Source: UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA submitted to
ECOLOGY OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN NEBRASKA
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0211887
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
NEB-38-056
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jul 31, 2007
Project End Date
Jul 31, 2012
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Hygnstrom, S. E.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
(N/A)
LINCOLN,NE 68583
Performing Department
SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Non Technical Summary
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a recent, fatal, naturally occurring transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects members of the deer family in Nebraska and elsewhere. Relatively little is known about the ecology, transmission, and impacts of CWD, yet some scientists predict that as prevalence rises, populations could be driven to extinction in less than 100 years. We will conduct research on the movements, population dynamics, social behavior, and habitat selection of mule deer and white-tailed deer in Nebraska. Data will be used to generate epidemiological models that will predict the rate of spread of CWD in mule deer and white-tailed deer across the state. Our results will be used to develop testable strategies to control the spread of CWD in North America.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
13508301070100%
Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife;

Subject Of Investigation
0830 - Wild animals;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
My goal is to elucidate the underlying ecological mechanisms associated with the distribution of CWD in the environment. In particular, for mule deer and white-tailed deer in riparian areas across Nebraska, we will: 1. determine the prevalence of CWD, 2. predict changes in population parameters across time, 3. measure movements and home ranges, 4. evaluate selection of habitat, 5. estimate transmission rates associated with fall scraping behavior, and 6. predict the extent and rate of spread of CWD.
Project Methods
We will conduct the study in the Missouri River Valley in eastern Nebraska and the North Platte River Valley in western Nebraska. We will calculate the prevalence rates of CWD for each year. We will estimate the densities and species/sex/age ratios of deer in each study area. We will capture over 700 deer, mark them with radio collars, and locate them at least three times per week. We will estimate daily survival and cause-specific mortality of deer. We will generate locations of deer from telemetry data and will examine variation home ranges, core areas, and movement patterns. We will model the probability of resource use given a choice of available resources. We will use motion-activated infrared cameras to collect information on deer at selected scrapes. We will model contact rates of deer based on proximity and intensity indices and will model transmission rates associated with fall scraping behavior. We will develop individual-based models of disease transmission for mule deer, white-tailed deer, and the two species combined that incorporate information from all of the above objectives.

Progress 07/31/07 to 07/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: We conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature regarding elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and chronic wasting disease. We generated estimates of the size, fecundity, and sex/age structure of white-tailed deer and mule deer in Nebraska. We generated annual home ranges, movement tracks, and seasonal use-areas for over 750 marked deer. We evaluated video images of over 2,800 interactions of male white-tailed deer at scrapes and over 7,000 images from collar-mounted cameras on deer. We developed models to evaluate the space use, resource selection, population dynamics, and spread of chronic wasting disease in elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer in Nebraska. We evaluated the effects of barriers and hunting on deer movements. We promoted a harvested deer donation program in Nebraska and explored the concept of commercial deer harvest. We published five papers that address the biology and management of mule deer and white-tailed deer in Nebraska, in particular as it relates to chronic wasting disease in Nebraska. We made 3 presentations of our research at scientific meetings. We developed a website on deer research at UNL. We registered deer distress calls as a product for development of a deer-activated bio-acoustic device for deterring white-tailed deer. We hosted a Safe-Capture Workshop on chemical immobilization of wildlife, especially deer and elk. PARTICIPANTS: Principal Investigators included Scott Hygnstrom, UNL-School of Natural Resources and Kurt VerCauteren, USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center. Collaborators included Bruce Trindle, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Larry Klimek, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Personnel on the project included Post-doctoral Research Assistants Charles Anderson, David Baasch, Justin Hoffman, and David Walters; Research Project Coordinator Greg Clements and Technicians Myndi Clements, Scott Groepper, and Aaron Hildreth; Graduate Students David Baasch, Justin Boner, Greg Clements, Charles Frost, Trevor Hefley and Travis Kinsell; and Undergraduate Students Michael Lassen and Shelby Sidel. Twenty-five other agency and university scientists contributed to our research and were recognized as co-authors. Partner organizations included the USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, National Park Service, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. We received training from the UNL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Environmental Health and Safety Program, SafeCapture International, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, Microsoft Access and Excel, and R statistical programming. TARGET AUDIENCES: USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services and Wildlife Services, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, fellow researchers in deer and chronic wasting disease, deer hunters, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
We increased our knowledge of the roles of cervid home ranges, movements, habitat selection, and survival on the prevalence and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Nebraska. We increased our knowledge of the human dimensions and management of cervids for the control of diseases. We supervised one program coordinator, and one technician. Results from our research were used by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to modify deer harvest management guidelines at DeSoto and Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuges, Fontenelle Forest Natural Area, and other areas in eastern Nebraska. Results were used by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program in Nebraska. During 2008-10, the Nebraska Deer Exchange, a NGPC-hosted website logged 4,160 participants and 25.4 tons of venison donated to needy people. Results were used to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Research Program at the USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center. Ultimately, our research has improved the management of cervids and cervid diseases in Nebraska and elsewhere.

