Some Seasonal and Physiological Effects on 137Cs and 89,90Sr Content of the White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus Virginianus

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Abstract
89, 90Sr in bone and 137Cs in muscle tissue were detected in 369 white-tailed deer, O. virginianus, collected during 1965 and 1966 on the Savannah River Plant site. The radiostrontium content of the bones varied with the age of the deer Bone ash of fawn (0-11 months) contained an average of 99 pCi89, 90Sr/g Ca, but bone ash of deer over 3 yr old averaged only 50 pCi 89, 90Sr/g Ca. Size, sex, and season had no apparent effect on uptake of 89,90gSr in bone. 89 90Sr averaged < 1 pCi/g of other tissues. Deer collected in the fall and winter months had significantly higher concentrations of 137Cs in flesh and rumen (6.1 and 8.9 pCi/g, respectively) than did deer collected in the spring and summer (2.2 and 3.3 pCi/g, respectively), although maximum deposition of fallout 137Cs occurs m the spring. At the 95% confidence level, small (95-115 cm) deer had higher 137Cs concentrations than larger deer.
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