DOI: 10.5061/dryad.wm37pvn2f
title: Does temporary baiting affect white-tailed deer space use and movement? New insights leveraging subhourly location data

description: Temporary baiting is often used to increase detection rates during camera
 surveys, particularly for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
 However, the effects of bait on deer space use and movement have not been
 examined using location data sampled at intervals matching typical
 bait-site visits. We defined three bait periods (pre-bait, bait,
 post-bait) to evaluate the effects of presence and removal of bait (i.e.,
 shelled corn) on deer space use and movement relative to control deer not
 exposed to bait. We captured and fitted 61 deer (32 F, 29 M) in central
 Texas with GPS collars, that attempted a GPS location every 15 minutes
 from 22 July to 2 September 2012–2013. Of these (3 recaptures), 41 (20 F,
 21 M) and 23 (15 F, 8 M) collars were assigned to the impact and control
 groups, respectively. We used generalized linear mixed-effects models to
 evaluate the effect of bait on daily estimates of range size (ha), range
 overlap (proportion, 0-1), distance of activity centers to the nearest
 bait site (m), and distance traveled (m/15-min) by deer. Deer exposed to
 bait expanded ranges and moved more during the active period (crepuscular,
 night) but moved less during the inactive period (day) relative to the
 pre-bait period, indicating complex, time-dependent responses. Deer
 exposed to bait did not shift their activity centers toward bait sites
 when bait was present. After bait removal, deer continued foraging within
 previously established ranges rather than abandoning the area. These
 results suggest that temporary baiting is unlikely to attract deer from
 outside their normal ranges, and bait removal is unlikely to cause deer to
 leave established areas, preserving the closure assumption. Our findings
 have implications for wildlife managers concerned about post-bait
 movements and improve understanding of time-dependent behavioral responses
 to supplemental food resources.
description: # Does temporary baiting affect white-tailed deer space use and movement?
 New insights leveraging subhourly location data Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.wm37pvn2f](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wm37pvn2f) ##
 Description of the data and file structure We conducted our research at
 Joint Base San Antionio-Camp Bullis (JBSA-CB), a 11,286-ha U.S. Army
 training facility located north of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas,
 USA. We captured 123 individual deer (137 capture events) using drop nets
 released from the ground or a net gun deployed from a helicopter. We
 programmed GPS collars to record locations every 15-minute (96
 fixes/day). We analyzed data from 64 GPS collars that met our inclusion
 criteria, with 41 (20 F, 21 M) and 23 (15 F, 8 M) assigned to the impact
 and control groups, respectively. Three females (2 impact, one control)
 were recaptured, resulting in 61 unique individuals (32 F, 29 M). The data
 and code that support the findings described in Stewart et al. (2026) are
 provided below. ### Files and variables #### File:
 CameraStudyPts_projected.shp **Description:** Locations of camera trap and
 bait stations. #### File: CameraStudyPts_projected.shp.xml
 **Description:** Locations of camera trap and bait stations. #### File:
 CameraStudyPts_projected.shx **Description:** Locations of camera trap and
 bait stations. #### File: CameraStudyPts_projected.dbf
 **Description:** Locations of camera trap and bait stations. #### File:
 CameraStudyPts_projected.prj **Description:** Locations of camera trap and
 bait stations. #### File: CameraStudyPts_projected.sbn
 **Description:** Locations of camera trap and bait stations. #### File:
 CameraStudyPts_projected.sbx **Description:** Locations of camera trap and
 bait stations. #### File: baitdeer.rds **Description:** White-tailed deer
 location data. #### File: A1_Code.R **Description:** Code used in Stewart
 et al. (2026) to prepare and analyze location data. **Raster files
 referencing the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) were not uploaded due to
 ownership restrictions.** The raster data can be downloaded through Google
 Earth Engine using the source script provided by RAP
 ([https://rangelands.app/support/62-export-vegetation-cover-rasters](https://rangelands.app/support/62-export-vegetation-cover-rasters)). The user should download raster files for 2012 and 2013 that encompass Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis outside San Antonio, Texas (map and coordinates provided in publication). The user should label the datasets as "RAP_VegCover_2012" and "RAP_VegCover_2013", which can then be processed in R using the script provided. #### File: baitdeer.csv **Description:** White-tailed deer location data. ##### Variables * AnimalID: This is the unique animal identifier, which is individual specific. * KC_CollEv: This is the individual capture identifier. One individual can have multiple capture identifiers if the animal was captured more than once. * Sex: This identifies the deer as male or female. * UTM_X: These are the longitude coordinates in UTM. * UTM_Y: These are the latitude coordinates in UTM. * TimeStamp_LMT: This is the timestamp in local mean time, formatted in M/D/Y HH:MM:SS (AM/PM).  * Date_LMT: This is the date in local mean time, formatted in M/D/Y. * StepLength: This is the straight line (Euclidean) distance in meters between sequential locations. * DistToCamera: This is the distance in meters to the closest camera trap (bait site). * DistToPaved: This is the distance in meters to the closest paved road. * DistToWaterbodies: This is the distance in meters to the closest body of water. * Trees660m: This is the percentage of tree cover within a 660m radius around the location. * Shrubs660m: This is the percentage of shrub cover within a 660m radius around the location. * Min_BN_Dec: This is the time in minutes that elapsed between sequential locations. * Longitude: These are the longitude coordinates. * Latitude: These are the latitude coordinates. * SunriseTime: This is the sunrise time for that day, formatted in M/D/Y HH:MM:SS (AM/PM).  * SunsetTime: This is the sunset time for that day, formatted in M/D/Y HH:MM:SS (AM/PM).  * AdjustedDate: This is the date which was adjusted to extend from 2 hours after sunrise (end of the morning crepuscular period) to same time the following day, formatted in M/D/Y. * Activity: This represents whether the location record was categorized as occurring during the ‘active’ or ‘not active’ period of the day. * BaitPeriod: This represents the bait period (prebait, bait, or postbait). * RelativeDay: This number represents the day in relation to the bait or post-bait period. For example, if the period is ‘pre-bait’, then day -1 would represent the day prior to baiting. If the period is ‘bait’ then the relative day represents the day since bait. If the period is ‘post-bait’, then the day represents the day relative to the removal of bait. ## Code/software A1_Code.R is the R code used in Stewart et al. (2026) to prepare and analyze location data. **Raster files referencing the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) were not uploaded due to ownership restrictions.** The raster data can be downloaded through Google Earth Engine using the source script provided by RAP ([https://rangelands.app/support/62-export-vegetation-cover-rasters](https://rangelands.app/support/62-export-vegetation-cover-rasters)). The user should download raster files for 2012 and 2013 that encompass Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis outside San Antonio, Texas (map and coordinates provided in publication). The user should label the datasets as "RAP_VegCover_2012" and "RAP_VegCover_2013", which can then be processed in R using the script provided.