Final Report Statewide Wildlife Research; Florida Panther Research, Big Cypress Deer/Panther Relationships: Deer Mortality

Land, E. Darrell

Sixty-six white-tailed deer (Qdocoileus virginiana) were captured in the Bear Island Unit of the Big Cypress National Preserve, 57 of which were radio-instrumented. Of the 26 marked deer that died, 10 were taken by bobcats (Felis), 4 by Florida panthers (Wll concolor) , and 1 by an alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Four died of other natural causes, 5 were harvested (3 legally, 2 illegally), and 2 died of unknown causes. Average doe home range size was 239 ha and 2 bucks ranged from 454-1560 ha, There were no differences in survival rates among 3 intervals: summer (1 May - 31 Aug.), fall hunting season (1 Sep.-31 Dec.), and spring (1 Jan.-30 Apr.). The average annual survival rate was 0.813 (95% CI- 0.68, 0.94) and 64% of the annual mortality was attributable to predation·. A neonate mortality rate of 37. 8% ± 16. 1 can be inferred by examining pregnancy rates and number of fetuses from collected does and comparing to the fawn-rearing rate from observations of radio- instrumented does. Fawn mortality appeared to fluctuate with surface water levels (high water, high fawn mortality). Hunting activities had little to no impact on does, either in number of illegal kills (2) or by causing does to leave the Preserve (0). The population appeared to be stable with a net reproductive rate (Ro) of 1.11 (McCown 1991).