Impact of environmental diversity of hunting complexes in the Lublin region on ontogenetic quality indicators in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Abstract

Populations of game are not confined to single ecosystems but function within higher-order units, e.g. ecological landscape. The basis for the establishment of the hunting complexes was the assumption that the existing game hunting grounds, i.e. the basic units implementing game management, are too small and do not cover the natural areas inhabited by game populations. Roe deer are flexible species and easily adapt to various site conditions, so they inhabit many different habitats, from large forest complexes, through small in-field tree stands and shrubs, to treeless grounds and field monocultures. The aim of the study was to determine a possible impact of environmental conditions prevailing in the hunting complexes of the Regional Directorate of State Forests (RDLP in Lublin) on the ontogenetic quality of roe deer. The study was conducted on 518 European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) aged from 4 to 7 years (379 bucks and 139 does) harvested within hunting seasons 2010/2011–2013/2014. The results have shown that animals originating from areas with greater forest cover and denser stands are characterised by lower values of the mean ontogenetic quality parameters (carcase weight, kidney fat index, chest girth, weight of antlers) in comparison with animals from typical agricultural areas with fragmented forest complexes. These results indicate that, even in the case of such a eurytopic species as the roe deer, the ontogenetic quality differs between individual hunting complexes. The study has proved that strategies for hunting management of the roe deer should take into account the impact of the landscape structure, which provides a rationale behind creation of hunting complexes.

Assessment of selected indicators of the individual condition of roe deer Capreolus capreolus in the closed hunting season

“…Research on energy reserves in cervids in Poland has been conducted in deer [Bobek et al 1990, Okarma 1991, Dzięciołowski et al 1996, Drozd and Piwniuk 2000 and roe deer [Drozd and Gruszecki 2000, Karpiński et al 2008, Czyżowski et al 2018.…”

Change of antlers morpho-metric parameters and total trophy score in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) in relation to age

“…Healthy animals discard antlers during late autumn, after which the growth of new antlers begins immediately during winter (Sempéré et al, 1998). Growth and rejection of antlers is a very complex process, which comes as a result of achieving the balance between hormonal factors (Price and Allen, 2004), genetic factors (Scribner et al, 1989), environmental factorsnutrition, length of light period, conditions in the habitat and population density (Bán and Fodor, 1982;Pélabon and Breukelen, 1998;Czyżowski et al, 2018). Hormonal growth control is a result of the balance of testosterone, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and thyroid hormones, as well as parathyroid and adrenal hormones that play a role in controlling the metabolism of minerals (Bartos et al, 2012).…”

“…These individuals have faster body development and are of better body condition, so the morpho-metric elements and overall trophy score sooner culminate compared to roe deer from forest habitats (Pételis and Brazaitis, 2003;Janiszewski et al, 2009). Research of Czyżowski et al (2018) conducted on 518 European roe deer animals (Capreolus capreolus L.) aged 4 to 7 years, originating from the hunting complexes in Lublin (Poland) showed that individuals from areas with denser forest cover have lower mean values of ontogenetic quality parameters (carcass weight, renal fat index, breast circumference, antler weight) compared to roe deer from typical agricultural areas.…”