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Threats and Mortality | |
| Description Distribution Life History and Reproduction Threats and Mortality Diseases and Parasites Management Needs
Page created by Jeromy Norris |
Predation losses of adult mule deer may be as high as hunter harvest and can suppress mule deer populations under certain condition (Cantu and Richardson, 1997). If a deer herd is declining, the problem is usually low fawn survival rather than excessive adult mortality. Fawns suffer the highest mortality of any age group, with most deaths occurring within a few days after birth (Cantu and Richardson, 1997). Predator control may be a valid tool in mule deer management; however, if habitat quality is insufficient, it is unlikely that predator control alone will result in higher deer numbers (Cantu and Richardson, 1997). Major predators on mule deer are mountain lions, which are deer specialists, coyotes, and bobcats. The latter two primarily take fawns (Wilson and Ruff, 1999). |