Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Antler measurements, weights, and estimated ages were collected from 529 male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvested on the Campfield Hunt Club, Georgetown County, South Carolina, from 1984 to 1989. Yearlings (N = 216) were aged ≤17, 18, or ≥19 months of age according to premolar wear and replacement patterns. The 4-month hunting season was divided into 3 periods to test for differences in weight and antler development between the ≤17- and ≥19-month-old age groups. Mean number of points and mean weights of ≥19-month-old deer harvested during the first and second periods were greater (P < 0.05) than those of ≤ l7-month-old deer from any period. Mean antler spread of ≥19-month-old deer collected during the first period was greater than all ≤ 17-month-old deer.

We examined the relationships of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) to agricultural land uses in the Virginia Piedmont during 1986-1987. Bobwhite were censused and the associated habitat components quantified at 121 roadside census stations. Relative quail densities decreased (P < 0.05) from 1986 to 1987. A multiple regression model (R2 = 0.43) relating relative density of quail at stations to adjacent habitat found positive (P < 0.10) relationships for fallow croplands and other miscellaneous, uncommon cover types, and negative (P < 0.10) relationships for mown lawns and 3 variables describing dense, woody canopies. Management recommendations are to emphasize maximizing the number of different edges present and number of fallow fields in early successional stages. Cultivation of field borders and comers, waterways, and other idle areas should be discouraged.

We studied habitat selection by radio-tagged eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) hens with broods ≤30 days old in the fire-maintained pine (Pinus) forests of southwestern Georgia from 1988 to 1990. Habitat selectivity was determined for 14 hen-poult groups that were tracked for 1 week or more. Hens with young broods preferred (P ≤ 0.05) oldfields and woodlands grazed by cattle. Bonferonni confidence intervals for individual hen-poult groups with >20 locations revealed considerable variation among individuals. Individual brood hens showed preferences (P ≤ 0.05) for oldfields, hardwoods, annually burned pinelands, andl grazed woodlands. Insect abundance in intensively used brood areas was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater than in typical winter-burned pinelands where no brood use was detected.

We delineated the distribution of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) southeast of the range of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), and estimated the total range-area and forested range-area within this expanse. All or portions of 11 states comprised a total range-area of 285,184.3 km2, 25.7% of the total land-area ofthose states. The percentage of each state occupied by ruffed grouse varied from 99.4% in West Virginia to 2.5% in each of South Carolina and Alabama. Approximately 67% of the species' range was forested.

During 5 February-1 April 1987 we released 13 (8 males:5 females) radio-equipped river otters (Lutra canadensis) into the West Fork River, Lewis County, West Virginia. Survival through 4 November 1987 was 56.7% (N = 75). After 10 months, dispersal extended 27.2 km upstream and 23.4 km downstream from the release site. Seasonal movements for the surviving otters varied from 7.1 km to 57.4 km for females (N = 2) and 11.1 km to 52.0 km for males (N = 5). Inter- and intrasexual ranges overlapped 0%-100% each season. Movements illustrated the importance of available refugia on the stream system in this restoration effort.

Two completely randomized design studies were conducted from May 1986 through June 1987 with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to determine seasonal mineral absorption patterns of guajillo (Acacia berlandieri) and a pelleted diet. The pelleted diet contained 0.56% phosphorus (P), 2.57% calcium (Ca), 0.31% magnesium (Mg), 2.25% sodium (Na), 1.63% potassium (K), 9.6 ppm copper (Cu), 45.0 ppm zinc (Zn), and 314.8 ppm iron (Fe). Calcium and P from the pelleted diet were absorbed in a 2:1 ratio. There were no seasonal differences in mineral absorption of the pelleted diet. The data indicate mineral absorption patterns of white-tailed deer eating a pelleted diet are not different from cattle. Mineral concentrations of guajillo varied seasonally. Absorption of P, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Zn, and Fe from guajillo also varied seasonally. Phosphorus concentrations in guajillo followed active plant growth patterns but were below recommended levels for proper white-tailed deer growth.

