The Biology Of Deer

The first International Conference on the Biology of Deer Production was held at Dunedin, New Zealand in 1983. That meeting provided, for the first time, a forum for those with interests in either wild deer management or farmed deer production to come together. Scientists, wild deer managers, domestic deer farmers, veterinarians, venison and antler product producers, and others were able to discuss common problems and to share their knowledge and experience. The relationships formed at that meeting, and the information amassed in the resulting Proceedings, sparked new endeavors in cervid research, management, and production. A great deal has taken place in the world of deer biology since 1983. Wild deer populations, although ever increasing in many areas of the world, face new hazards of habitat loss, environmental contamination, and overexploitation. Some species are closer to extinction than ever. Game managers often face political as well as biological challenges. Many more deer are now on farms, leading to greater concerns about disease control and increased needs for husbandry information. Researchers have accumulated considerable new in formation, some of it in areas such as biochemical genetics, not discussed in 1983.

Winner of the Wildlife Society Outstanding Edited Book Award for 2013! Winner of the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Outstanding Book Award for 2011! Winner of a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award for 2011! Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer organizes and presents information on the most studied large mammal species in the world. The book covers the evolutionary history of the species, its anatomy, physiology, and nutrition, population dynamics, and ecology across its vast range (from central Canada through northern South America). The book then discusses the history of management of white-tailed deer, beginning with early Native Americans and progressing through management by Europeans and examining population lows in the early 1900s, restocking efforts through the mid 1900s, and recent, overabundant populations that are becoming difficult to manage in many areas. Features: Co-published with the Quality Deer Management Association Compiles valuable information for white-tailed deer enthusiasts, managers, and biologists Written by an authoritative author team from diverse backgrounds Integrates white-tailed deer biology and management into a single volume Provides a thorough treatment of white-tailed deer antler biology Includes downloadable resources with color images The backbone of many state wildlife management agencies' policies and a featured hunting species through much of their range, white-tailed deer are an important species ecologically, socially, and scientifically in most areas of North America. Highly adaptable and now living in close proximity to humans in many areas, white-tailed deer are both the face of nature and the source of conflict with motorists, home-owners, and agricultural producers. Capturing the diverse aspects of white-tailed deer research, Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer is a reflection of the resources invested in the study of the species’ effects on ecosystems, predator-prey dynamics, population regulation, foraging behavior, and browser physiology.

The first International Conference on the Biology of Deer Production was held at Dunedin, New Zealand in 1983. That meeting provided, for the first time, a forum for those with interests in either wild deer management or farmed deer production to come together. Scientists, wild deer managers, domestic deer farmers, veterinarians, venison and antler product producers, and others were able to discuss common problems and to share their knowledge and experience. The relationships formed at that meeting, and the information amassed in the resulting Proceedings, sparked new endeavors in cervid research, management, and production. A great deal has taken place in the world of deer biology since 1983. Wild deer populations, although ever increasing in many areas of the world, face new hazards of habitat loss, environmental contamination, and overexploitation. Some species are closer to extinction than ever. Game managers often face political as well as biological challenges. Many more deer are now on farms, leading to greater concerns about disease control and increased needs for husbandry information. Researchers have accumulated considerable new in formation, some of it in areas such as biochemical genetics, not discussed in 1983.

Information on white-tail deer population in 21 regions worldwide, covering: ecology, population, and management needs and opportunities.

Sika deer, the graceful spotted deer of Japanese and Chinese art, originally were native to Asia from far-east Russia to Vietnam to the islands of Japan and Taiwan. They are widely raised in captivity to supply velvet antler for traditional medicine. They also were introduced to Europe, North America, and New Zealand, where they compete or interbreed with native deer. Sika deer typically occupy lowland hardwood forests with low winter snow depths, where they thrive in sites disturbed by fire, storm, or logging. In high numbers they can severely impact vegetation though overgrazing, stripping bark from trees and damaging crop fields and forest plantations. Their numbers are high in many parts of Japan, moderate in Russia, and reduced or extinct in the wild in China, Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan. This book explores their basic biology, behavior, and ecology, including management for sport hunting, conservation or recovery of threatened populations, and resolution of conflict with humans in native and introduced lands.

Author Jim Heffelfinger presents a wide array of data in a reader-friendly, well-organized way. With a clear mission to make his information not only helpful, but entertaining and attractive as well, each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of understanding deer. The clear, detailed table of contents will help readers flip right to the section they want to investigate. Not just hunters, but anyone who is interested in the deer of West Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, southern California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, northern Mexico, or tribal lands will find this book to be an indispensable resource for understanding these familiar and fascinating animals. “Very few books on the subject of deer in any particular region lend themselves to being complete. Jim Heffelfinger’s book breaks the mold. It is by far the most comprehensive book on mule deer and white-tailed deer in the southwestern part of the United States, including Plains portions of Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico, I’ve ever read. Everything you ever wanted to know about these two deer species can be found in its pages . . . All of this under one cover and written in a style easy enough for the layperson to understand, but scientific enough for the professional biologist . . . Deer of the Southwest is a pleasure to read and should be part of every deer enthusiast’s library.”—Great Plains Research “An important reference for anyone interested in deer in the Southwest—managers and enthusiasts alike. Both enlightening and instructive, Deer of the Southwest is the ultimate source for understanding the history, management, and issues facing this resource. Jim Heffelfinger has solidified his reputation as the premier authority on deer in this region.”—Barry Hale, deer program manager, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

This book reviews current knowledge of the biology and natural history of the world's 40 species of deer.