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Estimate survival and sources of mortality for fawns and does
Estimate fawn mortality due to specific predators
Estimate home range size, movements, and habitats used by deer and predators
Estimate abundance of deer, black bears, bobcats, coyotes, and wolves in the study area
Improve understanding of predator/prey interactions to enhance wildlife management
The first phase of this study will be centered on a 36 mi2 (~90 km2) area within Deer Management Unit (DMU) 055 in Menominee county. This core study area will include a mix of forested and agricultural lands and is where capture efforts will occur. The overall study area will consist of a minimum convex polygon that includes the composite annual home ranges of telemetered animals. DMU 055 was selected initially because of the relatively low snowfall, generally low winter severity, and simplistic predator suite (i.e., black bears and coyotes) for the Upper Peninsula. In addition, deer in this area are largely non-migratory, making direct comparisons to southern Michigan (i.e., Pusateri Burroughs et al. 2006) easier. We will use aerial photos, GIS layers, bear harvest data, and knowledge of DNR biologists and area bear hunters to aid in final study area selection. After completing this portion of the study, another study site will be selected in the mid-snowfall zone of the Upper Peninsula, followed by a third study site in the high-snowfall zone of the Upper Peninsula.
Click here for a pdf map of Michigan's Deer Management Units.
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