates (percentage misclassified) of 3.8% and 5.0% were obtained from a sample of 236 banded and 1,820 hunter-killed doves, respectively. Converting data to sex ratios produced actual error rates of 13. I% for the banded sample and 1.1% for doves killed by hunters. No significant differences were detected in ability to determine sex in doves from plumage characteristics between sex, age, year, or status (livel-dead) classes. However, there was a significant sex X age interaction. An evaluation of the effectiveness ofthe 2 main methods of externally determining sex of mourning doves indicated that error rates when using either head or breast characteristics alone were approximately equal but higher than when using a combination of the 2 characteristics.

In a survey to determine the extent of blackbird and mammal damage to ripening field corn in Kentucky and Tennessee, 268 0.5 ha plots in 23 Kentucky counties and 170 plots in 13 Tennessee counties were examined in the fall of 1977. Plots were randomly chosen so that counties with more corn had a greater chance of being surveyed. In Kentucky, blackbird damage to ripening corn averaged 0.48%, or approximately 609,000 bushels valued at $1,218,000 out of a total crop valued at $253,800,000. In Tennessee, blackbird damage averaged 0.39% or approximately 185,000 bushels valued at $380,000 out of a total crop valued at $97,272,000. Mammal damage, mainly raccoon (Procyon lotor), was also negligible, with estimates of O. I7% of the corn destroyed by mammals in both states. This amounted to a loss approximating $430,000 for Kentucky and $165,000 for Tennessee.

Four cultural treatments were tested at 2 spacings (3.0 x 3.0 m and 3.0 x 1.5 m) for effects on growth and survival of planted honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and invasion by native vegetation. Treatments were: mowing, and overseedings ofvelvetgrass (Holcus lanatus), Korean lespedeza (Lespedeza stipulacea), or a combination of fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and ladino clover (Trifolium repens). Nurse crops and mowing reduced invasion by native vegetation but also reduced honeysuckle production. Invasion of native vegetation on control plots did not prevent eventual honeysuckle establishment.

Fourteen adult whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus) does were captured (10 in 1976 and 4 in 1977) and fitted with radio transmitters. Eight of the 14 survived through at least I parturition period with properly functioning collars. Eleven fawns of the radiocollared does and 37 other fawns were captured soon after birth, radio-collared, released and monitored regularly. Four other does marked with ear streamers supplemented data from radio-collared deer. Some does shifted or reduced use of established home ranges just before parturition and separated themselves from conspecifics, usually by moving to the edge or outside of their established home range. Does remained near the birth site for approximately 24 hours and then moved away with their fawns. Distance between sibling fawns and distance between does and their fawns increased the first 8 days postpartum.

Gizzards from 9,632 ducks bagged by hunters on or adjacent to 4 National Wildlife Refuges in Florida from 1973 through 1978 were examined for ingested lead and steel shot. Lead and/or steel shot were found in 197.4% of the 15 species represented. Mean ingestion rates ranged from more than 50% for both canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) and ruddy ducks (Oxyurajamaicensis) to less than 10% for lesser scaups (A. affinis), green-winged teals (Anas crecca), blue-winged teals (A. discors), wigeons (A. americana), gadwalls (A. strepera), shovelers (A. c1ypeata) and fulvous whistling ducks (Dendrocygna him/or). Few differences were found in comparing male to female ingestion rates. Data also are presented on numbers of pellets in gizzards containing ingested shot.

A survey of state wildlife resource agencies in the Southeast was conducted regarding deer crop damage problems during 1977. Affected crops were listed and the extent and degree of damage was evaluated by each agency. Methods used for alleviating deer crop damage were outlined. Antlerless deer harvest during legal hunting seasons was reported to be the most successful damage control measure practiced, however, most states utilized a combination of procedures. Deer season lengths, bag limits, and 1977-78 deer harvest data in the Southeast were summarized.

Data were collected from 440 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) throughout much of the southeastern United States in order to determine relationships between specific fat indices and overall physical condition. Specific criteria were presented for evaluating physical condition of white-tailed deer. An improved method for measuring the amount of bone marrow fat was described. The employment of various fat reserves as indicators of physical condition indicated that kidney fat was superior to other indices. Heart and pericardial fat were found to be nearly as favorable as kidney fat in all seasons except winter. Limited data showed tail fat to be a favorable indicator of physical condition for winter and spring. Femur marrow fat content, by itself, was not a reliable indicator of phvsical condition.

