Comparison of treatment effort for immunocontraceptive vaccines and surgical sterilization in deer

摘要: Fertility control via immunocontraceptive vaccines or surgical sterilization often is considered for the management of deer populations in urban–suburban communities United States. Immunocontraceptive have been approved hand-injection and it has suggested dart-injection would be more efficient because added effort associated with live capture. Vaccines currently exhibit nonresponder rates require booster shots following years to prolong efficacy, whereas 100% efficacy entirety life individual. However, less additional person-hours required during first year a project. Therefore, we recorded capture process (capture, search, handling) treating winter 2013, 2014, 2015 at sites North Carolina, California, Maryland, New York, Virginia, USA. These data were 335 across 6 communities. Capture consisted pursuit (i.e., acquire shot opportunities) search handling SH locate anesthetized vaccinate individual). On average, 91% 9% however, considering lower retreatment requirements vaccines, may long-term Deer behavior varied our study affected effort—more approachable treat fertility control. future research should include modelling behavior, effort, over long term identify which situations are best suited application vaccine versus treatments areas where lethal impractical. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.