Deer Fetal Study validity

[Hunter 257W]

Does anybody know any background for what went into the Deer Fetal Study shown on page 23 of the TWRA 2011-12 Annual Big Game Harvest Report?

http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/biggamereport.pdf

The date shown for Franklin county breeding agrees with what I've observed over the years and that is that the rut is just now taking off. The breeding date for my area is Dec 15-31.

What concerns me about the study though is that they state that 55 sample deer were represented in the test. Since the test shows about 39 or 40 different locations, that means that most of the breeding dates of most locations are based on a sample of one. Have any other studies been done for these same counties so that results could be "overlaid" with this recent study to gain a little more confidence in the outcome?

I know that I say my observations match up with the study but I'm always interested in tying down the rut as much as possible....I need all the help I can get with those older bucks!

 

[Hunter 257W]

Nobody knows anything about this? BSK??? Surely you know something about what went into this study.

 

[scn]

Since it involves Region II, I'd give their Wildlife Manager, Richard Kirk, a call at 615-781-6622 and hit him with your questions.

 

[BSK]

Nobody knows anything about this? BSK??? Surely you know something about what went into this study.

Sample size looks big enough to make some generalizations, such as the rut in the southern-most counties of TN is later--and in some situations, considerably later--than in the rest of the state, with a number of does in some locations having breeding dates into January. That wasn't expected.