Trophy characteristic of the Belarusian population red deer and factors it causing

Abstract

The trophy characteristic of population is one of the major parameters as it reflects the general condition of population. High trophy characteristics of individuals in population characterizes the last as healthy and viable. Also trophy characteristic of population has important economic value as reflects the importance of this population for hunting economy. Researches were conducted in more than 13 autochthonic populations of a red deer living in various forest vegetation zones of Belarus by visual or measuring estimates of trophies of a red deer. As a result of researches it was established that the major factors determining trophy advantages at a red deer in Belarus are age structure the samtsovykh of herds, and also weather conditions in an initial stage (February – March) formations of horns. The factor rendering the greatest negative ef fect on formation of trophies an d revealed in the course of researches is the excessive trophy press now on males that leads to excessive rejuvenation of herd and as a result decrease in middle age and quality of trophies.