Project Supervisor
Dr. Philip Gipson

Funding
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers  Environmental  Research Laboratory

Cooperators
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

Objectives
Identify factors contributing to direct and indirect contact rates among deer.

Background on density, movements, and social structure to develop testable hypothesis for future research on white-tailed deer of QNWR.

Location
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

Completion
2009

Progress and Results
Starting in March 2007, preliminary distance sampling surveys indicated that a significant difference existed in the density of deer on Quivira National Wildlife Refuge compared to sites off of the refuge with comparable size and habitat.  These surveys also indicated that group sizes of deer on the refuge were higher than the mean size of groups off of the refuge.

In November 2007, bi-weekly distance sampling surveys on the refuge were initiated to collect information to quantify the temporal variations in deer density as well as the localized spatial variations in deer density.

In November 2007, the placement of GPS and VHF radio collars on captured deer was initiated and is anticipated to be completed by April 2008.   Marked deer will be studied until March 2009.

Products
Blecha, K.A., P. S. Gipson, J. M. Conard and J. Sellers.  2008.  Deer of Quivira.  Information Brochure, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.