Summer movements, habitat use, and mortality of mule deer fawns in the Missouri River Breaks,
Montana
by Arnold Robert Dood
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in Fish
and Wildlife Management
Montana State University
© Copyright by Arnold Robert Dood (1978)
Abstract:
A study of mule deer fawns was conducted in the timbered breaks adjacent to the Missouri River,
northcentral Montana, during the summers of 1976 and 1977. Radio telemetry was used to obtain
information on the causes, extent and timing of neonatal mortality. Seven males and 4 females were
marked in 1976 and 12 males and 9 females in 1977 for a total of 32 marked fawns. Fawns appeared to
have been born earlier and weighed more in 1977 when average weight was 5.40 kg as compared to
5.08 kg in 1976. Fawn behavior when approached was divided into three general categories: "fawn
freeze", at age 7-10 days, "head up alert", at age 10-20 days, "jump and run", at age 15+ days. A
general intolerance of females with fawns towards other deer was noted. Average movements between
relocations were 0.75 km and 0.87 km in 1976 and 1977 respectively. Average home range size
showed a significant increase from 169 ha in 1976 to 235 ha in 1977. Pinus-Juniperus,
Artemisia-Agropyron, and Pseudotsuga-Juniperus vegetation types received over 90 percent of the
recorded fawn use during both summers. Highly significant differences in vegetation type use were
evident between years and from early to late summer during the same year. Measurements of the
vegetation in the immediate vicinity of fawn bed sites indicated a uniform cover of 50 percent or more
to a height of 3 dm was a constant characteristic of fawn bedding sites. Mortality rates were 36 and 32
percent in 1976 and 1977 respectively with predation by coyotes accounting for the majority of the
mortality which occurred. No instance of mortality due to starvation (i.e. abandonment) or disease was
recorded, and accidents accounted for only one death. In 1976 mortality was confined to the first 45
days of life while the majority of mortality in 1977 occurred after this period. Differential mortality by
sex was not observed. Possible relationships between fawn behavior, movements, habitat use, bedding
site selection, and mortality were discussed. !
'
STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO COPY
In p re s e n tin g t h i s th e s is in p a r t i a l f u lf illm e n t o f th e r e ­
q u ir e m e n ts f o r an a d v a n c e d d e g r e e a t M ontana S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , I
a g r e e t h a t t h e L i b r a r y s h a l l m ake i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r i n s p e c t i o n .
I f u r t h e r a g r e e t h a t p e r m is s io n , f o r e x t e n s i v e c o p y in g o f t h i s t h e s i s
f o r s c h o l a r l y p u r p o s e s may b e g r a n t e d by my m a jo r p r o f e s s o r , o r , i n
h i s a b s e n c e , by t h e D i r e c t o r o f L i b r a r i e s .
I t i s u n d e r s to o d t h a t any
c o p y in g o r p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r f i n a n c i a l g a i n s h a l l n o t
b e a llo w e d w i t h o u t my w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n .
S ig n a tu re
-0 ( , . / j i t
SUMMER MOVEMENTS, HABITAT USE, AND MORTALITY OF MULE DEER
FAWNS IN THE MISSOURI RIVER BREAKS, MONTANA
by
ARNOLD ROBERT DOOD
A t h e s i s s u b m i t te d i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t
o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n ts f o r t h e d e g r e e
of
-l ^ 'MASTER OF SCIENCE
'•
,
• \
t4
'F i h h 'a n d W i l d l i f e M anagem ent
A p p ro v e d :
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
■Bozem an, M ontana
May, 1978
t
ill
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
To t h e f o l l o w i n g I w is h t o e x p r e s s my s i n c e r e a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r
t h e i r c o n tr ib u tio n s to t h i s s tu d y :
D r. H a ro ld D. P i c t o n , M ontana
S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , f o r p r o j e c t p l a n n i n g , t e c h n i c a l a d v i c e a n d g u id a n c e
i n p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h e m a n u s c r ip t ; D r. R ic h a r d J . M a ck ie f o r re v ie w o f
t h e m a n u s c r ip t a n d a s s i s t a n c e d u r in g faw n c a p t u r e a n d m a rk in g ; D r.
R o b e rt E. M oore, f o r r e v ie w o f t h e m a n u s c r i p t ; P h i l S c h l a d w e i l e r ,
M ontana D e p a rtm e n t o f F i s h and Game f o r h i s a s s i s t a n c e ; a v e r y s p e c i a l
t h a n k s t o K e n n e th L . H gm lin a n d D uane B. P y r a h f o r t h e i r h e l p and good
com pany; a n d D r. R ic h a r d E . L undj M ontana S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y S t a t i s t i c a l
C e n t e r , f o r u s e o f t h e MSUSTAT p ro g ra m d u r in g s t a t i s t i c a l a n a l y s i s .
I
w o u ld l i k e t o t h a n k a l l o f t h o s e who a s s i s t e d i n t h e c a p t u r e an d m a rk in g
o f fa w n s , i n c l u d i n g :
J o h n R b s e la n d , Don M cGim psey, C r a ig K now les,
R o b e r t T r o u t , a n d e s p e c i a l l y L a r r y L . S c h w e itz e r w hose s k i l l i n f l y i n g
a id e d im m e n se ly .
I w ould a l s o l i k e t o th a n k Shawn R i l e y f o r a s s i s t a n c e
w i t h f i e l d w o rk d u r in g t h e s e c o n d sum m er.
S p e c i a l t h a n k s t o my fo rm e r
room m ate a n d t r u e f r i e n d C r a ig J . K now les f o r . a l l o f h i s a s s i s t a n c e
th r o u g h o u t my g r a d u a t e s t u d i e s .
L ast but not le a s t,
t h a n k s t o my f a m ily
a n d f r i e n d s f o r a l l o f t h e i r s u p p o r t a n d t o my w i f e , T e r r i ,
fo r her
p a t i e n c e and e n c o u ra g e m e n t.
D u rin g t h i s s t u d y t h e a u t h o r was s u p p o r te d by t h e M ontana D e p a rtm e n t
o f F i s h a n d Game u n d e r F e d e r a l A id P r o j e c t W-I 2O -R -9 a n d by t h e M ontana
A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p e rim e n t S t a t i o n .
TABLE OF CONTENTS
P ag e
V I T A ....................................... .................................................... ....................................................
ACKNOWLEDGMENT..................................................... ....................................................
ii
. . .
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................... .... ........................................................................
iv
LIST OF TABLES . .................................... ....
vi
.................................................................... ....
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................................v i i i
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... ....
INTRODUCTION ....................
. . . . . . . .
DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA. . . . . . .
V e g e t a t i o n T y p e s .......................................
METHODS.....................................................................................................
Fawn C a p tu r e a n d M a r k i n g ...........................................
C r i t e r i a f o r D e te rm in in g C a u se o f D e a th .......................................
V e g e t a t i v e M e a s u re m e n ts ...........................................
RESULTS......................................................................................
T a g g i n g . '..............................................................
Fawn B e h a v i o r ......................................................................................................
M ovem ents. ..........................................
H a b i t a t U s e .....................................................
Use o f E x p o s u r e ...........................................
oo oo CO o'! ox Ca
A r te m is ia - A g r o p y r o n Type . .
A g ro p y ro n -P o a T ype ....................
P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s Type . . . .
P s e u d o t s u g a - J u n i p e r u s T ype .
A rtem isia lo n g ifo lia T y p e. .
S a r c o b a tu s - A g r o p y r o n T y p e . .
A g ro p y ro n -S y m p h o ric a rp o s T ype
Xanthium strimavium. T y p e . .
O th e r s ............................................ .
10
10
11
12
14
14
14
18
21
28
V
T a b le o f C o n te n ts ( c o n t i n u e d ) .
Page
U se o f S lo p e . . .........................: . - .....................................................
. Fawn B ed d in g S i t e S e l e c t i o n
H a ir S am ple A n a l y s i s ............................
M o r t a l i t y ......................................................................................................
28
28
33
33
36
DISCUSSION
B e h a v io r ..........................................................................................................
M ovem ents ......................................................................................................
H a b i t a t U se ..................................................................................
Fawn B ed d in g S i t e S e l e c t i o n ..........................................................
M o r t a l i t y ......................................
LITERATURE CITED.......................................................................................................... • ..
APPENDIX
36
37
38
40
41
.
45
50
vi
LIST OF TABLES
T a b le
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
P age
M o n th ly p r e c i p i t a t i o n ( i n c e n t i m e t e r s ) f o r 1 9 7 5 , 1 9 7 6 ,
1977 a n d 29 "year m ean f o r t h e Roy, 8 NE, M ontana
w e a th e r s t a t i o n ^ .................................. ......................................................... ....
6
S e x , w e i g h t , m a rk in g d e v i c e , te m p o r a l a s p e c t s an d f a t e
f o r m ark ed fa w n s , 1 9 7 6 ........................................................................ ■ . .
15
S e x , w e i g h t, m a rk in g d e v i c e , te m p o r a l a s p e c t s and f a t e
f o r m ark ed fa w n s , 1 9 7 7 ..................................................... .... ........................
16
Maximum, minimum, a n d a v e r a g e m ovem ents b e tw e e n
r e l o c a t i o n s , maximum d i a m e te r and home r a n g e o f m arked
faw n s f o r summer 1976 ..................................................... ............................
19
Maximum, minimum, a n d a v e r a g e m ovem ents b e tw e e n
r e l o c a t i o n s , maximum d ia m e te r a n d home r a n g e o f m arked
faw n s f o r summer 1977 ..................................................................................
20
A summary o f faw n h a b i t a t u s e f o r t h e summer o f 1 9 7 6 .
T he f i g u r e s i n d i c a t e t h e p e r c e n t h a b i t a t u s e f o r a l l
m ark ed fa w n s . E a r l y summer ( J u n e - J u l y 30) / l a t e summer
( J u l y 3 1 - S e p t. 1 4 ) . ........................................................
26
A summary o f faw n h a b i t a t u s e f o r t h e summer
T he f i g u r e s i n d i c a t e t h e p e r c e n t h a b i t a t u s e
m arked f a w n s . E a r l y summer ( J u n e - J u l y 30 ) /
summer ( J u l y 3 1 - S e p t. 14 ) . . . . . . . . . .
27
o f 1977.
fo r a ll
la te
. . . . .
U se o f e x p o s u r e (ini p e r c e n t ) d u r i n g e a r l y summer
. ( J u n e - J u l y 3 0 ) a n d l a t e summer ( J u l y 3 1 - S e p t. 14)
f o r a l l m arked f a w n s ......................................
U se o f s l o p e ( i n p e r c e n t ) d u r in g e a r l y summer ( J u n e J u l y 30 ) an d l a t e summer ( J u l y 3 1 - S e p t. 14) f o r a l l
m arked fa w n s . ....................................................................................... ....
A summary o f t h e v e g e t a t i o n a t faw n b e d d in g s i t e s a s
r e l a t e d t o faw n c o n c e a lm e n t d e te r m in e d from 2 X 5 dm
p l o t s (mean p e r c e n t ca n o p y c o v e ra g e /m e a n p e r c e n t
f r e q u e n c y ) .............................
29
.
29
31
v ii
T a b le
11.
P ag e
A summary o f t h e c o n c e a lm e n t c o v e r a t faw n b e d d in g
s i t e s a s d e te r m in e d w i t h a v e r t i c a l 3 X 10 dm c o v e r
b o a rd .
Num bers i n d i c a t e t h e m ean p e r c e n t o f c o n c e a lm e n t
c o v e r f o r th e 10 h e i g h t c l a s s e s . . ....................................... ....
•?
12.
'
32
I
A re su m e o f faw n m o r t a l i t y i n 1976 a n d 1977^
34
■A
v iii
LIST OF FIGURES
F ig u re
Page
1.
Map o f t h e s tu d y a r e a sh o w in g b o u n d a r i e s a n d d r a i n a g e s .
2.
Home r a n g e o f faw n No. 3 , w h ic h had t h e l a r g e s t home
r a n g e o b s e r v e d f o r a l l m arked faw n s w i t h 10 o r m ore
r e l o c a t i o n s (n u m b ers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o r d e r o f
o c c u r r e n c e ) ...................................................................
22
Home r a n g e o f faw n No. 5 , w h ic h had t h e s m a l l e s t home
r a n g e o b s e r v e d f o r a l l m ark ed fa w n s w i t h 10 o r m ore
r e l o c a t i o n s (num bers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o r d e r o f
o c c u r r e n c e ) .................................................................................. . . . . . .
23
Home r a n g e o f faw n No. 20 d e m o n s t r a t in g a n a v e r a g e s i z e
home r a n g e o b s e r v e d f o r a l l m ark ed fa w n s w i t h 10 o r m ore
r e l o c a t i o n s (n u m b ers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o r d e r o f
o c c u r r e n c e ) ...........................................................
24
Home r a n g e s o f faw n s No. 15 a n d 16 sh o w in g home
r a n g e o v e r l a p (num bers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o r d e r o f
o c c u r r e n c e ) ................................................................................................
25
3.
4.
5.
. .
4
ix
ABSTRACT
A s tu d y o f m u le d e e r fa w n s w as c o n d u c te d i n t h e tim b e r e d b r e a k s
a d j a c e n t t o t h e M is s o u r i R i v e r , n o r t h c e n t r a l M o n tan a, d u r in g t h e
sum m ers o f 1976 a n d 1 9 7 7 . R ad io t e l e m e t r y w as u s e d t o o b t a i n in fo rm a ­
t i o n on t h e c a u s e s , e x t e n t and t im in g o f n e o n a t a l m o r t a l i t y .
Seven
m a le s an d 4 f e m a le s w e re m ark ed i n 1976 a n d 12 m a le s a n d 9 fe m a le s i n
1977 f o r a t o t a l o f 32 m ark ed fa w n s . Fawns a p p e a r e d t o h a v e b e e n b o r n
e a r l i e r a n d w e ig h e d m o r e .i n 1977 when a v e r a g e w e ig h t w as 5 .4 0 kg a s
com pared t o 5 .0 8 kg i n 1 9 7 6 . Fawn b e h a v io r when a p p ro a c h e d was
d iv id e d in to t h r e e g e n e ra l c a te g o r ie s :
"fa w n f r e e z e " , a t a g e 7 -1 0
d a y s , " h e a d up a l e r t " , a t a g e 1 0 -2 0 d a y s , "jum p a n d r u n " , a t a g e 15+
■d a y s . A g e n e r a l i n t o l e r a n c e o f f e m a le s w i t h faw ns to w a rd s o t h e r d e e r
was n o t e d . A v e ra g e m ovem ents b e tw e e n r e l o c a t i o n s w e re 0 .7 5 km and
0 .8 7 km i n 1976 a n d 1977 r e s p e c t i v e l y . A v e ra g e home r a n g e s i z e show ed
a s i g n i f i c a n t i n c r e a s e fro m 169 ha i n 1976 t o 235 ha i n 1 9 7 7 . P i n u s J u n i p e r u s , A r te m is i a - A gropyr o n , and P s e u d o t s u g a - J u n i p e r u s v e g e t a t i o n
t y p e s r e c e i v e d o v e r 90 p e r c e n t o f t h e r e c o r d e d faw n u s e d u r in g b o th
sum m ers. H ig h ly s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s i n v e g e t a t i o n t y p e u s e w e re
e v i d e n t b e tw e e n y e a r s a n d fro m e a r l y t o l a t e summer d u r in g t h e same
y e a r . M e a su re m e n ts o f t h e v e g e t a t i o n i n t h e im m e d ia te v i c i n i t y o f faw n
b e d s i t e s i n d i c a t e d a u n ifo r m c o v e r o f 50 p e r c e n t o r m ore t o a h e i g h t
o f 3 dm w as a c o n s t a n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f faw n b e d d in g s i t e s .
