of a matriarchal doe, this year’s fawns, and her
female offspring from previous years. Female fawns
will remain with their mother indefinitely, whereas
buck fawns will be driven off after the first year to
establish their own territory elsewhere on or off the
Island.
Deer populations can increase rapidly when
their numbers are not controlled, often resulting in
damage to themselves as well as the surrounding
natural environment. Deer numbers on Kiawah
have remained stable over the last 10 years and are
controlled primarily by bobcats. In fact, research
conducted on the Island indicates that bobcats
kill half of the deer fawns born each summer.
Another source of mortality for deer is automobile
collisions. Approximately 20 deer are hit each year
by automobiles on Kiawah Island. In addition,
alligators also occasionally eat fawns or adult deer.
Counting Deer
Deer numbers on Kiawah are monitored using
spotlight surveys. Town biologists have conducted
surveys for deer since 1997. The survey route is
18.2 miles long and covers most of Kiawah Island.
In order to calculate the density of deer on the
Island, biologists periodically conduct visibility
estimates (how far one can see a deer) along the
route. This provides the width of the survey transect
and by multiplying by the length of the route, the
number of acres surveyed is calculated. This allows
biologists to determine the deer density, expressed
in deer per square mile. Surveys are conducted in
early fall and late winter each year. An updated deer
population estimate is available in late March each
year after both sets of surveys are completed.
Deer and Driver Safety
Deer are crepuscular by nature, meaning that they
are most active around dawn and dusk, typically
2 hours before and after these times. Although
they are sometimes seen during daylight hours, it
is during the times of dawn and dusk that special
care should be taken while driving. Please heed the
following suggestions when driving on our roads:
1. Obey the speed limits.
2. Watch carefully for deer browsing on each side
of the road.
3. If you see a deer crossing the road, STOP. Most
often other deer will follow. NK
WINTER/SPRING 2018 • VOLUME 39
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