mortality rates, both generally, and specific to sex and age 

 classes of deer. They also provided information on movements 

 and home range, social structure, and behavior. 



Biological materials and physical measurements were 

 obtained from deer killed by hunters and coyotes, trapping 

 mortalities, special collections, and deer found dead on the 

 area. When possible, sex, age, location, and cause of death 

 were recorded. Age was assigned on the basis of tooth 

 replacement and wear, and later confirmed or adjusted by 

 cementum analysis (Gilbert 1966) of an incisor extracted from 

 deer 2 years of age and older. When available from carcasses, 

 kidneys and attached perirenal fat were collected and a kidney 

 fat index (KFI) was calculated following Riney (1955). Femur 

 fat samples were taken from collected and coyote-killed deer; 

 color and consistency was recorded and percent fat content was 

 measured using the reagent-dry assay technique (Verme and 

 Holland 1973). Data on animal condition and trends were also 

 obtained by recording field-dressed weights and antler 

 measurements (French et al . 1956, Robinette et al . 1973) for 

 samples of deer killed by hunters. 



Reproductive tracts were collected from females taken in 

 special collections. Incidence of ovulation, corpora lutea of 

 pregnancy, and fertilization rates were determined (Cheatum 

 1949). Fetal ages were assigned from crown-rump measurements 

 based on growth rates of known-age fetuses (Hudson and Browman 

 1959). Further data on reproductive potential were obtained 

 during fawn capture operations and from fawn-at-heel ratios 

 recorded for all productive females during June (Hamlin et al . 

 1984). Pregnancy rate also was estimated by recording the 

 appearance and behavior of all females observed during mid 

 June (Ozoga et al . 1982, Hamlin et al . 1984). Age-specific 

 fawn production and survival was evaluated using fawn-at-heel 

 ratios and percent pregnancy among individually marked females 

 of known or assigned age (Hamlin and Mackie 1987). 



Seasonal and annual mortality rates were calculated from 

 several data sets. When available, mortality rates of marked 

 deer were used. Fawn mortality rates were estimated from 

 deaths in a radio-collared sample and changes in fawn: female 

 ratios recorded in seasonal population surveys. Differences 

 between seasonal and annual population estimates also provided 

 estimates of mortality rates. Information on relative rates 

 and composition of hunter harvests for the hunting district 

 including the study area were available from statewide 

 questionnaires and telephone surveys (Cada 1985). 

 Additionally, hunter check stations and field checks were 

 conducted during 1960-1965 and 1976-1987 to determine relative 

 numbers, sex, age, and condition of deer harvested on our 

 study area each year. 



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