A spatial analysis of the factors influencing the suburban white-tailed deer population of Village West, Texas (Odocoileus virginianus)

Suburban deer populations are becoming a nuisance to residents within certain communities due to the increased cases of deer-vehicle accidents, landscape damage, and potential for spreading disease. In order to discover the factors influencing suburban populations of white-tailed deer, twelve sampling transects through the Village West Community (N29°51.42, W98°13.69) were conducted to map the suburban deer (average of 86 deer) and feeder house (6 homes) population. Sampling transects were conducted during morning, noon, and evening hours to allow for assessment of the feeding habits of the white-tailed deer. Each deer recorded was observed feeding either on landscaped or non-landscaped vegetation. Ornamental plantings or human-provided food are considered landscaped vegetation, and the white-tail's natural habitat is considered non-landscaped vegetation. Deer locations were recorded with a laser rangefinder enabled Global Positioning Unit (GPS) and later transferred to a Geographical Information System (GIS) to determine the density of the deer herds and location of feeder houses. As revealed by the GIS analysis, the time of day during which the deer fed had no statistically significant bearing on the deer's feeding habits relative to vegetation type. Regardless of the time of day, 72% of the deer were found in landscaped vegetation and, only 28% of the herd observed sought food from natural sources. Approximately 40% of the deer were observed within 200 m of the feeder houses, indicating that the human-provided food (corn or unprotected ornamental plantings) was substantial enough for the deer herd to survive solely within the community. Out of the total deer population (1,035 deer as a result of all 12 sampling transects combined), approximately 71% of the observed were located on Colleen Street, Cindy Street, or Nancy Street. All observed feeder homes were also located on Colleen Street, Cindy Street, or Nancy Street. The homes observed feeding the deer appear to increase the habitualization of the ungulates within the community.