Decomposing Junipers Causing Fawn Abortions

[NE-ELKHTR]

I've been trying to do some research on this topic, it has been an ongoing study in the x2 region. Word going around is they are discovering that the mule deer does' are eating the decomposing junipers; from the CDA projects of clearing junipers; the berries specifically, which in turn is causing the does' to abort there fawn before fully developed. Was wondering if anyone has any more information on this topic?
Yes it could also be from malnutrition credited to the drought as well. Just wondering if anyone has any hard proof or facts of this?

 

[Homer]

sounds like BS

 

[SS!]

There you have it the know it all has said it is so.

Back to the question yes juniper berries have been known to cause abortion in not only ungulates but humans too.

http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndoworg/Content/public_documents/Wildlife_Education/Publications/muledeer.pdf

 

[Bwht4x4]

I've been trying to do some research on this topic, it has been an ongoing study in the x2 region. Word going around is they are discovering that the mule deer does' are eating the decomposing junipers; from the CDA projects of clearing junipers; the berries specifically, which in turn is causing the does' to abort there fawn before fully developed. Was wondering if anyone has any more information on this topic?
Yes it could also be from malnutrition credited to the drought as well. Just wondering if anyone has any hard proof or facts of this?

Not sure of the extent of the drought on browse in X2. I was up there a couple of weeks ago and it's really green overall with the bitter brush looking pretty good. Can't speak to the juniper berry intake though.

 

[mod700]

Be interested to find out, not like these poor deer have enough problems, the amount of predators in some units is un real, those fawns have a tough enough time once they hit the ground, little lone pre birth.
Mike

 

[HuntinEngineer530]

Last time I was up in X3B east of Fort Bidwell in 2018, I was told by BLM representatives that the junipers were all getting cut down to increase sage grouse habitat. I asked what they were doing to increase deer habitat since the juniper provided some cover for the deer from the increasing mountain lion population. One hunter saw 5 lions in 2 locations in the first 2 days there and they were different lions.

 

[Bwht4x4]

Last time I was up in X3B east of Fort Bidwell in 2018, I was told by BLM representatives that the junipers were all getting cut down to increase sage grouse habitat. I asked what they were doing to increase deer habitat since the juniper provided some cover for the deer from the increasing mountain lion population. One hunter saw 5 lions in 2 locations in the first 2 days there and they were different lions.

Deer are better off in wide open habitats in order to protect them from mtn lions. Case in point, we had a lion come through an area we were hunting once and the bucks knew the lion was in the area and the deer all moved into this open basin and wouldn't leave for a few days. They relied upon their eyesight and distancing themselves from ambush cover. In addition, juniper woodland can create an allelopathic condition that reduces or prevents other desirable browse species from becoming establish. Juniper removal mechanically or by fire is a good thing!!

 

[Bluehair]

There you have it the know it all has said it is so.

Back to the question yes juniper berries have been known to cause abortion in not only ungulates but humans too.

http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndoworg/Content/public_documents/Wildlife_Education/Publications/muledeer.pdf

I skimmed the linked paper, and couldn’t find anything that discussed the relationship between juniper consumption and reproduction. But I have been accused by some here of having no reading comprehension.

There was an extensive discussion of the expansion of the PJ woodlands which replace preferred feed (apparently because of fire suppression). But nothing I saw about juniper as food.

I can tell you for a fact deer eat juniper berries. I’ll go hang a warning sign out.

 

[Padfoot]

No matter how you slice em junipers are bad juju for mule deer.

 

[Padfoot]

Take water from springs
Prevent browse from growing
Provide cover for mr kitty
Burn great
They are like feral horses. Only good I. Very limited quantities ?

 

[Bluehair]

No matter how you slice em junipers are bad juju for mule deer.

That is so wierd……because they sure like to live in them.

 

[hawkbill]

I don’t know much, but growing up in Colorado there sure were a lot of Deer using the Junipers

 

[Bluehair]

Muley’s eating juniper berries.

 

[Padfoot]

Deer densities decline in high density juniper areas. I said in limited quantities, not eliminated. Maybe the deer pictured are eating the junipers because their browse is scarce and that’s all that’s available, without context that picture is meaningless.

 

[Bluehair]

Don’t believe them lyin eyes of yours.

 

[eelgrass]

I have no idea if eating Junipers causes deer to abort but I highly suspect it's false. How would you prove it? And more to the point, and more importantly, what could you do about it? Next to nothing.

Oh, I get it now! The decline in the deer herd has very little to do with mountain lions or wolves. It's those damned Junipers.

I see what they're doing there. Anything but address the real problems, by blowing smoke.

 

[Bwht4x4]

I've been trying to do some research on this topic, it has been an ongoing study in the x2 region. Word going around is they are discovering that the mule deer does' are eating the decomposing junipers; from the CDA projects of clearing junipers; the berries specifically, which in turn is causing the does' to abort there fawn before fully developed. Was wondering if anyone has any more information on this topic?
Yes it could also be from malnutrition credited to the drought as well. Just wondering if anyone has any hard proof or facts of this?

I did some of my own research on this today and found out that it wasn't decomposing juniper berries, but juniper berries in general that can cause a doe to abort if they eat high amounts of juniper berries. Based on this, and the biologist I spoke with, it's not an issue. Mule deer in the west have evolved with junipers for millions of years, and when given a choice, they will always eat something else, such as bitterbrush, mtn. mahogany, misc fobs/herbs, etc. If it were truly an issue mule deer would have gone extinct millions of years ago.

 

[Padfoot]

when given a choice, they will always eat something else, such as bitterbrush, mtn. mahogany, misc fobs/herbs, etc

That makes sense, so taking it a step further, when they are reduced to over consuming juniper berries one could assume most other feed are scarce and the deer are starving and stressed. Therefore, it would make sense to abort their fawns so that the does can survive to breed the following year.

 

[Bwht4x4]

That makes sense, so taking it a step further, when they are reduced to over consuming juniper berries one could assume most other feed are scarce and the deer are starving and stressed. Therefore, it would make sense to abort their fawns so that the does can survive to breed the following year.

IMO there's so little use of the food sources in X2 by deer that there is likely hardly ever times when food is scarce. I was in the Garden in late June and the bitter brush looked awesome and in over 2 days out there we only saw one deer.

 

[Homer]

the story was BS from the get go.......you can poison yourself and die from over drinking water......

 

[Padfoot]

The deer have other worries in X2 than browse quality.

 

[Bwht4x4]

The deer have other worries in X2 than browse quality.

I agree.

 

[Deerdon]

Muley’s eating juniper berries.View attachment 46516

I don't see any Junipers berries on those particular trees. Pretty hard to miss when they are present.