Publications

  • Hildreth, A.M., S.E. Hygnstrom, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2012. Deer-activated bio-acoustic frightening device deters white-tailed deer. Human-Wildlife Interactions (in press)
  • Hefley, T.J, S.E. Hygnstrom, J.M. Gilsdorf, G.M. Clements, M.J. Clements, A.J. Tyre, D.M. Baasch, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2012. Effects of deer density and land use on mass of white-tailed deer. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 4 (1) (in press)
  • Hildreth, A.A., S.E. Hygnstrom, E.E. Blankenship, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2012. Use of partially fenced fields to reduce deer damage to corn. Wildlife Society Bulletin 36:199-203 DOI: 10.1002/wsb.119
  • Lavelle, M.J., K.C. VerCauteren, A.M. Hildreth, T.A. Campbell, D.B. Long, D.G. Hewitt, S.E. Hygnstrom. 2012. Utility of improvised video-camera collars for collecting contact data from white-tailed deer: possibilities in disease transmission studies. Wildlife Society Bulletin DOI: 10.1002/wsb.216
  • VerCauteren, K.C., C.W. Anderson, T.R. Van Deelen, D. Drake, W.D. Walter, S.M. Vantassel, and S.E. Hygnstrom. 2012. Regulated commercial harvest to manage overabundant white-tailed deer: an idea to consider Wildlife Society Bulletin DOI 10.1002/wsb.173.


Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: We conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature regarding elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and chronic wasting disease. We generated estimates of the size, fecundity, and sex/age structure of populations of white-tailed deer and mule deer in Nebraska. We generated annual home ranges, movement tracks, and seasonal use-areas for over 750 marked deer. We evaluated video images of over 2,800 interactions of male white-tailed deer at scrapes and over 7,000 images from collar-mounted cameras on deer. We developed models to evaluate the space use, resource selection, population dynamics, and spread of chronic wasting disease in populations of elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer in Nebraska. We evaluated the effects of barriers and hunting on deer movements. We promoted a donation program for harvested deer in Nebraska and explored the concept of commercial deer harvest. We published ten papers and one book chapter that address the home ranges, movements, resource selection, and survival of elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer in Nebraska; the prevalence and predicted spread of chronic wasting disease in Nebraska; and the behavior of white-tailed deer relative to disease transmission. We hosted the 14th Wildlife Damage Management Conference and dominated the program of the Central Mountains and Plains Section Meeting of The Wildlife Society. We made 13 presentations of our research at scientific meetings. We initiated the development of a website on deer research at UNL. PARTICIPANTS: Principal Investigators included Scott Hygnstrom, UNL-School of Natural Resources and Kurt VerCauteren, USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center. Collaborators included Bruce Trindle, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Larry Klimek, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Personnel on the project included Post-doctoral Research Assistants Charles Anderson, David Baasch, Justin Hoffman, and David Walters; Research Project Coordinator Greg Clements and Technicians Myndi Clements, Scott Groepper, and Aaron Hildreth; Graduate Students David Baasch, Justin Boner, Greg Clements, Charles Frost, Trevor Hefley and Travis Kinsell; and Undergraduate Students Michael Lassen and Shelby Sidel. Twenty-five other agency and university scientists contributed to our research and were recognized as co-authors. Partner organizations included the USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, National Park Service, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. We received training from the UNL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Environmental Health and Safety Program, SafeCapture International, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, Microsoft Access and Excel, and R statistical programming. TARGET AUDIENCES: USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services and Wildlife Services, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, fellow researchers in deer and chronic wasting disease, deer hunters, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
We increased our knowledge of the roles of cervid home ranges, movements, habitat selection, and survival on the prevalence and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Nebraska. We increased our knowledge of the human dimensions and management of cervids for the control of diseases. We contributed a chapter on Management of White-tailed Deer in Midwest North America in the new landmark book on Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer that will be widely read by scientists and the general public. We supervised two post-docs, one program coordinator, and one technician, three of which have moved on to full-time career positions in wildlife research and management. Results from our research were used by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) to modify deer harvest management guidelines at DeSoto and Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuges, Fontenelle Forest Natural Area, and other areas in eastern Nebraska. Results were used by the NGPC to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program in Nebraska. Results were used to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Research Program at the USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center. During 2008-10, the Nebraska Deer Exchange, a NGPC-hosted website logged 4,160 participants and 25.4 tons of venison donated to needy people. Ultimately, our research has improved the management of cervids and cervid diseases in Nebraska and elsewhere.

