Influences of Hunting on the Behavior of - White-Tailed Deer: Implications for Conservation of the Florida Panther

The effects of deer bunting by humans on deerpopubtion dynamics and behavior may indirectly affect the population dynamics and behavior of deer predators. We present data on the effects of bunting on the behavior of white-tuiled deer (Odocoileus virginianusj on the Osceola Nutional Forest, a potential reiatroduction site for the endungered Florida panther @Iis concolor coryi). We then use this information to formulate and recommend testable hypotheses to investigate whether these changes in deer behavior injluencepanther movements, mortality, and bunting success. We monitored 14 radio-collared deer from June 1990 through July 1991 to compare movement, activity, and habitat-use patterns between the hunting and nonhunting seasons. Mean distance of deer to the nearest road, mean distunce of activity centers of die1 home ranges to the nearest road, and mean nocturnal rute of activity were greater during the bunting than the nonhunting seasons. During the bunting season, deer avoided clearcuts, young pine plantations (4 -10 years old), and other open habitats and preferred swamp and mature pine forests, both of which provided cover. These results suggest that deer responded to bunter disturbance by moving away from roads and increasing nocturnal activity. Although recreational deer bunting may reduce the prey base for panthers, the changes we observed in deer behavior during the bunting season may benefit panthers in the following ways: (1) an increase in nocturnal activity and movement away from roads by deer into areas frequented by panthers may increase prey availubility for panthers; (2) the movement of deer away from roads may in turn draw panthers away from roads, which may decrease the chance ofpanthers being killed by vehicular truffic or poachers. Inthencias de la Cazeria en la Conducta de1 Venado Cola Blanca: Implicaciones en la Conservacicin de la Pantera de Florida Resumen: Los efectos de la caza de venados por humanos en su dindmicu poblacional y conducta podria ufectar indirectamente las dindmicas poblacionales y conducta de 10s depredadores de venados. Presentamos datos de 10s efectos de la caceria en lu conducta de1 venado cola blancu (Odocoileus virginianusj e?z el Bosque National Osceola, un sitio potential para la reintroduccidn de b pantera de Florida (Felis concolor coryi) amenuzada de extincidn. Utilizamos esta informacidn para formular y recomendur hipritesisprobablespara investigar si 10s cambios en la conductu de 10s venados infuencian 10s patrones de movimiento, mortalidad y kxito de cazu de la pantera. Monitoreamos 14 venados con radio-collares de Junio I990 hasta Julio 1991 para compamr movimientos, actividad y patrones de uso de hdbitat entre las estaciones de caza y caza restringida. La distancia media entre un venado y la carretera m&s cercana, la distancia media de centros de actividad diurna y lu media de la tasa de actividad nocturna fueron mayores durante la estacicin de caza que durante las estaciones de caza restringida. Durante la temporada de caza, 10s venados evitaron dreas tae ladas, plantaciones de pinosjbvenes (4-10 aEos de edad) y otros tipos de hdbitats abiertos, prefiriendo 10s pantanos y bosques maduros de pino, ambos proveedores de coberturu. Estos resultados sugieren que 10s venados respondieron a las perturbaciones ocusionadas por lu cuza ale$ndose de las carreteras e incre‘Current address: US. Forest Serziice Southern Reseurch Station, Suuannah River Nuturul Resource Manqement and Research Institute, P.O. Box 710, New Ellenton, SC 2980% U.S.A., emuil jkil~~/rfl_suvunnuhriz~er~fs.fed. us Puper submitted May 27, 1997; revised manuscript uccepted February 19, 1998.