Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) x sauger (S. canadense) hybrids (saugeye) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) ≥350 mm total length were sampled in 1988 and 1989 to determine food habits and diet overlap. Shad (Dorosoma spp.) were the most important prey of both largemouth bass and saugeye. Both predators were opportunistic, eating a variety of prey items. Although diet overlap was high, competition for food was not apparent and would not be likely to occur unless forage became limited.

Food and growth of age-O hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis x M. chrysops) were examined during June-November 1988-1989 in Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi. Shads (Dorosoma spp.), especially threadfin shad (D. petenense), made up about 70%-90% of the diet by weight. Other fish made up about 3%-20% of the diet and were eaten primarily by hybrids < 150 mm total length. Invertebrates constituted a small percentage of the diet, and were eaten mostly by fish <100 mm and not by those> 150 mm. By November, the length of age-O fish averaged 241 mm in 1988 and 227 mm in 1989. Differences in growth between years might have been caused by differences in availability and consumption of shads. Widening of hybrid length-frequency distributions in August-September coincided with reduction of shad consumption and increased incidence of empty stomachs in fish < 100 mm long, suggesting reduced availability of suitable-sized prey for smaller hybrids toward the end of the summer.

The ability of shad populations to impact the density and composition of zooplankton populations has led to the suggestion that planktivorous shad may compete with young-of-year bass for plankton food resources and influence bass recruitment. We studied the feeding dynamics of concurrent year classes of threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) , gizzard shad (D. cepedianum) , and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in a North Carolina reservoir to determine the nature of feeding interactions among the species. Shad planktivory was found to be confined to a brief period early in the growing season coincidental with peak zooplankton densities, after which both shad species shifted to detritivory. Only limited correlations between shad diets and zooplankton dynamics were identified. Patterns of feeding and growth in young-ofyear bass showed no indication that plankton resources were limiting cohort development.

Stomach contents of 434 largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoidesfloridanus) were collected with clear acrylic tubes. Sixty-four percent of the bass contained food. No significant differences (P > 0.05) in percent recovery of food items by weight occurred among 3 biologists for the 6 size groups studied. Greater than 80% recovery by weight of all food was obtained with acrylic tubes in 6 size groups of bass ranging from 100 to 590mm TL. Seven percent of bass that yielded no food when sampled with tubes actually contained food. Appropriate tube size was important in efficient food extraction. Largemouth bass > 120 mm can be tubed easily and efficiently. Although considered an easy and efficient technique for largemouth bass> 120 mm TL, limitations involving fish size, prey size, and incomplete recovery should be considered when interpreting food habit data obtained by acrylic tubes.

We inspected 17 fox enclosures and interviewed 26 operators to collect information on enclosure characteristics and use in Florida. Size of enclosures (N = 26) ranged from 30 to 360 ha (¯x = 108 ha). Red fox (Vulpes vulpes), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and coyote (Canis latrans) stocks were obtained from states in the southeast and midwest. Operators (54%) preferred coyotes exclusively or in combination with foxes: coyotes were admitted to be present in ≥35% of enclosures visited. Owners reported enclosure costs to be $40/ha. Fox enclosures provided a convenient recreational opportunity for houndsmen in an increasingly urban landscape.

We examined the influence of acorn abundance on fall and winter diets and on nutritional and reproductive status of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Southern Appalachians from 1983 to 1988. When acorns were abundant, they dominated the diet; when they were scarce, leaves of broadleaf evergreen species, primarily rosebay rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum), largely replaced acorns in the diet. When acorn production was poor, kidney fat indices in winter were significantly lower for most sex and age classes. Also, reproductive rates of yearling does were significantly lower, and conception dates were significantly later when acorns were scarce. Reproductive rates of adults were not appreciably affected by acorn abundance. Because acorn abundance is largely independent of deer density, the important role of acorns in deer nutrition presents special problems in deer management.

