Factors Affecting Road Mortality of White-Tailed Deer in Eastern South Dakota

Authors

Troy W. Grovenburg, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
Jonathan A. Jenks, South Dakota State University
Robert W. Klaver, U.S. Geological Survey
Kevin L. Monteith, South Dakota State University
Dwight H. Galster, South Dakota State University
Ron J. Schauer, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks
Wilbert W. Morlock, South Dakota department of Game, Fish and Parks
Joshua A. Delger, South Dakota State University

Abstract

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mortalities (n = 4,433) caused by collisions with automobiles during 2003 were modeled in 35 counties in eastern South Dakota. Seventeen independent variables and 5 independent variable interactions were evaluated to explain deer mortalities. A negative binomial regression model (Ln Y = 1.25 – 0.12 [percentage tree coverage] + 0.0002 [county area] + 5.39 [county hunter success rate] + 0.0023 [vehicle proxy 96–104 km/hr roads], model deviance = 33.43, χ2 = 27.53, df = 27) was chosen using a combination of a priori model selection and AICc. Management options include use of the model to predict road mortalities and to increase the number of hunting licenses, which could result in fewer DVCs.

Recommended Citation

Grovenburg, Troy W.; Jenks, Jonathan A.; Klaver, Robert W.; Monteith, Kevin L.; Galster, Dwight H.; Schauer, Ron J.; Morlock, Wilbert W.; and Delger, Joshua A. (2008) "Factors Affecting Road Mortality of White-Tailed Deer in Eastern South Dakota," Human–Wildlife Interactions: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26077/bpwc-e902
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol2/iss1/12