ABSTRACT
Testing South Texas Deer Counts for Density Dependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Foundation Theory and Management Relevance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
New-world deer of the genus Odocoileus are commonly assumed to respond to food shortage due to intraspecific competition by reduced recruitment, body mass, and other manifestations. McCullough’s (1979) book on the George Reserve deer herd is commonly cited as the definitive work on density dependence in white-tailed deer (O. virginianus), and by extension, mule deer (O. hemionus). The George Reserve is a 464-ha, high-fenced property in Michigan, United States. Two males and four females were introduced in 1928, and by 1933, the population was estimated to be 160. The population fluctuated until 1952, when a series of experiments with deer density began. The population was reduced during this time in a series of steps and data collected to form a population model (McCullough 1979). Strong density dependence was evident in this model.