M o rta lity
r a t e s w e re 36 an d 32 p e r c e n t i n 1976 a n d 1977 r e s p e c t i v e l y w i t h p r e ­
d a t i o n by c o y o te s a c c o u n t in g f o r t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e m o r t a l i t y w h ic h
o c c u rre d .
No i n s t a n c e o f m o r t a l i t y d u e t o s t a r v a t i o n ( i . e . a b a n d o n ­
m e n t) o r d i s e a s e w as r e c o r d e d , a n d a c c i d e n t s a c c o u n te d f o r o n ly one
d e a t h . . I n 1976 m o r t a l i t y was c o n f in e d t o t h e f i r s t 45 d a y s o f l i f e
w h i l e t h e m a j o r i t y o f m o r t a l i t y i n 1977. o c c u r r e d a f t e r t h i s p e r i o d .
D i f f e r e n t i a l m o r t a l i t y by s e x was n o t o b s e r v e d . P o s s i b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p s ,
b e tw e e n faw n b e h a v i o r , m o vem ents, h a b i t a t u s e , b e d d in g s i t e s e l e c t i o n ,
a n d m o r t a l i t y w e re d i s c u s s e d .
INTRODUCTION
The r o l e o f p r e d a t i o n i n r e g u l a t i n g d e e r p o p u l a t i o n s h a s lo n g
b e e n d e b a te d .
T he d e b a t e h a s b e e n p r o lo n g e d and u n s e t t l e d b e c a u s e
t h e r e i s a p a u c i t y o f i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e r o l e o f p r e d a t i o n and
p r e d a t o r - p r e y i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n m u le d e e r (Odoooiteus hemionus).
M ost o f t h e e v id e n c e o f p r e d a t i o n on m u le d e e r faw n s t o d a t e h a s
been i n d ir e c t an d , t h e r e f o r e , s u b je c t to c o n s id e ra b le u n c e r ta in ty .
S i n c e 1 9 7 2 , o b s e r v e d m u le d e e r fa w n :d o e r a t i o s d u r i n g e a r l y
w i n t e r i n t h e M is s o u r i R iv e r B re a k s ( n o r t h c e n t r a l M o n ta n a ) h a v e b e e n
low t o m o d e r a te d e s p i t e a v e r a g e o r a b o v e a v e r a g e s p rin g -s u m m e r
p r e c i p i t a t i o n and m ild o p e n w i n t e r s
(M a c k ie , 1 9 7 6 ) .
S i m i l a r ! .s itu a ­
t i o n s f o r m u le d e e r h a v e b e e n d o cu m en ted i n o t h e r a r e a s o f t h e
w e s t e r n U n ite d S t a t e s
( T r a in e r , 1977; S a lw a s s e r, 1 9 7 6 ).
D u rin g
1 9 7 5 -1 9 7 6 , p r e d a t i o n by c o y o te s o n m u le d e e r faw n s i n t h e M is s o u r i
R iv e r B re a k s w as s u s p e c t e d d u r in g f a l l b e c a u s e o f d e c l i n i n g fa w n :d o e
r a t i o s a n d was a c t u a l l y o b s e r v e d d u r in g w i n t e r
(K n o w le s, 1 9 7 6 ).
B e c a u s e o f t h e s e c r e t i v e n a t u r e o f new b o rn m u le d e e r fa w n s t h e n a t u r e
a n d c a u s e s o f faw n m o r t a l i t y fro m summer t o f a l l had n o t b e e n do cu m en ted
in t h i s a re a .
T h is s t u d y w as i n i t i a t e d
t h e summer o f 1 9 7 7 .
i n t h e summer o f 1976 and c o n ti n u e d i n
O b j e c t i v e s w e re t o docum ent t h e c a u s e s , e x t e n t
a n d t im in g o f faw n m o r t a l i t y i n t h e n e o n a t a l s t a g e , a n d t o o b t a i n
i n f o r m a t i o n o n faw n m o v em en ts, h a b i t a t u s e , b e d d in g s i t e s e l e c t i o n
-2 and a c t i v i t y t o a i d i n t h e e v a l u a t i o n o f t h e p r e d a t i o n . t h a t o c c u r r e d
. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA
The 3 0 ,3 5 3 h e c t a r e
( 7 5 ,0 0 0 a c r e ) s tu d y a r e a w as l o c a t e d i n
n o r t h e a s t e r n F e r g u s C ou n ty a p p r o x i m a t e ly 40 k i l o m e t e r s n o r t h e a s t
o f Roy, M o n ta n a , a d j a c e n t t o t h e M is s o u r i R iv e r ( F ig u r e I ) .
B o u n d a r ie s w e re U. S . Highw ay 191 o n t h e w e s t , t h e S k y l i n e T r a i l
o n t h e e a s t , t h e M u s s e l s h e l l T r a i l o n t h e s o u th an d t h e M is s o u r i
R iv e r t o t h e n o r t h .
T he a r e a i s p a r t o f a b r o a d p l a i n d i s s e c t e d by
i n t e r m i t t e n t s tr e a m s an d s l o p e s g e n t l y t o t h e n o r t h an d e a s t .
S te e p
c o u l e e s , r i d g e s a n d c r e e k b o tto m s a r e c l o s e l y i n t e r s p e r s e d i n t h e
n o r t h e r n h a l f o f t h e s t u d y a r e a r e s u l t i n g i n ru g g e d t e r r a i n c h a r a c ­
t e r i z e d by r i v e r " b r e a k s " .
G e n tly u n d u l a t i n g p r a i r i e o c c u r s t o t h e
s o u t h e r n b o u n d a ry an d b e y o n d .
E l e v a t i o n r a n g e s fro m 701 m (2250 f t )
a lo n g t h e r i v e r t o 966 m ( 3 ,1 0 0 f t " ) on t h e p r a i r i e s t o t h e s o u th .
G ie s e k a r
(1 9 3 8 ) d e s c r i b e d t h e s o i l a s b e in g p r e d o m in a te ly h e a v y
c l a y lo am s o f t h e L ism a s a n d P i e r r e s e r i e s .
The s o i l s w e re d e r i v e d
fro m t h e u n d e r l y i n g B earpaw F o r m a tio n w h ic h c o n s i s t s l a r g e l y o f c l a y
s h a l e w i t h m o d e r a te a m o u n ts o f a l k a l i an d o t h e r s a l t s .
T h e s e "gumbo"
s o i l s a r e r e l a t i v e l y im p e rm e a b le t o w a t e r r e s u l t i n g i n h ig h r u n o f f
and. a r e h e a v y a n d s t i c k y when w e t.
R e l a t i v e l y low r a i n f a l l an d r e l a t i v e h u m id ity a lo n g w i t h e x tre m e s
i n summer a n d w i n t e r t e m p e r a t u r e s t y p i f y t h e s e m i - a r i d c l i m a t e o f t h e
a re a .
R e c o rd s fro m t h e Roy 8 NE, w e a th e r s t a t i o n
(C lim a to lo g ic a l
D a ta , 1 9 7 5 , 1 9 7 6 , 1 977) a p p r o x i m a t e ly 24 k i l o m e t e r s s o u th w e s t o f t h e
F ig u re I .
Map o f t h e s tu d y a r e a sh o w in g b o u n d a r i e s and d r a i n a g e s
-5 -
c e n t e r o f t h e a r e a show a n a n n u a l m ean te m p e r a t u r e o f -8 °C (1 7 °F ) i n
J a n u a r y and 21°C (70°F.) i n J u l y .
s p r i n g a n d sum m er.
P r e c i p i t a t i o n o c c u r s m a in ly i n t h e
I n 1975 p r e c i p i t a t i o n w as h i g h e r t h a n n o rm a l
w h i l e 1976 a n d t h e s p r i n g o f 1977 w e re b e lo w t h e 29 y e a r m ean ( T a b le I ) .
T he s tu d y a r e a an d v i c i n i t y w e re s u b j e c t t o w id e s p r e a d g r a z i n g
b e g in n in g i n t h e 1 8 8 0 's .
I n t h e e a r l y 1 9 0 0 's much o f t h e a r e a was
h o m e s te a d e d , a n d u p la n d s i t e s w e re c u l t i v a t e d .
D ro u g h ts a n d o t h e r
f a c t o r s l e d t o t h e ab an d o n m en t o f h o m e s te a d s , and g r a z i n g a g a i n becam e
t h e m a jo r l a n d u s e ( G ie s e k e r e t a l . , 1 9 5 3 ) .
D o m e stic l i v e s t o c k , m a in ly
c a t t l e a n d a few h o r s e s , how u s e t h e a r e a .
G ra z in g by s h e e p , a s
r e p o r t e d by M a ck ie ( 1 9 6 6 ), h a s b e e n e l i m i n a t e d .
The v e g e t a t i o n g e n e r a l l y r e f l e c t s t h e e d a p h ic an d c l i m a t i c co n ­
d i t i o n s o c c u r r i n g on t h e a r e a .
The r i d g e t o p s i n t h e b r e a k s and t h e
p r a i r i e s t o t h e s o u th a r e c o v e re d by s h r u b - g r a s s l a n d s d o m in a te d by
b ig s a g e b r u s h (A rtem isia tr id e n ta ta Hx i t t .) and w e s t e r n w h e a tg r a s s
Agropyron s m ith ii R y d b .) . T im b e re d s l o p e s a r e d o m in a te d by p o n d e ro s a
p i n e (Pinus ponderosa D o u g l. ) o r D o u g la s f i r
( M ir b e l) F r a n c o ) d e p e n d in g on e x p o s u r e .
(Pseudotsuga fn e n zie sii
M ack ie (1 9 7 0 ) d e s c r i b e d e i g h t
m a jo r v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s f o r t h i s a r e a a n d p r o v id e s a m ore c o m p le te
d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e s tu d y a r e a .
A r te m is ia - A g r o p y r o n V e g e t a t i o n Type
T h is t y p e o c c u p ie s a p p r o x i m a t e ly 31 p e r c e n t o f t h e s tu d y a r e a
and i s g e n e r a l l y r e s t r i c t e d t o l e v e l o r g e n t l y r o l l i n g r i d g e t o p s w ith
T a b le I .
M onthly p r e c i p i t a t i o n ( in c e n ti m e t e r s ) f o r 1975, 1976, 1977
and 29 y e a r mean f o r th e Roy 8 NE, Montana w e a th e r s t a t i o n . 1
29 y r .
D e v ia tio n
D e v ia tio n
D e v ia tio n
Month
X 's 2
1975
from X
1976
from X
1977
from X
Jan.
1 .1 4
2 .0 8
0 .9 4
0.33
- 0 .8 1
3 .1 2
1 .9 8
Feb.
1 .0 2
0 .5 1
- 0 .5 1
1 .7 0
0 .6 8
0 .5 1
-0 .5 1
M ar.
1 .4 7
2.03
0 .5 6
1 .0 7
- 0 .4 0
5 .2 6
3 .7 9
A pr.
2 .6 9
8 .8 1
6 .1 2
2.84
0 .1 5
0 .5 1
- 2 .1 8
May
6 .3 5
8 .0 5
1 .7 0
2.54
- 3 .8 1
6 .7 6
0 .4 1
8 .4 6
1 1 .8 6
3 .4 0
9 .8 0
4 .0 1
- 4 .4 5
J u ly
3 .8 6
7 .7 2
3 .8 6
2.97
- 0 .8 9
5.97
2 .1 1
Aug.
3 .2 8
7 .2 6
3 .9 8
2.57
- 0 .7 1
6 .1 5
2 .8 7
S e p t.
2 .9 7
0 .9 9
- 1 .9 8
2 .8 7
- 0 .1 0
O c t.
1 .9 3
3 .4 8
1 .5 5
1 .7 3
- 0 .2 0
Nov.
1 .2 4
3 .0 0
1 .7 6
1.57
0 .3 3
Dec.
0 .9 4
1 .3 0
0 .3 6
0 .4 1
-0 .5 3
3 5 .3 5
5 7 .0 9
21.74
3 0 .4 0
- 4 .9 5
32.29
4 .2 0
Ju n e
T o ta l
'
J
^ C lim a to lo g ic a l D a ta , 1975, 1976, 1977.
2—
X I n d i c a t e s mean.
1 .3 4 .
-7 s l o p e s o f l e s s th a n 1 5 ° .
t h e m ore l e v e l a r e a s .
B ig s a g e b r u s h and w e s t e r n w h e a t g r a s s d o m in a te
B ig s a g e b r u s h an d b lu e b u n c h w h e a t g r a s s
(Agropypon
spiaatum ( P u r s h ) S c r i b n . an d S m ith ) te n d t o d o m in a te on t h e e d g e s o f
t h e m a in r i d g e s , on t h e t o p s o f s i d e r i d g e s a n d o n t h e m ore l e v e l p o r t i o n s
o f th e s id e s of rid g e s
(K n o w les, 1 9 7 5 ) .
F d f b s a r e common I n t h e s e
v e g e ta tio n ty p e s .
A g ro p y ro n -P o a V e g e t a t i o n Type
T h is t y p e o c c u r s o n a r e a s o n c e o c c u p ie d by t h e A r te m is ia - A g r o p y r o h
v e g e t a t i o n ty p e an d i s u s u a l l y c o n f i n e d t o a r e a s o f p a s t c u l t i v a t i o n o r
a r t i f i c i a l l y rese e d e d lo c a tio n s .
and S a n d b e rg b l u e g r a s s
D om inant p l a n t s a r e w e s t e r n w h e a tg r a s s
(Pda seaunda T r i n . ) .
T h is t y p e o c c u p ie s o n ly
1 .5 p e r c e n t o f t h e a r e a .
P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s V e g e t a t i o n T ype
The P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s t y p e o c c u r s e x t e n s i v e l y o n s l i g h t t o m o d e r a te ly
s t e e p s l o p e s a n d c o v e r s 45 p e r c e n t o f t h e s tu d y a r e a .
T h is t y p e i s
fo u n d o n s o u t h o r w e s t f a c i n g s l o p e s i n m o st p l a c e s b u t c a n o c c u r on
n o r t h o r e a s t s l o p e s w h e re d e g r e e o f s l o p e i s s l i g h t .
P in u s -J u n ip e ru s
v e g e t a t i o n t y p e o f t e n o c c u r s a s a n e c o to n e b e tw e e n A rte m is ia -A g ro p y rO n
an d P s e u d o t s u g a - J u n i p e r u s t y p e s on n o r t h e r l y e x p o s u r e s .
T he s t a n d s o f
p i n e a r e g e n e r a l l y o p e n w i t h c l o s e d c a n o p ie s b e in g fo u n d i n o c c a s i o n a l
s ta n d s on s l i g h t , n o r th f a c in g s lo p e s .
P in e sav an n ah s a p p e a r f r e q u e n tly
on o l d b u r n s and i n t h e e c o to n e b e tw e e n p i n e f o r e s t s and t h e A r t e m i s i a A g ro p y ro n t y p e .
D om inant p l a n t s i n t h i s
R ocky M o u n ta in j u n i p e r
ty p e a r e p o n d e ro s a p i n e and
(Juniperus scopulorum S a r g . ) an d i n some a r e a s
—8 —
b ig s a g e b ru s h .
P s e u d o t s u g a - J u n i p e r u s V e g e t a t i o n Type
T h is ty p e c o v e r s 13 p e r c e n t o f t h e a r e a and g e n e r a l l y a p p e a r s on
m o d e r a te t o s t e e p n o r t h e r l y e x p o s u r e s w h e re c o o l m e s ic c o n d i t i o n s
p re v a il.
