Table 7.7. Dispersal rates of yearling mule deer, Missouri River Breaks, 

 Montana, 1976-1985. 



Males 



Females 



Z Dispersal Z Dispersal 

 1 from 



Population 



Z Dispersal Z Dispersal 



from Natal from 

 Area Population 



10 

 27 



27 

 

 





 14 



natal range through the second breeding season and 2 used the 

 natal range through 4 breeding seasons. Radio failure or 

 harvest by hunters precluded gathering further information on 

 these 5 . 



Potential for breeding with maternally-related females 

 was not determined for the remaining 8. Six of these were 

 last observed prior to the rut and 1 during the rut when we 

 ceased receiving signals from their radio transmitters. 

 Ultimate fates of these 7 could have included: dispersal 

 beyond search range, shot during the hunting season and not 

 reported, or remained on the area undetected. Another was 

 shot during November, but we did not know if it was prior to 

 or during the rut . 



Five males remaining within their natal ranges had marked 

 mothers and/or sisters. Male 3379 remained within his 

 mother's (3578) home range (Fig. 7.11) throughout 22 months 

 that his radio collar functioned. He was never observed with 

 his mother after 1 year of age (16 observations) except at 13 

 months of age on 9 July 1980, when she was chasing him. No 

 male with a fawn-type radio-collar or ear tags was ever 

 observed with female 3578 during the remaining 25 months she 

 was alive. 



Male 2581 and his twin sister 2381 were the offspring of 

 marked female 2481. Brother and sister were together 4 of 6 

 times they were observed as yearlings. On 14 October they 

 were observed together with their mother and her current fawn. 

 What relationships, if any, that would have occurred during 

 the rut were not determined because the sister was shot by 

 hunters on 31 October and the mother on 9 November. 



195 



