The relationship between deer density and home range size is important in assessing the effectiveness of deer reduction programs and predicting the effects of deer on habitat. We quantified annual home range and core area size and spatial configuration of adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) exposed to a population reduction program and a control group exposed to no population reduction program over a 4-year period (1994–1997). Deer were removed from Bluff Point during a 9-day shotgun hunt in 1996 and a 4-day removal program in 1997. Annual home range size during high deer densities (88–91 deer/km2) were larger than during periods of moderate (20 deer/km2) and low deer densities (11 deer/km2). We found a positive relationship between deer density and home range size. Annual home range size for the control group of deer did not differ among years. There were no significant shifts in the spatial arrangement of deer home ranges as deer densities were reduced. Significant improvements in deer herd health and reductions in deer browsing were documented during the 2-year deer reduction program. Population reduction programs at our study area did not cause the resident deer population to expand home range size or shift into adjacent habitat. We believe that localized deer reduction programs can be effective tools to manage problem deer herds. Deer removal efforts initiated to reduce deer damage to vegetation, particularly in urban areas, may have an added effect of reducing foraging range of the remaining resident deer.

The relationship between deer density and home range size is important in assessing the effectiveness of deer reduction programs and predicting the effects of deer on habitat. We quantified annual home range and core area size and spatial configuration of adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) exposed to a population reduction program and a control group exposed to no population reduction program over a 4-year period (1994)(1995)(1996)(1997). Deer were removed from Bluff Point during a 9-day shotgun hunt in 1996 and a 4-day removal program in 1997. Annual home range size during high deer densities (88-91 deer/km 2 ) were larger than during periods of moderate (20 deer/km 2 ) and low deer densities (11 deer/km 2 ). We found a positive relationship between deer density and home range size. Annual home range size for the control group of deer did not differ among years. There were no significant shifts in the spatial arrangement of deer home ranges as deer densities were reduced. Significant improvements in deer herd health and reductions in deer browsing were documented during the 2-year deer reduction program. Population reduction programs at our study area did not cause the resident deer population to expand home range size or shift into adjacent habitat. We believe that localized deer reduction programs can be effective tools to manage problem deer herds. Deer removal efforts initiated to reduce deer damage to vegetation, particularly in urban areas, may have an added effect of reducing foraging range of the remaining resident deer.Résumé : La relation entre la densité et la taille des domaines vitaux est importante lors de l'évaluation de l'efficacité des programmes de réduction de cerfs et de l'estimation des effets des cerfs sur l'habitat. Nous avons quantifié les domaines annuels et l'étendue de leur noyau central et en avons examiné la configuration spatiale chez des Cerfs de Virginie (Odocoileus virginianus) femelles exposés à un programme de réduction et des cerfs témoins pendant une période de 4 ans (1994)(1995)(1996)(1997). Les cerfs ont été enlevés de Bluff Point au cours d'une chasse au fusil d'une durée de 9 jours en 1996 et au cours d'un programme de retrait de 4 jours en 1997. L'étendue du domaine vital annuel au cours des années de densité élevée (88-91 cerfs/km 2 ) était supérieure à celle enregistrée au cours des périodes de densités moyenne (20 cerfs/km 2 ) ou faible (11 cerfs/km 2 ). Il existe une corrélation positive entre la densité des cerfs dans la population et la taille de leur domaine. La taille du domaine vital chez les cerfs du groupe témoin n'a pas varié d'une année à l'autre. Il n'y a pas eu de réarrangement spatial significatif des domaines à la suite d'une réduction de la densité. La santé du troupeau s'est trouvée significativement améliorée et le broutage a diminué considérablement au cours du programme de 2 ans de réduction des cerfs. Les programmes de réduction des populations au site de notre étude n'ont pas entraîné d'expansion des domaines ni de déplacement...