4-21-14 dnr assessing winter deer kill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin wildlife officials are using road-kill and radio-tracking data to assess the harsh winter's effect on the state's deer herd.  Department of Natural Resources staffers are looking for 10 carcasses in every county so they can check a number of biological signs, such as fat stores and pregnancy.  They're also is closely watching survival rates of more than 200 deer with radio collars in the northern forest and eastern farmland areas of the state.  About 30 percent of the collared fawns in the northern forest and 15 percent in the farmlands have died. Adults have fared better, with 6 percent loses in the north and 2 percent losses in the farmlands. Causes of death include predation, car crashes and starvation.