Chad P. Lehman

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Researcher at South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks

Dens play a crucial role in the survival of young and can ultimately affect population dynamics for felid carnivores. However, little is known about Bobcat (Lynx rufus) den site selection. Therefore, this study aimed to identify environmental correlates of Bobcat den sites in the Black Hills, South Dakota, United States. Our objectives for this stu...

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is associated with respiratory disease in wild and domestic Caprinae globally, with wide variation in disease outcomes within and between host species. To gain insight into phylogenetic structure and mechanisms of pathogenic-ity for this bacterial species, we compared M. ovipneumoniae genomes for 99 samples from 6 countries...

Delineating wildlife population boundaries is important for effective population monitoring and management. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a highly mobile generalist carnivore that is ecologically and economically important. We sampled 1225 bobcats harvested in South Dakota, USA (2014–2019), of which 878 were retained to assess genetic diversity and in...

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is associated with respiratory disease in wild and domestic Caprinae globally, with wide variation in disease outcomes within and between host species. To gain insight into phylogenetic structure and mechanisms of pathogenicity for this bacterial species, we compared M. ovipneumoniae genomes for 99 samples from six countrie...

Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are the most broadly distributed native felid in North America and have substantial ecological and economic importance. Despite this importance, little is known about factors influencing population dynamics of this cryptic carnivore. Given recent apparent declines in abundance, we investigated population growth rate (λ) for a b...

Interactions between humans and wildlife include a number of consumptive and non-consumptive forms. In some cases, the increased demand for wildlife viewing can precipitate new human-wildlife conflicts. Mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus; goats) are native to a number of North American mountain ranges from southeastern Alaska to southwestern Monta...

Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) historically inhabited the Black Hills region of South Dakota, but the species was extirpated from the area in the early 1900s. We translocated 26 bighorn sheep from Al-berta, Canada to the northern Black Hills. We predicted that translocated bighorn sheep would exhibit similar resource use and selection as populatio...

Population growth can be sensitive to changes in survival rates for many avian species. Understanding sources of mortality, and how to mitigate negative effects on survival, can give managers insight into factors contributing to population change. Harvest trends of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in northeastern South Dakota s...

We investigated population growth rate (λ) for a Merriam's wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) population in the northern Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. We constructed and evaluated a females-only matrix population model. Our estimate of asymptotic λ, derived from estimates of vital rates obtained from 2016-2018 was 0.74 (95% CI = 0.60, 0.8...

Ungulate species have consistently been a major focus of reintroductions to their native ranges. Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) are an ecologically sensitive species, and have experienced population declines throughout their historic range; bighorn sheep inhabited the Black Hills region of South Dakota but were extirpated from the area due to anth...

Population growth is highly sensitive to changes in reproductive rates for many avian species. Understanding how reproductive rates are related to environmental conditions can give managers insight into factors contributing to population change. Harvest trends of eastern wild turkey in northeastern South Dakota suggest a decline in abundance. We in...

We investigated survival and cause-specific mortality for a mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) population during a period when the puma (Puma concolor) population was growing in the Black Hills, South Dakota, 2006-2018. We obtained survival data from 47 adult goats (n = 33 females, n = 14 males). Annual survival varied from 0.538 (95% CI [0.285-0....

Understanding how reproductive tradeoffs act in concert with abiotic elements to affect survival is important for effective management and conservation of wildlife populations, particularly for at‐risk or harvested species. Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are a high‐interest species for consumptive and non‐consumptive uses, and female survival i...

Chronic pathogen carriage is one mechanism that allows diseases to persist in populations. We hypothesized that persistent or recurrent pneumonia in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations may be caused by chronic carriers of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Mo). Our experimental approach allowed us to address a conservation need while investigating t...

Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) were once extirpated from the Black Hills region of South Dakota, USA, mirroring declining populations throughout North America. Since the 1960s, several reintroductions have occurred in the Black Hills to reestablish populations with varying success. We translocated 26 bighorn sheep from Alberta, Canada to the Black...

Evaluating relationships between ecological processes that occur concurrently is complicated by the potential for such processes to covary. Ground‐nesting birds rely on habitat characteristics that provide visual and olfactory concealment from predators; this protection often is provided by vegetation at the nest site. Recently, researchers have ra...

Long-term datasets are becoming increasingly important for assessing population-and species-level responses to a changing environment. Programs that record morphological measurements of horns, antlers, and pronghorns were established in the early-to mid-20th century to collect biological information about animals that possess large horns, antlers,...

