Habitat Associated With Home Ranges of Female 



Odocoileus virginianus (Mammalia: Cervidae) 



in Eastern Kentucky 



Richard C. Pais 1 



Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky 



Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0073 



William C. McComb 2 



Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky 



Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0073 



AND 



John Phillips 



Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources 



#1 Game Farm Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 



ABSTRACT. — Modified minimum-area home ranges were estimated 

 for eight does of the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, relocated 

 from bottomland hardwood habitat of western Kentucky to the 

 Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky and for six does resident to 

 eastern Kentucky. Mean size of home ranges was similar for resident 

 (642 ha) and relocated (668 ha) does. Data obtained on vegetation, 

 land use, and topography from a computerized Geographic Information 

 System (GIS) indicated that home ranges of resident does included 

 more bottomland habitat than was randomly available (P< 0.03) and 

 that those of relocated does included more young forest than was 

 randomly available (P < 0.05). GIS may be an economical tool for 

 identification of future release sites. 



Populations of white-tailed deer, Odocileus virginianus Rafinesque, 

 have been increasing throughout most of Kentucky (Phillips 1983) 

 except on the Cumberland Plateau in the east. Previous attempts to 

 reintroduce 40-50 deer per county in this area have failed to produce a 

 herd near carrying capacity (Phillips 1983). Stocking 400-500 deer per 

 county is being attempted on the Cumberland Plateau, by the Kentucky 

 Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, to establish viable 

 populations. 



1 Present address: DAFT-McCune- Walker, Inc., 200 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Townson, 

 MD 21204. 



2 Present address: Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 

 97331. 



Brimleyana 17:57-66, December 1991 57 



