Population 



10 



20 30 40 50 

 Percent Does Taken Annually 



Figure 4. — Yield and population numbers at equilibrium for two buck-fawn 

 hunting strategies and variable doe hunting percentages. 



(3) It appears that maximum population 

 and yields will probably be achieved with a 

 hunting removal of about 20-25% of the does, 

 15-30% of the fawns, and over 50% of the bucks 

 annually. At this rate of buck removal, there 

 is no possibility of reducing the breeding suc- 

 cess of the population, but it is highly unlikely 

 that such a high rate of buck take can ever be 

 achieved over the county as a whole. The density 

 of cover on much of the deer range precludes 

 it. Under present hunting practices, a buck 

 removal of possibly 20-25% is being achieved. 

 At best, this might possibly be doubled. 



Likewise, it is highly unlikely that hunters 

 can be forced to take large numbers of fawns 

 selectively. Most either-sex hunting efforts 

 can be expected to produce a take of fawns 

 of about 10-20% , and it is difficult to increase 

 this, as hunters try to avoid taking fawns 

 because of their small size. 



(4) Removal of does above the 25% level is 

 the most powerful means available for total 

 population control, since it reduces total re- 

 productive potential. This finding is readily 

 applicable to the special management problems 

 in National Parks, where big game numbers 



130 