Influences of nutrition, season, area, sex, and age on physiology were estimated for 82 adult (≥1 year old) white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) collected in the Big Cypress National Preserve (BCNP), Florida, between August 1984 and June 1986. Deer were examined for fat, kidney fat index (KFI), fecal diaminopimelic acid (DAPA), abomasal parasites (APC's), overall physical condition, in utero fecundity, and lactation. Absence of seasonal variations in fat levels and KFI values may reflect a reduced need for deer in southern Florida to store fat. Differences in DAPA concentrations, APC's, body weights, and productivity between herds suggested forage quality limited the population increase in 1 herd.

Year-round diet of coyotes (Canis latrans) was assessed from 292 fecal samples using frequency of occurrence of prey types and relative percent volume of prey types. By both measures, the most important food item for each season was rodents, except in the fall when volume of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianust in scats exceeded the volume of rodents. In most cases the 2 methods ranked prey groups identically. Five of the 7 differences between adjacent seasons identified by frequency of occurrence were corroborated by differences in volume. Lagomorphs also were important, and their remains occurred in > 16%of each season's samples. Coyotes utilized rodents, lagomorphs, white-tailed deer, and fruit most often, consistent with other southeastern studies of coyote food habits, although the composite annual average for white-tailed deer (37.6%) exceed all reported levels from southeastern studies.

Carcasses of 60 coyotes (Canis latrans) and 72 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were collected from November 1986 to February 1987 in the Bluegrass and Knobs region of central Kentucky. Stomach content analysis revealed that diets were similar between the 2 species, with a Hom's index of overlap = 0.81. Coyotes consumed a small variety of relatively large prey items (i.e., items occurred at high frequencies in the stomachs); whereas red foxes ingested a large variety of small prey items. Major dietary items were small mammals (76% of red fox diets, 57% of coyote's) and cottontail rabbit (18% of red fox's, 22% of coyote's). Cattle were a major diet item for coyotes but not for red foxes (28% and 8%. respectively).

The fell-and-burn site preparation technique is an effective means of regenerating low-quality hardwood stands to pine-hardwood mixtures in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. In this region, pine-hardwood mixtures offer a compromise between the benefits of hardwood management to wildlife and the economic benefits of pine management. However, the fell-and-burn technique has not been tested in the Piedmont and other regions. This study compared the effects of several variations of the fell-and-burn technique on small mammal communities and wildlife habitat in the upper Piedmont of Georgia during the first year following treatment. Results indicate that high-severity fires may damage site quality. All site preparation treatments produced more forage biomass and richer, more populous small mammal communities than did unharvested controls. Unburned, felled sites supported more forage biomass and more species of small mammals.

We studied wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) gobbler habitat use and seasonal home range size by radio telemetry in an area dominated (45%) by loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations (PP) in Kemper County, Mississippi, 1986-1988. In 1986, gobbler habitat use was more than expected for PP (fall) and pine-hardwood forests (spring). Use was less than expected for pine-hardwood forests (fall) and fields (summer). Use was as expected for PP, pine-hardwood, and hardwood forests and fields for the other seasons. In 1987, PP were used less than expected for all seasons. Use was more than expected for hardwood forests (spring and fall), pine-hardwood forests (summer and winter), and fields (spring). In spring and summer of 1988, use was as expected for PP for pine-hardwood and hardwood forests.

A questionnaire entitled "Spring Turkey and Other Hunting in Virginia: A Hunter Survey" was sent to 2,500 randomly selected Virginia resident hunting license holders, 440 of whom were spring turkey hunters. The questionnaire focused on 4 aspects of spring gobbler hunting: economics, season structure, aspects of enjoyment, and safety. This paper deals with the attitudes and opinions of Virginia's spring turkey hunters towards specific issues relating to safety during the spring season. Simple means or frequencies were computed for all responses to survey questions. Responses to questions were compared using the X2 test for independence. The average Virginia spring turkey hunter was male, 38 years old, and had hunted during the spring gobbler season for about 10 years. Most felt that the site they hunted on during their last trip of the 1990 spring season was not crowded. Over 45% had felt in danger of being shot at least once during their spring turkey hunting experiences.

