Objective and accurate techniques are needed to estimate age and antler size of live white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), because these parameters are essential to many white-tailed deer management strategies. I developed and evaluated accuracy of methods for estimating age and antler size from photographs of live, male white-tailed deer using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I estimated size of photographed, known-score mounted antlers accurately using a fixed-scale object and photographed, live deer using anatomical features. I determined if a series of morphometric ratios could be used to predict age of deer from photographs using a dichotomous key procedure. Mean percentage error for gross antler score was < 6% using a single photograph at 0° or 45°. The dichotomous key procedure effectively separated age classes of photographed, live white-tailed deer. When grouping deer into 1, 2, 3, 4, or ≥ 5 year age classes, the methodology respectively.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-1358 |
| Date | 07 August 2010 |
| Creators | Flinn, Jeremy J |
| Publisher | Scholars Junction |
| Source Sets | Mississippi State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
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