Gosling survival of a resident flock of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) was studied on a 2,750-ha reservoir in Fairfield County, South Carolina, in 1987. The brood-rearing season began in early April and ended in early June. A final count of all goslings on the reservoir 4 weeks after the last nest hatched yielded a gosling survival rate of 4.4%. Only 6 (15%) of 40 goslings from 10 broods equipped with radiotransmitters survived to 8 weeks of age. Gosling survival was estimated as 21.2% ± 0.15% (95% CL), using the Kaplan-Meier survival estimator that censors disappearances and 4.0% ± 0.04% (95% CL) assuming disappearances as deaths. Primary predators included red fox (Vulpes vulpes), crow (Corvus spp.) and unknown avian.

Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) hens were monitored by telemetry from January 1987 through August 1988 in Kemper County, Mississippi. Thirty-nine of 52 hens reached incubation. Nesting success was 46% in 1987 and 36% in 1988. In 1987, all 12 located nests were in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations. Eleven hens nested in 17- to 19-year-old plantations; I hen nested in a 9-year-old plantation. In 1988,21 located nests were in plantations and I hen was in a mature pine-hardwood forest. Most hens (81 %) nested in plantations age 13-20 years old. Plantations used for nesting had been commercially thinned an average of 4 years (3-6 years) and had been control burned an average of 3 years (1-7 years) before being used. Hens with 1- to 14-dayold poults used mostly plantations (81 %) 14-20 years old in both 1987 and 1988. These plantations had been thinned and burned 3-4 years prior.

During late winter 1988 and 1989, 18 radio-marked eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo sylvestris) hens released into Natchez Trace State Park, Forest and Wildlife Management Area (Natchez Trace), and 20 radio-marked Natchez Trace (resident) hens released at the capture site were monitored continuously throughout the nesting and brooding season. Introduced turkeys experienced greater mortality than residents, especially during the 30-day period following release (P <0.05). Introduced birds displayed more frequent and greater daily movements than resident hens. Spring home ranges of introduced hens were larger (P = 0.02) than residents. During the initial nesting season, released birds had fewer nesting attempts, renesting attempts, nests to completion, and lower recruitment rates than resident hens (P <0.05).

During autumn 1985, we investigated waterbird use of Open Marsh Water Management (OMWM) ponds and use of natural ponds in an adjacent impoundment in Maryland. Dabbling ducks used ponds with dense widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima) more than ponds with sparse or no widgeongrass (P <0.01). Wading birds and shorebirds used the natural ponds more than the OMWM ponds (P <0.01), mainly because the OMWM ponds had vertical sides and were too deep (¯x = 0.42 m) to allow foraging. Pond surface areas were positively correlated with numbers of birds (P <0.05) and inversely correlated with densities of birds (P <0.01).

We determined immediate impacts of clearcutting on breeding bird communities of a tidally-influenced bald cypress (Taxodium distichum)-tupelo (Nyssa spp.) wetland located in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Baldwin County, Alabama, April-June 1987. Seventeen of 45 species detected in first-year clearcuts, forestclearcut edges, and 70-year-old reference stands demonstrated significant (P <0.05) differences in abundance across habitat type. Three species preferred forest interior, 5 preferred edge, 7 preferred interior and edge over clearcut, and 1 preferred clearcut and edge (P <0.05). Species richness (S) from known sample size decreased from edge (36) to forest interior (27) to clearcut (21). Twice as many detections were made in a clearcut with snags retained, as in a more complete clearcut.

We marked fawns and adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on 2 south Texas areas during 1986-88. Deer sighted on repeated helicopter flights were evaluated to determine if the age ratio of sightings matched the known ratio of marked fawns-to-adults in the populations. There was a trend toward undercounting fawns on each area.

Wood duck (Aix sponsa) broods were counted 15 of 19 years (1973-90) using the night-float technique on a 1O.8-km segment of the Holston River, eastern Tennessee. Broods were counted 9 years before and 6 years after the initiation of September hunting seasons. Mean harvest (¯x = 26,797, SE = 2,130) of wood ducks in Tennessee after September hunting began was 279% higher (t = 7.50, P = 0.0001, df = 14) than the mean harvest (¯x = 9,604, SE = 845) before September hunting. The adjusted mean number of broods (¯x = 7.25, SE = 1.25) observed following initiation of September hunting was significantly (F (1,8) = 16.78, P = 0.00035) less (52%) than the adjusted mean (¯x = 15.22, SE = 1.49) observed prior to September seasons. These results suggest a negative relationship between numbers of broods observed and September hunting.

