Die-Offs among the White-Tailed Deer in the Edwards Plateau of Texas

Abstract

mortality took place in the 1920's. But the Kaibab is a country of considerable altitude and is characterized, like the northern states, by long cold winters. On the Kaibab not only did the deer protection increase beyond the carrying capacity of the immediately available forage, but the hungry horde progressively destroyed one favored foodplant after the other. Die-offs in warm environments at relatively low altitudes in the Southwest are less well known. Seemingly it is unexpected that under the apparently favorable climatic, soil, and food conditions of the southern country there should be anything but abounding vitality, maximum numbers, and invariable success in the deer herds. But such, unfortunately, is far from the case, and in parts of central Texas, at least, experience suggests that rather high mortality may be expected at all too short intervals.