Mortality during other years was calculated from 

 population estimates and/or average mortality rate for other 

 years with similar weather patterns. Calculated fawn 

 mortality rates for 1960-1974 were similar to those observed 

 during 1975-1986. Autumn mortality was generally low, as 

 during 1975-1986, but was somewhat higher during 1960-1963 

 because of higher harvests of antlerless deer. Autumn 

 mortality was highest during the severe drought year of 1961. 

 Winter mortality was generally low during both periods, except 

 for occasional catastrophic mortality. 



Age-specific Fawn Production and Recruitment 



Fawn production and survival records were obtained for 

 114 marked females during June 1976-May 1984 (Hamlin and 

 Mackie 1987). Twenty-seven provided information only on 

 breeding success as fawns. The remaining 87 females included 

 34 (39%) known-aged deer captured as newborn fawns or as 1/2 

 or 1-1/2 year olds. Another 16 (18%) were aged by eruption- 

 wear techniques (Robinette et al . 1957) at capture and later 

 by dental cementum techniques at death. Thirty-seven females 

 (43%) were aged only by eruption-wear. Data on fawn 

 production and survival were not complete for all females 

 during each period of the year, thus data presented here are 

 a composite, by age class, over the 8 year period. 



None of 41 female fawns sampled had bred (Fig. 5.3). 

 Among older females, production increased steadily with age, 

 reaching a peak for females breeding at 5-1/2-years and giving 

 birth at 6 years. Production declined for females giving 

 birth at 7 years and remained lower than for 3 to 6 year old 

 females thereafter. Production for 7-year-old females was 

 12%, 16%, and 21% lower than for 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old 

 females, respectively. Production was similar for 3- and 7- 

 year-old females, but 7 year old and older females produced 

 22% more fawns than first year breeders. 



Females of ages 4, 5, and 6 years had the highest 

 recruitment rate of fawns to 6 months. Recruitment to 6 

 months declined substantially for 7-year-old females and 

 increased somewhat thereafter, but never returned to rates 

 sustained by 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old females. 



Recruitment of fawns to 12 months was highest for females 

 giving birth at 4 and 5 years and declined considerably after 

 5 years, generally remaining higher only than recruitment 

 rates of first year breeders. 



The highest rate of fawn loss during summer and autumn 

 occurred among females giving birth at 3 and 7 years; the 

 lowest was for 4- and 5-year-old females. The highest rates 

 of over-winter fawn loss were for 2-, 6-, 8-, and 9-year-old 



120 



