Y = 0.977 - .0005x 

 R 2 = 0.036 



t ■ r 



i > 1 ' r 



T ' 1 



100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 

 Number of 2+ Females - June (Nt) 



Figure 5.16 



Fawns: mature female during December plotted 

 against number of mature females in the 

 population at birth pulse. Solid line is the 

 actual regression line, the dashed line 

 represents theoretical complete linear density- 

 dependent fawn survival . 



Per capita recruitment of fawns to 1 year of age for 

 breeding-age females was also not significantly (r = -0.052, 

 P > 0.05) related to the number of adult deer present the 

 previous spring (Fig. 5.17). A slightly more negative, but 

 still non-significant (r = -0.246, P > 0.05), relationship 

 occurred when per capita recruitment to 1 year of age was 

 regressed against numbers of breeding-age females, rather than 

 total adults. 



Although there may possibly be an underlying decline in 

 recruitment with increasing density, it has little management 

 application. From the standpoint of hunting management, the 

 manager clearly can not depend upon high compensatory 

 recruitment rates at low densities (Figs. 5.16, 5.17). 



Fawn mortality rates were also plotted against deer 

 density for those who prefer data expressed in that manner ( 

 Figs. 5.18 and 5.19). No significant linear relationship (P 

 > 0.05) existed between fawn mortality rate to 1 year of age 



151 