D o u g la s f i r d o m in a te s t h e w e l l d e v e lo p e d t r e e l a y e r , and
Rocky M o u n ta in j u n i p e r d o m in a te s t h e d e n s e s h ru b u n d e rg r o w th .
c h e rry
C hoke-
(Prunus v irg in ia n a L . ) a n d w e s t e r n s n o w b e rry (.SymphoztZcarpos
o eeZ d en ta lis H o o k .) a r e a l s o common i n t h e u n d e rg r o w th .
T h is ty p e i s
a to p o g r a p h i c c lim a x on s i t e s w h e re i t o c c u r s .
A rtem isia IorwiZfoZZa V e g e t a t i o n Type
T h is v e r y l i m i t e d t y p e o c c u r s o n ly o n l o o s e s h a l e o f c u t s and
s lo p e s .
T he d o m in a n t p l a n t i s l o n g l e a f s a g e b r u s h (A rtem isia to n g ifo lia
N u t t . ) , a l t h o u g h g re a se w p o d
(Sareobatus verm iaulatus H o o k .) c a n b e
p r o m in e n t a n d may d o m in a te l o c a l s t a n d s o n s o u t h - f a c i n g s l o p e s .
The
h e r b a c e o u s l a y e r i s p o o r l y d e v e lo p e d .
S a r c o b a tu s - A g r o p y r o n V e g e t a t i o n Type
T h is l i m i t e d t y p e (5% o f t h e a r e a ) i s g e n e r a l l y fo u n d o n f o o t s l o p e s
and low b e n c h e s a lo n g l a r g e r c o u le e s a n d M is s o u r i R iv e r b o tto m l a n d s ,
h o w e v e r, t h e t y p e e x te n d s upw ard a lo n g a d j a c e n t s l o p e s on c l a y s l i d e s
(fo rm e d by d o w n s lo p e m ovem ent o f c l a y o v e r l y i n g u n s t a b l e s h a l e ) .
D om inant p l a n t s a r e g re a se w o o d a n d w e s t e r n w h e a tg r a s s a n d i n some c a s e s
b ig s a g e b r u s h , w h ic h c o d o m in a te s w i t h g re a s e w o o d .
i s u s u a l l y s p a r s e , so m e tim e s e x tr e m e ly s o .
The h e r b a c e o u s l a y e r
-9 A g ro p y ro n -S y m p h o ric a rp o s V e g e t a t io n Type
T h is r e s t r i c t e d
ty p e i s r e c o g n i z e d by a w e t meadow a s p e c t d o m in a te d
by w e s t e r n w h e a t g r a s s a n d w e s t e r n s n o w b e rry , w h ic h f r e q u e n t l y o c c u r s i n
dense p a tc h e s .
Xanthium stvim avium V e g e t a t io n Type
The XanthLum strim arium v e g e t a t i o n t y p e i s com posed o f v e g e t a t i o n
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y a s s o c ia te d w ith c u ts o r b ed s o f i n t e r m i t t e n t w a te r
c o u r s e s w h e re t h e s h a l e , s i l t y
m o is t a n d a l k a l i n e .
c la y , o r g ra v e lly s u b s tr a te i s ty p ic a lly
C o c k le b u r r (Xanthium strim arium L . ) i s t h e m o st
w i d e ly d i s t r i b u t e d a n d p ro m in e n t s p e c i e s .
O th e r P l a n t C o m m u n ities
P l a n t c o m m u n itie s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f M is s o u r i R iv e r b o tto m l a n d s
o c c u r on t h e s tu d y a r e a .
T h e se i n c l u d e d a P o p u lu s -S y m p h o r ic a rp o s ty p e
o c c u r r i n g on a p p r o x im a te ly 405 h e c t a r e s
(1 0 0 0 a c r e s ) w h e re p l a i n s
c o tto n w o o d (Poputus s a r g e n tii D ode. ) a n d w e s t e r n sn o w b e rry a p p e a r t o
b e t y p i c a l d o m in a n ts o f t h e t r e e a n d u n d e r s t o r y l a y e r , r e s p e c t i v e l y .
T he S a l i x ty p e c o m p r is in g 202 h e c t a r e s .( 5 0 0 a c r e s ) o f d e n s e t h i c k e t
i n w h ic h S a lix s p p . a r e common a l s o o c c u r r e d on t h e a r e a . . A l l e n (1 9 6 8 )
h a s d e s c r i b e d t h e s e b o tto m s i n some d e t a i l .
METHODS
M ule d e e r faw n s w e re m ark ed J u n e 14 t o J u n e 26 i n 1976 and J u n e
13 t o J u n e 28 i n 1 9 7 7 .
s u rv e illa n c e .
Fawns w e re l o c a t e d by g ro u n d an d a e r i a l
A e r i a l s u r v e i l l a n c e f o r l o c a t i n g d o e s w i t h faw n s a t
s i d e p ro v e d much m ore e f f e c t i v e th a n g ro u n d o b s e r v a t i o n s .
a irc ra ft
A f i x e d w ing
( P i p e r S u p e r Cub) w i t h p i l o t a n d o n e o b s e r v e r w as u s e d on
s e v e n m o rn in g s an d 3 e v e n in g s i n 1976 a n d 11 m o rn in g s a n d I e v e n in g
i n 1977 t o a i d i n l o c a t i n g fa w n s .
o r d in a te f i e l d
hoop n e t s .
e ffo rts .
R a d io t r a n s c e i v e r s w e r e u s e d t o c o ­
Fawns w e re c a p t u r e d w i t h t h e a i d o f lo n g h a n d le d
C a p tu r e w as f a c i l i t a t e d by a t t e m p t i n g t o a p p ro a c h o n ly
b e d d e d fa w n s .
I n some c a s e s faw n s s t a n d i n g w i t h d o e s w e re in d u c e d to
b e d by p l a c i n g a c re w member i n a c o n s p ic u o u s b u t f a i r l y d i s t a n t
l o c a t i o n w h ic h c a u s e d t h e faw n t o b e d an d t h e d o e t o move o f f .
C a p tu re d
faw n s w e re m ark ed w i t h r a d i o t r a n s m i t t e r s a n d e a r t a g s , o r e a r t a g s an d
in d iv i d u a l l y r e c o g n iz a b le s tre a m e rs
( 5 .5 X 7 .5 c m ) . . S e v e r a l faw ns w e re
m ark ed w i t h b o t h t r a n s m i t t e r s and s t r e a m e r s .
Sex a n d w e ig h t was n o te d
f o r e a c h faw n a n d a h a i r s a m p le fro m t h e s h o u ld e r a r e a w as rem o v ed .
An
a t t e m p t w as m ade t o k e e p h a n d li n g tim e t o a minimum ( u s u a l l y 1 0 -1 5 m in )
and t o m in im iz e d i s t u r b a n c e t o t h e faw n a n d c a p t u r e s i t e t o r e d u c e t h e
c h a n c e o f ab an d o n m en t by t h e d o e .
R a d io t r a n s m i t t e r s i n t h e 1 5 0 -1 5 1 MHz r a n g e e q u ip p e d w i t h m e rc u ry
an d t h e r m a l s w i tc h e s w e re u s e d .
The r a d i o t r a n s m i t t e r ( W i l d l i f e
M a t e r i a l s I n c . ) a n d l i t h i u m b a t t e r y w e re f i t t e d
i n a 2 .5 X 8 cm p i e c e
o f c u rv e d p l a s t i c w h ic h w as a t t a c h e d t o a n e x p a n d a b le , e l a s t i c n e c k b a n d .
-1 1 The r a d i o t r a n s m i t t e r and b a t t e r y w e re t h e n s e a l e d i n d e n t a l a c r y l i c .
An e x t e r n a l w h ip a n te n n a a p p r o x i m a t e ly 2 dm lo n g e x te n d e d from t h e
70 t o 81 gm r a d i o p a c k a g e .
T he r a d i o s w e re a t t a c h e d s n u g g ly t o t h e
fa w n ’ s n e c k w i t h t h e u s e o f pop r i v e t s t h r o u g h t h e n e c k b a n d .
G round t r a c k i n g o f faw n s w as done by u s e o f a n AVM M odel LA12
r a d i o r e c e i v e r a n d a h a n d h e ld d i r e c t i o n a l f o u r - e le m e n t Y a g i a n te n n a .
D u rin g 1 9 7 6 , r a d i o m ark ed faw n s w e re r a d i o l o c a t e d o n a d a i l y b a s i s
a n d v i s u a l c o n t a c t w as e s t a b l i s h e d a t t h r e e .o r f o u r d a y i n t e r v a l s .
An
i n c r e a s e i n t h e num ber o f r a d i o s u s e d i n 1977 r e s u l t e d i n r a d i o l o c a ­
t i o n s b e in g m ade l e s s o f t e n b u t a t l e a s t o n c e d u r in g e a c h t h r e e day
in te rv a l.
A c t i v i t y , v e g e t a t i o n t y p e , s l o p e , e x p o s u r e , g ro u p a s s o c i a t i o n s ,
tim e o f d ay a n d c o n d i t i o n o f t h e faw n w e re r e c o r d e d f o r e a c h v i s u a l
s ig h tin g .
A v i s u a l s i g h t i n g was c o n s i d e r e d a s a r e l o c a t i o n .
When a
r e l o c a t i o n w as o b t a i n e d , faw n l o c a t i o n w as p l o t t e d o n a m o sa ic a e r i a l
p h o to o f t h e s tu d y a r e a .
When c a r c a s s e s w e re l o c a t e d t h e a r e a w as s e a r c h e d f o r t r a c k s , s c a t s
a n d o t h e r s i t e e v id e n c e , a n d a d e t a i l e d w r i t t e n r e p o r t o f c a r c a s s
a p p e a r a n c e an d dam age, i f a n y , w as m ade.
P h o to g r a p h s w e re t a k e n a t t h e
s i t e a n d o f t h e c a r c a s s b e f o r e an d d u r in g n e c r o p s y .
C r i t e r i a u s e d to
e s t a b l i s h c a u s e o f d e a th w e re s i m i l a r t o t h o s e em ployed by Rowley ( 1 9 7 0 ) ,
W h ite (1973), and H enne ( 1 9 7 5 ) .
S u b c u ta n e o u s h e m o rrh a g e s b e lo w b i t e m ark s
w e re c o n s i d e r e d s u f f i c i e n t e v id e n c e o f a p r e d a t o r c a u s e d d e a t h .
P r o b a b le
p r e d a t o r k i l l s w e re t h o s e i n w h ic h t h e s i t e e v id e n c e was c o n s id e r e d t o b e
-1 2 -
s u f f i c i e n t t o i m p l i c a t e a p r e d a t o r i n t h e k i l l b u t w h e re i n s u f f i c i e n t
c a r c a s s r e m a in s p r o h i b i t e d c o n f i r m a t i o n o f p r e d a t i o n a s t h e c a u s e o f
d e a th .
P r e d a t o r i n v o lv e d m o r t a l i t y i s t h a t i n w h ic h a n e n c o u n te r
w i t h a p r e d a t o r w as b e l i e v e d t o b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e m o r t a l i t y , b u t
d e a t h d i d n o t o c c u r a t t h e tim e o f t h e e n c o u n t e r .
P r e d a t o r e x c lu d e d
d e a t h s a r e t h o s e i n w h ic h t h e c a u s e o f d e a t h d id n o t a p p e a r t o b e
lin k e d to p r e d a tio n .
Fawn home r a n g e s w e re c a l c u l a t e d u s i n g t h e m o d if ie d minimum a r e a
m eth o d (M ohr, 1 9 4 7 ) an d m o d if ie d
(H arv ey and B a r b o u r, 1 9 6 5 ) w h en ev er
d a t a w e re i n s u f f i c i e n t o r o t h e r w i s e f a i l e d t o j u s t i f y c o n n e c tin g t h e
o u tly in g p o in ts .
Home r a n g e s w e re c a l c u l a t e d o n ly f o r faw n s w i t h 10
o r m ore r e l o c a t i o n s .
C over w as m e a s u re d a t s e l e c t e d faw n b e d d in g s i t e s .
Canopy c o v e r a g e
by d e c im e t e r h e i g h t c l a s s e s f o r g r a s s a n d f o r b s w as m e a s u re d u s in g a
2 x 5 dm p l o t fra m e a n d t h a t o f s h r u b s w i t h a 4 x 10 dm p l o t fra m e
(D a u b e n m ire , 1 9 5 9 ) .
c la s s a s fo llo w s :
Canopy c o v e r a g e w as e s t i m a t e d a n d r e c o r d e d by
C la s s I = 0-5% ; C l a s s 2 = 5-25% ; C l a s s 3 = 25-50% ;
C l a s s 4 = 50-75% ; C l a s s 5 = 75-95% ; a n d C l a s s 6 = 95-100% .
c u l a t i o n s t h e m id p o in t o f e a c h c l a s s w as t h e v a l u e u s e d .
For c a l­
Ten p l o t s
a t t h r e e - m e t e r i n t e r v a l s w e re p l a c e d a lo n g two b i s e c t i n g r i g h t a n g le
1 5 - m e te r l i n e s a t e a c h s i t e .
The f i r s t two p l o t s w e re p l a c e d n e x t to
e a c h o t h e r d i r e c t l y o v e r t h e b e d d in g s i t e .
■i
-1 3 C o n c e a lm e n t c o v e r o f t o t a l v e g e t a t i o n w as m e a s u re d a t d e c im e te r
h e i g h t c l a s s e s w i t h a v e r t i c a l 3 x 1 0 dm c o v e r, b o a rd p l a c e d on t h e
b e d d in g s i t e .
C over was e s t i m a t e d t o t h e n e a r e s t 5 p e r c e n t .
b o a r d w as d i v i d e d i n t o
The
t e n h e i g h t c l a s s e s by a l t e r n a t i n g f l u o r e s c e n t
o ra n g e and l i g h t b lu e c o lo r s to f a c i l i t a t e th e e s tim a tio n o f p e rc e n t
c o v e r.
F o u r r e a d i n g s a t 9 0 ° i n t e r v a l s w e re m ade w i t h t h e o b s e r v e r
s ta n d in g 6 m
away fro m t h e c o v e r b o a r d .
T he i n i t i a l r e a d i n g was
t a k e n fro m a p o i n t d i r e c t l y u p h i l l .
A d d i t i o n a l d a t a a b o u t d e e r p o p u l a t i o n s o n t h e a r e a w e re o b t a i n e d
fro m h e l i c o p t e r a n d f i x e d w in g e d a e r i a l s u r v e y s (H a m lin , 1 9 7 7 ).
RESULTS
T a g g in g
I n 1 9 7 6 , o b s e r v a t i o n s o f 11 f e m a le s w i t h 17 faw n s l e d t o 8 a t t e m p t s
t o c a p t u r e 12 faw n s o f w h ic h I l w e re c a u g h t and m ark ed ( T a b le 2 ) .
In
1 9 7 7 , o b s e r v a t i o n s o f 27 f e m a le s w i t h 41 faw n s l e d t o 18 a t t e m p t s t o
c a t c h 27 faw n s o f w h ic h 21 w e re c a u g h t a n d m ark ed ( T a b le 3 ) .
l a t i o n s fro m p o p u l a t i o n d a t a
C a lc u ­
(H am lin p e r s . comm.) i n d i c a t e t h a t a
minimum o f f o u r p e r c e n t a n d s i x p e r c e n t o f t h e faw n p o p u l a t i o n was
m ark e d i n 1976 a n d 1977 r e s p e c t i v e l y .
S ev en m a le s a n d f o u r f e m a le s
w e re m ark ed i n 1 9 7 6 , and 12 m a le s a n d 9 f e m a le s i n 1 9 7 7 .
