cinch314 Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 This comes from a guy off another forum and thought yall might like to read this. From deerlover Taken off the QDM site: I wanted to let everyone know that I spent yesterday with John Kilgo of the US Forest Service on the DOE's, Savannah River Site. For 7 years now John and his team have been doing a predator study using GPS collared fawns. The process is simple. During the winter, the team darts as many as 25 does with a tranq. Once down, they insert a tracking device into the doe. Then, when she gives birth the device senses the temp. change and begins putting off a signal which the team picks up. Yesterday, John called me about 8 am and said they'd had a doe give birth around 6 am. I jumped in the truck and 45 minutes later I was on site. By 10 we'd found the first fawn and shortly after we found another one. Both males were weighed and tagged. Lastly, the GPS collars were slipped over their heads. Both fawns did really well and went off to Mom who was standing a short distance away. Now the stunner. John has shared with me some of the teams findings to this point and at this time almost 70% of the fawns collared are falling to predators within 14 days of birth. 70%, I was blown away. This show will air during the 3rd Quarter so be on the look out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 interesting.......70% is a bit suprising.....Can't imagine that would be the same in ALL areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 interesting.......70% is a bit suprising.....Can't imagine that would be the same in ALL areas. Yeah, think that yotes are pretty rough on them here, but would be surprised if they were taking quite that many. Always figured predation and other causes of nature had the fawn survival rate somewhere around 50%. Kind of surprised too that they would collar fawns, seems risky to me for a few reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sureshot Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 I can not say anything to this survey but I can say that is not even close up here, I would be super surprized if it was 5% here,we have to true coyote with no dog blood like the eastern coyotes have, and our deer are way bigger, I know for a fact that one coyote will get a licking if it came close to a doe let alone her fawn, I have seen it!I am not saying this survey is not true, but I do know here it is not even close, I spend hundreds of hours a spring out walking for sheds and see lots of stuff, never has a doe let a coyote close to here, she is on him like a bullet ,he is just lucky to live and keep away from her hoofs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted May 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 An interesting point was brought up in regards to this study in another forum and I Quote "Or they exposed the fawns to human scent in which by doing so doomed the fawns to death because their natural protection from predators is now gone. " What are yalls opinions on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 "Or they exposed the fawns to human scent in which by doing so doomed the fawns to death because their natural protection from predators is now gone. " What are yalls opinions on this? Kind of surprised too that they would collar fawns, seems risky to me for a few reasons. That was one of the reasons in my mind why I thought it would be a bad move to radio collar the fawns. I have had yotes track me before using deer scents. Couple other reasons would seem that it would possibly be a hazard to them(potential hangups if too loose, constrictive later on if too tight). Interestingly on this same topic a few years ago around this time of the year, I witnessed a doe and a yote in my field together, the yote did not chase the doe. They got within a matter of just yards from each other. I think the doe had a fawn nearby and was trying to lead the yote away. I had posted on that somewhere in these forums, may try to dig up that post later when I get a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 An interesting point was brought up in regards to this study in another forum and I Quote "Or they exposed the fawns to human scent in which by doing so doomed the fawns to death because their natural protection from predators is now gone. " What are yalls opinions on this? The fawn now has the human scent for the yote to find....bad the momma may not want anything to do with the fawn because of the human scent....bad Seems like a bad idea to me to attempt do this study....maybe all this human contamination is the reason the death rate was so high.....Sounds to me these people really skewed the results.:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Seems really wierd that they'd mess with the fawn at birth. Most cattle farmers try to stay away from calves their first day or two if possible :confused:. Wonder if a deer wouldn't do like some cows do once a human has messed with their baby? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Here is a link to the story I was talking about http://www.realtree.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38896. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted May 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Awesome story wtnhunt thanks for the link! I just posted the survey to get other people opinions on it, I dont think that it is that bad in my area. The only thing that Ive seen that has an affect on the fawn population is mt lions here. I havent seen that many yotes on my place, maybe because the dogs keep them run off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 I havent seen that many yotes on my place, maybe because the dogs keep them run off. Dogs can be rough on deer populations too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted May 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 I know that, and I do have a slight problem. My dogs wont run the deer that are already on the place but I have noticed that when a new one comes onto the place then they run it off. Makes me mad and I want to keep them penned up but then again they are my moms Boyfriends dogs so I cant do anything about it. I have shot them with a BB gun when I see them running a deer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 I know that, and I do have a slight problem. My dogs wont run the deer that are already on the place but I have noticed that when a new one comes onto the place then they run it off. Makes me mad and I want to keep them penned up but then again they are my moms Boyfriends dogs so I cant do anything about it. I have shot them with a BB gun when I see them running a deer though. a bigger gun would solve your problem;):D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted May 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Ive thought about practicing with my bow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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