Answer:

Coyotes take deer, a few are taken by bobcats, bears take a number of fawns in the first week or two after birth, hunters take deer, poachers take deer and deer are killed by motor vehicles on our highways and roads.

Nova Scotia has excellent summer and fall habitat for deer. We also have very good winter habitat... until it becomes buried in snow.

Starvation is the most significant factor affecting abundance of deer in Nova Scotia, and starvation is caused by winter severity, or more specifically by long periods of deep snow.

With relative mild winters during the mid and late 1990's our deer population was increasing in size. This was happening in spite of coyotes and hunting. In 1998 the Department of Natural Resources began issuing antlerless deer hunting permits and increased the number of permits (from 8,200 in 1998 to 25,000 in fall of 2000) as the herd grew.

Then came the winter of 2000-2001 with long periods of deep, light snow. Snow cover was established in late November and lasted well into April the following spring. There were no January or February rains that winter which would have settled the snow.

Deep snow is hard on deer for two reasons:

1. It makes travel very difficult and requires considerable energy out put.
2. Deep snow virtually covers their groceries. The best and most abundant deer feed is on or close to the ground. As snow becomes deep, only the less nutritious and less digestible woody vegetation remains available... if they can get to it.

Light fluffy snow is particularly problematic because deer are not able to get up on top of it to travel and feed. That is why the January / February rains are actually good for deer. It settles and hardens the snow.

The effect of winter that spring (2001) was very evident. DNR staff through out the province pick up and inspect all found dead deer (mostly road kills). During the winter severity assessment period of February 1st through to May 15th., condition of the animals is checked by determining the % fat remaining in the bone marrow.

That year 397 deer were checked for condition. Findings: 65% of fawns born the previous spring were in a state of starvation (and most likely died). 48% of adult bucks and yearling deer were also starved and likely died as a result. Adult does did better but at 37% starving, it was still much higher than in a more normal winter.

Think if it... deer are not found farther north than the southern part of the Canadian provinces yet are abundant to the south where coyotes, hunters, poachers, and vehicle traffic are all playing a role. The reason is winter and the associated deep snows. We are near that northern limit, so when we get a very severe winter (in terms of deep snow that lasts a long time, it takes its toll.

For your information.
TN

Regards,
Tony
______________________
Anthony (Tony) L. Nette
Manager, Wildlife Resources
Wildlife Division
136 Exhibition Street,
Kentville, Nova Scotia
Canada
B4N 4E5