CAUSE-SPECIFIC MORTALITY OF WHITE-TAILED DEER AS INFLUENCED BY MILITARY TRAINING ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA

Radio-telemetry was used to monitor movements and mortality of 56 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in response to intensive military training activities on West Range (18,000 ha), Fort Sill Military Reservation, Oklahoma. Cause-specific mortality was determined for 22 radio-collared deer, including adults (greater-than-or-equal-to 2.0-yr-old), yearlings (0.6-1.9-yr-old), and fawns (less-than-or-equal-to 75-day-old age group) from 1987 to 1989. Winter home ranges were largely confined to a 14.411 ha impact area centrally located on West Range. The mean annual mortality rate was 0.50 for adults and yearlings combined. Fifty percent of all adult and yearling mortality was attributed to military training activities, 28% to hunting, 16% to collisions with automobiles, and 6% to unknown causes. The mean monthly mortality rate was 0.61 for neonatal fawns and predation accounted for three of four mortalities. All captured deer in the greater-than-or-equal-to 2.6-yr-old, 82% in the 1.6-yr-old, 10% in the 0.6-yr-old, and all deer in the <7-day-old age groups were seropositive for bluetongue virus (BTV). Our study strongly suggests that the consequences of military training activities should be considered in the management of white-tailed deer herds on military installations.