Reproductive Dynamics among Disjunct White-Tailed Deer Herds in Florida

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Reproductive tracts from 380 female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), collected by monthly sampling between July 1978 and January 1981, were examined to compare the timing of breeding and levels of fecundity among herds located in four geographic sectors of Florida: Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) in northwestern Florida; Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in northern Florida; Tosohatchee State Preserve in central Florida; and Rotenberger WMA in southern Florida. Tosohatchee State Preserve and portions of Eglin AFB were closed to hunting. Timing of reproduction was as much as 6 months asynchronous among herds; mean breeding dates were: Rotenberger, 10 August; Tosohatchee, 7 October; Blanding, 2 November; and Eglin, 22 February. Prevalence of pregnancy was 93% and 92% among yearlings and adults, respectively; only 4 (14%) of 28 fawns were pregnant. Mean number of fetuses per pregnant doe for different breeding age-classes was: yearlings, 1.14; 2 1/2 years, 1.31; 3 1/2 years, 1.26; and 4 1/2+ years, 1.38. None of 186 pregnant does had triplets, 28% had twins, and 72% had singletons. Productivity was higher on hunted than on nonhunted sites. Incidence of twinning was 38% on hunted and 14% on nonhunted sites. The fetal sex ratio was 56% and 39% males on hunted and nonhunted sites, respectively. Productivity of Florida deer herds was less than that reported for other herds in eastern North America.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: