White-Tailed Deer Migration and Its Role in Wolf Predation

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Abstract
White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus (17) were radio-tagged in winter yards and tracked for up to 17 mo. each (881 locations) from Jan. 1973-Aug. 1974 in the central Superior National Forest of NE Minnesota[USA] following a drastic decline in deer numbers. Ten wolves Canis lupus from 7 packs in the same area were radiotracked before and/or during the same period (703 locations). Deer had winter ranges averaging 26.4 ha. Spring migration took place from 26 March to 23 April and was related to loss of snow cover. Deer generally migrated ENE in straight-line distances of 10.0 to 38.0 km to summer ranges. Two fawns did not migrate. Arrival on summer ranges was between 19 April and 18 May, and summer ranges varied from 48.1-410.4 ha. Migration back to the same winter yards took place in early Dec., coincident with snow accumulation and low temperatures. Social grouping appeared strongest during migration and winter yarding. Survival of the radio-tagged deer was studied through 1 May 1975. Four deer were killed by wolves, 1 was poached and 1 drowned. Mean age of the captured deer was 5.4 yr and estimated minimum survival after capture was 2.6 years, giving an estimated total minimum survival of 8.0 yr. This unusually high survival rate appeared to be related to the fact the both winter and summer ranges of these deer were situated along wolf-pack territory edges rather than in centers. In addition, most summer ranges of the radio-tagged deer were along major waterways where the deer could escape wolves.

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