We sampled forage and browse and made spotlight counts to study seasonal use of clearcuts and food plots by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Southern Appalachians. Browse production was greater in clearcuts than in adjacent forest. Deer used clearcuts most intensively during the summer when green leaves and herbs were abundant. Use of clearcuts was very low in winter. Browsing intensity was higher in clearcuts than in the forest in summer but not in winter. However, less than 4% of all twigs were browsed even in clearcuts in summer. Food plots, especially those containing clover-grass mixtures, were used most intensively in early spring when plant growth was rapid. They also appeared to be an important source of nutritious forage in winter, especially when acorns were in short supply. However, forage biomass in food plots was reduced significantly by unfavorable weather conditions, including extreme cold and drought.

Participants in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in Virginia were surveyed to determine their acceptance of the wildlife management options available. The resulting data were subjected to statistical analysis through logit models to enable prediction of desire to improve wildlife habitat and actual implementation of habitat improvement. The analysis indicated that landowners who retired >16.2 ha or who farmed >40.5 ha were most likely to incorporate wildlife management practices. We suggest that wildlife agencies utilize survey research data to better target their private landowner outreach programs.

Ninety-three feral hogs (Sus serofa) collected from July 1978 through June 1979 on the Fisheating Creek Wildlife Refuge in Glades County, Florida, were examined for physical condition, food habits, and reproductive status. Wild hog food habits were determined largely by food availability and nutritional requirements, which changed seasonally. Hogs collected on the study area were in better condition with regard to internal fat during fall and winter but appeared to be under greater stress during these periods as determined by adrenal weights. Farrowing peaks occurred after availability of acorn mast in the fall and "spring green-up." We hypothesize that sustained yield of wild hogs may best be achieved through late summer and early fall harvest.

Six slash-disposal treatments were applied to 24 O.05-ha plots in a mixed hardwood forest in northern West Virginia to determine white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) use of small fuelwood cuts. Fuelwood harvest resulted in an increase in woody stems during the first year following cutting, but there was no significant effect by type of slash-disposal treatment on number of stems that regenerated. Deer use, as evidenced by pellet groups, differed among treatment plots, yet no consistent preference for specific treatments was detected. All treatment plots, except improvement cut plots, received higher deer use than did control plots.

Crops from adult male northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) were collected May-July 1985 (N = 43) and April-June 1986 (N = 45). Woody plant, legume, and grass seeds accounted for >90% of the total crop volume in both years, but the relative proportions of seed types varied significantly (X2 = 66.38, P <0.005) between years. This was partly due to differences in plant fruiting chronology and seed availability during sample periods, as rye (Secale cereale) was unavailable to most quail collected in 1986. Rye, red bay (Persea borbonia), acorns (Quercus spp.), shrub lespedeza (Le~pedeza bicolor), and red maple (Acer rubrum) seeds were important summer food items. Animal matter contributed 7%-8% to the crop volume each year and was comprised of a variety of beetles, true bugs, ants, and grasshoppers. Management practices should be implemented to increase the variety of native seed- and fruitproducing plants in order to develop a dependable food base between seasons and years.

We monitored 122 radio-equipped wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) gobblers on Tallahala Wildlife Management Area (TWMA), Mississippi, during all seasons, 1986-89. Gobblers that had ≥50% of telemetry locations off the area were considered off TWMA. Percent off of the area was greater (P <0.1) in spring than summer 1986. An average of 34% of gobblers was off TWMA during the spring hunting period, 1986-89. We detected no difference in harvest rates between gobblers on and off TWMA. Managers should consider harvest on adjacent private lands when planning for public hunting areas.

