Citation

Bellis ED, Graves HB. J. Wildl. Manage. 1971; 35(2): 232-237.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1971, Wildlife Society, Publisher BioOne)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

During 14 months 286 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were killed by vehicles on an 8-mile section of Interstate 80 in central Pennsylvania. Mortality among fawns and yearlings was not significantly different between the sexes, but among adults many more females than males were killed. Mortality was highest in the fall, high in spring, and low in summer and winter. The numbers killed per month were strongly correlated with the numbers seen grazing on the planted right-of-way. Mortality was highest in sections of highway that lay in troughs formed by steep median strips and steep rights-of-way, where troughs ended by a lowering of the median strips, and through flat areas where both sides of the highway and the median strip provided good pasture.