Fawns w e ig h e d
m ore a n d a p p e a r e d to h a v e b e e n b o r n e a r l i e r i n 1977 when t h e a v e r a g e
w e ig h t w as 5 .4 0 kg a s co m p ared t o 5 .0 8 kg i n 1976 ( T a b le s 2 , 3 ) .
Fawn B e h a v io r
When c a p t u r e d t h e y o u n g e r faw ns te n d e d t o b e d o c i l e a n d s i l e n t
w h i l e o l d e r , h e a v i e r faw n s w e re g e n e r a l l y v o c i f e r o u s and. s t r u g g l e d
v io le n tly .
O ld e r faw n s u s u a l l y r a n o f f when r e l e a s e d .
Fawn b e h a v io r w hen a p p ro a c h e d d u r in g , t h e summer c a n b e d i v i d e d i n t o
th re e g e n e ra l c a te g o rie s a s fo llo w s :
and "jum p and r u n " .
" fa w n f r e e z e " , " h e a d up a l e r t "
D u rin g t h e f i r s t 7 -1 0 d a y s o f l i f e a faw n when
a p p ro a c h e d w i l l a ssu m e a p o s i t i o n w i t h t h e l e g s p u l l e d a g a i n s t t h e body
n eck o u t s t r e t c h e d , c h in r e s t i n g on th e g ro u n d , and th e e a r s l a i d back
a g a in s t th e neck.
A faw n i n t h i s p o s i t i o n w i l l r e m a in m o t i o n l e s s ,
t h e r e f o r e , t h e te r m "fa w n f r e e z e " i s a p p l i e d .
I n t h i s s t a g e faw ns a r e
d i f f i c u l t t o l o c a t e b u t c o u ld b e a p p ro a c h e d t o t h e p o i n t o f c o n t a c t .
Sex, w e ig h t. m arking d e v ic e , tem poral
T able 2.
D ate L ast
Observed
Type o f
Marker
D ate
C aptured
Time
C aptured
Unknown
R1
6/16
1130
M
4 .5
R
6/17
1330
2/7 /7 7
6
3
F
3 .7
R
6/18
0900
9/14
88
L a st observed a li v e .
One o f s e t of
tw ln s -b o th
c a p tu re d .
4
M
3.7
R
6/18
0800
6/28
10
K ille d by c o y o te s.
Twin o f No. 3.
5
M
6 .8
R
6/25
2050
8/17
54
Radio f a i l e d .
6
M
5.7
R
6/25
1000
8/29
66
Radio f a i l e d .
7
F
.6 .4
R
6/25
0850
8/26
63
Radio f a i l e d .
8
M
3 .2
R
6/26
0830
8 /1
36
P ro b a b le c o y o te k i l l .
One o f s e t of
tw in s . Both
c a p tu re d .
9
M
2 .9
R
6/26
0830
7/7
12
P ro b a b le co y o te k i l l .
Twin o f No. 8.
6 ,8
R
6/26
1010
7/17
22
K ille d by c o y o te s .
One of s e t of
tw in s . Both
c a p tu re d 4 .
7 .0
ET2
6/26
1010
5 /5 /7 7
19
L ast observed a li v e .
Twin o f No. 10
Fawn
No.
Sex
I
M
2
10
F
11
F
1
2
Weight
(kg)
a s p e c ts and f a t e fo r marked faw ns. 1976.
.
Faan ra d io tr a n s m i tt e r .
Ear ta g w ith b la c k and w h ite stre a m e r
'
8 /1
No. Days
Follow ed
46
F a te o f Fawn
Radio came o f f .
Comments
One o f s e t of
tw in s -o th e r fawn
escaped c a p tu r e .
Radio f a i l e d .
Fawn
No.
Sex, w e ig h t, m arking d e v ic e , tem p o ral a s p e c ts and f a t e f o r marked faw ns, 1977.
Sex
W eight
(kg)
Type o f
Marker
D ate
C aptured
Time
C aptured
D ate L a st
Observed
No. Days
Followed
F a te o f Fawn
Comments
12
M
4 .5
R1
6/13
1900
9/12
92
L a st observed a l i v e .
One of s e t of
tw in s . Both
c a p tu re d .
13
M
4 .0
R
6/13
1900
9/12
92
L a st observed a l i v e .
Twin o f No. 12.
14
F
5 .2
R
6/15
1900
6 /2 0
5
Fawn dead' from
unknown cau se.
C arcass' com pletely
consumed by c o y o te s .
One o f s e t of
tw in s . O ther
fawn escaped
c a p tu r e .
15
F
7 .0
R, ET2
6/17
1015
8 /1 9
63
Radio f a i l e d .
16
M
4 .1
R
6/17
1045
9/14
89
L a st o bserved a l i v e .
17
H
7 .5
R, ET
6/18
0900
8 /6
48
Fawn k i l l e d by
c o y o te s .
One o f s e t o f
tw in s . O ther
fawn escaped
c a p tu r e .
18
F
3 .9
R
6/20
0930
9/12
84
L a st observed a l i v e .
One o f s e t of
tw in s . Both
c a p tu r e d .
19
• F
3 .2
R
6/20
0930
8/17
58
P ro b a b le coyote
k ill.
Twin o f No. 18.
20
M
6 .4
R
6/20
0700
9/14
86
L ast observed a l i v e .
One o f s e t of
tw in s . Both
c a p tu re d .
21
M
5.7
R
6/20
0700
9/14
86
L a st observed a l i v e .
Twin o f No. 20.
■9T -
T ab le 3.
O'
T a b le 3 .
Fawn
Sb . .
( c o n ti n u e d ) .
Sex
Weight
(kg)
Type o f
Marker
Time
C aptured
D ate
C aptured
22
F
5 .0
R, ET
6/20
0800
23
F
7 .0
R, ET
6/20
0845
24
M
5 .0
R
6/22
25
M
5 .2
R
26
• H
5 .4
27
M
28
M
D ate L a st
Observed
No. Days
Follow ed
F a te o f Fawn
Comments
8/24
65
P ro b a b le c o y o te k i l l .
8/7
48
P re d a to r in v o lv ed d e a th .
0720
9/13
83
L a st observed a l i v e .
One o f s e t of
tw in s . Both
c a p tu re d .
6/22
0720
9/13
83
L a st observed a l i v e .
Twin o f No. 24.
R
6/23
0715
6/26
3
Fawn d ie d a s a r e s u l t
of an a c c id e n t I
One o f s e t o f
tw in s : . Both
c a p tu r e d .
4 .8
ET
6/23
0715
-
Fawn n ever reo b se rv e d .
Twin o f No. 26.
5 .7
R
6/22
0945
L ast observed a l i v e .
One o f s e t of
tw in s . O ther
fawn escaped
c a p tu r e .
'
9/12
82
I
H *.
I
0830
9/13
77
L a st observed a l i v e .
6/28
1000
9/13
77
L ast observed a l i v e .
ET
6/23
0745
ET
6/23
0745
29
F
5 .9
R
6/28
30
F
5 .2
R
31
F
6.4
32
M
6 .6
.
Fawn r a d i o t r a n s m i t t e r
E ar t a g w i t h i n d i v i d u a l l y r e c o g n i z a b l e s tr e a m e r .
-
-
Fawn never re o b serv ed .
One o f s e t of
tw in s . B o th ,
c a p tu r e d . 5 cm
gash on top of
s k u l l ; l e f t eye
p o s s ib ly b lin d e d ;
r i g h t e ar
p u n ctu red .
Fawn n ever reo b se rv e d .
Twin of No. 31.
-1 3 -
The s e c o n d s t a g e g e n e r a l l y o c c u r s d u r i n g 1 0 - 2 0 d a y s a f t e r b i r t h .
It
i s te rm e d " h e a d up a l e r t " a s t h i s i s t h e p o s i t i o n assu m ed by t h e faw n
when a p p r o a c h e d .
I n t h i s s t a g e a faw n c a n g e n e r a l l y b e a p p ro a c h e d t o
w i t h i n 10 m o r l e s s b e f o r e f l i g h t .
The t h i r d
s t a g e o c c u r s a t 15+ d a y s
a n d i s l a b e l l e d "jum p a n d r u n " a s t h i s i s t h e a c t i o n t h e faw n t a k e s when
a p p ro a c h e d .
A faw n c a n se ld o m b e a p p ro a c h e d t o w i t h i n 10 m i n t h i s s t a g e .
O b s e rv a tio n s in d ic a te d a g e n e r a l
i n t o l e r a n c e o f d o e s w i t h faw ns
to w a r d s o t h e r d e e r a s h ad b e e n o b s e r v e d by M a ck ie (.1970) an d K now les
( 1 9 7 5 ).
T o l e r a n c e o f f e m a le s w i t h faw n s to w a rd s o t h e r d e e r g e n e r a l l y
i n c r e a s e d a s t h e summer p r o g r e s s e d .
F o r a g in g by faw n s w as f i r s t n o te d on 14 J u l y an d 2 J u l y i n 1976
a n d 1977 r e s p e c t i v e l y .
G e n e ral o b s e rv a tio n s in d ic a te d in c re a s e d fo ra g in g
b y fa w n s w i t h i n c r e a s i n g a g e .
M ovem ents
M ule d e d r faw n s w e re c a p a b l e o f e x t e n s i v e m ovem ents e a r l y i n l i f e .
Maximum m ovem ent b e tw e e n r e l o c a t i o n s o b s e r v e d d u r in g t h e s tu d y was 3 .7 8
km; t h e minimum w as a p p r o x i m a t e ly 2 0 'm ( T a b le 4 ) .
T he maximum m ovem ent
r e s u l t e d w hen a 3 w eek o l d faw n m oved a f t e r i t s t w i n had b e e n k i l l e d by
c o y o te s .
A v e ra g e m o v en e n t b e tw e e n r e l o c a t i o n s was 0 .7 5 km i n 1976 and
0 .8 7 km i n 1977 ( T a b le s 4 , 5 ) .
M ovem ents w e re v a r i a b l e b e tw e e n i n d i v i d ­
u a l s a n d a t d i f f e r e n t t im e s f o r t h e sam e i n d i v i d u a l .
moved t o g e t h e r .
Tw in faw n s u s u a l l y
M ost o f t h e m ovem ents w e re t h e r e s u l t o f faw n s f o l l o w i n g
t h e d o e d u r in g t h e i r a c t i v e p e r i o d s .
-1 9 T a b le 4 .
Fawn
No.
Maximum, minimum, a n d a v e r a g e m ovem ents b e tw e e n r e l o c a t i o n s ,
maximum d i a m e te r a n d home r a n g e o f m arked faw n s f o r summer
1 9 7 6 .1
No.
R e lo c a tio n s
Maximum
Movement
(km)
Minimum
Movement
(km)
A v e ra g e
Movement
(km)
Maximum
D ia m e te r
(km)
A re a
(h e c ta re s )
I
13
1 .7 7
0 .0 8
0 .6 0
1 .7 7
109
2
2
1 .2 1
0 .1 6
0 .6 9
1 .2 1
-
3
28 .
3 .7 8
0 .0 4
0 .9 8
3 .8 6
372
4
3
0 .4 0
0 .3 2
0 .3 5
0 .4 0
-
5
15
1 .4 5
0 .1 6
0 .5 5
2 .0 9
97
6
20
1 .4 5
0 .0 2
0 .5 6
1 .6 1
134
7
22
1 .6 1
0 .1 6
0 .8 0
2 .5 7
174
8
11
2 .0 1
0 .2 4
0 .9 2
2 .9 0
126
9
3
2 .0 1
1 .0 4
1 .4 8
2 .5 7
-
10
8
1 .2 9
0 .0 4
0 .5 3
2 .0 1
1 .7 0
0 .2 3
0 .7 5
2 .1 0
. A v e ra g e
13
.
I
Fawn No . 11 n o t l i s t e d d u e to l i m i t e d d a t a .
169
-2 0 -
T a b le 5 .
Fawn
No.
Maximum, minimum, and a v e r a g e m ovem ents b e tw e e n r e l o c a t i o n s ,
maximum d i a m e te r an d home r a n g e o f m arked faw n s f o r summer
1 9 7 7 .1
No.
R e lo c a tio n s
Maximum
M ovenent
(tan)
Minimum
M ovement
(tan)
A v e ra g e
Movement
(tan)
Maximum
D ia m e te r
A rea
(km)
(h e c ta re s )
12
24
1 .6 1
0 .1 6
0 .8 4
2 .1 7
231
13
22
1 .6 1
0 .1 6
0 .8 9
2 .1 7
231
14
2
1 .1 3
1 .1 3
15
18
1 .2 9
0 .1 6
0 .8 7
2 .2 5
178
16
24
1 .6 1
0 .1 6
0 .6 6
2 .2 5
170
17
14
2 .0 1
0 .4 8
0 .9 5
2 .4 1
243
18
24
1 .9 3
0 .2 4
0 .8 7
2 .9 8
299
19
18
1 .9 3
0 .2 4
0 .8 9
2 .8 2
267
20
23
1 .7 7
0 .0 8
0 .7 9
3 .2 2
231
21
22
1 .7 7
0 .0 8
0 .8 1
3 .2 2
231
22
18
1 .7 7
0 .1 6
0 .5 8
2 .2 5
134
23
14
2 .7 4
0 .0 8
1 .2 2
4 .0 2
320
24
21
1 .9 3
0 .1 6
0 .8 7
2 .7 4
251
25
21
1 .8 5
0 .1 6
0 .7 7
2 .7 4
251
26
2
0 .4 0
'0 . 4 0
28
23
2 .4 1
0 .1 6
0 .9 0
3 .4 6
267
29
21
2 .8 2
0 .0 8
1 .0 5
3 .2 2
227
30
. 20
1 .9 3
0 .2 4
0 .9 0
2 .5 7
223
18
1 .8 1
0 .2 4
0 .8 7 .
2 .7 8
235
A v e ra g e
-
-
Fawns n o t r e l o c a t e d a f t e r m a rk in g a r e n o t l i s t e d
-
-
-
-
-2 1 -
Home r a n g e s i z e s o b s e r v e d f o r a l l m arked faw n s w i t h 10 o r m ore
r e l o c a t i o n s v a r i e d fro m a maximum o f 372 h e c t a r e s
minimum o f 97 h e c t a r e s
( F ig u r e 2 ) t o a
( F ig u r e 3) w i t h a v e r a g e s b e in g 169 h e c t a r e s
i n 1976 an d 235 h e c t a r e s i n 1977 ( F ig u r e 4 , T a b le s 4 , 5 ) .
S ta tis tic a l
a n a l y s i s i n d i c a t e d t h e i n c r e a s e i n a v e r a g e home r a n g e s i z e i n 1977
w as s i g n i f i c a n t
(t te s t, P
.0 5 ) .
Home r a n g e o v e r l a p d i d o c c u r
( F ig u r e 5) b u t u s e o f t h e o v e r l a p a r e a s by o n e g e n e r a l l y e x c lu d e d u s e
by th e o th e r .
R ange ( i e . maximum d i a m e te r a c r o s s home r a n g e ) a v e r a g e s
v a r i e d fro m 2.10km i n 1976 t o 2 .7 8 km i n 1 9 77.
H a b i t a t U se
The A r te m is ia - A g r o p y r o n , P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s , and P s e u d o ts u g a - J u n i p e r u s
v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s r e c e i v e d o v e r 90 p e r c e n t o f t h e r e c o r d e d faw n h a b i t a t
u s e d u r in g b o th sum m ers.
A l l o t h e r t y p e s r e c e i v e d o n ly m in o r faw n u s e
( T a b le s 6 , 7 ) .