Publications

  • Clements, G.M., S.E. Hygnstrom, J.M. Gilsdorf, D.M. Baasch, M.J. Clements, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2011. Movements of white-tailed deer in riparian habitat: implications for infectious diseases. Journal of Wildlife Management 75:1436-1442.
  • Cover, M.A., S.E. Hygnstrom, S.R. Groepper, D.W. Oates, K.M. Hams, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2011. Surveillance of selected diseases in free-ranging elk (Cervus elaphus nelson) in Nebraska, 1995-2009. Great Plains Research 21:145-151.
  • Hildreth, A.M., S.E. Hygnstrom, K.M. Hams, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2011. The Nebraska Deer Exchange: a novel program for donating harvested deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin 35:195-200.
  • Hygnstrom, S.E., G.W. Garabrandt, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2011. Fifteen years of urban deer management: the Fontenelle Forest experience. Wildlife Society Bulletin 35:90-104.
  • Hygnstrom, S.E., K.C. VerCauteren, S.R. Groepper, G.W. Garabrandt, and J.A. Gubanyi. 2011. Effects of seasons and hunting on space use by female white-tailed deer in a developed landscape in southeastern Nebraska. Wildlife Society Bulletin 35:105-112.
  • VerCauteren, K.C., C.W. Anderson, T.R. Van Deelen, D. Drake, W.D. Walter, S.M. Vantassel, and S.E. Hygnstrom. 2011. Regulated commercial harvest to manage overabundant white-tailed deer: an idea to consider Wildlife Society Bulletin 35:185-194.
  • Walter, W.D., D.M. Baasch, S.E. Hygnstrom, B.D. Trindle, A.J. Tyre, J.J. Millspaugh, C.J. Frost, J.R. Boner, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2011. Space use of sympatric deer in a riparian ecosystem in an area where chronic wasting disease is endemic. Wildlife Biology 17:1-19.


Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: We conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature regarding elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and chronic wasting disease. We generated estimates of the size, fecundity, and sex/age structure of white-tailed deer and mule deer in Nebraska. We captured and marked 750 deer in Nebraska and monitored their movements by radio-telemetry and direct observation. We generated annual home ranges, movement tracks, and seasonal use-areas for all marked deer. We evaluated video images of over 2,800 interactions of male white-tailed deer at scrapes. We developed hundreds of models to evaluate the space use, resource selection, population dynamics, and spread of chronic wasting disease in elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer in Nebraska. We have submitted 26 papers for publication that address the home ranges, movements, resource selection, and survival of elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer in Nebraska; the prevalence and predicted spread of chronic wasting disease in Nebraska; and the behavior of white-tailed deer relative to disease transmission. We made 10 presentations of our research at scientific meetings. We developed dvds on Deer Trapping in Netted Cage-traps and The Deer of DeSoto. We initiated the development of a website on deer research at UNL. PARTICIPANTS: Principal Investigators included Scott Hygnstrom, UNL-School of Natural Resources and Kurt VerCauteren, USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center. Collaborators included Bruce Trindle, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Larry Klimek, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Personnel on the project included Post-doctoral Research Assistants Charles Anderson, David Baasch, Justin Hoffman, and David Walters; Research Project Coordinator Greg Clements and Technicians Myndi Clements, Scott Groepper, and Aaron Hildreth; Graduate Students David Baasch, Justin Boner, Greg Clements, Charles Frost, and Travis Kinsell; and Undergraduate Students Trevor Hefley and Michael Louven. Twenty-five other agency and university scientists contributed to our research and were recognized as co-authors. Partner organizations included the USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, National Park Service, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. We received training from the UNL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Environmental Health and Safety Program, SafeCapture International, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, Microsoft Access and Excel, and R statistical programming. TARGET AUDIENCES: USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services and Wildlife Services, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, fellow researchers in deer and chronic wasting disease, deer hunters, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Major changes - two MS-level graduate students quit their projects to secure full-time employment. Their responsibilities were picked up by post-docs, so their departures have not hampered our research program.

