Dr. Stephen Demarais

Title

Taylor Chair in Applied Big Game Research and Instruction

Contact Information

sd38@msstate.edu
Office: 662-325-2618
Thompson Hall, Rm 247

Overview

Education

Mississippi State University, Doctor of Philosophy (PHD), Forest Resources
Mississippi State University, Master of Science (MS), Wildlife Ecology
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Bachelor of Science (BS), Wildlife Science

Research Interests

Ecology and management of white-tailed deer
Impacts of land management decisions on wildlife populations

Teaching Interests

Wildlife Nutrition and Physiology

Websites

Publications

Year	Publications
2024	Dentinger, J., Dolan, L., Schultz, E., Helferich, J., Demarais, S., DeYoung, R., McKinley, W., Strickland, B. K., Boudreau, M. 2024. Testing secondary sex ratio bias hypotheses in white-tailed deer in Mississippi,USA. Ecology and Evolution 14(10):70296.
2024	Ellison, N., Potts, J. R., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Street, G. M. 2024. Combining animal interactions and habitat selection into models of space use: a case study with white-tailed deer. Wildlife Biology 2024. Download
2024	Huang, M. H., Demarais, S., Banda, A., Strickland, B. K., Welch, A. G., Hearst, S., Lichtenberg, S., Houston, A., Pepin, K. M., VerCauteren, K. C. 2024. Expanding CWD Disease Surveillance Options Using Environmental Contamination at Deer Signposts. Ecological Solutions and Evidence 2024(5). Download
2024	Resop, L., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Iglay, R. B. 2024. Fire season matters for midstory hardwood control: impacts of fire season and firing technique on plant communities. Journal of Environmental Management 363:121297. Download
2024	Resop, L., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., McKinley, W., Street, G. M. 2024. Rutting and rambling: movement characteristics reveal personalities in adult male white-tailed deer. Ecology and Evolution 2024;14:e10875:12. Download
2023	Henderson, C., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., McKinley, W. T., Street, G. M. 2023. Temporal effects of relative hunter activity on adult male white-tailed deer habitat use. Wildlife Research Download
2023	Resop, L., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Iglay, R. B., Nichols, R., Lashley, M. A. 2023. Plant species-specific responses and community associations with fire season. Forest Ecology and Management 529(120724). Download
2023	Ripa, G. N., Demarais, S., Granger, J., Hamrick, R. G., Iglay, R. B. 2023. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) nutritional carrying capacity over two decades after exclusion. Forest Ecology and Management 535:120899. Download
2023	Ripa, G. N., Demarais, S., Granger, J., Hamrisk, R. G., Iglay, R. B. 2023. 20-year effects of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on vegetation composition and structure. Forest Ecology and Management 528:120644. Download
2023	Thompson, N., Huang, M. M., Christensen, S., Demarais, S. 2023. Managing the Fire: Wildlife Agency Responses to Chronic Wasting Disease in Free-ranging Cervids. Wildlife Society Bulletin
2022	Huang, M. H., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Brookshire, W. C. 2022. Analysis of supplemental wildlife feeding in Mississippi and environmental gastrointestinal parasite load. Frontiers in Veterinary Science Download
2022	Huang, M. H., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Brookshire, W. C. 2022. Identifying aflatoxin exposure risk from supplemental feeding of deer. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 58(2):384-388. Download
2022	Huang, M. H., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Brookshire, W. C., Chandler, J. G., Butler, R. A., Trout-Fryxell, R. T. 2022. Supplemental feeding of deer reduces tick abundance in Mississippi, U.S.A. Journal of Vector Ecology 47(1):29-37. Download
2022	Wiskirchen, K. H., Jacobsen, T. C., Ditchkoff, S. C., Demarais, S., Gitzen, R. A. 2022. Behavior of a Large Ungulate Reflects Temporal Patterns of Predation Risk. Wildlife Research 49(6):500-512. Download
2022	Wiskirchen, K. H., Jacobsen, T. C., Ditchkoff, S. S., Demarais, S., Grand, J. B. 2022. Adult white-tailed deer survival in hunted populations on public and private lands. Wildlife Society Bulletin Download
2021	Latch, E., Gee, K. L., Webb, S. L., Honeycutt, R. L., DeYoung, R. W., Gonzales, R. A., Demarais, S., Toby, R. 2021. Genetic consequences of fence confinement in a population of white-tailed deer. Diversity 13(126). Download
