About now a doe is searching among the shrubs and grasses. She is looking for a site to have her fawns.
White-tailed deer fawn season will peak in the summer across the Florida Panhandle. In the first weeks of life, fawns are not able to follow their mother and spend most of their time bedding. Although vulnerable, fawns can still rely on remarkable adaptations to survive. Their spotted coat provides excellent camouflage amidst the dappled sunlight filtering through the vegetation. To avoid being detected by predators, newborn fawns also have minimal scent and the ability to suppress their respiratory and cardiac systems when predators are nearby.
In addition to these critical adaptations, vegetation cover is essential to provide fawns the protection they need from predators. A lack of ground cover makes fawns very easy for predators to see, spots or not. This cover is also critical to protect fawns from heat, especially during Florida hot summers. Ideal fawning sites have thick and abundant vegetation. In particular, early successional sites where forbs (i.e., broad-leaved herbs) and native grasses are abundant are the perfect hiding cover for fawns. While forbs and grasses are important components of fawn cover, forbs can also help improve mother’s and fawns’ nutrition. In fact, forbs can be rich in crude protein and nutrient content, with some forbs reaching more than 30 percent crude protein content. The summer is a period of exceptionally high nutritional stress for mothers and fawns, and access to high-quality forage promotes fawn nutrition and growth. Because the mothers do not usually move far from their fawns, fawning sites rich in forbs can keep mothers healthy, and provide good forage for fawns.
Knowing the challenges fawns face, here are three things you can do to help:
First, if you find fawns, do not approach them – they are most likely not abandoned! Mothers leave fawns alone to avoid attracting predators close to the fawn bedding area, but they visit them throughout the day to nurse. Interacting with the fawn may cause them stress and, if fawns are relocated by humans, they may be permanently separated from their mothers.
Second, do not mow or pay close attention when mowing. Mowing can remove good fawn cover or, worse yet, endangering fawns.
Third, it is essential to promote good fawn cover. Landowners and managers can promote fawn cover by establishing or maintaining existing early successional sites such as forest openings. Thinning and prescribed fire can go a long way to promote this vegetation structure. However, remember that it takes time for the vegetation to respond and regrow after management practices have been applied. For example, mothers with fawns will likely avoid freshly burned areas unless they are close to other areas with better cover.
My wife and I like to sit on our back porch and watch the sunset each day. We do not make all of them, but we try to make as many as we can. We often see small bats darting in all directions feeding on bugs. Recently we were enjoying a particularly great sunset. The sky was a light blue with streaking clouds of dark gray, purple, orange, and white. It was amazing. As the streetlight came on, we could see a swarm of termites gathering around it. There were a lot of them, but we also noticed the increase in bats. There was a dozen at least, probably more, zipping in and out, darting in all directions. We enjoyed watching them and wondered where all of them were roosting.
Bats sometimes move into buildings when they can’t find the natural structures they prefer (caves and large trees with cavities).
Many people are afraid of these creatures. They have been associated with Halloween, horror, vampires, and rabies. They are creatures of the night, and that is unsettling in itself for many. But, as biologists say with most creatures, these stories and legends are just that… stories and legends. Some members of their population do carry rabies, but most do not and the transmission of the disease to humans is rare. The animals are small furry mammals that eat an enormous number of insects each evening, including flying termites and mosquitoes. Many help pollinate plants and help disperse seeds. They are really pretty cool.
There are around 1400 species of bats worldwide1, 13 of these are from Florida2. Though some species feed on fruit and nectar, most feed on insects and consume about half their body weight each evening doing so. The Bat Conservation International states that insect consuming bats may save U.S. farmers $23 billion dollars a year in pesticide use due to their insectivorous diet1. The agave plant, the one used to produce tequila, is primarily pollinated by bats. The 13 species found in Florida are all insectivores feeding on beetles, mosquitos, moths, and other agriculture and garden pests. They are truly beneficial.
Bats are mammals, having fur covered bodies, live birth with young nursing on milk, and being endothermic (warm blooded). Most connect bats with the mammalian order Rodentia (rodents) – often calling them “flying rats”, but – due to the type of teeth – they are actually in their own order Chiroptera. They are the only true flying mammals in the world, the flying squirrel is actually a glider, not a true flyer. They live in a variety of habitats in Florida including pine forests, hardwood forests, riverine systems, lakes, and in urban areas. They most often roost in the crevices of dead trees, beneath the dead fronds of palms, and in Spanish moss. But when available, they will use caves and are notorious for using buildings, culverts, and the underside of bridges.
They fly using wings that are actually thin skin between their extremely elongated fingers. They breed in the fall and give birth to a single pup in the spring. One of the legends is that they are blind. As mentioned above, this is a legend. Bats can see well and see better than we do in dim light. They do have the ability to use high frequency sounds to “echo” off objects in the dark (echolocation) which helps them find, and follow, their insect prey at night. You can notice this hunting tactic as the sun sets and view the bats darting in all sorts of directions chasing their prey.
Most of the 13 species of Florida bats can be found in the Florida panhandle, with the gray bat only found in Calhoun and Jackson counties and nowhere else in the state. Rabies is a concern with bats, and it is true that an infected bat with the disease can transmit it to humans, but this is very rare. That said, anyone who is bitten by a bat should seek medical attention. The animal was also connected with the transmission of COVID during the early period of the pandemic3. Bats, like many other mammals, can pass infectious diseases and there is also a fungal growth associated with their droppings that has caused medical problems with some humans. If working in an area where bat guano is abundant, a mask is recommended. If an injured animal is found in your yard, wear a pair of gloves and take it to your local wildlife rehabber.
Florida bats do face problems in our state with the loss of habitat. We often remove dead trees and cut dead fronds from palms. The benefit we receive from them (consuming thousands of pest insects each night) leads to a need for their conservation. To date, the white-nose syndrome, which has infected many bats north of us, has not reached Florida but is of concern. Despite the fear many have of this animal, they are quite beneficial and should be allowed to exist in our panhandle habitats.
Species found in Florida:
Mexican Free-tailed bat
Southeastern myotis
Evening bat
Eastern red bat
Seminole bat
Northern yellow bat
Tricolored bat
Gray bat – endangered; only found in Calhoun and Jackson counties.
This sounds similar to the idea that has been discussed about protecting some species of sharks. Do we really want to do this?
It reminds me of an interesting situation that was created when they passed the Marine Mammal Act in 1972. The law seemed simple enough. Citizens wanted to protect our marine mammals – such as whales, dolphins, and manatees. But it also included the polar bear, a dangerous animal. If you lived in a community where polar bears existed, and had one enter town that could possibly be a threat to the citizens, could you shoot it? A colleague of mine had a brother who worked with Alaska Fish and Game. We asked this question. He told us that – yes, if you were threatened by one you would shoot it. But you would have to defend yourself in court that it was defense and that you were not actively hunting the bear.
It seems odd to some that we would even consider protecting a creature that is potentially lethal to humans. But, as has been said so many times before, though they are potentially lethal, they rarely are. Rattlesnakes are different from polar bears in they do not seek us out when they are near us. They actually try to avoid us. In the United States only 5-6 people die each year from venomous snakes bites1. Comparing this to the number who die in car accidents, gun violence, or opioid overdose, there is no comparison. So, though the potential is there it is a very low risk. We can also note that many who bitten by snakes were trying to catch or kill the animal.
On the other side of the coin, these animals do us a service by controlling disease caring rodents. When predators select and kill prey, they tend to select one that is easy to catch and kill. Most predators not only have teeth, but hands and claws to grab the prey. The only thing a snake can do when it sees a rodent is grab it with its mouth and hold on. Many snakes do this, almost 90% of those in Florida do. But a few have venom. This can be injected into the prey so that the snake does not have to hold on, making the process much easier. It makes sense for snakes to have venom and is surprising that more do not. However, this venom was meant for killing prey, not for defending against predators. And rattlesnakes, like other venomous snakes, do not want to use it on humans if they can avoid it. As my professor told us in college venom is “expensive”. It is a complex cocktail of proteins they must produce, and they do not want to waste it.
So, though it seems strange that a state or federal agency would even consider protecting dangerous animals, they do. These creatures play a vital role in the ecology of local systems and if their numbers decline that role is not filled and the spin-off results could have larger negative impacts on us.
The U.S. Fish Wildlife Service has been petitioned to list the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). This animal inhabits several habitats within the coastal southeastern United States. The National Council of Air & Stream Improvement, Inc. – a scientific research organization that provides technical information on environmental issues concerning forestry and forestry products – is conducting a survey to better understand its distribution and habitat preferences. They are asking people to report sightings of this snake. You can do so by visiting the following link. Please take photos.
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a classic serpent found in xeric habitats like barrier islands and deserts. They can be found in all habitats on barrier islands.