The influence of human harvest on evolution of secondary sexual characteristics has implications for sustainable management of wildlife populations. The phenotypic consequences of selectively removing males with large horns or antlers from ungulate populations have been a topic of heightened concern in recent years. Harvest can affect size of horn-...

Since 1993, elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) abundance in the Black Hills of South Dakota has been estimated using a detection probability model previously developed in Idaho, though is likely biased because of a failure to account for visibility biases under local conditions. To correct for this bias, we evaluated the current detection probability...

Percent of body fat and physiological stress are important correlates to wildlife demographics. We studied winter percent of body fat and physiological stress levels for a declining elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) population in South Dakota, 2011-2013. We obtained percent of winter body fat, pregnancy status, lactation status, and physiological str...

ABSTRACT—Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) historically inhabited the Black Hills region of South Dakota, but the species was extirpated from the area in the early 1900s concurrent with declines in population throughout their entire North American range. Translocation is a common management tool allowing for accelerated colonization of historic Bigho...

Fowlpox virus (FWPV), the type species of the genus Avipoxvirus family Poxviridae, is a large double-stranded DNA virus that causes fowlpox in chickens and turkeys. Notably, sequences of the avian retrovirus reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) are frequently found integrated into the genome of FWPV. While some FWPV strains carry remnants of the REV l...

Evaluating foraging behavior of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) and filling information gaps for their habitat requirements is important for population level management in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota. Our objectives were to: (1) evaluate the overall summer foraging area post lambing use during July and August for standing herbage with...

We investigated survival, reproduction, and population growth (λ) for a declining elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) population in South Dakota, USA, 2011–2015. We obtained survival data from 125 calves and 34 yearlings. We determined survival and pregnancy rates for 42 adults (2–8 years old) and 39 old adults (≥8 years old). We combined population vi...

ABSTRACT.—Following recent elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) population declines in South Dakota, we evaluated space use of elk in response to biotic and abiotic covariates at a regional scale. We built Brownian bridge movement models to examine summer (parturition date to 31 October) and winter (1 November to following year’s parturition date) seaso...

Elk Cervus canadensis nelsoni in the Black Hills, South Dakota, have been declining since 2006 and there is concern by resource managers and hunters that puma Puma concolor predation may be contributing to declining herds. We evaluated characteristics at sites where puma successfully killed elk in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We evaluated chara...

Understanding response of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest development following a mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae) epidemic has important management implications for winter habitat conditions for Merriam’s wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami; hereafter, turkeys). Therefore, we quantified habitat changes over time f...

ABSTRACT.—In light of local population declines and poor calf survival, we investigated visual obstruction as potential elk (Cervus elaphus) calf hiding cover at birth sites. We hypothesized that female elk would use hiding cover (i.e., visual obstruction) in order to conceal their calves at the birth site and reduce vulnerability to predation. Sel...

Black-backed woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus, [BBWO]) and American three-toed woodpeckers (P. dorsalis, [ATTW]) are uncommon inhabitants of conifer forests and are sympatric in some areas, including the Black Hills. Both species exhibit genetic characteristics associated with isolated populations, are species of special management concern, and for w...

Habitat disturbance events are critical to ecological systems in which some bird species have become specialized. The vegetation community, reduced competition, ability to avoid predators, nest site characteristics, and forage opportunities within a disturbed ecosystem are all aspects that make it desirable for selection by particular species (Svar...

We studied elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) parturition sites at coarse (314-km2 and 7-km2) and fine (0.2-ha) scales in the Black Hills, South Dakota, 2011-2013, following a period of population decline and poor calf recruitment. Our objective was to test whether female elk selected parturition sites across spatial scales in association with forage,...

Dramatic fluctuations in food resources are a key feature of many habitats, and many species have evolved a movement strategy to exploit food resources that are unpredictable in space and time. The availability of food resources may be a particularly strong determinant of habitat quality for irruptive bird species. We studied the apparent foraging...

The timing of births in ungulates has significant implications for juvenile survival and population growth. For North American elk (Cervus elaphus), typical parturition season ranges from late May to early Jun., and juveniles born outside of this peak characteristically exhibit lowered survival. We observed abnormally long parturition seasons in fr...

Wildfire and mountain pine beetle infestations are naturally occurring disturbances in western North American forests. Black-backed woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) are emblematic of the role these disturbances play in creating wildlife habitat, since they are strongly associated with recently-killed forests. However, management practices aimed at r...

Although understanding natural mortality rates of ungulate populations is essential for effective management, published data on adult survival from unharvested pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) populations in the Northern Great Plains is limited. We estimated seasonal adult survival rates and cause-specific mortality of an unharvested pronghorn pop...

