Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

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.

Responses from a mail survey of Florida Turkey Stamp purchasers were used to evaluate turkey hunter satisfaction. Using factor analysis, 7 dimensions of hunter satisfaction were interpreted from ratings of 31 aspects of turkey hunting. Individual aspects of turkey hunting poorly correlated with the rating of the overall hunting experience. The 7 dimensions (nature, social, hunting, management, harvest, disturbance, and preparation) accounted for 50% of the variance in responses; individually, dimensions accounted for 9% oftotal variance. Although traditional management strategies emphasize harvest and hunter man-days, we suggest that turkey hunting is a multidimensional sport and that no single aspect greatly influences hunter satisfaction.

We used winter aerial survey data to evaluate abundance, distribution, and habitat use of snow (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) and white-fronted geese (Anser alhifrons) wintering in Arkansas' Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Longterm survey data indicate that numbers of both species have increased more than lO-fold during the past decade, with recent maximum survey counts of 503,000 and 19,000 for snow and white-fronted geese, respectively. During our study (198589), snow geese were distributed throughout Arkansas' MAV, but most whitefronted geese were observed in the southern portion of the region. In agricultural settings, 65% and 55% of snow and white-fronted geese, respectively, were observed in harvested rice fields; 28% and 37%, respectively, were observed in harvested soybean fields; and 7% and 8%, respectively, were observed in winter wheat.

Male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns were collected from the wild at random in Alabama during the springs and summers of 1986 and 1987. Average body weight at 16 months of age was 58.3 kg (5004 to 68.2 kg) and antler weight averaged 150.1 g (25 to 339 g). Yearling weight and date of birth were not related (r = -0.36; P = 0.078) nor were antler mass and date of birth (r = -0.17; P = 00411). Racks averaged 4.2 points (range 2 to 8 points). Point number and date of birth were not related (r = 0.02; P = 0.914).

We studied habitat use by 32 radio-collared black bears (Ursus americanus luteolus) in the Tensas River Basin of Louisiana during April 1988-90. Preliminary data from telemetry and field observations were combined with a literature review to develop bottomland hardwood forest management guidelines for bears on Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge. Logged areas provided feeding, resting, denning, and escape opportunities for bears. Bears used bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), brushpiles, and ground nests for winter dens. Wooded drainages that traversed agricultural expanses were used as travel corridors. Even-aged management with a 100-year rotation, and selective cutting techniques were recommended to balance timber age classes, enhance habitat diversity, and provide stable food sources, denning sites, and cover.

We transported 2,220 giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) eggs by small aircraft from Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, to EI Reno, Oklahoma, from 1986 through 1989. Stages of incubation ranged from 3 to 27 days. Eggs were covered with goose down and shipped in domestic turkey egg transport containers made of corrugated cardboard. Two techniques were used to maintain temperatures between 24 and 38 C. In 1986 and 1989, no attempt was made to heat the eggs other than from the aircraft cabin temperature. In 1987 and 1988, we used supplemental heat in an attempt to maintain egg temperature around 38 C. Because hatching success was greater for eggs that did not receive supplemental heat (P < 0.05), we do not recommend heating of egg containers during transit.

We examined plant response to moist-soil management in the delta region of Arkansas in 1985-87. We monitored 3 fields subjected to May, June, and July drawdowns and passive management (no summer irrigation). Total seed production varied from 253 to 1,288 kg/ha and vegetation mass ranged from 1,070 to 4,880 kg/ha. Seed production was more dependent on year and field effects than on drawdown date. Fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum) was the most important seed producer and longpod sesbania (Sesbania macrocarpa) was the major problem species. Primrose willow species (Ludwigia spp.) became increasingly dominant in successive years. Drawdowns later than I June appeared to minimize sesbania problems.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvests from wildlife management areas in northeastern Georgia were compared with habitat variables, population variables from the previous fall harvest and hunters/km2 • Three years of harvest data from 8 Blue Ridge Mountain areas and 12 years of data from an Upper Piedmont area were analyzed. A significant stepwise multiple regression model (R2 = 0.57) related deer harvest numbers to the following habitat variables for the mountain areas: number and hectares of agricultural food plots, kilometers of roads, hectares of oak timber (all positive), and hectares of clearcuts (negative). On the Piedmont area, similar analyses yielded a model (R2 = 0.60) with number of bucks harvested related to number of hunters, number of food plots, food plot hectares (all positive), pine timber hectares (negative), and percent population harvested the previous year (negative).

An inexpensive, portable, simplistic, and safe (no blasting caps) drop net was developed and tested on ground-dwelling birds and I deer. The net is held up by tension and is triggered by rapid release ofthe tension. The net was effective on the species tested. Its simple design may lend itself for adaptation for use to capture many species of wildlife.

Nineteen gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were equipped with radiotransmitter collars and located by triangulation on the Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina, between 22 March 1985 and 24 May 1986. Telemetry locations (N = 3,(08) were used to estimate seasonal home range sizes (N = 23) and calculate minimum total distances (MTD) moved (N = 192). Seasonal home range sizes were not different between sexes or seasons (P > 0.05). Average seasonal home range sizes were 173 ha for males, 139 ha for females, and 158 ha for both sexes combined. MTDs were not different between sexes (P > 0.05). Denning season MTDs (¯x = 3,459 m) were smaller than those of pup rearing (¯x = 5,360 m) and dispersal and mating (¯x = 5,742 m) seasons (P < 0.05).

Densities of waterfowl (Anatidae) and American coots (Fulica americana) were compared across habitats to evaluate the relative use and value of reservoir habitats, particularly hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) beds. Hydrilla was selected by ducks as a group over all other habitats (P < 0.05) and was the most selected habitat (P < 0.05) for American wigeon (Anas americana), gadwalls (A. strepera), northern shovelers (A. clypeata), canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria), and ring-necked ducks (A. collaris). Five other duck species selected hydrilla as 1 of several (> I) habitats most selected (P < 0.05). In all seasons, American coots selected hydrilla and the hydrillaemergent interface (P < 0.05). Hydrilla was an important habitat component for waterfowl and coots and may improve the value of reservoirs for wintering waterbirds.

We compared Texas antihunters with hunters and neutrals in terms of 8 demographic characteristics, their views on 6 reasons for hunting, and opinions on 7 environmental statements. Antihunters were nearly indistinguishable from neutrals in demographic characteristics, levels of opposition to hunting, and environmental opinions. Membership in or desire to become a member of an antihunting organization does not necessarily identify an antihunter as evidenced by a measurable degree of antihunting sentiment among neutrals. Antihunters differed from hunters more in terms of demographic characteristics and all reasons for hunting than in environmental opinions. We offer 3 responses to address antihunting sentiments including: telling the real story about hunting and hunters, incorporating wildlife management education into public school curricula; and training hunters in ethics and public relations.

With a canine's proven scenting ability, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission began a study and pilot program to evaluate the possible uses of specially trained canines in conservation law enforcement. This paper will briefly describe the findings during the study period and the pilot program. Details into training methods will not be discussed.

At the request of Texas state game wardens, a low intervention weight-loss program was implemented for 48 officers assigned to 3 law enforcement districts and the department headquarters staff. The program was designed to take advantage of the social interaction and support of wardens assigned to the same unit. At termination of the l4-week program, 90% of the participants had lost weight and mean weight loss for all officers was 8.6Ib. Weight-loss was related to initial weight of participants and to the district of assignment. Program cost was similar to those of other low intervention programs and substantially less than other types of weight loss programs.