We used the 1988, 1989, and 1991 annual mail surveys to Georgia hunters to compare attitudes of successful and unsuccessful deer hunters. All hunters rated seeing game and lack of crowding as the most important components of hunter satisfaction. Important factors contributing to a positive perception of hunting season quality included number of deer observed and harvest success. All hunters indicated the opportunity to hunt for trophies as more important than killing game; however, successful deer hunters rated trophy opportunity higher than did unsuccessful deer hunters. The presence of trophy deer ranked first among successful deer hunters and fourth among unsuccessful hunters, as factors encouraging use of wildlife management areas.

HSI and WHAG habitat evaluation procedures were used to determine habitat suitability indices for gray (Sciurus carolinensis) and fox (S. niger) squirrels on 6 areas in central Missouri. Results from both evaluation procedures indicated similar habitat conditions on all areas. However, Lincoln-Petersen mark-recapture estimates indicated densities of both species varied across areas. No correlations were found between suitability indices and squirrel densities for either procedure or species. WHAG indices were greater than HSI indices for the same areas with the exception of one area which had equal indices. These results suggest that conclusions regarding habitat suitability may depend more upon the assessment procedure used than habitat conditions. Our study evaluated the HSI and WHAG procedures over a narrow range of habitat conditions, but indicated both procedures should be studied more thoroughly before either can be used reliably.

Wildlife depredation of native pecans was evaluated during 1989 and 1990 using ground plots to estimate nut damage, and shuck to pecan ratios to estimate caching in peripheral areas of south-central Oklahoma native pecan groves adjacent to woodland. Total wildlife damage ranged from 28-447 kg/ha, which exceeded harvestable pecans (0-103 kg/ha) from the same areas. Caching comprised 59% (4-381 kg/ha) of the total damage attributable to wildlife. Fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) nut damage ranged from 17-67 kg/ha, and exceeded that of all other wildlife combined. Fox squirrel nut damage, bird nut damage, caching, total wildlife damage, and harvested pecans did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between years. However, the ratio of damaged to harvested pecans was higher for all damage categories in the lower pecan production year of 1990. Significant differences were detected in fox squirrel nut damage and caching among groves within years (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02, respectively).

We attached radio transmitters to day-old American black duck (Anas rubripes) and mallard (A. platyrhynchos) ducklings and monitored duckling habitat use, brood movements, and survival rates for 30 days. Ducklings moved an average of 2.3 km within the first 24 hours and another 1.5 km thereafter. After the initial move, broods usually moved once more. No differences in initial movement distance, subsequent movement distance, or total number of movements were found between black duck and mallard broods. There was some evidence that broods in more human developed areas moved more than broods in less human-developed areas. Black duck duckling survival rates were greater than mallard survival rates in 1 of 2 study years.

To determine the applicability of the nightlighting technique for monitoring wood duck (Aix- sponsa) brood production on rivers in Tennessee, we compared results of day and night surveys on 8 rivers in spring 1990. Results of 32 day counts and 16 night counts showed that 112% more broods/km were seen at night (X = 0.55, SE = 0.022) than day (X = 0.26, SE = 0.20). The mean number of broods/km did not differ (P < 0.05) between replications for either night counts or day counts. There was a significant (P = 0.01) but weak (R = 0.61) relationship between the first day counts and night counts and no relationship (P = 0.50, R = 0.19) between the second day counts and night counts. We surveyed Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) personnel (N = 23) who participated in night and day surveys to determine their opinions of both techniques. As a control, questionnaires also were given to 20 other TWRA personnel who had conducted only daytime surveys.

Trapped European wild hogs (Sus scrofa) were immobilized with a combination of azaperone (AZ) and ketamine hydrochloride (KHCl). One capture dart containing AZ was followed in 4-26 minutes by an injection of KHCl with a hand-held syringe. It was our intent to inject each hog with 4.4 mg/kg of AZ and 6.6 mg/kg of KHCl. This drug combination was safe and effective. A mixture of KHCl and xylazine hydrochloride (XHCl) also was used. However, the KHCl-XHCl mixture required drug volumes > 10 ml to achieve chemical restraint for hogs >65 kg. During the time required to deliver a second or third injection, trap related injuries increased. Also, multiple darting caused additional trauma to the hogs. The AZ-KHCl combination reduced trap related injuries by eliminating multiple darting necessary to immobilize hogs >65 kg.

