Subject: Deer at camp ripley
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 15:10:18
Becky,
There has been another mortality due to automobile on the south study site.
The animal frequency is 165.223. Both mortalities have been due to cars and
on the south site. About 6 deer in the south and 4 in the north have
migrated, 1 165.983 in the south site has moved about 14 miles southwest of
camp. The others seem to be inhabiting the same areas as they had in winter
and should be easy for your groups to locate from the established
positions. I am calculating the home range sizes and will relay them to you
if you would like. Good luck with the locating.
I will keep you posted on the movements and information I gather.
Buck
Subject: deer information
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 16:50:37
Becky, The two numbers for the deer are the right and left ear tags which give us a small bit of insurance that the animal will retain at least one tag until it dies. The collars are also a means of id if the animal were to die.
Buck
Subject: Re: Questions from kids - Becky
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:53:49 -0500
Hi Becky, (Question: Why don't you collar bucks - you only collar does?) Good question. We could collar bucks by using not styrofoam, but a softer, more degradable foam that you can buy in the local Wal-Mart. However, the size of a buck's neck can vary so much within a the year, and additionally, the sizes can vary so much from individual to individual, that collaring any buck is a tricky matter. You run the risk of causing severe hair breakage or loss or more serious health-threatening injuries or sores to the skin, infections,... So for the animal's welfare first, we have decided not to take the risks. With respect to managing the population and gaining information about population performance and dynamic, the females are most numerous and most important as the reproductive component of the herd. (Question: If the collars don't work on the neck of a buck, could you put the collar on the leg or someplace else?) Transmitters on the back or top of the leg is a good idea, but they probably wouldn't last long on the buck there, because of the thick vegetation, etc... and behaviors that they get involved in. Tell the kids hello for me, and we are giving a presentation with slides, etc.... at Camp Ripley on Thursday , I believe at 3:30 pm, and you are all invited if you can make it.