Managing Cougars in North America: Revisions Underway

In 2011, the Jack H. Berryman Institute, in cooperation with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Cougar Working Group, published “Managing Cougars of North America” (available through www.berrymaninstitute.org or Amazon.com). Over 5,000 copies of the book were distributed. Because the science regarding management of cougars has dramatically grown over the last decade, the partners are again collaborating on a revision of the 2011 book. Currently, the chapters are undergoing a peer-review process through Human–Wildlife Interactions. Jonathan A. Jenks, South Dakota State University, is serving as the editor-in-chief for the peer-review process and will be the editor for the revised book. We anticipate the new book will be released by the Berryman Institute Press in late 2020

Antipredatory Defense of Neonatal Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) by Yearling Male Pronghorn in Southwestern South Dakota

Antipredatory defense of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) neonates (≤1 month old) by adult females (\u3e18 months old) is well documented throughout the geographic range of this species. However, reports of male pronghorn defending neonates against predators are limited to a single study in northwestern Wyoming where occurrences were documented of adult males assisting female pronghorn in defending neonates against coyotes (Canis latrans). To our knowledge, defense of neonatal pronghorn by yearling males (12–18 months old) has not been reported previously for this species. We report occurrences of antipredatory defense of neonatal pronghorn by yearling males in southwestern South Dakot

Effect of Cattle Stocking Rate on the Nutritional Ecology of White-Tailed Deer in Managed Forests of Southeastern Oklahoma and Southwestern Arkansas

Wildlife and Fisheries Ecolog

The Prairie Naturalist Manuscript Submission Guidelines

These guidelines present The Prairie Naturalist (PNAT) policies and procedures for submitting scientific manuscripts for consideration for publication. In January 2009, a change in Editorial staff occurred and these guidelines address the ongoing transition and update the online Suggestions for Contributors guidelines provided on the PNAT website (http://www.fhsu.edu/biology/pn/prairienat.htm); these instructions supersede all previous guidelines. Tables and appendices are included for common word expressions with superfluous wording, examples of correct format and style guidelines for tables accompanying manuscripts, guidance in properly preparing Research Articles and Notes, citing literature, and mandatory abbreviations for tables, figures and parenthetical expressions

Survival of White-Tailed Deer Fawns in the Grasslands of the Northern Great Plains

Environmental factors, such as forest characteristics, have been linked to fawn survival in eastern and southern white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) populations. In the Great Plains, less is known about how intrinsic and habitat factors influence fawn survival. During 2007-2009, we captured and radiocollared 81 fawns in north-central South Dakota and recorded 23 mortalities, of which 18 died before 1 September. Predation accounted for 52.2% of mortality; remaining mortality included human (hunting, vehicle, and farm accident; 26.1%) and hypothermia (21.7%). Coyotes (Canis latrans) accounted for 83.3% of predation on fawns. We used known-fate analysis in Program MARK to estimate summer (15 May-31 Aug) survival rates and investigated the influence of intrinsic and habitat variables on survival. We developed 2 a priori model sets, including intrinsic variables and a test of annual variation in survival (model set 1) and habitat variables (model set 2). Model set 1 indicated that summer survival varied among years (2007-2009); annual survival rates were 0.94 (SE = 0.06, n = 22), 0.78 (SE = 0.09, n = 27), and 0.54 (SE = 0.10, n = 32), respectively. Model set 2 indicated that survival was further influenced by patch density of cover habitats (Conservation Reserve Program [CRP]-grasslands, forested cover, and wetlands). Mean CRPgrassland and wetland patch density (no. patches/100 ha) were greater (P \u3c 0.001) in home-range areas of surviving fawns (xcRPPD = 1.81, SE = 0.10, n = 63; XWe,PD = 1.75, SE = 0.14, n = 63, respectively) than in home-range areas of fawns that died (xcRPPD = 0.16, SE = 0.04, n = 18; XWe,PD = 1.28, SE = 0.10, n = 18, respectively). Mean forested cover patch density was less (P \u3c 0.001) in home-range areas of surviving fawns (fycpn = 0.77, SE = 0.10, n = 63) than in home-range areas of fawns that died (XF CPD = 1.49, SE = 0.21, n = 18). Our results indicate that management activities should focus on CRP-grassland and wetland habitats in order to maintain or improve fawn survival in the northern Great Plains, rather than forested cover composed primarily of tree plantings and shelterbelts

