Final Report: Key Deer Investigations

Hardin, James; Silvy, Nova; Jacobson, Bruce; Terpening, Virginia; Klimstra, W

During the past several years the Key deer, Odocoileus virginianus clavium, has increased in numbers following the low population level of the late 1940's and early 1950's. This response occurred after the deer were protected from intense hunting and disturbance to the population and its habitat (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Narrative Reports, 1939-1967; Dickson 1955). The increase in numbers, however, appeared to have been much slower than that characteristic of other white-tailed deer populations that have been afforded such protection and opportunity for increment. The reasons for this gradual increase, as well as questions regarding the physiology, subspecific status, and relationships of this deer to its unique island environment were of interest. The objectives of this study, which was undertaken in December of 1967 to clarify some of these aspects of the Key deer ecology, were as follows: A. Primary 1. Investigate movement and dispersal through the use of various marking devices including radio transmitters. 2. Study social behavior and organization with emphasis on their effects on population dynamics. 3. Examine the reproductive and survival potential. B. Secondary 1. Initiate nutritional studies. 2. Establish a system to estimate population trends. 3. Evaluate techniques to capture animals. 4. Accumulate miscellaneous data on life history and ecology.