Within a study area comprising 6 South Carolina counties and 4 North Carolina counties, mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) harvest characteristics, survival, and population trend were studied. High survival and productivity are the factors responsible for the high mourning dove population on the study area. From 1968 through 1975, the study area had a stable breeding population trend, and productivity equaled or exceeded the productivity necessary to achieve population stability. Adult doves survived at a rate of 43.0%, immatures at a rate of 26.3% Increasing the bag limit for 2 hunting seasons had no adverse effect on breeding population, productivity, or survival, but it did increase the shooting pressure on immatures. Age specific vulnerability to hunting was found only in September and October. There was no evidence of sex-specific vulnerability to hunting among adults. Approximately 86% ofthe harvest of doves banded on the study area occurred during September and October.

Sixty-eight night surveys of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) were conducted from 17 June 1976 to 12 July 1977 on a large cypress-fringed lake in north-central Florida. Multiple regression analyses of the effects of II environmental variables (water temperature, air temperature, wind speed, wave height, cloud cover, water level, moonlight, precipitation, 24-hour precipitation, 24-hour maximum temperature, and 24-hour minimum temperature) on surveys with a white light (n = 44) indicated that counts were positively correlated with water temperature and negatively associated with water level. Water temperature was the most important variable in cool weather (I October - 1 May) and accounted for 85% of the variation in counts (n =22) during those months. Water level was the most important variable in warm weather (I May - I October) and accounted for 53% of the variation during those months.

Mercury contamination levels were studied in several species of waterfowl wintering on a reactor cooling reservoir (Par Pond) of the u.s. Department of Energy's (U .S. D.O.E.) Savannah River Plant near Aiken, South Carolina. Samples from 177 American coots (Fulica americana) indicated that this species which is largely vegetarian on its wintering grounds, had lower levels of mercury accumulation than did 4 other aquatic species which were more carnivorous in their food habits. Coot feathers had the highest frequency (88.1 %) of detectable levels of mercury, and gut contents had the lowest (0.2%). Mercury in coot feather samples was not affected by month of collection or location within the reservoir. The highest frequency of mercury in breast muscle occurred in the first birds to arrive in early fall. Frequencies of mercury contamination in breast muscle then tended to decline generally throughout the remainder of the fall, winter and spring.

An estimated 52,500 birds died as a result of 7 major oil spills on 2 mid-Atlantic estuaries between 1973-78. Ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) constituted 98% of 12,500 birds known to have died from 5 spills on the Delaware River. Seventy-six percent of 40,000 dead birds from 2 Chesapeake Bay spills were horned grebes (Podiceps auritus) and oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis). Oiled waterfowl that were captured alive (6% of the estimated mortality) were cleaned with a variety of cleaning agents and techniques. High mortality occurred during and shortly after cleaning, and was apparently due to hypothermia and to toxicity of solvent cleaning agents. Eighty-two percent of the 3,113 birds that were cleaned died prior to or at time of release. The fate of the remaining 18% is unknown. Petroleum solvents used as cleaning agents were toxic to the birds. Most detergents left a surfactant (wetting agent) on the feathers which resulted in subsequent wetting of released birds.

Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) and cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus ftloridanus) collected before, during and after spraying operations using methyl parathion and toxaphene on cotton showed significant decreases in brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity levels, as determined by one-way analysis of variance. Inhibition from the pre-spray mean was 9.0 to 68.3% for quail brains, and 7.0 to 32.4% for rabbit brains. Results for plasma activities were similar, but generally more variable than brain values. Activities were also more variable during the spray season than either before or after.

Fawning dates of penned, known-age, Texas white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus texanus) were recorded over a 3-year period. The peak 14-day fawning period for 27 3-year-old-plus females was 10 June-23 June with a mean fawning date (MFD) of 19 June. Peak fawning period for 26 2-year-old females was 24 June-7 July with aM FD of 8 July. The fawning peak for 36 I-year-olds included 2 14-day periods between 8 July-4 August with a MFD of 3 August. The MFD was significantly different (P <0.01) between all age-classes and between individual age-classes (P < 0.05).