Seasonal Changes in Defecation Rates of Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer
Rogers LL. 1987. Seasonal Changes in Defecation Rates of Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 51(2):330-333
Defecation rates of 7 free-ranging female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied in a coniferous-deciduous forest in northeastern Minnesota. Defecation rates averaged 22.3, 27.0, 34.4, and 51.9 pellet groups/day during January-April, May-June, July-August, and September-December, respectively. Average defecation rate between autumn leaf-fall (15 Oct) and spring snowmelt (30 Apr) was 34 pellet groups/day. The same deer, when penned, defecated from 11 to 14 times/day. There was an average of 68.7 pellets/group.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Rogers, Lynn
- Units
- VOYA
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, pellets(fecal), Seasonality, White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)