Does Temporary Baiting Affect White-Tailed Deer Space Use and Movement? New Insights Leveraging Subhourly Location Data.

Temporary baiting is often used to increase detection rates during camera surveys, particularly for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). However, the effects of bait on deer space use and movement have not been examined using location data sampled at intervals matching typical bait-site visits. We defined three bait periods (pre-bait, bait, post-bait) to evaluate the effects of presence and removal of bait (i.e., shelled corn) on deer space use and movement relative to control deer not exposed to bait. We captured and fitted 61 deer (32 F, 29 M) in central Texas with GPS collars, that attempted a GPS location every 15 min from July 22 to September 2, 2012-2013. Of these (3 recaptures), 41 (20 F, 21 M) and 23 (15 F, 8 M) collars were assigned to the impact and control groups, respectively. We used generalized linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the effect of bait on daily estimates of range size (ha), range overlap (proportion, 0-1), distance of activity centers to the nearest bait site (m), and distance traveled (m/15-min) by deer. Deer exposed to bait expanded ranges and moved more during the active period (crepuscular, night) but moved less during the inactive period (day) relative to the pre-bait period, indicating complex, time-dependent responses. Deer exposed to bait did not shift their activity centers toward bait sites when bait was present. After bait removal, deer continued foraging within previously established ranges rather than abandoning the area. These results suggest that temporary baiting is unlikely to attract deer from outside their normal ranges, and bait removal is unlikely to cause deer to leave established areas, preserving the closure assumption. Our findings have implications for wildlife managers concerned about post-bait movements and improve understanding of time-dependent behavioral responses to supplemental food resources.