2021	Nichols, R., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Lashley, M. A. 2021. Alter fire timing to recouple forage nutrients with herbivore nutrient demands. Forest Ecology and Management 500(119646). Download
2021	Webb, S. L., DeYoung, R. W., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Gee, K. L. 2021. Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer. Diversity 13(3):116. Download
2020	Dykes, J. L., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Reynolds, D. B., Lashley, M. A. 2020. Diet selection of white-tailed deer supports the nutrient balance hypothesis. Behavioural Processes 179:7. Download
2020	Henderson, C. B., Demarais, S., Street, G. M., Strickland, B. K., McKinley, W. T. 2020. Fine-scale vegetation use by white-tailed deer in a forested landscape during hunting season. Journal of Forest Research 25(6):439-443. Download
2020	Michel, E. S., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Belant, J. L., Kautz, T. M., Duquette, J. F., Beyer, D., Chamberlain, M. J., Miller, K. V., Shuman, R. M., Kilgo, J. C., Diefenbach, D. R., Wallingford, B. D., Vreeland, J. K., Ditchkoff, S. S., DePerno, C. S., Moorman, C. E., Chitwood, M. C., Lashley, M. A. 2020. Relative reproductive phenology and synchrony affect neonate survival in a nonprecocial ungulate. Functional Ecology 34(12):2536-2547. Download
2020	Strickland, B. K., Dixon, G., Jones, P., Demarais, S., Owen, N., Cox, D., Landry-Guyton, K., Baldwin, W. M., McKinley, W. T. 2020. Cohort antler size signals environmental stress in a moderate climate. International Journal of Biometeorology 64:611-621. Download
2020	Wolff, C., Demarais, S., Brooks, C. P., Barton, B. T. 2020. Behavioral plasticity mitigates the effect of warming on white-tailed deer. Ecology and Evolution 10(5):2579-2587. Download
2020	Youngmann, J. L., DeYoung, R. W., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Jenkins, G. 2020. Genetic characteristics of restored elk populations in Kentucky. Journal of Wildlife Management 84(3):515-523. Download
2019	Jones, P., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., McKinley, W. T., Ernst, J. R., Klassen, J. A. 2019. Seasonal flooding effects on deer in the Mississippi river batture. Journal of Wildlife Management 83(5):1117-1130. Download
2019	Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Belant, J. L., Castle, L. E. 2019. Body mass influences maternal allocation more than parity status for a long-lived cervid mother. Journal of Mammalogy 100(5):1459-1465. Download
2018	Campbell, K., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Wang, G., Jones, P. D., Dacus, C. M. 2018. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limited utility of lactation index for white-tailed deer management. Wildlife Society Bulletin 42(2):8. Download
2018	Dykes, J., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Reynolds, D. B., Lashley, M. A. 2018. Soil nutrients indirectly influence plant selection in white-tailed deer. Basic and Applied Ecology 32:103-109. Download
2018	Henderson, C. B., Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K. 2018. Camouflage patterns are highly heritable but predictability varies among three populations of white-tailed deer. Ecosphere 9(3):e02169. Download
2018	Jones , P. D., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Wang, G., Dacus, C. M. 2018. Nutrition and ontogeny influence weapon development in a long-lived mammal. Canadian Journal of Zoology 96:955-962. Download
2018	Morina, D. L., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Larson, J. E. 2018. While males fight, females choose: Male phenotypic quality informs female mate choice in mammals. Animal Behaviour 138:69-74. Download
2018	Morina, D., Demarais, S., Chesser, G. D., Lowe, J. W., Strickland, B. K. 2018. Antler manipulation procedures for use in social and behavioral studies of deer. Wildlife Biology 2018(1):5. Download
2018	Parrish, M. C., Demarais, S., Wigley , T. B., Riffell, S. K., Ezell, A. W., Jones, P. D. 2018. Operational green tree retention and land cover patterns in intensively managed pine forest landscapes of the southeastern U.S. . Forest Science 64(5):564-576. Download
2017	Demarais, S., Verschuyl, J., Roloff, G., Miller, D. A., Wigley, T. B. 2017. Terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity and intensive forest management in the U.S. Forest Ecology and Management 385:308-330. Download
