Diets of Wild Versus Released, and Pen-Raised White-Tailed Deer in Southeastern Louisiana Richard James Meyers
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School Summer 7-24-2001 Diets of Wild Versus Released, and Pen-Raised White-Tailed Deer in Southeastern Louisiana Richard James Meyers Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Part of the Life Sciences Commons DIETS OF WILD VERSUS RELEASED, AND PEN-RAISED WHITE-TAILED DEER IN SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in The School of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries by Richard James Meyers B.S., Louisiana State University, 1998 December 2001 MANUSCRIPT THESES Unpublished theses submitted for the Masters and Doctor's Degrees and deposited in the Louisiana State University Libraries are available for inspection. Use of any thesis is limited by the rights of the author. Bibliographical references may be noted, but passages may not be copied unless the author has given permission. Credit must be given in subsequent written and published work. A library which borrows this thesis for use by its clientele is expected to make sure that the borrower is aware of the above restrictions. LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was funded by Mclntire-Stennis research project LABO 3341. I would like to sincerely thank my major professor. Dr. Mark K. Johnson, Professor of Wildlife, School of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries for his guidance and support during my tenure as a graduate student. I truly appreciate the invaluable advice and opportunities that Dr. Johnson has bestowed on me. I would also like to convey my profound appreciation to my graduate committee members: Dr. Robert H. Chabreck, Professor Wildlife (Emeritus), School of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, and Dr. Lowell E. Urbatsch, Associate Professor of Plant Biology for their instruction and expertise especially in the area of plant taxa identification. I thank Mr. Will Forbes for his helpful field assistance and advice throughout my project and for his guidance in the art of handling deer. Much appreciation is also given to Blairstown Plantation, in particular to Mr. Tom and Mr. Bobby Jones for their generosity in allowing me to conduct my research on their property and for inviting me to enjoy the great outdoors during deer season with them for the last 3 years. I also thank Ms. Lisa Harvey for her helpful assistance with my coursework and in the field. A special thanks is also given to Mr. Ken Richkus for his statistical wizardry and to Mr. Sean Kinney for his help in the preparation of this thesis. Both are two hunting buddies I hope to keep for life. 11 Finally, I would like to thank my parents, Michael L. Meyers Jr. and Judy B. Meyers for their unending love, encouragement, and enthusiasm in the pursuit of my dreams. 1 also credit them for molding me into the independent and confident man 1 am today. Above all, 1 dedicate this work to the most important person in my life, my beautiful wife and best friend, Cindy J. Meyers. Her amazing love, undying support, and boundless patience have given me the strength to accomplish my goals in life. She inspires me to be a better man. iii * TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................jj LIST OF TABLES...................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT............................................................... viii INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 1 LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................ 5 Deer Nutrition.................................................................................................. 5 Microhistological Analysis.............................................................................. 9 Plant Fragment Identification............................................................. 13 Differential Digestion and Fragment Discemability............................14 Frequency Sampling........................................................................ 17 DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA....................................................................... 20 Location....................................................................................................... 20 Pasture Management........................................................................ 20 Food Plot Management.................................................................... 20 Soils..............................................................................................................22 Climate......................................................................................................... 22 Vegetation.....................................................................................................23 METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................25 Pen-raised Deer..............................................................................................25 Pen-raised Release............................................................................. 25 Fecal Pellet Collection................................................................................... 29 Fecal Pellet Analysis......................................................................................30 Reference Slide Preparation........................................................................... 31 Statistical Analysis.........................................................................................33 RESULTS..................................................................................................................35 Diet Composition.......................................................................................... IS Diet Similarity................................................................................................ ® Forage Diversity............................................................................................. DISCUSSION..................................... •••••.............................................................. A6 Diet Composition and Diet Similarity...........................................................^ Forage Diversity............................................................................................ CONCLUSIONS.......................................................................................................50 LITERATURE CITED.............................................................................................. 51 iv APPENDIX:PLANT TAX A IDENTIFIED IN DIETS.............................................. 59 VITA............................................................................................................................ 63 v LIST OF TABLES 1. Estimated botanical compositions (% dry weight + standard error) of fecal pellets from Wild and Released, Pen-raised white-tailed deer on Blairstown Plantation, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, during Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter 1999, (n=30/population/season)................................................................................. 36 2. Percentage diet similarity, average number of identified plants + standard error per fecal sample, plant diversity per fecal sample, and /-value using a = 0.05 with associated probability for Student’s /-test by season and population of deer on Blairstown Plantation, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, (n=30/population/season)..................................................................................41 3. Chi-square test for homogeneity for frequency of occurrence of shared plants identified in fecal pellets from Wild and Released, Pen-raised white-tailed deer during Spring (x2 = 50.89, a = 0.01, 30 df), Summer (X2 = 57.34, a = 0.01, 35 df), Fall (x2 = 50.89, a = 0.01,30 df), and Winter (x2 = 33.41, a = 0.01, 17 df), Blairstown Plantation, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, during 1999, (n=30/population/season)..................................................................................42 4. List of scientific and corresponding common names for plant taxa identified in fecal samples of Wild and Released, Pen-raised white-tailed deer collected on Blairstown Plantation, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, during 1999.........................................................................60 vi LIST OF FIGURES 1. Drawings that show two distinct types of dicot trichomes: (A) stellate trichome from Quercus spp., (B) ligulate, hollow trichome from Lonicera japonica from (Johnson et al. 1983).................................................15 2. Drawing that shows the well-defined difference in cell wall structure between (A) a monocot like Paspalum spp. and (B) a dicot like Berchemia scandens from (Johnson et al. 1983).............................................16 3. Location of Blairstown Plantation in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana..........21 4. Map of the study area, Blairstown Plantation, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. Location of Pen-raised deer release pens...................................... 26 5. Immobilization materials: