Birth and Fawn Bed Site Selection by Pronghorns in a Sagebrush-Steppe Community

Abstract

In a sagebrush-steppe community in southcentral Wyoming, we measured shrub canopy cover and height at 13 pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn birth sites and 50 fawn bedding sites and compared them to measurements we made at 47 random points in areas infrequently used by parturient pronghorn. Birth sites and bed sites were similar (P=0.96) in shrub cover but differed from random points (P=0.015 and P=0.002, respectively). Plant height was not significantly different between birth sites, bedding sites, or random points measured in low use areas. In a second study, we fitted 7 pronghorn fawns (3-5 days old) with solar-powered radio transmitters and relocated them daily for 3 weeks