Mr. Bertrand et al., EFFECTS OF PARTURITION ON HOME RANGES AND SOCIAL AFFILIATIONS OF FEMALE WHITE-TAILED DEER, The Journal of wildlife management, 60(4), 1996, pp. 899-909
The effects of parturition, contraceptive treatment, and a buck harves
t on home range sizes and social affiliations of 48 female white-taile
d deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied in a 176-ha enclosure in
southern Connecticut. Population density was reduced from 68 deer/km(2
) to 39 deer/km(2) in late 1992 through removal of 51 bucks. The male:
female sex ratio changed from 3:2 to 1:2. Concurrently, 24 does were t
reated with experimental contraceptives. Kernel home ranges enclosing
95 and 50% of each doe's utilization distribution were calculated for
2 6-week periods following parturition in 1992 (pre-harvest), and 4 6-
week periods in 1993 (post-harvest): 1 period before and 3 periods fol
lowing parturition. Mean home range size and frequency of association
with other does were significantly greater following the harvest. Lact
ating does occupied smaller home ranges than non-lactating does only i
n the post-harvest year. Lactating does associated with other does les
s frequently than did non-lactating does in all periods and both years
. Frequency of association was lowest during the first 6 weeks followi
ng parturition. The proportion of significant social interactions betw
een pairs of does did not change between years. Contraceptive treatmen
t had no effect on home range size, but led to a lower frequency of so
cial affiliations. Our results indicate parturition led to smaller hom
e ranges and lowered sociability among does with fawns for 6 weeks pre
-partum and 12-18 weeks postpartum in the post-harvest year, but these
effects were partly masked in the pre-harvest year, when population d
ensity was highest.