A common sampling design in resource selection studies involves measuring resource attributes at sample units used by an animal and at sample units considered available for use. Few models can estimate the absolute probability of using a sample unit from such data, but such approaches are generally preferred over statistical methods that estimate a...

BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. The use of very high frequency (VHF) radio-telemetry...

Background/Question/Methods A use-availability sampling design is commonly employed in resource selection studies. Under a use-availability design, a sample of used sites is selected from the subpopulation of used sites and a sample of available sites is selected from the entire population. Commonly used analytical approaches for such data estima...

On the basis of reports in the literature, incidence of dystocia in wild elk (Cervus elaphus) across the west is rare. In 2011, one of 34 (3%) pregnant cow elk in our study experienced dystocia during birth. Our visual observations indicated that it took approximately 4 days for a radio-collared cow elk to succumb to dystocia in our study. Little i...

Knowledge of Merriam's wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) resource selection in the context of landscape attributes is an important asset for managing resources on multiple-use public lands. We investigated resource selection for foraging by Merriam's wild turkey broods in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota. We collected macro-and micro...

Effective capture techniques are essential for studying bird populations, but commonly used techniques have proven ineffective for capturing Black-backed Woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) during the nonbreeding period. As a result, little is known about the winter ecology of Black-backed Woodpeckers. We used two netguns, one powered with a 0.308 cart...

Nest success is an important parameter affecting population fluctuations of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Factors influencing mammalian predation on turkey nests are complicated and not well understood. Therefore, we assessed nest hazard risk by testing competing hypotheses of Merriam's turkey (M. g. merriami) nest survival in a ponderosa pin...

Concealment cover is important for ground-roosting wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) poults immediately following hatch during the vulnerable, preflight stage. We compared concealment cover resources selected at ground roosts to those of nest sites and available resources for Merriam's turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) in the Black Hills of So...

In northern areas of their expanded range, information on Merriam's turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) is lacking, specifically pertaining to wintering behavior and factors associated with winter habitat selection. Forest managers need detailed quantification of the effects of logging and other management practices on wintering habitats needed...

Because quantity and quality of roosting habitat can affect Merriam's Wild Turkey (Meleagns gallopavo merriami) distribution, we described habitat characteristics of Merriam's turkey roost sites in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota. Varying proportions of Merriam's turkeys in the southern Black Hills depended on supplemental feed from livest...

Rio Grande wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) were trapped in Oklahoma and released in northeastern South Dakota during the early 1970s. Based on wintering counts, this population peaked at over 1000 birds in the mid 1980s, but steadily declined to <200 in 1996. This decline prompted the introduction of eastern wild turkeys (M. g. silves...

We investigated poult survival from hatching to 4 wks of age for Merriam's wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) poults in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota. We estimated survival from 841 poults reared by 57 radio-marked wild turkeys (n = 52 adult females, n = 5 yearling females). Survival of poults to 4 wks posthatch averaged 33 percent...

Merriam's turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) in the Black Hills feed in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest habitats during winter, but some birds centralize winter activities within or near farmsteads that provide waste grain as supplemental food. The objective of our research was to determine if female Merriam's turkeys that wintered in a...

Timing of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) nesting and peaks in gobbling activity are often used in setting spring hunting season dates. The relationship between gobbling activity, hunting pressure, and nesting chronology has not been studied using hunted and nonhunted turkey populations. We tabulated gobbling activity of Merriam's turkeys (M. g....

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Dept., South Dakota State University, 2005. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 180-197). Photocopy.

Nests of radiotransmittered wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) that are destroyed or aban- doned prior to incubation are particularly difficult to locate. As a result researchers often report only incubated nests or estimate numbers of nests attempted by localization of movement or other behavioral changes without quantification. We used radiotelem...

Concerns that greater predator populations and accelerating habitat fragmentation may exacerbate im­pacts of predation on wild turkey (Meleagris spp.) populations prompted our examination of the literature on this subject. We found several major themes throughout this search. Variability in nest and renest initiation may account for low production...

Rio Grande wild turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo intermedia ) were introduced into northeastern South Dakota in the early 1970s, flourished until the mid 1980s, and then declined to <200 remnant birds by 1996. Once indigenous to southeastern South Dakota, the eastern subspecies ( M. g. silvestris ) may be a suitable alternative in northeastern South D...

We evaluated pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn bedding site characteristics on a prairie and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) landscape interface in Custer State Park, South Dakota. We radiomarked 16 adult female pronghorn and collected bed site information from their fawns during 2007–2008. We compared bed site selection with random sites (n...