Spatial Interactions of Yarded White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus

Authors

  • Michael E. Nelson U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37th St. SE, Jamestown, North Dakota 58401
  • Glen A. Sargeant U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37th St. SE, Jamestown, North Dakota 58401

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v122i3.602

Keywords:

White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, GPS tracking, movements, space use, home-range overlap, radio-tracking, spatial interaction, Minnesota

Abstract

We examined the spatial interactions of nine female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in two deeryards (winter aggregations) in northeastern Minnesota during February-April 1999. Global positioning system (GPS) collars yielded seven pair-wise comparisons of deer that were located at the same time (≤1 minute apart) and that used overlapping areas. Deer traveled separately and did not associate with one another. Within overlapping areas, comparisons of distances between deer and distances between random locations indicated deer moved without regard to each other. Similarly, comparisons of observed and expected probabilities of deer using areas overlapping those of other deer also evinced that deer moved independently.

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