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MPG North

Protecting Open Space for Future Generations

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Cooney Creek Wildlife - White-tail Deer Rut

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Several weeks ago male white-tailed deer began to isolate themselves and engage in dominance establishing behaviors for the breeding season.

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Before breeding season starts, males rub tree bark to remove dead and dry velvet that sheathes their antlers.

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Rubs and scrapes also act as visual and olfactory cues to reduce conflict between competing males.

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Rubs and scrapes also communicate male health, reproductive condition, and dominance rank to females.

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One male tails behind a female through the forest north of Home pond.

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A female passes in front of the northeast Home pond game camera on November 10th. Minutes later, a male triggers the same camera.

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On the morning of November 16th, a male follows a couple of females along a path near Entrance marsh.

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If a female does not breed or become pregnant during her first estrus, she may go into estrus again two or more times before the season ends

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In 2015, game cameras captured images of 6,520 deer.

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Females made up 3,251 (93%) of the 3,493 deer detections with known sex in 2015, while males made up 242 (7%).

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Females made up 3,251 (93%) of the 3,493 deer detections with known sex in 2015, while males made up 242 (7%).





 



Habitat Type(s): 

  • Aquatic
  • Deciduous Woodlands
  • Grassland or Open
  • Mixed Conifer
  • Riparian

Other Blog Posts

  • MPG Mushrooms: Morels, False Morels and Cup Fungi
  • MPG Mushrooms: Smoky Polypore
  • Cooney Creek Wildlife - Bear Hair Collection and DNA Analysis
  • Cooney Creek Wildlife - Bobcat
  • Cooney Creek Wildlife - Ruffed Grouse
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Posted on 11/25/2015 by Anonymous

Tags: 

  • Wildlife Monitoring
  • Remote Cameras

Related

  • 05-13-16 Field Work Field Note
  • Field update for 05/25/2015 - 06/18/2015
  • MPG North Field Note - Entrance Marsh and Upland Restoration

Photos

 This week’s capture totals include several images of snowshoe hares, putting them at third place in the roster. Their seasonal white coats provide camouflage as they bound across the crust of snow on broad feet.
 Remote cameras deliver an inside view of wildlife behavior as shown here in this Buckeye capture from the summer of 2012.
This Buckeye camera captures animals walking across Main Bridge above Cooney Creek.

Videos

Red Fox Rubs Post

122761544

Mustelid

100114 KF mustelid

Gray Wolf Pack with Collared Wolf

050515_AB_Canis_lupis_Gray_wolf_pack_collar

About MPG North

Established in 2005, the property boundary at MPG North encloses 200 undeveloped acres in Western Montana’s Swan Valley. Researchers and field staff manage the property to improve habitat quality for wildlife, discover new ways to restore damaged landscapes and study forest ecology. We also create opportunities to share what we've learned with local conservation organizations, students of all ages, management agencies and volunteers. Through these education and outreach efforts, we seek to inspire others to work together and protect undeveloped landscapes.