H ig h ly s i g n i f i c a n t
.o
(X , P < ^ .0 0 1 ) d i f f e r e n c e s i n h a b i t a t u s e w e re
e v i d e n t b e tw e e n y e a r s and fro m e a r l y t o l a t e summer d u r in g t h e same y e a r .
H a b ita t u s e
by t h e faw n s v a r i e d fro m h e a v y u s e o f A r te m is ia - A g r o p y r o n
(27%) a n d P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s
(48%) i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e summer to a lm o s t
e x c l u s i v e l y P s e u d o t s u g a - J u n i p e r u s (88%) i n t h e se c o n d h a l f o f summer 1 9 7 6 .
Use o f A r te m is ia - A g r o p y r o n (4%) d u r in g 1977 w as a lm o s t e l i m i n a t e d a n d a
c o r r e s p o n d in g i n c r e a s e i n t h e u s e o f P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s
J u n ip e ru s
(42%) o c c u r r e d i n t h e e a r l y sum m er.
summer u s e o f P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s
(46%) a n d P s e u d o ts u g a -
In th e second h a lf of
(31%) d e c l i n e d b u t s t i l l show ed a
-2 2 -
FAWN
NO. 3
AREA
372 h i
SEC. 13
SCALE
I .S I km
R 24 E
F ig u re 2.
Home ra n g e o f fawn Mo. 3, w hich had th e l a r g e s t home ran g e
o b se rv e d f o r a l l marked fawns w ith 10 o r more r e l o c a t i o n s
(num bers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o r d e r o f o c c u r r e n c e ) .
—2 3 -
SEC. 16
SCALE 1.61 km
24
F ig u re 3.
E
Home ra n g e o f fawn No. 5, w hich had th e s m a lle s t home ran g e
o b se rv e d f o r a l l marked faw ns w ith 10 o r more r e l o c a t i o n s
(numbers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o r d e r of o c c u r r e n c e ) .
—24—
FMWN NO. 20
AREA 231 ha
SEC. 20
SCALE 1.61 km
I
F ig u re 4.
24 E
Home ra n g e o f fawn No. 20 d e m o n s tra tin g an a v e ra g e s i z e home
ra n g e o b se rv e d f o r a l l marked fawns w ith 10 o r more r e l o c a t i o n s
(num bers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o rd e r o f o c c u r r e n c e ) .
-2 5 -
O
FAWN NO. 15
AREA 178 ha
#
FAWN NO. 16
AREA 170 ha
S E C .26
SCALE
1.61 km
R 24 E
F ig u re 5.
Home ra n g e s o f faw ns No. 15 and 16 showing home ra n g e o v e rla p
(num bers i n d i c a t e r e l o c a t i o n s i n o r d e r o f o c c u r r e n c e ) .
—2 6 -
O th e r
-
-
- ■
T
-
8 /0
I
1 2 /1
8 /0
5 8 /0
2 5 /1 0 0
8 /0
2
2 /0
5 0 /0
5 0 /0
—
3
1 3 /1 5
2 7 /0
4 6 /0
2 3 /9 3
4
3 /0
1 0 0 /0
5
8 /7
6
7
- ti 'S
i t
S a rc o b a tu s A g ro p y ro n
—
P s e u d o ts u g a J u n ip e fu s
—
P in u s J u n ip e ru s
-
A rte m isia A g ro p y ro n ^
—
Number o f
O b s e rv a tio n s
P o p u lu s S y m p h o ric a rp o s
A summary o f faw n h a b i t a t , u s e f o r t h e summer o f 1 9 7 6 . The
f i g u r e s I n d i c a t e t h e .p e r c e n t h a b i t a t u s e f o r a l l m arked
. fa w n s .
E a r ly summer (J u n e - J u l y 30 ) / l a t e summer ( J u l y 31 S e p t. 1 4 ).
Fawn No.
T a b le 6 .
-
—]
0 /4
8 8 /0
0 /8 6
-
9 /1 1
2 2 /0
2 2 /0
4 4 /1 0 0
1 1 /0
-
9 /1 3
2 2 /2 3
5 6 /0
1 1 /7 7
1 1 /0
-
1 0 /1 0 0
i !
—
—■
■
-
0 /7
-
-
-
-
-
-
1 3 /0
-
—'
-
.
-
■-
-
-
-
-
-
8
1 0 /1
7 0 /0
-
1 0 /0
9
3 /0
6 7 /0
3 3 /0
-
-
-
10
8 /0
8 8 /0
-
-
-
-
-
11
2 /0
-
1 0 0 /0
-
-
-
-
-
2 7 /8
4 8 /0
1 5 /8 8
5 /2
1 /0
-
0 /2
T o t a l 7 9 /4 8
'
-
V e g e t a t i o n t y p e s n o t l i s t e d h ad no I n s t a n c e s o f faw n u s e .
1 3 /0
4 /0
'
-2 7 -
__
8 3 /8 2
8 3 /7 8
-
.
9 /0
9 /0
-
8 /1 8
8 /2 2
1 0 0 /0
3 6 /1 0 0
8 2 /1 0 0
9 /0
1 8 /4 2
2 0 /8 3
9 0 /6 7
9 0 /6 4
3 0 /8 6
8 0 /1 0 0
4 0 /9 0
4 0 /9 0
2 0 /0
5 5 /0
9 /0
5 5 /0
6 4 /5 8
8 0 /1 7
1 0 /2 5
1 0 /2 7
7 0 /0
2 0 /0
4 0 /1 0
4 0 /1 0
-
-
*•
6 4 /9 0
1 3 /1 7
2 2 /1 0
2 7 /1 0
3 8 /3 3
7 8 /8 0
-
—
—
4 6 /3 1
4 2 /6 1
1 /0
-
1 8 /0
-
0 /1 4
-
,
1 0 0 /0
Ii
§
txj ■to
—
_
_
-
-
-
O th e r
I
P o p u T u sS y m p h o ric a rp o s
S a rc o b a tu s A g rp p y ro n
A rtem isia
Z o n g ifo lia
P s e u d o ts u g a J u n ip e ru s
1 2 /1 1
1 2 /9
1 /0
1 1 /6
1 1 /1 1
1 1 /2
1 1 /1 2
1 0 /6
1 0 /1 2
1 0 /1 1
1 0 /7
1 0 /3
1 0 /1 0
1 0 /1 0
1 /0
P in u s J u n ip e ru s
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
A rte m is ia - .
Agropyron-I-
Number o f
O b s e rv a tio n s
A summary o f faw n h a b i t a t u s e f o r t h e summer o f 1 9 7 7 . The
f i g u r e s i n d i c a t e t h e p e r c e n t h a b i t a t u s e f o r a l l m arked
fa w n s .
E a r l y summet (J u n e - J u l y 30) / l a t e summer ( J u l y 31 S e p t. 1 4 ).
Fawn No.
T a b le 7 .
8 /0
8 /0
-
—
-
-
— '
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0 /8
0 /9
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1 0 /0
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3 8 /5 0
,
-
2 7 /1 0 0
-
-
■
-
-
07
Z Z
28
29
30
31
32
1 1 /1 0
8 /1 2
9 /1 0
—
■ -
T o t a l 1 6 8 /1 4 2
4 /1
V e g e ta tio n ty p e s n o t l i s t e d
9 /0
1 3 /0
-
2 /0
■
-
-
-
0 /1
4 /6
had no i n s t a n c e s o f faw n u s e .
0 /1 0
2 /1
—2 8 —
s u b s t a n t i a l in c r e a s e o v e r 1976.
U se o f P s e u d o ts u g a - J u n i p e r u s
(61%)
i n c r e a s e d b u t n o t to t h e l e v e l o b s e r v e d i n 1976.
U se o f E x p o s u re
Fawn u s e o f e x p o s u r e w as s i m i l a r b e tw e e n e a r l y an d l a t e summer
and b e tw e e n y e a r s
( T a b le 8 ) .
N o r th f a c i n g s lo p e s and a s p e c t s r e c e i v e d
t h e g r e a t e s t u s e d u r in g e a r l y and l a t e summer o f b o t h y e a r s b e c a u s e
t h e fa w n s u s e d t h e m ore tim b e r e d t y p e s o c c u r r i n g o n t h e s e e x p o s u r e s .
A s l i g h t d e c l i n e i n t h e u s e o f n o r t h s l o p e s an d a s p e c t s w as o b s e rv e d
d u r i n g l a t e summer 1977 com pared t o v a l u e s o b t a i n e d i n l a t e summer o f
1976.
D u rin g b o t h y e a r s u s e o f s o u th and e a s t f a c i n g s l o p e s d e c l i n e d
s l i g h t l y fro m e a r l y t o l a t e summer i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h d e c l i n i n g u s e
o f m o re o p e n v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s o c c u r r i n g on t h e s e e x p o s u r e s .
U se o f S lo p e
S lo p e s i n t h e 1 1 -2 5 ° r a n g e g e n e r a l l y r e c e i v e d t h e m a j o r i t y o f
faw n u s e d u r in g b o t h y e a r s
( T a b le 9 ) .
I n t h e e a r l y summer o f 1976
h o w e v e r, t h e m a j o r i t y o f faw n u s e was on s l o p e s i n t h e 0 -1 0
b ecause
o
'
ran g e
t h e fa w n s w e re u s in g t h e m ore l e v e l A r te m is ia - A g r o p y r o n and
P i n u s - J u n i p e r u s v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s a t t h a t tim e .
36
o
S lo p e s g r e a t e r th a n
a r e g e n e r a l l y o p e n a n d w e re u s e d o n l y o c c a s i o n a l l y by fa w n s .
Fawn B ed d in g S i t e S e l e c t i o n
M ule d e e r faw n s g e n e r a l l y s e l e c t e d b ed s i t e s on s m a ll l e v e l a r e a s
on s l o p e s .
R id g e t o p s a n d c o u l e e b o tto m s w e re se ld o m u s e d f o r b ed s i t e s .
A f t e r a p e r i o d o f a c t i v i t y w i t h t h e d o e had b e e n t e r m i n a t e d , t h e faw n
-2 9 T a b le 8 .
1976 E a r ly
L a te
1977 E a r ly
L a te
T a b le 9.
U se o f e x p o s u r e ( i n p e r c e n t ) d u r in g e a r l y summer (J u n e J u l y 3 0 ) a n d l a t e summer ( J u l y 31 - S e p t. 14) f o r a l l
m arked fa w n s .
N
NE
E
SE
S
SVJ
31
17
12
3
17
28
35
0
0
21
18
13
26
13
8
■
W
NW
3
7
10
2
5
7
23
7
6
10
10
16
7
4
9
20
15
U se o f s l o p e ( i n p e r c e n t) , d u r in g e a r l y summer (J u n e - J u l y 3 0 )
an d l a t e summer ( J u l y 31 - S e p t . 14) f o r a l l m arked fa w n s .
D e g re e s o f S lo p e
1976 E a r ly
L a te
1977 E a r ly
L a te
0 -1 0
11 - 25
26 - 35
45
34
11
10
22
39
22
17
22
47
24
7
20
55
18
8
36+
-3 0 w ould move o f f an d s e l e c t a bed s i t e .
Upon s e l e c t i o n o f a bed s i t e
th e faw n w o u ld paw t h e a r e a w i t h a f o r e l e g a n d c r e a t e a s m a ll d e ­
p re s s io n .
The d o e se ld o m b e d d e d i n t h e im m e d ia te v i c i n i t y o f h e r
faw n a lt h o u g h t h i s o c c u r r e d m ore o f t e n l a t e i n t h e sum m er.
faw n s b e d d e d s e p a r a t e l y .
Twin
D i s t a n c e s b e tw e e n b edded t w in s v a r i e d fro m
.
0 - 0 .8 km w i t h 5 -1 5 m b e in g common.
Canopy c o v e r a n d f r e q u e n c y d a t a fro m bed s i t e s a r e p r e s e n t e d i n
T a b le 1 0 .
C o m p a riso n o f d a t a b e tw e e n y e a r s fro m s i m i l a r h a b i t a t s
i n d i c a t e s a d e c r e a s e i n b o th c a n o p y c o v e r a g e and f r e q u e n c y o f f o r b s
a t bed s i t e s i n 1 9 7 7 .
C anopy c o v e r a g e a n d f r e q u e n c y o f s h r u b s
in c re a s e d c o rre s p o n d in g ly .
b e tw e e n y e a r s .
C anopy c o v e r a g e o f g r a s s e s w as s i m i l a r
T he te n d e n c y o f faw n s t o c h o o s e m ore s h r u b r i c h and
l e s s f o r b r i c h s i t e s i n 1977 a s co m p ared t o 1976 c a n b e a t t r i b u t e d t o
c h a n g e s i n a v a i l a b l e v e g e t a t i o n d u e t o d e c r e a s e d p r e c i p i t a t i o n and
c h a n g e s i n h a b i t a t u s e b e tw e e n y e a r s .
C o n c e a lm e n t c o v e r d a t a i n d i c a t e t h a t c o v e r o f 50 p e r c e n t, o r m ore
t o a h e i g h t o f 3 dm i s n o r m a lly fo u n d a t faw n b e d d in g s i t e s
(T a b le 1 1 ) .
Fawns u s e d v e g e t a t i o n and to p o g ra p h y p r b o t h t o p r o v id e c o n c e a lm e n t.
Rocky M o u n ta in j u n i p e r , b ig s a g e b r u s h , g re a se w o o d a n d o t h e r s h r u b s
w e re t y p i c a l l y u s e d by faw n s t o p r o v i d e a t l e a s t a p o r t i o n o f t h e
c o n c e a lm e n t.
C o n c e a lm e n t o f fa w n s w as g e n e r a l l y good fro m t h r e e s i d e s .
The s i d e w h ic h w as o p e n w as v a r i a b l e a n d no t r e n d c o u ld b e a s c e r t a i n e d .
T a b le 10.
A summary o f th e v e g e t a t i o n a t faw n b e d d in g s i t e s a s r e l a t e d t o faw n c o n c e a lm e n t d e te rm in e d from 2 X 5 dm
p l o t s (mean p e r c e n t canopy c o v e ra g e /m e a n p e r c e n t f r e q u e n c y ) .
1976
H eight
C lass (dm)
A rtem isia
1
lo n g ifo lia ( I ) 1
1976
A rte m isia Agropyron (3)
G rass
G rass
G rass
G rass
G rass
G rass
I
2
3
4
Sii
6^
4 /2 0
15/70
1 /2 0
-
4/47
7/63
18/77
9/53
2/10
2/17
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
I
2
3
4
S2
3 /6 0
1/10
4 /5 0
-
6/73
4 /7 0
8/60
4/17
3/7
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
Shrub
I .
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2/20
1/20
3/40
2/10
6/17
3/13
2/13
1/3
—
10/30
-
-
'
1977
A rte m is ia Agropyron (I )
5/20
22/40
6/50
—
12/40
11/30
_
7/40
-
13/60
18/60
14/50 ■
5 /2 0
2/10
-
.
1976
P in u s Ju n ip e ru s (4)
' 4 /4 5
5/58
6/45
3/15
1 /3
1 /3
1976
PseudotsugaJu n ip e ru s (I )
1977
P seu d o tsu g aJu n ip e ru s (6)
6/30
7/18
8/18
6/20
2/3
1/3 '
1/30
4/50
20/70
8/30
2/10
-
13/38
14/42
6/20
4/13
1/5
. 2/3
6/65
3/33
2/18
1/13
1/10
4 /4 0
1 /2
1 /2
5/80
. 1/20
10/30
4/45
. 1/3
4/30
5/28
12/35
8/2 5
7/15
5/13
4/13
2/8
. 2/8
11/23
26/62
26/48
30/52
29/50
26/40
23/35
20/33
15/27
12/20
12/20
Sam ple s i z e .