Range size and dynamics of black bears (Ursus americanus) were determined in Great Dismal Swamp (GDS), an 850-km2 forested wetland straddling the eastern border of Virginia and North Carolina. Male ranges were larger (P < 0.05) than female ranges annually and seasonally. Median range sizes were 21.4 km2 for adult females (N = 11),33.1 km2 for subadult females (N = 7), and 79.0 km2 for males (N = 10). Extensive fall movements inflated female ranges. Range shifts were maximal from late summer to early fall and early fall to late fall, averaging 4.4 ± 0.7 km (N = 14) and 4.4 ± 0.8 km (N = 17), respectively. Annual and seasonal overlap were extensive within and between sexes, with female range overlap increasing from spring to early fall. Range use and territoriality among female bears were influenced by spatial and temporal distribution of food.

The mean maximum distance moved (MMDM) of a southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) population during a l2-day trapping period was compared between radiotelemetry and capture location data. MMDMs derived from capture locations averaged 51% less than MMDMs derived from telemetric locations. In addition, tests of MMDMs based on capture locations failed to detect a difference between sexes, whereas MMDMs based on telemetric locations indicated a significant difference. Density estimates of the fox squirrel population were calculated using MMDM/2 as an estimate of boundary-strip width (W) to compensate for "edge effect." A combined density estimate based on capture locations was 27% larger than the estimate based on telemetric locations. Because MMDMs derived from capture locations depend on the number of recaptures and are a function of trap spacing, W is often underestimated, resulting in positively biased density estimates.

During 1978 and 1979, data were collected on wood duck (Aix sponsa) brood movements, habitat use, and survival in east-central Texas. Radio telemetry of 18 broods indicated most broods left the nesting site immediately after exiting nesting structures. Distances traveled from nesting site to brood-rearing site varied from 0.111.7 km. Overall, duckling survival (N = 167) was 8%. However, survival for 40 ducklings that reached adequate brood-rearing habitat was 48%. Duckling survival and habitat used by broods was positively correlated with an increase in wetland size, length of shoreline, percent floating and emergent vegetation, and percent flooded shrubs, and was negatively correlated with an increase in water depth and percent open water.

Adulteastem bluebirds (Sialia sialis) were monitored by radio-telemetry during the breeding (5M:5F) and wintering (5M:5F) seasons to obtain home range and habitat data. All birds used natural cavities on forested land in west-central South Carolina. Mean home range size of breeding season bluebirds was 19.2 ± 4.4 ha (¯x ± SE)for males and 13.7 ± 4.4 ha for females. Wintering season home ranges were 105.9 ± 15.5 ha and 120.8 ± 16.6 ha for males and females, respectively. Home ranges did not differ (P >0.05) by sex but did by season. Mean minimum total distance moved was similar for both sexes and was larger during the wintering season (3,757 ± 229 m) than during the breeding season (1 ,836 ± 698 m). Habitat preference varied by sex and season, but edge and clearcut habitats were always used more than expected. Dense pine stands were never used. Pine stands with open understories were preferred more than those with closed understories.

Movements of eastern wild turkey hens (Meleagris gallapavo silvestris) were monitored using radio telemetry on the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in Western North Carolina during 1985-87. Turkeys (N = 15) responded to the use of dogs for bear hunting by temporarily abandoning portions of their established home ranges and relocating to unhunted areas during the 2-month season. Hens returned to abandoned areas soon after hunting ceased and when dogs were not used for hunting. No mortality of turkeys was detected during bear season. The rapid return of hens to former ranges suggests that unhunted habitats were crowded or that preferred habitats on Coweeta were not available to turkeys during bear hunts.

Day rest sites and natal dens of Florida panthers (Felis concolor coryi) studied from January 1986 to August 1989 were dominated by dense vegetation, especially saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). Activity peaked around sunrise and sunset for both denning females and solitary panthers; however, solitary panthers exhibited greater extremes in activity and inactivity. Females were most likely to be at the den during daylight and spent about 50% of the denning period at the den. Day beds and den sites are important habitat features and should be considerations in panther management.