[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_