Abstract

We investigated the movement pattern of GPS-collared red deer (Cervus elaphus) during drive hunts with loose dogs. In 46 flights of hinds (N = 9), the median flight distance was 2.5 km (range 0.4-15.0). In 28 % of the flights, the hind left its home range. Average time before returning to home range was 23 h (range 2-88). Hinds in a less forested site left their home ranges more often, fled longer distances, moved at higher speed, and returned later than hinds in a homogenous forest. Speed of movement increased with number of hunts in the less forested site. In eight flights of stags (N = 4), the median flight distance was 5.1 km (range 2.2-13.3). The start of hunting season seemed to trigger stags' departure to their wintering areas. Knowledge of reactions to disturbance can aid game management to choose hunting methods and dogs that cause less disturbance but may also be used to deter deer from areas where they damage crops and forest plantations.

Keywords

Cervus elaphus; Deer management; Flight behavior; Hunting disturbance; Landscape structure; Spatial use

Published in

European Journal of Wildlife Research
2014, Volume: 60, number: 1, pages: 77-84

SLU Authors

• Jarnemo, Anders

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Wikenros, Camilla

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-013-0753-4

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51097