Response of Deer to Containment by a Poly-Mesh Fence for Mitigating Disease Outbreaks

Authors

Michael J. Lavelle, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Justin W. Fischer, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Scott E. Hygnstrom, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Joshua J. White, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
Aaron M. Hildreth, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Gregory E. Phillips, United States Department of Agriculture
Kurt C. Vercauteren, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife ServicesFollow

Date of this Version

2010

Citation

Journal of Wildlife Management 74(7):1620–1625; 2010; DOI: 10.2193/2009-268

Abstract

Rapidly deployable and effective methods are needed to contain free-ranging deer (Odocoileus spp.) during acute disease outbreaks. We evaluated efficacy of a 2.1-m-tall polypropylene mesh (poly-mesh) fence for containing ≥15 free-ranging white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) within a 42-ha area in eastern Nebraska, USA. We observed a 99% decrease in deer leaving the enclosure area after we installed fencing (1 deer jumped; 0.02 deer/hr) compared with prefence rates (5.26 deer/hr). However, 8 deer (53% of censused population) escaped the enclosure during a census drive after our study. Poly-mesh fencing may be effective in temporarily containing free-ranging deer during minimally disruptive deer removal actions such as trapping or sharpshooting.