ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 July 1986
Page Count: 5

Sex Identification of White-Tailed Deer Using Frozen Venison
Kerr, KD
Medical technologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group, MN

(Received 8 October 1985; accepted 3 December 1985)

Abstract

Fluids from frozen muscle tissue taken from 449 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were analyzed using a radioimmunoassay technique for testosterone. Comparing 309 deer sampled in early November, antlered males had significantly higher tissue testosterone levels (range = 0.18 to 16.00 ng/mL) than females (range = 0.00 to 0.18 ng/mL) while antlerless (fawn) males overlapped both groups (range = 0.00 to 0.68 ng/mL). Samples taken from 132 deer from January through August showed no differences among ages or sexes. Antlered males can be differentiated from females during the breeding season.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, deer, sex determination (animals), tissues (biology), testosterone, white-tailed deer, Minnesota

Paper ID: JFS11120J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11120J
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