Quantifying Signpost Usage by Captive Male White-Tailed Deer

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) use rubbing of signpost structures to communicate during the breeding season. Rubbing of signpost structures allows deer to communicate via visual and chemical cues, which allows them to establish dominance hierarchies and maintain hierarchal status throughout the breeding season (Moore and Marchinton 1974, Miller et al. 1981, Hewitt 2011). Once a living tree is rubbed, the exposed light-colored sapwood creates a stark contrast in wooded areas, increasing visibility and further enticing deer to investigate the structure (Oehler et al. 1995). Anatomically, the tubular apocrine sudoriferous glands of white-tailed deer are located at the antler base on the forehead (Atkeson and Marchinton 1982), which creates a challenge when depositing gland secretions to either vertical or horizontal signposts. When at the rub, chemical communication ensues via olfactory senses because of the unique gland secretions deposited from the tubular apocrine sudoriferous glands (Atkeson and Marchinton 1982). Signpost communication via secretions allows males and females to gather reproductive information, leading to potential breeding opportunities (Sawyer et al. 1989, Miller et al. 1991). Signpost communication is important during the breeding season because male breeding success is limited by breeding attempts, and using signpost structures increases the potential for a male to find a mate (Moore and Marchinton 1974)

Corn Hybrids: Deer Taste the Difference

As daylight begins to illuminate the countryside, a cold wind rustles through the leaves of the weedy rows of corn that you barely had time to get in the ground this past spring. The corn plants are stunted, the few small ears of corn that did grow are not even enticing to passing blackbirds, and that stud buck captured on your trail-camera months earlier is nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, a couple hundred yards across the fence to the south, you hear the unmistakable sound of deer running through corn. Your heart rate involuntarily increases. As the sun continues to rise on that mid-October morning, the better view of the neighboring cornfield only becomes increasingly disheartening: Numerous whitetails are feeding back and forth across some of the rows already stripped by the combine a couple days prior. The corn plants there are twice as tall as those in your food plot that was intended for the deer, and the ears are comparatively huge with kernels exposed from the peeled-back husks. Just as the sun rises, a doe and her fawn exit the timber to the north and wander down a heavily used trail across your property. The trail leads directly into your corn plot, but the deer do not stop to feed. They continue southward across the road to join the other deer. Then, sure enough, that stud of a buck that you had dreamed about all summer appears in the neighboring cornfield, moves about to assess the receptiveness of each doe, then wanders deeper into the cornfield until he is out of sight

Age-specific survival of reintroduced swift fox in Badlands National Park and surrounding lands

In 2003, a reintroduction program was initiated at Badlands National Park (BNP), South Dakota, USA, with swift foxes (Vulpes velox) translocated from Colorado and Wyoming, USA, as part of a restoration effort to recover declining swift fox populations throughout its historical range. Estimates of age-specific survival are necessary to evaluate the potential for population growth of reintroduced populations. We used 7 years (2003–2009) of capture–recapture data of 243 pups, 29 yearlings, and 69 adult swift foxes at BNP and the surrounding area to construct Cormack–Jolly–Seber model estimates of apparent survival within a capture–mark–recapture framework using Program MARK. The best model for estimating recapture probabilities included no differences among age classes, greater recapture probabilities during early years of the monitoring effort than later years, and variation among spring, winter, and summer. Our top ranked survival model indicated pup survival differed from that of yearlings and adults and varied by month and year. The apparent annual survival probability of pups (0.47, SE = 0.10) in our study area was greater than the apparent annual survival probability of yearlings and adults (0.27, SE = 0.08). Our results indicate low survival probabilities for a reintroduced population of swift foxes in the BNP and surrounding areas. Management of reintroduced populations and future reintroductions of swift foxes should consider the effects of relative low annual survival on population demography

Disease and Predation: Sorting out Causes of a Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Decline

Estimating survival and documenting causes and timing of mortality events in neonate bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) improves understanding of population ecology and factors influencing recruitment. During 2010–2012, we captured and radiocollared 74 neonates in the Black Hills, South Dakota, of which 95% (70) died before 52 weeks of age. Pneumonia (36%) was the leading cause of mortality followed by predation (30%). We used known fate analysis in Program MARK to estimate weekly survival rates and investigate the influence of intrinsic variables on 52-week survival. Model {S1 wk, 2–8 wks, \u3e8 wks} had the lowest AICc (Akaike’s Information Criterion corrected for small sample size) value, indicating that age (3-stage age-interval: 1 week, 2–8 weeks, and \u3e8 weeks) best explained survival. Weekly survival estimates for 1 week, 2–8 weeks, and \u3e8 weeks were 0.81 (95% CI = 0.70–0.88), 0.86 (95% CI = 0.81–0.90), and 0.94 (95% CI = 0.91–0.96), respectively. Overall probability of surviving 52 weeks was 0.02 (95% CI = 0.01–0.07). Of 70 documented mortalities, 21% occurred during the first week, 55% during weeks 2–8, and 23% occurred \u3e8 weeks of age. We found pneumonia and predation were temporally heterogeneous with lambs most susceptible to predation during the first 2–3 weeks of life, while the greatest risk from pneumonia occurred from weeks 4–8. Our results indicated pneumonia was the major factor limiting recruitment followed by predation. Mortality from predation may have been partly compensatory to pneumonia and its effects were less pronounced as alternative prey became available. Given the high rates of pneumonia-caused mortality we observed, and the apparent lack of pneumonia-causing pathogens in bighorn populations in the western Black Hills, management activities should be geared towards eliminating contact between diseased and healthy populations