Deer harvest variation in small and large management units in Pennsylvania

Wildlife Society Bulletin
By:  and 

Links

Abstract

Large game management units often lead to criticisms from hunters because they assume smaller units possess less variation in wildlife populations and more closely represent their local area. In 2003, Pennsylvania, USA, replaced smaller, socio-political county-based management units with larger wildlife management units (WMUs). We tested the hypothesis that smaller county units possessed less variation in antlered and antlerless white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvest densities among municipalities than did larger WMUs. Spatial variation, as measured by standard deviation and coefficient of variation of deer harvested per km2 was similar for antlered deer (county units 0.44 SD, CV = 0.35; WMUs 0.43 SD, CV = 0.38) and antlerless deer (county units 0.71 SD, CV = 0.44; WMUs 0.84 SD, CV = 0.45). We found no support for the assumption that larger management units resulted in greater spatial variation in deer harvest density.

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Deer harvest variation in small and large management units in Pennsylvania
Series title Wildlife Society Bulletin
DOI 10.1002/wsb.939
Volume 43
Issue 1
Year Published 2019
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Leetown
Description 6 p.
First page 71
Last page 76
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details