Impacts
We increased our knowledge of the roles of cervid home ranges, movements, habitat selection, and survival on the prevalence and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Nebraska. We increased our knowledge of the human dimensions and management of cervids for the control of diseases. We also contributed a chapter on Management of White-tailed Deer in Midwest North America in the new landmark book on Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer. Four of our six graduate students completed their degrees (two MS, two PhD). We supervised three post-docs, one program coordinator, and one technician, four of which have moved on to full-time career positions. Results from our research were used by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to modify deer harvest management guidelines at DeSoto and Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuges and other areas in eastern Nebraska. Results were used by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program in Nebraska. Results were used by the USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services to establish boundaries for the Chronic Wasting Disease Endemnity Program in western Nebraska. Results were used to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Research Program at the USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center. Ultimately, our research has improved the management of cervids and cervid diseases in Nebraska and elsewhere.

Publications

  • Clements , G.M., S.E. Hygnstrom, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2010. Home range and movements of male white-tailed deer: implications for management of infectious diseases. Journal of Wildlife Management. (in press).
  • VerCauteren, K.C. and S.E. Hygnstrom. 2010. Managing white-tailed deer: Midwest North America. in Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer, D. Hewitt, editor. Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Florida. (in press).
  • Walter, W.D., M.J. Lavelle, J.W. Fischer, T.L. Johnson, S.E. Hygnstrom, C.W. Anderson, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2010. Management of damage by elk (Cervus elaphus): a review. Wildlife Research. (in press).
  • Walter, W.D., K.C. VerCauteren, H. Campa III, W.R. Clark, J.W. Fischer, S.E. Hygnstrom, N.E. Mathews, C.K. Nielsen, E.M. Shauber, T.R. Van Deelen, and S.R. Winterstein. 2010. Regional assessment on influence of landscape configuration and connectivity on range size of white-tailed deer. Landscape Ecology 24:1405-1420.
  • Crank, R.D., S.E. Hygnstrom, and S.R. Groepper. 2009. Tourist attitudes toward elk management in the Pine Ridge region of northwestern Nebraska. Great Plains Research 19:215-223.
  • Frost, C.J., S.E. Hygnstrom, A.J. Tyre, K.M. Eskridge, D.M. Baasch, J.R. Boner, G.M. Clements, J.M. Gilsdorf, T.C. Kinsell, K.C. VerCauteren. 2009. Probabilistic movement model with emigration simulates movements of deer in Nebraska. 1990-2006. Ecological Modeling 220:2481-2490.
  • Hygnstrom, S.E., P.D. Skelton, S.J. Josiah, J.M. Gilsdorf, D.R. Virchow, J.A. Brandle, A.K. Jayaprakash, K.M. Eskridge, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2009. White-tailed deer browsing and rubbing preferences for trees and shrubs that produce non-timber forest products. HortTechnology 19:204-211.
  • Walter, W.D., K.C. VerCauteren, J.M. Gilsdorf, and S.E. Hygnstrom. 2009. Crop, native vegetation, and biofuels: long-term response of white-tailed deer to changing habitat management priorities. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:339-344.
  • Baasch, D.M., J.W. Fischer, S.E. Hygnstrom, K.C. VerCauteren , A.J Tyre, J.J. Millspaugh, J.W. Merchant, and J.D. Volesky. 2010. Resource selection by elk in an agro-forested landscape in northwestern Nebraska. Environmental Management 46:725-737.
  • Baasch, D.M., A.J Tyre, S.E. Hygnstrom, J.J. Millspaugh, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2010. An evaluation of three statistical methods used to model resource selection. Ecological Modeling 221:565-574.
  • Crank, D.R., S.E. Hygnstrom, S.R. Groepper, and K.M. Hams. 2010. Landowner attitudes toward elk in the Pine Ridge region of northwestern Nebraska. Human-Wildlife Interactions 4:67-76.
  • Julian, T.J, S.M. Vantassel, S.R. Groepper, and S.E. Hygnstrom. 2010. Opinion paper: euthanasia methods in field settings for wildlife damage management. Human-Wildlife Interactions 4:158-164.
  • Lavelle, M.J. , J.W. Fischer, S.E. Hygnstrom , J.J. White, A.M. Hildreth, G.E. Phillips, and. K.C. VerCauteren. 2010. Response of deer to containment by a poly-mesh fence for mitigating disease outbreaks. Journal of Wildlife Management 74:1620-1625.


Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: We conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature regarding mule deer, white-tailed deer, and chronic wasting disease. We generated estimates of the size, fecundity, and sex/age structure of white-tailed deer and mule deer in Nebraska. We captured and marked 725 deer in Nebraska and monitored their movements by radio-telemetry and direct observation. We generated annual home ranges and season use areas for all marked deer. We evaluated video images of over 1,500 interactions of male white-tailed deer at scrapes. We developed hundreds of models to evaluate the space use, resource selection, population dynamics, and spread of chronic wasting disease in mule deer and white-tailed deer in Nebraska. We have submitted 19 papers for publication that address the home ranges, movements, resource selection, and survival of white-tailed deer and mule deer in Nebraska; the prevalence and predicted spread of chronic wasting disease in Nebraska; and the behavior of white-tailed deer relative to disease transmission. We made 12 presentations of our research at scientific meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Our primary collaborators were Kurt VerCauteren, USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center and Bruce Trindle, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Personnel on the project included Post-doctora Research Assistants David Walters and Justin Hoffman; Research Technicians Jason Gilsdorf, Scott Groepper, and Myndi Clements; Graduate Students David Baasch, Charles Frost, Greg Clements, Travis Kinsell, and Justin Boner; and Undergraduate Students Trevor Hefley and Aaron Hildreth. Partner organizations included the USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources and Research Council, Nebraska Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Boone and Crockett Club, Nebraska Bowhunters Association, and Cabella's Incorporated. We received training from the UNL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Environmental Health and Safety Program, SafeCapture International, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, Microsoft Access and Excel, and R statistical programming. TARGET AUDIENCES: USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services and Wildlife Services, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS-Biological Resources Division, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, fellow researchers in deer and chronic wasting disease, deer hunters, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None

Impacts
Three of our seven graduate students completed their degrees (one MS, 2 PhDs). Results from our research were used by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to modify deer harvest management guidelines at DeSoto and Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuges and other areas in eastern Nebraska. Results were used by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program in Nebraska. Results were used by the USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services to establish boundaries for the Chronic Wasting Disease Endemnity Program in western Nebraska. Results were used to modify the Chronic Wasting Disease Research Program at the USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center.

Publications

  • Hoffman, J. D. 2008. Evaluation and application of predictive habitat modeling in ecology. Dissertation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, USA.
  • Hygnstrom, S.E., S.R. Groepper, K.C. VerCauteren, C.J. Frost, J.R. Boner, T.C. Kinsell, and G.M. Clements. 2008. Literature review of mule deer and white-tailed deer movements in western and midwestern landscapes. Great Plains Research 18:219-231.
  • Hygnstrom, S.E., P.D. Skelton, S.J. Josiah, J.M. Gilsdorf, D.R. Virchow, J.A. Brandle, A.K. Jayaprakash, K.M. Eskridge, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2009. White-tailed deer browsing and rubbing preferences for trees and shrubs that produce non-timber forest products. HortTechnology 19:111-118.
  • Walters, W.D., K.C. VerCauteren, J.M. Gilsdorf, and S.E. Hygnstrom. 2009. Crop, native vegetation, and biofuels: long-term response of white-tailed deer to changing habitat management priorities. Journal of Wildlife Management (in press).
  • Clements, G. M. 2008. Home range, movements, and survival of male white-tailed deer in the middle Missouri River Valley. Thesis, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA.
  • Frickey, K.A., M.A. Cover, S.E. Hygnstrom, S.R. Groepper, H.H. Genoways, K.M. Hams, and K.C. VerCauteren. 2008. Historic and recent distributions of elk in Nebraska. Great Plains Research 18:189-204.
  • Gilsdorf, J.M., K.C. VerCauteren, S.E. Hygnstrom, W.D. Walter, J.R. Boner, and G.M. Clements. 2008. An integrated vehicle-mounted system for VHF telemetry applications. Journal of Wildlife Management 72:1241-1246.
  • Gubanyi, J.A., J.A. Savidge, S.E. Hygnstrom, K.C. Vercauteren, G.W. Garabrandt, and S.P. Korte. 2008. Deer impact on vegetation in natural areas in southeastern Nebraska. Natural Areas Journal 28:121-129.
  • Baasch, D.M. 2008. Resource selection by white-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk in Nebraska. Dissertation, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA.