Ask Mark the Biologist

[dan]

Ask Mark the Biologist

Does anybody have any questions for Biologist Mark Witecha? Please be polite in your responses, Mark is doing this for us and deserves our respect. Please welcome him to the forum, and ask any questions you would like..


Marks experience largely lies with upland game birds. However, he did get a Master's in wildlife management from Texas A&M Kingsville at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, which is one of the premier wildlife research institutes in the world. They focus largely on deer and bobwhite quail, and are right up there with Mississippi State in terms of whitetail research. He got to study with some of the best deer researchers out there, it was a very good learning experience. He is not afraid to say I don't know, and can always find out answers if he don't know them


Thanks Mark!

[Ryan]

Hey Mark, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, I had one for you in regards to southern deer and the rut, I've read a lot into it but curious to what your opinion is. What do you think causes southern deer specifically those close to the coast to have such a different time for rutting activity compared to the northern deer/deer further off the coast.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Uncle Lou]

Mark,

Again thanks for taking the time to answer these biology questions. I heard something so bizzare last winter I could hardly believe it.

I had a friend from Michigan on an extended work assignment staying in Alabama. He was talking about 2 different rut times. Not a second rut or not a northern part of the state vs southern part of the state.

I believe he said some deer were transplanted (decades ago) and within a couple counties difference there was a vast difference in rut times. Like Nov vs January.

I was scratching my head, have you ever heard anything like this? I would think with second ruts and does cycling a second and maybe a third time I don't know how you could differentiate. Also, with buck dispersion and through time, even if these deer were originally transplanted from the north, I just couldn't fathom this.

Again, have you ever heard of anything like this?

Thanks again Mark

[Uncle Lou]

Hey Mark, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, I had one for you in regards to southern deer and the rut, I've read a lot into it but curious to what your opinion is. What do you think causes southern deer specifically those close to the coast to have such a different time for rutting activity compared to the northern deer/deer further off the coast.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Ryan, I have no idea if we are asking the same thing or not as I don't know if my friend was talking about coastal deer vs further inland. Maybe Mark can discern if we are on the same topic or not.

[JoeRE]

Mark I don't have a question right now, just wanted to say we really appreciate your personal commitment to continuing to answer wildlife related questions like this in a forum setting. Thats it. Keep up the good work.

[Mark the Biologist]

I'll try to answer both questions. It is believed that rut and the estrus cycle are typically induced by seasonal changes in day length and temperatures. One factor that might be influencing the rut with coastal vs. inland deer could be the differences in temperature and rainfall. If the coast was receiving cooler temps and more rainfall than inland, I could see rut starting earlier on the coast. In Alabama, the rut times do vary wildly. Part of the cause of that variation is that the herd is mixed with deer that were translocated from different regions. Also, physical condition and age play a role, weaker and younger deer tend to rut later in the season. Odd huh?

Hey Mark, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, I had one for you in regards to southern deer and the rut, I've read a lot into it but curious to what your opinion is. What do you think causes southern deer specifically those close to the coast to have such a different time for rutting activity compared to the northern deer/deer further off the coast.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Ryan, I have no idea if we are asking the same thing or not as I don't know if my friend was talking about coastal deer vs further inland. Maybe Mark can discern if we are on the same topic or not.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Mark the Biologist]

Thank you, Joe, much appreciated. It's been my pleasure answering questions.

Mark I don't have a question right now, just wanted to say we really appreciate your personal commitment to continuing to answer wildlife related questions like this in a forum setting. Thats it. Keep up the good work.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Stanley]

Thanks Mark great to have you available for questions.

[DEERSLAYER]

Thanks for donating your time answering questions on the Beast Mark. I'm sure there are many members that will benefit from your expertise.

[stash59]

Thanx Mark. Keep up the good work.

[Motivated]

I have a question about bachelor group breakups and the resulting home ranges. I have a mature buck I've been honing in on since last November. I believe I know most of its home range at this point, aside from the rut of course. Since April there has been a subordinate buck with him. It seems as though they have been joined at the hip for the last several months.

My question has to do with this younger buck, who has not recieved a great deal of attention from me yet. As this pair becomes less tolerant of each other, how far will this younger buck be pushed away, and how much will their home ranges overlap? FYI this is farm country midwest but approximately 5000 acres wooded surrounding a dam recreation area. Thanks for any insight you can offer.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Mark the Biologist]

Thanks for the question. This is a very difficult question to answer, as home range size and dispersal can vary greatly depending on a number of factors such as deer density, habitat quality, food availability, and the individual. Home ranges may be a couple hundred acres or even less in quality habitat or urban areas. In less ideal habitat, it could be several square miles. Young bucks are most likely to disperse greater distances, and may just move to the next property over, or he may move to the next county. How much overlap a dominant buck will tolerate well depend on the number of does around and food availability, but they generally have a core area they'll defend. What I can tell you is that home ranges shrink with better food availability and higher quality habitat, so in quality farmland habitat in the Midwest, you can expect smaller than average home ranges and likely shorter dispersal distances.

I have a question about bachelor group breakups and the resulting home ranges. I have a mature buck I've been honing in on since last November. I believe I know most of its home range at this point, aside from the rut of course. Since April there has been a subordinate buck with him. It seems as though they have been joined at the hip for the last several months.

My question has to do with this younger buck, who has not recieved a great deal of attention from me yet. As this pair becomes less tolerant of each other, how far will this younger buck be pushed away, and how much will their home ranges overlap? FYI this is farm country midwest but approximately 5000 acres wooded surrounding a dam recreation area. Thanks for any insight you can offer.

[ Post made via Android ]

[ Post made via Android ]

[Motivated]

Thanks! I appreciate it. They were still hanging out together a couple of weeks ago. I'm curious as to when exactly they will stop grouping together. I've read that this is not a gradual process but more like a light switch, happening sometime in September. Any more specific ideas as to which week? Does the timing relate to photoperiod and testosterone in a relatively predictable timeframe, or is it slightly different via region or viariable via an individual buck's temperment?

Again, thanks for your time and insight.

[ Post made via Android ]

[PEAKRUT]

Mark what determines a good acorn crop? I notice some years it is great and some years just plain none in certain areas that I hunt.


Thx

[Mark the Biologist]

Regarding timing of when bachelor groups break up, I've always heard two anecdotes: 1) bachelor groups break up when the acorns start dropping, and 2) they disperse when the antlers have hardened and the velvet is mostly shed. Biologically, it makes sense that they're breaking up after photoperiod cues elevated testosterone levels, which leads to hardening of the antlers. It's at this time sparring will pick up and mature bucks will drive the others out. That said, I've seen bachelor groups still together in early October, so there are certainly other factors at play, and it is variable. I think group composition (how many dominant older deer vs. younger deer) could influence when they break up, though I've never personally seen any research to back that up. I'm guessing hunting pressure could split them up as well.

Thanks! I appreciate it. They were still hanging out together a couple of weeks ago. I'm curious as to when exactly they will stop grouping together. I've read that this is not a gradual process but more like a light switch, happening sometime in September. Any more specific ideas as to which week? Does the timing relate to photoperiod and testosterone in a relatively predictable timeframe, or is it slightly different via region or viariable via an individual buck's temperment?

Again, thanks for your time and insight.

[ Post made via Android ]

[ Post made via Android ]