Above t h i s c l a s s canopy c o v e ra g e m eans
1977
P in u s Ju n ip e ru s (6)
2%, fre q u e n c y l e s s th a n 20%.
-
_
1/2
2/20
8/40
3/30
3/20
_
5/30
•-
.
26/75
23/50
21/50
■ 19/48
10/28
" 12/27
10/15
9/18
6/12
6/10
T able 11.
A summary o f th e concealm ent co v er a t fawn bedding s i t e s a s d eterm in ed w ith a v e r t i c a l 3 X 10 dm cover
b o ard . Numbers i n d i c a t e . t h e mean p e rc e n t o f concealm ent c o v er f o r th e 10 h e ig h t c la s s e s .
1976
H eight
C lass (dm)
I
1976
. A rte m lsia A rtem isia
Zangifo Iia ( i y A gropyron (3)
1977
A rte m isia Agropyron ( I )
1976
P in u s Ju n ip e ru s (4 )
1977
P in u s J u n ip e ru s (6)
1976
P seu d o tsu g aJ u n ip e ru s ( I
1977
P seu d o tsu g aJu n ip e ru s (6)
I
14
61
75
77
84
55
80
2
9
48
43
67
81
51
73
3
11
32
13
61
71
36
66
4
10
30
6
60
64
23
62
5
8
16
3
55
56
I
56
6
-
3
-
48
•57
7
50
7
-
3
-
44
54
6
44
8
-
-
45
51
6
46
9
-
-
-
43
50
4
41
10
-
-
-
39
49
4
39
Sample s iz e
I
U>
M
I
-3 3 H a ir S am ple A n a l y s is
H a ir sa m p le a n a l y s i s
(S im s , 1 968) by D r. H a ro ld P i c t o n i n d i c a t e d no
p e r i o d s o f i n - u t e r o p r o t e i n d e f i c i e n c y w e re e v i d e n t f o r a n y faw n m arked
d u r in g t h e s t u d y .
M o rta lity
D eer d e n s i t y o n t h e a r e a was e s t i m a t e d a t a p p r o x i m a t e ly 3 .5 d e e r /
sq m i (H a m lin , 1 9 7 7 ) .
C o y o te d e n s i t i e s w e re e s t i m a t e d t o b e a minimum
o f 0 .6 c o y o t e s / s q m i, and d a t a i n d i c a t e d a s l i g h t d e c r e a s e i n d e n s i t i e s
fro m 1976 t o 1977 ( P y r a h , 1 9 7 7 ).
I n 1 9 7 6 , 4 o f 11 faw n s d i e d f o r a t o t a l m o r t a l i t y o f 36 p e r c e n t .
D u rin g 1 9 7 7 , 6 o f 19 d i e d f o r 32 p e r c e n t m o r t a l i t y .
c a u s e s o f m o r t a l i t y i s p r e s e n t e d i n T a b le 1 2 .
due to s t a r v a t i o n
A b rea k d o w n o f t h e
No i n s t a n c e o f m o r t a l i t y
( i e . a b a n d o n m e n t) o r d i s e a s e w as r e c o r d e d , and
a c c i d e n t s a c c o u n te d f o r o n l y I d e a t h .
None o f t h e faw n s e x h i b i t e d s i g n s
o f p o o r c o n d itio n p r i o r to t h e i r d e a th .
o f faw n m o r t a l i t y d u r in g b o t h sum m ers.
o c c u r r e d d u r in g t h e J u n e t a g g i n g p e r i o d .
P r e d a t i o n w as t h e m a jo r s o u r c e ,
M o r t a l i t y w as known t o h a v e
I n 1976 a p o r t i o n o f a faw n
c a r c a s s w as r e c o v e r e d o n 15 J u n e , an d i n 1977 a faw n (No. 1 4 ) m arked
e a r l y i n t h e t a g g i n g p e r i o d was d e a d b e f o r e t a g g in g c e a s e d .
D u rin g
1976 m o r t a l i t y w as c o n f i n e d t o t h e p e r i o d 1 0 -3 6 d a y s a f t e r faw n s w e re
m arked w i t h no m o r t a l i t y o c c u r r i n g a f t e r I A u g u s t.
was d i f f e r e n t i n 1 9 7 7 .
T im in g o f m o r t a l i t y
Two faw n s d i e d w i t h i n 10 d a y s o f b e in g m arked an d
th e m a jo rity o f m o r ta lity
(67%) o c c u r r e d a f t e r I A u g u s t.
T h re e m a le s and
T a b le 1 2 .
34A resu m e o f faw n m o r t a l i t y i n 1976 and 19 7 7 .
C au se
1976
No. o f M o r t a l i t i e s
C o n firm e d c o y o te k i l l
2
P r o b a b le c o y o te k i l l
2
T o ta l
1977
4 (36%)
C o n firm e d c o y o te k i l l
2
P r o b a b le c o y o te k i l l
I
C o y o te i n v o lv e d d e a t h
•
I
A c c id e n ta l d e a th
I
Unknown
I
T o ta l
For a d e s c r ip tio n o f m o r ta lity c l a s s e s .se e page 11.
6 (32%)
-3 5 o n e f e m a le faw n d i e d I n 1976 a n d two m a le s .a n d f o u r f e m a le s I n 19 7 7 .
Of t h e faw n s t h a t d i e d , 75 p e r c e n t i n 1976 and 67 p e r c e n t i n 1977 w e re
fro m m u l t i p l e l i t t e r s .
P a t t e r n s i n t h e m eth o d o f k i l l i n g a n d c o n s u m p tio n by c o y o te s w e re
e v id e n t.
C o y o te s k i l l e d faw n s by g r a s p i n g them w i t h t h e lo w e r ja w on
t h e t h r o a t and t h e u p p e r ja w and c a n i n e s o n t h e d o r s a l s u r f a c e o f t h e
s k u ll.
or
T h is g e n e r a l l y r e s u l t e d i n f r a c t u r i n g t h e s k u l l o f young faw n s
s u ffo c a tio n
i n o l d e r fa w n s .
C o n su m p tio n p r o c e e d e d fro m t h e v i s c e r a
t o t h e h i n d q u a r t e r s t h e n f o rw a r d t o t h e s h o u l d e r , n e c k a n d h e a d .
C arcass
and s i t e e v id e n c e i n d i c a t e d c o y o te s w ould d r a g t h e k i l l i n t o cover, b e f o r e
c o n s u m p tio n .
tie s .
A p p e n d ix A p r e s e n t s a c o m p le te d e s c r i p t i o n o f a l l m o r t a l ! -
DISCUSSION
M ule d e e r p o p u l a t i o n t r e n d s a r e u l t i m a t e l y d e te r m in e d by r e c r u i t ­
m e n t.
I t i s g e n e r a lly f e l t t h a t th e r e p r o d u c tiv e s id e o f th e p o p u la tio n
e q u a t i o n i s se ld o m t h e c a u s e o f low p o p u l a t i o n r e c r u i t m e n t i n b ig game
p o p u la tio n s
( C a u g h le y , 1 9 6 6 ) .
O v a r ia n a n a l y s i s a n d i n - u t e r o f e t a l
c o u n ts fro m s t a t e w i d e c a r c a s s c o l l e c t i o n s
c la s s ific a tio n s
(K n o w les, 1 977) a n d a e r i a l
(H a m lin , 1 977) i n d i c a t e n o rm a l l e v e l s o f faw n p r o d u c t i o n
s ta te w id e and on th e s tu d y a r e a .
T he m o r t a l i t y s i d e o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n
e q u a t i o n , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e m o r t a l i t y r a t e d u r in g t h e f i r s t y e a r o f l i f e ,
i s t h e u s u a l v a r i a b l e w h ic h a d j u s t s p o p u l a t i o n s i z e t o t h e c a r r y i n g
c a p a c ity
(C a u g h le y , 1 9 7 0 ) .
H ence a n i n c r i m i n a t i n g f i n g e r i s p o i n te d
a t faw n m o r t a l i t y a s a n e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e lo w fa w n :d o e r a t i o s o b s e rv e d
on th e s tu d y a r e a
(H a m lin , 1 9 7 7 ) .
Many f a c t o r s , i n c l u d i n g b e h a v i o r a l ,
p h y s i o l o g i c a l , and e n v ir o n m e n t a l, a f f e c t t h e num ber o f fa w n s s u r v i v i n g
to p ro v id e r e c r u itm e n t.
B e h a v io r
The c r y p t i c n a t u r e o f new born fa w n s , a g e n e r a l i n a c t i v i t y o f faw n s
i n t h e a b s e n c e o f t h e d o e , t h e b e d d in g b e h a v io r o f fa w n s fro m m u l t i p l e
l i t t e r s , a n d t h e i n t o l e r a n c e o f f e m a le s w i t h faw n s to w a rd s o t h e r d e e r
a l l s e r v e t o l e s s e n t h e l i k e l i h o o d o f p r e d a t i o n on n e o - n a t a l f a w n s .
S e c r e t i v e n e w b o rn s a r e u n d o u b te d ly d i f f i c u l t f o r p o t e n t i a l p r e d a t o r s
to lo c a te .
S e p a r a t e b e d d in g o f tw in faw n s a l s o r e d u c e s t h e c h a n c e t h a t
b o th w i l l b e l o s t to p r e d a tio n a lth o u g h th e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t one o f th e
-3 7 faw n s w i l l b e l o s t i s p r o b a b ly i n c r e a s e d d u e t o t h e i n a b i l i t y o f t h e
d o e t o p r o v i d e a s much i n d i v i d u a l p r o t e c t i o n f o r tw in s a s com pared t o
s in g le s .
I n t o l e r a n c e o f f e m a le s w i t h fa w n s to w a rd s o t h e r d e e r p r o v id e s
f o r a good d i s p e r s i o n o f faw n s a n d a v o id s c o n c e n t r a t i o n s w h ic h w ould
p ro v e a t t r a c t i v e to p r e d a t o r s . . T r a in e r
(1 9 7 7 ) n o te d t h e m a j o r i t y o f
p r e d a t o r c a u s e d faw n m o r t a l i t y o c c u r r e d a f t e r th e y had r e a c h e d t e n d a y s
of age.
D a ta fro m t h e p r e s e n t s tu d y te n d t o s u p p o r t t h i s o b s e r v a t i o n .
E x p l a n a t io n o f t h i s f a c t p r o b a b l y l i e s i n t h e i n c r e a s e d a c t i v i t y and
h e n c e . v u l n e r a b i l i t y o f fa w n s who h a v e r e a c h e d t h e " h e a d up a l e r t " ,
s t a g e i n t h e i r b e h a v i o r a l d e v e lo p m e n t.
C a r r o l l and Brown (1 9 7 4 ) n o te d
t h a t w h i t e - t a i l e d d e e r fa w n s (jOdoooileus v ir g in ia n u s ) w i t h a d e q u a te
c o v e r w e re f r e e fro m p r e d a t i o n u n t i l t h e y a p p ro a c h e d f l u s h i n g a g e .
M ovem ents
M ovem ents o f fa w n s a r e a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e m ovem ents o f t h e d o e .
T h e ilA n c x e a se in t h e a v e r a g e m ovem ent, r a n g e and home r a n g e o b s e rv e d
d u r in g 1977 was u n d o u b te d ly r e l a t e d t o c h a n g e s i n r a n g e an d f o r a g e
u s e b r o u g h t on by t h e d r o u g h t c o n d i t i o n s w h ic h o c c u r r e d .
M ack ie (1 9 7 0 )
an d K now les (1 9 7 5 ) h a v e shown f o r b s t o b e i m p o r ta n t i n t h e d i e t o f
m u le d e e r i n t h e B re a k s d u r in g t h e l a t e s p r i n g an d e a r l y sum m er.
M ackie
(1 9 7 0 ) o b s e r v e d a c h a n g e i n f o r a g e u s e fro m f o r b s t o b ro w s e a s a r e s u l t
o f d r o u g h t c o n d i t i o n s and a s s o c i a t e d ' t h i s c h a n g e w i t h m o re e x t e n s i v e
m o vem ents.
D u rin g t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y , a d o cu m en ted d e c r e a s e i n f o r b s
a t faw n bed s i t e s com bined w i t h t h e o b s e r v e d h e a v y u s e o f t h e tim b e r e d
.
-3 8 v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s e a r l y i n t h e summer i n d i c a t e d a c h a n g e i n f o r a g e u s e
by t h e d o e was p a r t i a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e i n c r e a s e d faw n m ovem ents
o b se rv e d i n 1977.
on m o r t a l i t y .
T h e re w as no c l e a r e f f e c t o f i n c r e a s e d m ovem ents
R e s t r i c t i n g m ovem ents t o t h e m ore s e c u r e tim b e r e d
v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s p o s s i b l y o f f s e t i n c r e a s e d m o r t a l i t y d u e t o m ore
e x t e n s i v e m o v em e n ts.
Home r a n g e s i z e s f o r m u le d e e r faw n s w e re much
g r e a t e r t h a n t h o s e r e p o r t e d f o r w h i t e - t a i l e d faw n s ( C a r r o l l an d Brown,
1974; G a rn e r, 1 9 7 6 ).
D if fe r e n c e s a r e p ro b a b ly r e l a t e d to d i s s i m i l a r
h a b i t s a n d h a b i t a t s o f t h e two s p e c i e s .
H a b i t a t U se
, .
D a ta fro m t h i s s tu d y i n d i c a t e a r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n u s e o f m ore
o p e n v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s a n d faw n m o r t a l i t y .
A ll o f th e m o r ta lity in
1976 o c c u r r e d i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f summer when u s e o f t h e m ore o p en
t y p e s was g r e a t e s t ;
A c h a n g e i n u s e t o t h e m ore tim b e r e d t y p e s i n t h e
l a t t e r h a l f o f summer 1976 c o in c i d e d w i t h d e c r e a s e d faw n m o r t a l i t y .
D u rin g 1977 l i t t l e m o r t a l i t y o c c u r r e d i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f summer when .
faw n s w e r e a l r e a d y i n t h e tim b e r e d t y p e s .
An i n c r e a s e d u s e o f t h e
m ore o p e n t y p e s o b s e rv e d i n t h e l a t t e r h a l f o f summer c o i n c i d e d w i t h
in c re a s e d m o r ta lity .
R ange u s e by t h e faw n s i s a r e f l e c t i o n o f u s e by t h e d o e .
C hanges
i n u s e o f v e g e t a t i o n t y p e o b s e rv e d b e tw e e n e a r l y and l a t e summer and
b e tw e e n y e a r s may h a v e b e e n t h e r e s u l t o f c h a n g e s i n f o r a g e u s e by ,
th e doe.
An i n c r e a s e d u s e o f t h e m o re tim b e r e d t y p e s i n t h e l a t t e r h a l f
-3 9 o f t h e summer o f 1976 w as p r o b a b l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a s w i t c h i n f o r a g e
u s e fro m f o r b s t o b ro w s e a s t h e f o r b s d e s s i c a t e d i n t h e m ore o p e n
v e g e ta tio n ty p e s .
.
Below n o rm a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n i n 1976 a n d d u r in g t h e
s p r i n g o f 1977 p r o b a b l y r e s u l t e d i n a n e a r l i e r c h a n g e fro m f o r b s to
b ro w s e a n d t h e r e s u l t i n g h e a v y u s e o f t h e tim b e r e d t y p e s o b s e rv e d i n
t h e e a r l y summer o f 1 9 7 7 .
I n c r e a s e d r a i n f a l l a n d a g r e e n up o f g r a s s e s
d u r in g t h e l a t t e r h a l f o f t h e summer o f 1977 c a n a c c o u n t f o r t h e u s e o f
t h e m ore o p e n v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s o b s e r v e d a t t h a t tim e .