We investigated telemetry error using a dual yagi null-peak antenna system mounted on a pick-up truck. One-hundred transmitters were placed in known locations in forest and field habitats on the Remington Farms study area. Most (755 of 830) pairs of azimuths gave useable estimates of the transmitter location. The median error distance (distance from the estimated to known transmitter location) was 133m (N = 746, range = 2 - 1559 m). Error distance (ED) was closely related to 2 independent variables: the deviation of the intersection angle from 90° (DEY) and the mean distance from the receivers to the estimated location (RECDIST); these are variables that can be calculated in the field with a computer while radio locations are being taken. The model of ED = -9.19 DEV + 0.72 DEy2 + 0.21 RECDIST was highly significant (R2 = 0.82). Predicted error could be used as an objective criterion to reject telemetry locations with unacceptable error.

License plates were used as markers for capture-recapture estimates of vehicle numbers on a 12,547-ha study area. License plate numbers were recorded during random surveys. An attempt to estimate vehicle numbers, using open-population model JOLLY, failed due to problems with equal catchability caused by users leaving the area, then returning. Chapman's Lincoln-Peterson index provided acceptable estimates of vehicle numbers. Numbers of vehicles were calculated for each sample day, then extrapolated to the entire study period. Average number of people per vehicle, area of use, and use activity were calculated using information obtained from mail and personal interview questionnaires.

Gill-nets were used to live-capture otherwise elusive adult alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in coastal Georgia. In all of 55 cases, nuisance alligators > 1.8-m in length were successfully captured. Advantages of this technique include selective efficiency and effectiveness during daylight hours.

Mortality of Florida panthers (Felis concolor coryi) was examined from December 1979 through May 1991 in southwest Florida. Average annual mortality (17.2%) over a 4-year period (1987-1990) was similar to unhunted populations of mountain lions. Highway collisions caused 46.9% of documented mortality followed by natural causes (28.1%), illegal shooting (6.2%), and research activities (6.2%). Road mortality appears greater from November to January and more likely among male panthers and panthers residing adjacent to State Roads 29 and 84. Natural mortality, especially intraspecific aggression, was more prevalent than road mortality in radio collared panthers

Extent and types of damage caused by black bears (Ursus americanus) and landowner attitudes and perceptions of bears were determined by mail survey in Arkansas. Based on 1,353 returned surveys, monetary losses of livestock production attributed to bears appeared to be minimal, but honey production losses were more significant. Nevertheless, only 4.6% of the landowners stated that the damage was intolerable. Eighty-three percent of the respondents indicated that black bear populations should be increased or maintained at their present levels. Respondents that favored lower bear populations generally were those less knowledgeable about bears, with less education, and with lower incomes. A greater proportion of females also favored lower populations. More landowners that had experienced problems thought bears were a nuisance and that populations should be reduced or eliminated than did landowners without problem bears.

Seasonal and annual survival rates were determined for 130 radio-equipped eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) gobblers on Tallabala Wildlife Management Area, Mississippi, 1986-90. Annual survival rates varied from 0.390.54. Spring gobbler hunting (SGH) season survival rates within a year and annual survival rates for that year did not differ (P > 0.10). SGH survival rates were significantly lower than all other periods within each year, and no other differences were detected within years. Our data suggest that mortality during SGH season had a significant affect on gobbler survival; however, experimental testing is needed to determine whether hunting acts as an additive or compensatory mortality factor.

Reliable pre-season predictions for wild turkey harvests can be an important component of management plans where hunter and/or harvest quotas are used. Data collected in Florida from 1983-1989 included 9 demographic and 4 meteorological variables. Using regression analyses we identified those variables which were associated with spring turkey harvest and produced a "best" regression model for making preseason, spring harvest predictions from data collected during the previous year. Variables identified as most important included: harvest, total number of turkeys observed in late summer surveys, and rainfall during the spring harvest season. The regression model employing these independent variables accounted for 94% of the variation in the following year's harvest. Collection of such data is feasible under state wildlife agency fiscal and manpower constraints. Their use gives biologists additional information upon which to base management decisions.