Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Do Wolves Affect White-Tailed Buck Harvest
In Northeastern Minnesota?
by
L. David Mech1 and Michael E. Nelson2
Abstract: We used simple linear regression to analyze 8-23 years
of data on a wolf (Canis lupus) population and human harvest of white-tailed
deer (Odocoileus virginianus) bucks in northeastern Minnesota to determine
any effects of wolves on buck harvesting. Over the long term, wolves accounted
for at least 14-22% of the inter-year variation in buck harvest in the region,
but an unknown amount of variation in hunter effort may have obscured any more
precise estimate. For part of the area with poorest habitat, we found strong
inverse relationships (r2 = 0.66-0.84) between annual wolf
numbers and buck harvests from 1988 to 1995 when hunting pressure was considered
relatively constant. However, in better habitat, where our buck harvest sample
was larger, we found no evidence of wolves influencing buck harvest. Our findings
tend to confirm the suitability of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource's
deer harvest regulations for a sustainable yield.
Key Words: bucks, Canis lupus, harvesting, hunting,
Minnesota, Odocoileus virginianus, population, predation, white-tailed
deer, wolf
This resource is based on the following source (Northern Prairie Publication
1074):
Mech, L. David and Michael E. Nelson. 2000. Do Wolves Affect White-Tailed
Buck Harvest In Northeastern Minnesota? Journal of Wildlife Management
64(1):129-136.
This resource should be cited as:
Mech, L. David and Michael E. Nelson. 2000. Do Wolves Affect White-Tailed
Buck Harvest In Northeastern Minnesota? Journal of Wildlife Management
64(1):129-136. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Online. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/buckharv/index.htm.
(Version 02MAR2000).
Table of Contents
Figures & Tables
- Figure 1 -- The study area in northeastern
Minnesota.
- Figure 2 -- Buck harvest in the Isabella
area and population trend of wolves dependent on deer in the census area.
- Table 1 -- Estimated size of the wolf population
in the census area of the central Superior National Forest and buck harvest
for areas in and near the wolf census area.
- Table 2 -- Results of simple linear regressions
to test the hypothesis that buck harvest should be inversely related to
wolf numbers the previous winter if wolves strongly influence deer harvest.
- Table 3 -- Results of simple linear regression
analysis of data to test the hypothesis that buck harvest should be inversely
related to wolf numbers the previous winter if wolves strongly influence
deer harvest.
1 Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern
Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37th Street, S.E., Jamestown,
ND 58401, USA. Mailing address: North Central Research Station,
1992 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. E-mail: mechx002@tc.umn.edu
2 Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern
Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37th Street, S.E., Jamestown,
ND 58401, USA. Mailing address: Kawishiwi Lab, SR 1, Box 7200,
Ely, MN 55731, USA.
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