Photo: Bob Pitts
Florida is home to 2 subspecies of the wild turkey, the Eastern and the Osceola.
One might think turkeys in Florida live at the beach. However, Turkeys prefer forested habitats such as hardwoods, pines, and cypress swamps. Their diet, depending on time of year and habitat, consists of seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects. The breeding season in Florida occurs in the spring, mid-March to April. Males (toms) perform courtship displays by puffing their feathers and gobbling to attract females (hens).
The eastern turkey is the most common subspecies in the United States. They are found throughout the northern and central regions of the country, and throughout the state of Florida. Eastern turkeys are known for their dark iridescent feathers and their distinctive beard handing from their chest.
The Osceola, known as the Florida turkey, is a sub species of the wild turkey but is only found in south Florida. They have slightly darker plumage than the Eastern wild turkey and are known for their longer legs and shorter, more rounded wings.
Image of two female (hen) Eastern wild turkeys and one offspring (poult) in the florida woods. Credit: Madelyn Grant
Both subspecies are popular among hunters during the spring hunting season. However, because Osceola’s are only found in Florida, the species is highly sought after among hunters who want to add to their trophy collections, typically to complete the “grand slam.” The Grand Slam is the most popular of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recognized turkey slams , it consist of harvesting and registering the 4 most common species of turkey Eastern, Osceola, Rio Grande ad Merriam.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) oversees turkey management in Florida. They ensure healthy and sustainable populations while also providing recreational opportunities based on research and monitoring by doing surveys to estimate population, and studies on turkey behavior, habitat use, and survival. The FWC also provides outreach and education to a variety of hunters ranging from the public and private sector. These topics include habitat management and conservation efforts, as well as predator control, and food plot management.
It is important for hunters to make informed decisions and engage in responsible hunting practices.
Wild hogs, also known as feral pigs, are a common group known throughout Florida, including Escambia County. Brought in by early settlers, these beasts have become an invasive species that cause serious damage to whatever environment they enter. In Escambia County they are found in various habitats which include forests, swamps, and agricultural areas.
These creatures are omnivorous and feed on essentially anything they can find. They uproot and feed on plants, roots, and insects, as well as prey on nests, eggs, and the young of ground nesting birds, small mammals, and reptiles. This, in turn, damages the land and continues to create competition for native wildlife.
Wild hog populations can rise quickly with sows able to produce multiple litters of piglets in a year.
To seek control of the wild hog population, hunting is allowed in Escambia County with a valid license. However, this alone is not enough to manage the ever-growing population. Therefore, other control measures such as trapping may be necessary.
Wild hogs are known to be carriers of many diseases which can be transmitted to livestock, other animals, and even humans. It is important that anyone who attempts to hunt or trap wild hogs take every precaution.
As they are a significant issue that can cause economic and ecological damage, it is important to take action to manage their populations, and to minimize the impact they make on the local environment and agriculture.
In this image, feral hogs have rooted up around this bottom and have caused a significant amount of damage. Credit: Madelyn Grant
Here are some helpful links to learn more about Feral Pigs:
Exclusion Cage in food plot with normal deer feeding.
When we talk about white-tailed deer management, we often look to the states that have monster deer like Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio. Those states grow 200 plus inch bucks. It’s amazing to see for sure. But this is Florida and we can’t effectively manage deer the same way. Actually, in Florida, we can’t even manage deer the same across the state. This is why we have 12 deer management units. So, what are the reasons we can’t manage deer the same?
Habitat
Plant hardiness and climate
Rut timing
Deer are highly adaptable to habitats. They can be found in almost every state in the US. The native vegetation is very different in Northwest Florida versus Iowa or Illinois. Deer are eating different diets depending on the habitat they are residing in. Bedding areas will vary also. This affects the body size, antler growth, and fawning rates for deer.
We can grow food plots to supplement deer diets but those will look a little different too. For example, clovers and cereal grains are normally frost seeded in late winter or planted in the spring in parts of the country that actually experience winter. In Northwest Florida, we plant clovers and cereal grains in the fall.
Finally, rut timing is a key part of deer nutrition management. In Northwest Florida, the rut (deer breeding season) is happening now. In other parts of the country such as Iowa, they are shed hunting already because their rut happens in November.
So, given these reasons, we do things a little differently here. We plant cool season food plots in the fall. These act as attractants to draw deer in during hunting season. Then our summers are when the deer need more nutrition for antler growth and fawn rearing. Warm season food plots should focus on supplying adequate crude protein and energy for this increased demand period.
