Show I Transmitters Beep Location Radio transmitters signal the locations of 23 antelope fawns at the Desert Range I Experiment Station following following following follow follow- ing the capture of one and two day old fawns by wildlife wildlife wildlife wild wild- life biologists DON BEAL DEAL game biologist for the Utah Division of Fish I and Game has been working on an antelope study for several several several sev sev- eral years and has adopted the use of radio transmitters on the fawns as a means of keeping track of the animals I during the summer months I Radio telemetry equipment I provides the means of keeping keeping keeping keep keep- ing daily track of the fawn antelope to observe behavior I and food habits and to al allow allow al- al i low the remains to be b lo located I for autopsy should the young fawn die I IN SOUTHERN and western west west west-I em ern Utah antelope have their I fawns between the 10 and 25 of May The fawns are located loI lo 10 lo- lo I I by by observing the does I in the early morning and noting noting not not- notI I ing iniz where fawns bed down after nursing Radio transmitters are put on the fawns at about two days of age since when any older they are nearly impossible to catch Transmitters Transmitters Transmitters Trans Trans- weigh only grams and fit around the fawns fawn's neck the antenna forming the collar The transmitter is designed not to harm the fawn EACH transmitter operates on a different frequency and has a battery life of about six months By cross triangulation triangulation tri tri- and tuning to the various frequencies each fawn can be pinpointed while I having free movement in the wild I Ii Ii i i Towers from 55 to 70 feet I high with antennas on top with a range of 2 to 7 miles are used to locate the general general general gen gen- eral area of each fawn Portable Portable Portable Port Port- able receivers with a 1 mile range are used for or the final step in locating fawns EARLIER studies have determined determined determined de de- de- de that antelope of Utah's desert ranges normally have good fawn crops Generally Generally Gen Gen- crall 50 to 80 percent of the mature does have twin fawns each year yem Survival is high until July or August at which time mortality among fawns may run as high as 80 percent Highest losses occur during dry years LACK OF water and suc sue succulent succulent forbs appear to be connected connected connected con con- with high mortality rates Tracking fawns during the summer with telemetry equipment equipment equip ment should allow biologists to find the specific causes o of f mortality in the antelope o othis of f this area A SMALL herd of about 30 3 0 antelopes is presently bein being g heM held in the Desert Range Experimental Experimental Ex I Station for the AnI Antelope An I study |