EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND HUNTING ON HOME RANGES OF FEMALE WHITE-TAILED DEER

Insight into the effects of agricultural activities and hunting on dee r could be used to facilitate management. We examined home range chara cteristics of female white-tailed deer (Odocoilcus virginianus relativ e to corn development, corn harvest, and hunting seasons from 1991 to 1993. Among 30 radiomarked does. 53% (n = 16) remained residents of De Soto National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR) throughout the study; 47% (n = 14 ) were transients. Among the transients, 30% (n = 9) permanently emigr ated from DNWR and 17% (n = 5) migrated annually. Dispersal occured in April and May. Annual home ranges of resident does averaged 170 ha (C I = 38, n = 14). Home range centers shifted an average of 174 m (CI = 74, n = 14) closer to cornfields when corn was in the tasseling-silkin g stage of development. After corn han est, home range centers shifted 157 m (CI = 63, n = 12) away from crop fields and into areas of perma nent cover. Home range sizes increased 32% (9-64% CI) after corn harve st because does were forced to find and use other sources of cover and food. Resident does that caused local crop damage during the growing season were available for hunter han est in the same areas where they caused damage. Migrators appeared especially vulnerable because they w ere exposed to state firearm and archery seasons and the DNWR 3-day mu zzleloader hunt. Of all tagged deer, 20% of transients (3 of 15) were harvested legally; whereas 40% of residents (8 of 20) were harvested. Harvest or removal to reduce crop damage around large areas of permane nt cover should br conducted in early to mid-fall, which can reduce de er densities in the immediate area but not impose additional hunting p ressure on migratory deer.