O b s e rv a tio n s o f c a t t l e d i s t r i b u t i o n on th e a re a
( P y ra h p e r s . comm.)
i n d i c a t e t h a t o b s e r v e d c h a n g e s i n r a n g e u s e c a n a l s o be. c o r r e l a t e d w i t h
changes in c a t t l e d is t r ib u t io n .
Fawns w e re n e v e r o b s e r v e d i n t h e c l o s e
p r o x i m i t y o f c a t t l e d u r in g t h e s t u d y .
The v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s u s e d m o st
by fa w n s a r e t h o s e g e n e r a l l y u s e d l e a s t by c a t t l e .
O b s e rv e d u s e o f t h e
m ore tim b e r e d t y p e s d u r i n g t h e l a t t e r h a l f o f summer 1976 c a n b e r e l a t e d
t o a n i n c r e a s e d d i s t r i b u t i o n o f c a t t l e o n t h e r i d g e t o p s and c o u le e
b o tto m s i n t h e B r e a k s .
A ls o a m ore e x t e n s i v e u s e o f tim b e r e d t y p e s
d u r in g e a r l y summer 1977 c a n b e r e l a t e d
c a t t l e o b se rv e d a t t h a t tim e .
to a change in d i s t r i b u t i o n o f
Due t o t h e d r o u g h t c o n d i t i o n s t h a t e x i s t e d ,
c a t t l e moved i n t o t h e c o u l e e b o tto m s a n d r i d g e s i n t h e b r e a k s e a r l i e r , .
i n 1977 t h a n i n 1 9 7 6 .
K n o w lto n ( 1 9 6 4 ), w o rk in g w i t h w h i t e - t a i l e d faw n s i n T e x a s , r e p o r t e d
faw n s u r v i v a l d u r in g a d r y summer w as n o t c o n s i s t e n t b u t seem ed t o v a r y
by v e g e t a t i o n t y p e w i t h m ore d i v e r s i f i e d h a b i t a t s p e r m i t t i n g t h e h i g h e s t
=■40-
s u rv iv a l r a te s .
Fawn B eddinR S i t e S e l e c t i o n
T he v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s o n t h e a r e a h a v e d i f f e r i n g c a p a c i t i e s t o
p r o v i d e s e c u r e faw n b e d s i t e s .
Fawns s e l e c t i n g bed s i t e s i n m ore o p e n
a r e a s w o u ld b e m o re e a s i l y l o c a t e d a n d c a p t u r e d t h a n t h o s e s e l e c t i n g
s i t e s in d en se c o v e r.
G a r n e r (1 9 7 6 ) s t a t e d t h a t w h i t e - t a i l e d faw n s
s e l e c t e d b ed s i t e s s u r r o u n d e d by h e r b a c e o u s v e g e t a t i o n t h a t s u p p l i e d a
r e l a t i v e l y u n ifo r m l e v e l o f c o n c e a lm e n t r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e v e g e t a t i v e
s p e c i e s c o m p o s i ti o n .
S a lw a s s e r ( 1 9 7 4 a ) n o te d a r e q u i r e m e n t f o r d e n s e
c o v e r an d i n t e r s p e r s i o n o f h a b i t a t t y p e s f o r a n a r e a t o p r o v i d e faw n
b ed s i t e s and f e l t t h a t i n c o v e r d e f i c i e n t a r e a s c o y o te s c o u ld r e a d i l y
t a k e faw n s ( S a lw a s s e r e t a l . , 1 9 7 8 ).
M e a su re m e n ts o f t h e v e g e t a t i o n i n t h e im m e d ia te v i c i n i t y o f faw n .
b e d s i t e s d u r in g t h i s s tu d y i n d i c a t e d a u n ifo r m c o v e r t o 3 dm o r m ore
was c o r r e l a t e d w i t h a r e a s p r o v i d i n g faw n b ed s i t e s .
E n v iro n m e n ta l
f a c t o r s w h ic h d e c r e a s e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f t h e c o v e r r e q u i r e d by faw n s w ould
p r o b a b ly i n c r e a s e t h e i r v u l n e r a b i l i t y
a r e t h e two m a jo r f a c t o r s a f f e c t i n g
to p r e d a tio n .
G r a z in g and d r o u g h t
low l y i n g c o v e r o n t h i s s tu d y a r e a .
G a rn e r (1 9 7 6 ) fo u n d t h a t d a y tim e faw n b e d s i t e s w e re l o c a t e d on r a n g e
s i t e s i n good t o e x c e l l e n t c o n d i t i o n .
H eavy g r a z i n g by c a t t l e on th e
m ore o p e n v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s u n d o u b te d ly r e d u c e s t h e i r a b i l i t y
s e c u r e faw n bed s i t e s .
to p r o v id e
A lo n g te rm d r o u g h t w ould h a v e a s i m i l a r a f f e c t
th r o u g h d e c r e a s e d p r o d u c t i o n o f g r a s s an d f o r b s .
K n o w lto n ( 1 9 6 4 ), C a r r o l l
—A l­
and Brown ( 1 9 7 4 ), M ack ie ( 1 9 7 0 ), and Beasom (1 9 7 4 ) h a v e docum ented
t h e a d v e r s e , e f f e c t s o f d r o u g h t on faw n s u r v i v a l .
An a n o m a lly was
n o te d i n t h a t s h o r t te rm d r o u g h t on t h e a r e a b r o u g h t a b o u t i n c r e a s e d
s u r v i v a l , a t l e a s t t e m p o r a r i l y , by i n c r e a s i n g u s e o f t h e m ore s e c u r e
tim b e r e d t y p e s .
The lo w e r a m b ie n t t e m p e r a t u r e s i n t h e tim b e r e d t y p e s
may h a v e b e e n i n v o lv e d i n faw n bed s i t e s e l e c t i o n a s w as n o te d by
G a r n e r (1 9 7 6 ) f o r w h i t e - t a i l e d faw n s i n O klahom a.
M o rta lity
S t u d i e s o f faw n m o r t a l i t y f o r w h i t e - t a i l e d d e e r (B easom , 1 9 7 4 ;
O 'P e z i o , 1 9 7 8 ; D a v is e t a l . ,
1 9 7 6 ; K n o w lto n , 1964; C a r r o l l and Brown,
1 9 7 4 ; L o g a n , 1 9 7 2 ; Cook e t a l . , 1 9 7 1 ; G a r n e r , 1976) a n d m u le d e e r
( T r a i n e r , 1 9 7 7 ; S a l w a s s e r , 1 9 7 4 a , 1 9 7 4 b , 1978) i n d i c a t e i t s v a r i a b l e
n a tu re .
T he o b s e r v e d m o r t a l i t y r a t e s d u r in g t h i s s tu d y c a n b e s t b e
d e s c r i b e d a s m o d e r a te when com pared t o m u le d e e r faw n m o r t a l i t y r a t e s
o b t a i n e d by w o r k e rs i n o t h e r a r e a s
( T r a i n e r , 1977; S a l w a s s e r , 1 9 7 8 ).
I n a lm o s t a l l c a s e s w h e re faw n s a n d t h e i r p r e d a t o r s o c c u p y t h e same
r a n g e , p r e d a t i o n i s t h e m a jo r f a c t o r i n d e te r m i n in g t h e e x t e n t o f summer
faw n m o r t a l i t y .
T he o n ly e x c e p t i o n t o t h i s h a s b e e n a s tu d y by L ogan
(1 9 7 2 ) w h e re d i s e a s e a s i n f l u e n c e d by h i g h d e e r d e n s i t i e s an d m alnu^
t r i t i o n p la y e d a n i m p o r ta n t r o l e i n faw n m o r t a l i t y .
P o te n tia l p re d a to rs
o f m u le d e e r faw n s on t h e s t u d y a r e a w e re g o ld e n e a g l e s
(AquiZia
o lw ysa eto s)3 b o b c a ts (Lynx PufusJi a n d c o y o te s (Canis la tv a n s) b u t
o n ly t h e l a t t e r h ad a s i g n i f i c a n t e f f e c t o n faw n m o r t a l i t y .
D a ta fro m t h i s s tu d y i n d i c a t e p e r i o d s o f m a jo r m o r t a l i t y c a n o c c u r
a t a n y tim e fro m p a r t u r i t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e sum m er.
P r e v io u s w ork by
S a lw a s s e r (1 9 7 4 a , 1 9 7 4 b , 1 9 7 8 ) , K no w lto n ( 1 9 6 4 ), T r a i n e r ( 1 9 7 7 ), L ogan
( 1 9 7 2 ) , W h ite (1 9 6 6 ), Cook e t a I . ( 1 9 7 1 ) , a n d J u l a n d e r an d R o b i n e t t e (1 9 5 0 )
h a v e i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f m o r t a l i t y was c o n f i n e d t o t h e f i r s t
few w eek s o f l i f e .
D i f f e r e n t i a l m o r t a l i t y o f m a le fa w n s h a s b e e n r e ­
p o r te d by J a c k s o n e t a l .
( 1 9 7 2 ), W h ite ( 1 9 6 6 ), K n o w lto n ( 1 9 6 4 ) , and
T a b e r and Dasm ann (1 9 5 4 ) a n d was f e l t t o b e r e l a t e d t o i n c r e a s e d a c t i v i t y
l e v e l s o n t h e p a r t o f m a le s .
D a ta fro m t h i s s tu d y te n d t o s u p p o r t t h e
c o n c l u s i o n s o f T r a i n e r (1 9 7 7 ) a n d R o b i n e t t e e t a l .
(1957).
in th a t
d i f f e r e n t i a l m o r t a l i t y i n m a le m u le d e e r faw n s o c c u r s a f t e r t h e f i r s t
summer o f l i f e .
P a t t e r n s o f k i l l i n g a n d c o n s u m p tio n w e re s i m i l a r t o
t h o s e r e p o r t e d f o r c o y o te s e ls e w h e r e (W h ite , 1 9 7 3 ).
H eavy u t i l i z a t i o n
o f faw n c a r c a s s e s by c o y o te s o n t h e a r e a d u r in g b o t h y e a r s w as s i m i l a r
t o t h a t r e p o r t e d by W h ite (1 9 7 3 ) i n a y e a r w hen c o y o te f o o d s w e re much
l e s s a b u n d a n t t h a n n o r m a l.
T h e r e w as no e v id e n c e o f c o y o te s c a v a g in g o f
faw n s t h a t h a d d i e d fro m o t h e r c a u s e s .
D a ta fro m a e r i a l s u r v e y s on t h e a r e a
(H a m lin , p e r s . conun.) i n d i c a t e
t h a t t h e s a m p le s i z e s o f t e l e m e t e r e d fa w n s i n t h i s s t u d y w e re a d e q u a te
t o p r o v i d e e s t i m a t i o n s o f summer faw n m o r t a l i t y .
T he p r o x im a te f a c t o r s o f faw n m o r t a l i t y w e re d o c u m e n ted d u r in g t h i s
s t u d y b u t t h e u l t i m a t e r e a s o n o r r e a s o n s f o r t h i s m o r t a l i t y re m a in
e lu s iv e .
A ls o t h e e x t e n t t o w h ic h t h e m o r t a l i t y o c c u r r i n g i s o f a
-4 3 c o m p e n s a to ry n a t u r e h a s y e t t o b e d e te r m i n e d .
r a t i o s o n t h e a r e a d u r in g t h e f a l l a n d w i n t e r
D e c l in i n g fa w n :d o e
(H a m lin , 1 977) i n d i c a t e
m a jo r m o r t a l i t y c a n o c c u r d u r in g t h e s e p e r i o d s .
D a ta fro m t h i s s tu d y
p o i n t t o a n e e d f o r m ore i n f o r m a t i o n on t h o s e f a c t o r s w h ic h i n f l u e n c e
faw n s u r v i v a l d u r i n g t h e f a l l and e a r l y w i n t e r i n o r d e r t o m ore f u l l y
a p p r e c i a t e t h e p o t e n t i a l i n f l u e n c e o f p r e d a t o r s on m u le d e e r p o p u l a t i o n s
i n th e B re a k s.
LITERATURE CITED
LITERATURE CITED
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J . W il d l. M anage. 3 8 ( 4 ) :
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1 9 7 4 . W h i t e - t a i l e d d e e r faw n s u r v i v a l .
T e x a s P a r k s and W i l d l i f e D e p t. F e d . A id P r o j . F i n a l R ep. W -92-R -11
25 p p . M u l t i l i t h . ,
C a u g h le y , G. .1 9 6 6 .
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E c o lo g y .
4 7 (6 ):
______ .
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T e x a s P a r k s an d W i l d l i f e D e p t. F e d . A id P r o j .
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W ic h ita M o u n ta in s , Comanche C o u n ty , O klahom a. P h .D . T h e s i s .
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s h i p s , an d r e l a t i o n s t o l i v e s t o c k g r a z i n g m anagem ent an d e l k i n
t h e M is s o u r i R iv e r B r e a k s , M o n ta n a . In : M ontana D e e r S t u d i e s .
J o b C om pl. R e p ., M ont. F e d , A id P r o j . W -120-R -8. p p , 8 4 -1 0 4 .
H a rv e y , M. J . and R. W. B a r b o u r.
1 9 6 5 . Home r a n g e o f M iorotus
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J .
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M. S . T h e s i s . U n iv . o f M o n t., M is s o u l a .
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5 3 (2 ):
. 2 6 2 -2 7 0 .
J u l a n d e r , 0 . , an d W. L . R o b i n e t t e .
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r e l a t i o n s h i p s o n Oak C re e k R ange i n U ta h . J . F o r .
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4 1 0 -4 1 5
K n o w les, C. J . 1 9 75. R ange r e l a t i o n s h i p s o f m u le d e e r , e l k and c a t t l e
i n a r e s t - r o t a t i o n g r a z i n g s y s te m d u r in g summer a n d f a l l .
M. S .
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I l l pp.
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D eer S t u d i e s .
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_____ _.
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Game.
11 p p . M u l t i l i t h .
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77 p p .
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a n d r e l a t i o n s t o l i v e s t o c k g r a z i n g m anagem ent an d e l k i n t h e
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______
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APPENDIX
APPENDIX
Fawn M o r t a l i t y C a se H i s t o r i e s
CASE NO. I
Unmarked, faw n fo u n d d u r in g t a g g i n g p e r i o d .
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 6 /1 5 /7 6
Sex - M ale
The c a r c a s s w as l o c a t e d by a t a g g i n g c re w on a n e a s t s l o p e ( 5 - 1 0 ° )
in a n o ld b u rn w ith ju n ip e r c o v e r.
The d o e had b e e n o b s e rv e d i n
t h e v i c i n i t y and w as v e r y r e l u c t a n t t o l e a v e .
R em ains c o n s i s t e d
o f t h a t p o r t i o n o f t h e faw n from t h e p e l v i s p o s t e r i o r l y i n c l u d i n g
b o t h h in d l im b s .
T he b l a d d e r w as i n t a c t and f u l l o f u r i n e .
on t h e h o o v e s i n d i c a t e d th e faw n had b e e n a c t i v e p r e v i o u s l y .
Mud
No
o t h e r r e m a in s w e re l o c a t e d and no h e m o rrh a g e s w e re fo u n d d u r in g
n e c ro p sy .
The r e m a in s o f t h e faw n had b e e n p u l l e d u n d e r a j u n i p e r
an d w e re w e l l h id d e n .
CASE NO. 2
C a u se o f d e a t h was unknown.
Fawn No. 4 .
D a te l a s t o b s e rv e d a l i v e - 6 / 2 3 /7 6
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 6 /2 8 /7 6
Sex - M ale
The c a r c a s s w as l o c a t e d oh a n o r th w e s t s l o p e ( 1 0 - 1 5 ° ) i n t h e P i n u s J u n ip e r u s v e g e ta tio n ty p e in an o ld b u rn a r e a .
