Effects of reopening hunting on survival of White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, Quebec

Between 1996 and 1998, 59 White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in two major wintering areas in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, Quebec, were fitted with radio collars and followed using telemetry. The study period coincide d with the reopening of hunting following three years of closure. Diminishe d deer numbers had been linked to severe winters intensified by Coyote pred ation. During the hunting moratorium, starvation, predation and vehicle col lisions were the principal causes of deer mortality. Following the moratori um, hunting became the main cause of adult mortality (39% of known deaths) while starvation mostly affected fawns (13% of known deaths). Contrary to e xpectations, annual survival of adult females (0.73) did not differ statist ically from that of adult males (0.66), despite firearm hunting being permi tted only on adult males. It seems that accidental hunting and poaching of females in addition to bow hunting harvest lowered female survival rate and limited the possibility of population growth. Eastern Quebec provides marg inal habitat for deer due to severe winters. We thus conclude that maintena nce of White-tailed Deer populations in this region requires strict adheren ce by hunters to hunting regulations, in addition to intensive management o f wintering areas and supplementary feeding during harsh winters.