Capturing and Marking White-Tailed Deer Fawns

Abstract

In an enclosed herd of 200-450 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Virginia, almost half the fawn population has been captured each year for 4 years (165 individuals) by searching from a vehicle and following three rules: (1) Concentrate on single does, (2) do not leave the vehicle until a fawn is sighted, and (3) make a noisy, fast approach so that the fawn will drop. The techniques used for uniquely marking each animal with colored ear tags and streamers for visual identification are described. In spite of extensive deer research, there is still a need for basic life-equation and behavioral information. The capture and marking of large numbers of fawns would provide knowledge of reproduction, sex ratios, mortality, movements, and behavior; provide a basis for census and population studies; and assure a supply of known-age animals. Workers have been able to capture and mark only a limited number of white-tailed deer fawns because techniques for capture have not been well known. We have been working since 1965 with an expanding herd of 200-450 deer in a 2,322-acre enclosure near Dublin, Va. The habitat is primarily rolling, abandoned pastureland with occasional clumps of mature hardwoods, scattered cedars (Juniperus spp.), and several young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations. An extensive road system provides good visibility of 1 Cooperatively supported by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries, and Wildlife Management Institute. i e esearch, there nearly 90 percent of the area. During 1965 through 1968 we experienced excellent success in capturing 165 fawns for marking and have developed methods that we feel may benefit other workers. Thanks are due to personnel of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant for cooperation in this study. Special gratitude is due J. W. Sevareid and D. G. Weeks. CAPTURING TECHNIQUES Understanding doe behavior is the key to successfully capturing fawns. Some does isolate themselves a day or two before parturition while others apparently wait until the new fawns are born before driving off their yearlings. A doe with a very young fawn remains alone near the fawn's hiding place and looks nervously in that direction several times per minute. Does nurse newborn fawns frequently, at which times they are easily seen. If cover conditions make it impossible to observe a standing fawn, the doe may reveal its presence by licking it or ly 90 percent of the area. During 1965 ugh 1968 w experienced excellent sucin capturing 165 fawns for marking and e developed methods that w feel may efit other workers. ks are due to personnel of the Radrmy A mun tion Plant for cooperain this study. Special gratitude is due . Sevareid and D. G. Weeks. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.102 on Fri, 23 Dec 2016 04:56:43 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 712 Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 33, No. 3, July 1969 looking intently down at it. We found it was more efficient to drive the roads to look for solitary does nursing their fawns than to search on foot each area watched by a doe. A doe suspected of having a fawn nearby was rechecked every half-hour until she was seen with the fawn. Persistence usually resulted in a fawn capture. On seven occasions we observed does attempting to hide by lowering themselves into the tall grass. On five of these occasions, fawns were found close by. Such behavior warrants a search of the area on foot. Fawns instinctively follow any object that moves slowly. If a doe wishes her fawn to follow, she walks slowly and looks back frequently. If she wishes it to she makes one or more very high bounds, with tail raised, as she leaves the area. Many does make a high bound and run a short distance at the first sight of a vehicle. Such behavior does not warrant a search of the area on foot, as the fawn may be some distance away and the doe may move it if a search is made. The best strategy is to keep driving but to return often. Most of the fawns captured were taken without a chase. The trick was to induce the doe to give the high bounding drop signal. This signal was usually invoked by a very noisy initial rush, making full use of auto horn, engine, brakes, shouts, and yells. Fawns more than 10 days old tended to ignore the doe's signal to drop, but frequently dropped if frightened enough by the noise. A trained dog is helpful in making the rush more effective. A dog can sometimes capture fawns up to 3 weeks old, if it does not lose sight of them. In our studies, only 10 percent additional success was gained through use of a trained dog, but if much of the work were to be done on foot, a dog could be helpful in scenting older fawns. Twin fawns generally were not found together after about 2 days of age. Approximately half of the does studied had twins, but only nine sets of twins were tagged at the same location. It is not known whether the separation of twins was characteristic behavior or due to chance, such as one fawn more readily following the doe than the other. Behavior patterns vary considerably among individuals, making it difficult to establish firm procedural guidelines. However, our success in capturing nearly half of the fawn population every year of the study is the result of generally following three rules: (1) in the interest of efficiency, ignore groups of deer and concentrate on single does; (2) do not leave the vehicle until a fawn is sighted; and (3) make a noisy, fast approach.