The list of deer predators is long, and the effects vary.
QUESTION: I hear talk about how bad coyotes are for deer. We have lots of bears where I live, and I’m wondering how much of an impact they have on deer.
ANSWER: While predation on adults is rare, black bears have a healthy appetite for fawns. Research from Pennsylvania has shown they may kill as many fawns as coyotes do, possibly even more.
Obviously, predation rates vary with both bear and deer population densities. Still, predation only accounts to about 10% of fawn mortality. Coyotes and bobcats take their share, too, but the combined effect is usually not enough to have a significant impact on recruitment.
The exception occurs when deer populations are low and predator populations are high. Then, predation rates can be enough to prevent the herd from growing. Biologists refer to this as a predator pit.
— Recent Ask the Biologist Question: Jimmy Cracked Corn: ... and deer don’t care. It’s all good to them.
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