Movement pattern of red deer during drive hunts in Sweden

We investigated the movement pattern of GPS-collared red deer (Cervus elaphus) during drive hunts with loose dogs. In 46 flights of hinds (N = 9), the median flight distance was 2.5 km (range 0.4-15.0). In 28 % of the flights, the hind left its home range. Average time before returning to home range was 23 h (range 2-88). Hinds in a less forested site left their home ranges more often, fled longer distances, moved at higher speed, and returned later than hinds in a homogenous forest. Speed of movement increased with number of hunts in the less forested site. In eight flights of stags (N = 4), the median flight distance was 5.1 km (range 2.2-13.3). The start of hunting season seemed to trigger stags' departure to their wintering areas. Knowledge of reactions to disturbance can aid game management to choose hunting methods and dogs that cause less disturbance but may also be used to deter deer from areas where they damage crops and forest plantations.