[27] _R. L. Downing. Personal correspondence to L. D. Mech, October 2,
1969_.
_Table 4.--Age and sex distribution of deer killed by wolves
and hunters in northeastern Minnesota_
-------:-------------------------------:-------------------------------
: Wolf-killed deer : Hunter-killed deer
Age :---------------------------:---:---------------------------:---
(years): Number of: : : Number of: :
:Males Females Unknown Total: % :Males Females Unknown Total: %
-------:---------------------------:---:---------------------------:---
Fawns 9 13 2 24 17 54 54 4 112 26
1+ 5 7 1 13 9 63 26 1 90 21
2+ 3 8 5 16 11 42 19 2 63 15
3+ 2 4 2 8 6 47 16 1 64 15
4+ 6 3 4 13 9 32 22 1 55 13
5+ 12 9 -- 21 15 15 12 1 28 6
6+ 9 2 1 12 8 3 -- -- 3 --
7+ 12 4 -- 16 11 7 4 -- 11 3
8+ 4 2 -- 6 4 5 1 -- 6 1
9+ 4 2 -- 6 4 1 -- -- 1 --
10+ -- 3 -- 3 2 -- -- -- -- --
11+ -- 1 -- 1 } -- -- -- -- --
12+ -- -- -- -- } 4 -- -- -- -- --
13+ -- 1 -- 1 } -- -- -- -- --
14+ -- 2 -- 2 } -- -- -- -- --
Total 66 61 15 142 100 269 154 10 433 100
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mandibles from the 142 wolf-killed deer and 259 hunter-killed deer were
examined closely for abnormal dentition (table 5, figs. 8-10) (Mech _et
al._ 1970) and pathological conditions (table 6), and the lower limbs
of 75 wolf-kills and 126 hunter-kills were also checked for
abnormalities and pathology (table 7, fig. 11). Statistical comparison
showed that the incidence of each condition was significantly higher in
the sample from wolf-killed deer (table 8).
Jaw necrosis found in our specimens was similar to that described by
Murie (1944) for Dall sheep and Mech (1966a) for moose. Generally
animals with this condition are old, and ours were no exception.
[Illustration: _Figure 8.--Deciduous first premolar (arrow), usually
not present in deer, was found in specimen M-31._]
[Illustration: _Figure 9.--A permanent first premolar (arrow) was
discovered in M-8._]
[Illustration: _Figure 10.--An extra set of fourth premolars (arrows)
occurred in specimens M-96._]
[Illustration: _Figure 11.--The jaws and legs of kills were inspected
closely for abnormalities. (Photo courtesy of L. D. Frenzel.)_]
_Table 5.--Abnormalities in the mandibular dentition of deer from the
Superior National Forest, Minnesota_
--------:---:-------:--------:-------:--------------------------------
Specimen: : :Cause of:Side of:
number :Sex:Age[28]: death :jaw[29]: Abnormality
--------:---:-------:--------:-------:--------------------------------
_Years_
M-8 F 3+ Wolves Right P_1 present (fig. 9)
Left Normal; no P_1 present outside
or inside jaw
M-31 F _17 mon._ Wolves Both Deciduous P_1 present (fig. 8)
and permanent P_1 present inside
left ramus; right side not
examined internally
M-45 M _4+_ Wolves Right P_2 rotated 90 deg.
Left P_2 absent
M-52 M 4+ Wolves Right P_2 absent
Left Normal
M-96 F _2+_ Hunters Right 2 permanent P_4s present; both
crooked in orientation (fig. 10)
Left P_2 diagonal; P_3 normal; P_4 below
gumline, pointed posteriorly and
wedged against M_1; appears to have
pushed out original P_4 (fig. 10)