Harry A. Jacobson

Soil P, Ca, Mg, K, pH, and organic matter levels were compared to mean deer (Odocoileus virginianus) body weights and antler measures from 23 areas of Mississippi. All soil measures were significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with deer body weights in all sex and age classes. Antler measurements for yearling, but not older, bucks correlated significantly with all soil measures except pH. In stepwise multiple regression analysis, P weighted most heavily in predicting deer body weights in all age and sex classes except female fawns; both P and K gave identical prediction equations for this...

Reproductive data were collected from 774 female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) taken in Mississippi between 1976 and 1979. One- to 2-year old does and 2-year or older does had mean corpora lutea counts of 1.61 and I. 78 and mean fetus counts of 1.40 and 1.66 respectively. Fawn breeding was observed in 4 of 140 fawns and also was evidenced by the presence of lactation in 5 of 146 1-1/2 year old deer. Breeding occurred between November 20 and March 15. Over 80% of breeding occurred December 21 to January 21 with 50% of all breeding between January 7-21.

Two hundred twelve white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were aged by tooth wear and replacement and by sectioning the incisors. Aging by cementum annuli placed 67.8% of the animals in an older age class, 7.2% in a younger age class, and 24.9% in the same age class as aging by wear and replacement. Of deer with 3 cuspid 3rd premolars aged by cementum annuli, 17.3% were aged as 1.5 years, 69.2% as 2.5 years, 9.6% as 3.5 years, and 3.8% as 4.5 years. Five fawns were aged as 1.5 years by the annuli technique. Aging by cementum annuli produced a significantly older age structure than that...

A cooperative program involving sportsmen and Mississippi Game and Fish personnel was developed to monitor herd health of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on private lands in Mississippi. Organized hunting clubs and private landowners collected biological data which were analyzed by wildlife biologists. Based on this information, antlerless harvest strategies were developed to accomplish specified management objectives. The system was tested in Kemper and Noxubee Counties, Mississippi, during the 1977-78 season and was evaluated by participants and agency personnel. The program...

A self-service daily recreational permit was developed and tested on 6 Wildlife Management Areas in Mississippi during the 1976-77 season. The permit system provides data on hunter usage and harvest by species and day of the season, the effective area served by management units, and an indication of economic importance of recreational opportunities. The utility of the system is illustrated with data for deer hunting on the Issaquena Wildlife Management Area. These data should aid greatly in the formulation of management decisions and allocation of agency resources.