Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Gilchrist, Sandra

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are large, herbivorous ungulates which are known to be selective browsers. They can heavily modify the botanical landscape of an area if their population size becomes too large. White-tailed deer populations are growing too fast, and overpopulation is becoming a serious issue across the United States. Deer will heavily browse saplings and herbs, causing issues with forest regeneration and the protection of endangered herbs. Overpopulation of deer has also become a major issue due to the rise of zoonoses and deer vehicle collisions due to development. In the present study, use of scents such as predator urines, deer urine, and plant extracts as repellants or baits was studied as a method of management. I used camera traps to record deer visiting scented, corn-baited stations where aspects of their behavior, such as feeding, vigilance, and sniffing were observed. The time they spent doing each behavior was analyzed for the various scents and compared for differences. There were no significant differences found in vigilant or sniffing behaviors among any of the scents and the controls. There was a significant difference in feeding behavior when clover extract was present at two stations. Predator urines may also not be the best deterrent when used by themselves and may be more effective when used in combination with some other form of deterrent. Physical barriers may be a better alternative for protecting crop damage or smaller areas, but is expensive on a larger scale.

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