#1767995 - 02/04/10 08:02 PM
Interesting read on mature bucks
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vabuckbuster
8 Point
Registered: 10/01/08
Posts: 2077
Loc: Virginia
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http://www.whitetailinstitute.com/info/news/aug05/5.html
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#1770297 - 02/06/10 10:11 AM
Re: Interesting read on mature bucks
[Re: ]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
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All of those are fascinating studies. However, the problems I have with them are; first, they represent very "contained" herds, as all of the studies were conducted on high-fenced areas of under 1,000 acres. The range of deer is much larger than that hence they are looking at the breeding behavior of deer in a highly unnatural social pressure situation. Secondly, they are considering 1:2 male to female sex ratios as "natural." This is not the case. Although that sex ratio is probably quite common in hunted areas, this is not a "natural" sex ratio (a natural sex ratio would be closer to 1.2 to 1.3 does per buck). Although in their defense, 1:2 is probably closer to the situation many deer herds today are in, so they are testing what many herds are experiencing.
In my opinion, the best DNA parentage study done to date is the one on the military reservation in OK, which involves a herd inside a 4,500-acre enclosure. This is much less of a contained herd. This study also found that even in an advanced age structure buck population, a significant percentage of breedings are conducted by yearling bucks, but that percentage is far below the percentage of the male population that is yearlings. In essence, yearling bucks are deeply under-represented in the breeding process. In adition, when looking at when the breedings occurred, successful yearling buck breeding was primarily limited to the peak of breeding, when the maximum number of does are in estrus at the same time, strongly suggesting it as mainly a matter of competition between bucks. When competition between bucks is lowest (most available does) yearling bucks participate in breeding. Interestingly, at the front end of the process, when few does were in estrus, all successful breedings were conducted by bucks 3 1/2 or older. Again, this suggest breeding success by buck age is influenced by competition level. When competition between bucks is high, primarily older to mature bucks are the successful breeders. When competition between bucks is low, yearlings become involved in the process.
Another good reason to keep sex ratios fairly balanced--to keep competition between bucks high.
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"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#1770301 - 02/06/10 10:16 AM
Re: Interesting read on mature bucks
[Re: BSK]
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jakeway
TnDeer Old Timer
10 Point
Registered: 11/22/99
Posts: 3449
Loc: Hendersonville, TN, USA
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Nice summary, BSK..now I feel I don't have to read the article!
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#1770316 - 02/06/10 10:30 AM
Re: Interesting read on mature bucks
[Re: BSK]
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Wes Parrish
16 Point
Registered: 06/12/02
Posts: 16991
Loc: Knoxville-Dover-Union City, TN
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When competition between bucks is high, primarily older to mature bucks are the successful breeders.
When competition between bucks is low, yearlings become involved in the process.
Another good reason to keep sex ratios fairly balanced--to keep competition between bucks high.
And another result of good buck:doe ratios coupled with good advanced buck age structure is that both yearling and 2 1/2-yr-old bucks will spend more time feeding ---- allowing them to hit 3 1/2 as a healthier, larger bodied, larger antlered buck.
When young bucks heavily participate in the rut, they can end up particularly smaller bodied and smaller antlered should they make it to 3 1/2. Not to mention, more rut participation by yearling bucks can result in significantly higher young buck mortality (compared to their maintaining a smaller "feeding" range vs. a "rutting" range).
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