R em ains w e re fo u n d
,u n d e r a j u n i p e r w i t h d e n s e c o v e r o f s n o w b e rry and b i g s a g e b r u s h i n
t h e im m e d ia te v i c i n i t y .
The d o e w as o b s e rv e d 50 m fro m t h e c a r c a s s
a n d a g a i n seem ed r e l u c t a n t t o l e a v e .
H e rb a c e o u s v e g e t a t i o n a ro u n d
-5 1 t h e faw n was m a t t e d , p r o b a b ly due t o f e e d i n g a c t i v i t y o f c o y o te s .
T he c a r c a s s w as f r e s h and r i g o r m o r t i s had n o t s e t i n .
That
p o r t i o n o f t h e faw n p o s t e r i o r fro m t h e s c a p u l a s had b e e n com-:
p l e t e l y consum ed w i t h o n ly t h e lo w e r p o r t i o n s o f t h e h in d lim b s
r e m a in i n g .
S p l i n t e r e d b o n e and t o r n m u s c le i n d i c a t i n g p r e d a t o r
f e e d i n g w e re o b s e r v e d on t h e e x p o s e d p o r t i o n s o f t h e c a r c a s s .
No h e m o rrh a g e s w e re fo u n d on t h e r e m a in in g p o r t i o n s o f t h e h in d
lim b s .
The v i s c e r a h ad b e e n c o m p l e te l y consum ed.
M a s s iv e s u b ­
c u ta n e o u s h e m o rrh a g e s w e re fo u n d on t h e i n s i d e o f t h e u p p e r p o r t i o n
o f t h e r i g h t f r o n t l i m b . The r i g h t e a r was t o r n a n d p u n c tu r e m ark s
w i t h a s s o c i a t e d s u b s u r f a c e h e m o rrh a g e s w e re l o c a t e d b e lo w t h e
r i g h t e y e , on to p o f t h e s k u l l a n d i n t h e t h r o a t r e g i o n p o s t e r i o r
to th e ja w s .
B ones a n t e r i o r t o t h e l e f t e y e a n d t h e d o r s a l s u r f a c e
o f t h e s k u l l w e re f r a c t u r e d .
L i t t e r w as fo u n d i n t h e m outh a n d was
p r o b a b l y p ic k e d up d u r in g t h e d e a t h t h r o e s .
E v id e n c e i n d i c a t e d
c o y o te p r e d a t i o n a s th e c a u s e o f m o r t a l i t y .
CASE NO. 3 Fawn No. 8 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 7 / 2 8 /7 6
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 8 / 1 / 7 6
'Sex. - M ale '
The c a r c a s s w as l o c a t e d . i n a n a rro w c o u le e b o tto m w i t h sn o w b e rry
and c h o k e c h e r r y p r o v i d i n g a d e n s e c o v e r n e a r b y .
H e r b a c e o u s .v e g e t a ­
t i o n was m a tte d down i n s e v e r a l a r e a s a ro u n d t h e r a d i o .
C a rc ass
-5 2 r e m a in s c o n s i s t e d o f o n e h in d lim b, a n d p e l v i c b o n e w i t h m o st o f
t h e s k e l e t a l m u s c le rem oved an d s e v e r a l s m a ll bo n e f r a g m e n ts and
p i e c e s o f h a i r s c a t t e r e d 5 - 10 m fro m t h e r a d i o .
T he r a d i o
c o l l a r had s e v e r a l b lo o d s p o t s on t h e e l a s t i c b a n d a n d t e e t h
m ark s w e re e v i d e n t o n t h e r a d i o an d a n t e n n a .
Fawn t r a c k s w e re
l o c a t e d p r o c e e d in g up t h e c o u le e t o w h e re t h e r a d i o w as fo u n d and
c o y o te t r a c k s w e re e v i d e n t a ro u n d t h e c o l l a r l o c a t i o n .
S ite
e v id e n c e an d a c h a n g e fro m t h e p r e v i o u s d a y s r a d i o l o c a t i o n
i n d i c a t e p r o b a b l e c o y o te p r e d a t i o n a s t h e c a u s e o f m o r t a l i t y .
CASE NO. 4
Fawn No. 9 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 7 / 4 /7 6
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 7 / 7 /7 6
Sex - M ale
T he r a d i o was fo u n d i n a d e n s e p a t c h o f j u n i p e r , s n o w b e rry and r o s e .
The c a r c a s s h ad b e e n c o m p l e te l y c o n su m e d .
M a tte d v e g e t a t i o n , c o y o te
t r a c k s , s c a t s a n d h a i r w e re fo u n d i n t h e a r e a a ro u n d t h e r a d i o .
T e e th m a rk s w e re e v i d e n t on t h e r a d i o a n d a n t e n n a .
S i t e e v id e n c e
a n d a c h a n g e fro m t h e p r e v i o u s d a y s r a d i o l o c a t i o n i n d i c a t e p r o b a b l e
c o y o te p r e d a t i o n a s t h e c a u s e o f m o r t a l i t y .
CASE NO. 5
Fawn No. 1 0 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 7 / 1 6 /7 6
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 7 / 1 7 /7 6
Sex - F e m a le
1—5 3 The c a r c a s s was fo u n d a t t h e b a s e o f a j u n i p e r on a n o r t h s l o p e
(1 0 -1 5 °) in th e P in u s -J u n ip e r u s v e g e ta tio n ty p e .
The p o r t i o n
o f t h e c a r c a s s r e m a in in g c o n s i s t e d o f t h e a n t e r i o r h a l f o f t h e
faw n and s e v e r a l f r a g m e n ts o f v a r i o u s b o n e s l o c a t e d fro m I t o 20 m
fro m th e c a r c a s s .
H a ir had b e e n ru b b e d o f f b e lo w t h e l e f t ey e and
e a r and th e p o s t e r i o r p o r tio n o f th e r i g h t e a r i n d ic a ti n g th e
c a r c a s s had b e e n p u l l e d some d i s t a n c e b e f o r e b e in g co n su m ed .
B le e d in g was e v i d e n t fro m t h e r i g h t e a r and t e e t h m a rk s w e re s e e n
a t t h e b a s e an d 3 cm b e lo w t h e e a r .
The d o r s a l s u r f a c e o f th e
s k u l l w as f r a c t u r e d and s u b c u ta n e o u s h e m o rrh a g e s w e re p r e s e n t a t
a ll b ite s ite s .
B i t e m ark s and a s s o c i a t e d h e m o rrh a g e s w e re a l s o
p r e s e n t 6 cm b e lo w t h e l e f t e a r and a m a s s iv e h e m o rrh a g e was
e v id e n t a t th e b a s e o f th e s k u l l .
H em o rrh ag es an d b i t e m ark s w e re
p r e s e n t on t h e a n t e r i o r p a r t o f t h e s te rn u m and t h e u p p e r p o r t i o n
o f t h e r i g h t lim b .
The v i s c e r a w as c o m p le te ly co nsum ed.
was p r e s e n t on t h e r a d i o a n d a n t e n n a .
B lood
C o y o te t r a c k s a n d s c a t s
i n d i c a t e d c o y o te p r e d a t i o n a s t h e c a u s e o f m o r t a l i t y .
CASE NO. 6
Fawn No. 1 4 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 6 /1 5 /7 7
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 6 /2 0 /7 7
Sex - F e m ale
The r a d i o c o l l a r was r e c o v e r e d on a n o r th w e s t s l o p e ( 1 0 -1 5 ° ) i n
t h e P s e u d o t s u g a - J u n i p e r u s v e g e t a t i o n ty p e 20 m fro m a n a c t i v e
-5 4 c o y o te d e n . • C a r c a s s r e m a in s c o n s i s t e d o f s e v e r a l s m a ll p a tc h e s o f
h a ir.
The r a d i o p a c k a g e an d a n te n n a had num erous t e e t h m a rk s .
C a u se o f m o r t a l i t y c o u ld n o t b e d e t e r m i n e d »
CASE NO. 7
Fawn No. 17.
D a te l a s t o b s e rv e d a l i v e - 8 / 2 /7 7
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 8 / 6 /7 7
Sex - M ale
The c a r c a s s was l o c a t e d i n a d e n s e p a t c h o f w illo w s b o r d e r i n g a
s m a l l mud f l a t i n t h e P o p u lu s -S y m p h o r ic a rp o s v e g e t a t i o n t y p e .
The
r a d i o c o l l a r w as d i s c o v e r e d 30 m fro m t h e c a r c a s s w i t h a l l seam s
e x p a n d e d an d t h e e l a s t i c band s n a p p e d .
T h re e l a r g e p a t c h e s o f
b lo o d w e re l o c a t e d on t h e mud f l a t a p p r o x i m a t e ly 10 m fro m th e
c a rc a ss.
Num erous c o y o te t r a c k s a n d s c a t s fro m a d u l t and young
w e re p r e s e n t a t t h e s i t e .
T ra ck s of th e doe s u g g e ste d re p e a te d
e f f o r t s to r u n t h e . c o y o t e s fro m t h e c a r c a s s .
C a r c a s s r e m a in s ,
c o n s is te d of th e head , n eck , th o r a c ic w a ll, f o re lim b s , v e r te b r a ,
an d s k e l e t a l s t r u c t u r e s o f t h e h in d l i m b s .
The v i s c e r a had b e e n
c o m p le te ly consum ed a s had t h e s k e l e t a l m u s c le and h i d e fro m t h e
b a c k an d h in d lim b s .
The l e f t s c a p u l a , hum erus an d r i b c a g e w e re
e x p o s e d and s k e l e t a l m u s c le c o n su m e d .
r i g h t s i d e had b e e n p a r t i a l l y c o n su m ed .
The p o s t e r i o r r i b s on th e
B o th e a r s had b e e n c o n ­
sumed an d b i t e m ark s and a s s o c i a t e d h e m o rrh a g e s w e re v i s i b l e b e lo w
t h e l e f t e y e , on t h e t h r o a t p o s t e r i o r t o t h e j a w s , and oh th e
d o r s a l s u r f a c e .of t h e s k u l l .
T he r i g h t f r o n t a l b o n e o f t h e s k u l l
-5 5 was f r a c t u r e d ,
CASE NO. 8
C au se o f d e a t h was c o y o te p r e d a t i o n .
Fawn No. 1 9 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 8 /1 4 /7 7
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 8 /1 7 /7 7
Sex - F e m ale
The r a d i o c o l l a r and c a r c a s s r e m a in s w e re r e c o v e r e d o n a s o u th w e s t
s lo p e (1 0 -1 5 °) i n th e P in u s -J u n ip e r u s v e g e ta tio n ty p e .
The r a d i o
c o l l a r h ad b e e n b u r i e d i n a s m a ll d e p r e s s i o n and c o v e r e d w i t h
litte r.
Num erous t e e t h m ark s w e re v i s i b l e on t h e r a d i o an d a n te n n a
an d s e v e r a l s m a ll b lo o d s p o t s w e re fo u n d on t h e e l a s t i c b a n d .
C a r c a s s r e m a in s c o n s i s t e d o f t h e c o n t e n t s o f t h e rum en and num erous
s m a ll b o n e f r a g m e n ts and b i t s o f h a i r .
The r e m a in s w e re l o c a t e d
up t o 35 m fro m t h e r a d i o and n u m ero u s c o y o te t r a c k s w e re p r e s e n t
a t th e s i t e .
S i t e e v id e n c e i n d i c a t e d p r o b a b l e c o y o te p r e d a t i o n a s
th e c a u se o f m o r ta lity .
CASE NO. 9
Fawn No. 2 2 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 8 / 1 9 /7 7
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 8 /2 4 /7 7
Sex .- F e m ale
The r a d i o c o l l a r w as r e c o v e r e d on a f l a t r i d g e to p i n t h e A r t e m i s i a A g ro p y ro n v e g e t a t i o n t y p e .
T he e l a s t i c
c o l l a r h ad s n a p p e d and
n um erous t e e t h m a rk s w e re e v i d e n t on t h e r a d i o a n d a n te n n a a lo n g
w i t h a few s m a l l b lo o d s p o t s .
B i t s o f h a i r w e re fo u n d 30 m from
-5 6 t h e c o l l a r a lo n g w i t h many c o y o te t r a c k s .
S i t e e v id e n c e i n d i c a t e d
p r o b a b l e c o y o te p r e d a t i o n a s t h e c a u s e o f m o r t a l i t y .
CASE NO. 10
Fawn No. 2 3 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 8 / 3 /7 7
D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 8 / 7 /7 7
Sex - F e m ale
C a r c a s s w t. - 1 5 .9 kg
The c o m p le te c a r c a s s was r e c o v e r e d on a s t e e p
(3 5 -4 0 °) n o r th e a s t
s lo p e i n th e P s e u d o ts u g a -J u n ip e ru s v e g e ta tio n ty p e .
e a r w as t o r n a lo n g t h e l a t e r a l a s p e c t .
The r i g h t
N um erous l i n e a r f o c i o f
e p id e r m a l t e a r i n g w e re n o te d b i l a t e r a l l y v e n t r a l t o t h e e a r .
T h e s e d e f e c t s w e re c o v e r e d by a h a rd e n e d e x u d a te .
T h r e e p u n c tu r e
w ounds w e re n o te d b e tw e e n t h e l e g s a n d on t h e p a rin e u m .
were c o v e re d a n d a p p e a r s e a l e d by e x u d a te .
The t h i r d
o f t h e m i d l i n e b e tw e e n t h e l e g s , re m a in e d o p e n .
s e v e r e and i n v o lv e d a l l o r g a n s .
Two
to th e r ig h t
A u t o l y s i s was
T he rum en w as f u l l o f v e g e t a t i o n
an d m il k c u r d s an d t h e r e was a n e x c e s s Of h e m o g lo b in s t a i n e d f l u i d
i n t h e t h o r a c i c and a b d o m in a l c a v i t i e s .
A s m a ll d e f e c t n e a r th e
m i d l i n e o f t h e l e f t f r o n t a l b o n e w as n o t e d .
T h ere a p p e are d to be
a s m a ll s p u r o f b o n e o n t h e i n n e r a s p e c t o f t h i s b o n e .
T h is d e a th ,
i s p r o b a b l y r e l a t e d t o a t r a u m a t i c e p is o d e w i t h a p r e d a t o r a t
some e a r l i e r t im e .
CASE NO. 11
Fawn No. 2 6 .
D a te l a s t o b s e r v e d a l i v e - 6 /2 3 /7 7
-5 7 D a te c a r c a s s l o c a t e d - 6 /2 6 /7 7
Sex - M ale
C a r c a s s w t. - 5 .9 kg
The c a r c a s s w as r e c o v e r e d fro m a s m a l l p o o l o f w a t e r i n a d e e p ly
e n tr e n c h e d h e a d c u t i n t h e A rtem iaia lo n g ifo tia v e g e t a t i o n t y p e .
Mud a p p r o x i m a t e ly 30 cm d e e p s u r r o u n d e d t h e p o o l o f w a t e r .
w as no e v id e n c e o f . e x t e r n a l tr a u m a .
n aso and o ro p h ary n x and la r y n x .
a n d lu n g s c o n g e s t e d .
T h e re
Mud and d e b r i s o b s t r u c t e d t h e
The t r a c h e a w as f u l l o f f r o t h
The abomasum w as f u l l o f m il k c u r d .
S ite
e v id e n c e i n d i c a t e d a r a p i d d e a t h d u e t o s u f f o c a t i o n a f t e r a c c i d e n t a l
a s p i r a t i o n o f l i q u i d , mud and d e b r i s .
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