Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

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).

A study of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Cades Cove. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was conducted during the summer of 1977 to determine population density, herd behavior, habitat utilization, and neral condition of the herd. Thirty-seven counts were conducted and 2,172 deer observed. The minimum summer population was estimated at 519 deer using the method of bounded counts; the sex ratio was 90.8 bucks per 100 does. Fawn-at-heel counts yielded a ratio of 49.5 fawns per 100 does. Deer utilized hayfields and horse pastures but avoided cow pastures. Feeding was the primary activity during all observation periods: bedding occurred primarily at night. Recommended management was removal of 125 deer with a 9: 10 sex ratio. The large number of deer using the Cove, the apparent importance offood as an attractant. and the fair to good reproduction were the critical factors determining the recommendations.

A total of 107} giant Canada geese (Bran/a canadensis maxima) was artificially propagated and flighted from the Buffalo Springs Research Center during 7 breeding seasons. Annual production increased from less than 50 goslings during the first 2 years to O\\er }OO goslings in the final year. The progressive increases in success were attributed to recogni/ing and accommodating for behavioral characteristics of the species and through the use of sterile technique throughout the procedure.

Deterioration of 35 bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) foods was measured during the fall and winters of 1974-1976 in the Coastal Plains of South Carolina. Poison ivy (Rhus radicans) and pokeberry (Phytolacca americana) seeds resisted deterioration, while soybeans ( G/ycine max) and mungbeans (Phaseolus sinuatus) deteriorated rapidly. Browntop millet (Panicum ramosum), proso millet (P. miliaceum), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), and three Pinus sp. sprouted during winter. Quail preference for the 35 seeds was determined before and after 120 days of ground contact. Quail were selective among food items offered concurrently. Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), poison ivy and chocolate weed (Me/ochia corchor((o/ia) were preferred. Quail selected against deteriorated seeds. Chocolate weed seemingly offers promise as a managed quail food.

This study comparcs 3 techniques for their effectiveness in detecting lead shot in waterfowl gizzards. X-rays of gizzard contents are more accurate than either X-rays of whole gizzards or manual examination of contents. Manual examination missed 24% and X-rays of whole gi71ards missed at least 28%. The most accurate technique appears to be X-ray of contents with manual verification of all positive X-ray signatures.

Nutria (Myocastor coypus) were collected monthly from June 1976 to December 1978 and examined for sores resulting from the awns of smooth beggartick (Bidens laevis). Nutria became infected in December and were heavily infected from January to March. Eleocharis spp. were the taxa most commonly found in association with Bidens laevis.

The age and growth of red eye bass (Micropterus coosae) in Shoal Creek and Little Shoal Creeks, Alabama, were determined. Shoal Creek red eye bass, on the average, grew faster than red eye bass in other studies. Little Shoal Creek red eye bass grew slower during the first 6 years of life than redeye bass in other areas with the exception of redeye bass in Sheed's Creek, TN; however, by age VII Little Shoal Creek red eye bass were slightly larger than Shoal Creek red eye bass. Condition factors (K") of Shoal and Little Shoal Creak redeye bass relative to Alabama statewide averages for red eye bass and to redeye bass from other waters were computed. The redeye bass from Shoal and Little Shoal Creeks were in poorer condition relative to the average for Alabama redeye bass and to redeye bass in other waters. The condition of redeye bass in Shoal and Little Shoal Creeks improved as the fish grew relative to redeye bass in other waters.

Age-growth relationships, length-weight relationships, and relative abundance ind ices were determined for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) collected from the Cape Fear, Chowan, Pasquotank and Tar-Pamlico river systems in North Carolina during 1976. Largemouth bass in the Pasquotank River had the highest mean annual growth rate during their first and second years when compared to those in the other river systems studied. Largemouth in the Tar-Pamlico River system had the highest mean annual growth rates for age groups III and older. The growth rate of the Chowan River largemouth population was intermediate between those of the Pasquotank and the TarPamlico rivers, while populations in the Cape Fear River had the slowest growth. Largemouth bass in the Chowan, Pasquotank, and Tar-Pamlico rivers attain legal harvestable size and recruit into the fishery at 305 mm in total length during their fourth growing season.

Although the use of rotenone as a fish toxicant is a common freshwater fisheries management technique, little is known of its effect on stream invertebrates. In this study pre- and post-treatment bottom samples of benthic invertebrates, collected from 4 study stations, were compared to determine the short-term effects of rotenone. Continuous drift sample~ collected throughout the treatment period provided additional qualitative information on the vulnerability of the benthic invertebrates to the toxin. Of the 4 major orders of macrobenthic invertebrates represented in Sinking Creek (Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Diptera), all exhibited substantial decreases in numerical abundance II days after rotenone treatment. Populations of Plecoptera (stoneflies) and Diptera (blackflies and midge larvae) were nearly exterminated, while densities ofthe 2 remaining taxa, Trichoptera (caddisflies) and Ephemeroptera (mayflies) were reduced to 50% of the pretreatment levels.

Gut content analysis of postlarval white bass (Morone chrysops) collected from the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky, revealed that prolarval carp (Cyprinus carpio) were the major food item for postlarvae of 7-12 mm standard length (SL), although no larval fish were found in the stomachs of postlarvae 12-13 mm SL. The frequency of occurrence of zooplankton (primarily copepods and cladocerans) in the diet increased steadily from 20 to 100% as the post larvae grew from 6.5 to 13.0 mm SL. The ecological implications of such early piscivory are discussed.

The effects of unionized ammonia on Channel catfish (lctalurus punctatus) resistance to aeromonad invasion were tested. Host susceptibility to Aeromonas hydrophila was related to ammonia concentration and time of exposure. Numbers of bacteria recovered from host livers increased as concentrations of un-ionized ammonia were increased in the range of 0.02-0.04 mgj I NH,. The effect of longer exposure time at these concentrations also proved to be significant (P <0.0 I) in lowering host resistance.

Estimates of correlation from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) sib-families reared in intensively stocked tanks showed that it is possible to predict the family influence in market body weight from body weight data taken as early as 4 weeks. Survival during the first 15 weeks was highly correlated with body weights or lengths from 4 'to 12 weeks. Food conversion during the period 20 to 40 weeks was highly correlated with body weights between 16 and 56 weeks. Correlations between survival and food conversion ratio and, also, between 4 to 12 week body size traits and either 16 to 40 or4l to 56 week survival were not significant.

A feeding study with channel catfish fingerlings (Ictalurus punctatus) was conducted in the winters 1975-76 and 1977-78, a mild and severe winter, respectively. In both years, fish in 3 ponds were fed 3 days per week and fish in 3 ponds were fed 6 days per week. In the 1975 study, fish fed 3 and 6 days per week averaged 10% and 45% weight gain with a mean feed conversion of 2.63 and 2.90, respectively; fish fed 6 days per week had significantly (p < .10) greater weight gains than the fish fed 3 days per week. In 1977 fish fed 3 days per week gained an average of24% and had a mean conversion of 1.98. Fish fed 6 times per week had an average weight gain of 29% and a mean feed conversion of 2.50. This was not significantly (P < .10) different than the fish fed 3 days per week.