2017	Hinton, G. C., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Eubank, T. W., Jones, P. D. 2017. Estimation of deer damage to soybean production in eastern Mississippi: perception versus reality. Wildlife Society Bulletin 41(1):80-87. Download
2017	Loman , Z. G., Greene, E. J., Wheat, B., Demarais, S., Miller, D., Rush, S. A., Riffell, S. K. 2017. White-tailed deer carrying capacity response to intercropping switchgrass in loblolly pine plantations. Journal of Wildlife Management 81(6):999–1008 . Download
2017	Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Wang, G. 2017. Birth Date Promotes a Tortoise or Hare Tactic for Body Mass Development of a Long-lived Male Ungulate. Oecologia 186(1):117-128. Download
2017	Michel, E. S., Flinn, E. B., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Wang, G., Dacus, C. M. 2017. Protocol for Assessing the Relative Effects of Environment and Genetics on Antler and Body Growth for a Long-lived Cervid. Journal of Visual Experimentation 126:e56059. Download
2017	Parrish , M. C., Demarais, S., Wigley, T. B., Jones, P. D., Ezell, A. W., Riffell, S. K. 2017. Breeding bird communities associated with land cover in intensively managed pine forests of the southeastern U.S. Forest Ecology and Management 406:112-124. Download
2017	Parrish, M. C., Demarais, S., Ezell, A. W., Wigley, T. B., Jones, P. D., Riffell, S. K. 2017. Retained vegetation density of streamside management zones and stringers in southern intensively managed pine forests. Forest Ecology and Management 397:89-96. Download
2017	Strickland, B. K., Jones, P. D., Demarais, S., Dacus, C. M. 2017. Adjusting for Mass Change in White-tailed Deer During Hunting Season. Wildlife Society Bulletin 41(2):286-293. Download
2016	Campbell, K. L., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Jones, P. D., Wang, G., Dacus, C. M., Cook, C., Knox, W. M. 2016. Adjusting for seasonal harvest bias in the lactation index for white-tailed deer management. Wildlife Society Bulletin 40(4):754-757. Download
2016	Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Webb, S. L., Smith, T., McDonald, C. 2016. Simulated effects of releasing pen-raised deer into the wild to alter population-level antler size. Wildlife Society Bulletin 40(1):41-49. Download
2016	Ferguson, T. L., Demarais, S., Cooley, C., Fleming, S., Michel, E. S. 2016. Ear and tail lesions of captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus): A case study. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 47:636–639. Download
2016	Little, A. R., Webb, s. L., Demarais, S., Gee, S., Riffell, K. L., Gaskamp, J. A. 2016. Hunting intensity alters movement behaviour of white-tailed. Basic and Applied Ecology 17:360-369. Download
2016	Marantz, S. A., Long, J. A., Webb, S. L., Gee, K. L., Little, A. R., Demarais, S. 2016. Impacts of human hunting on spatial behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Canadian Journal of Zoology 94(12):853-861. Download
2016	Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Belant, J. L., Millspaugh, J. J. 2016. Quantifying dominance of adult female white-tailed deer in the presence of abundant food. Behaviour 153:49-67. Download
2016	Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Smith, T., Dacus, C. M. 2016. Antler characteristics are highly heritable by influenced by maternal factors. Journal of Wildlife Management 80(8):1420-1426. Download
2016	Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Wang, G., Dacus, C. M. 2016. Improved nutrition cues a switch from efficiency to luxury phenotypes for male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Ecology and Evolution 6(20):7276-7285. Download
2015	Flinn, J. J., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Gee, K. L., Webb, S. L., Jones, P. D., Jacobson, H. A. 2015. Estimating age and antler traits of photographed male white-tailed deer. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife 2:135-143. Download
2015	Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Belant, J. L. 2015. Contrasting the Effects of Maternal and Behavioral Characteristics on Fawn Birth Mass in White-Tailed Deer. PloS One 10(8):e0136034. Download
2012	Iglay, R. B., Demarais, S., Wigley, T. B., Miller, D. A. 2012. Bird community dynamics and vegetation relationships among stand establishment practices in intensively managed pine of Mississippi. Forest Ecology and Management 283:1-9. Download
2010	Iglay, R. B., Jones, P. D., Miller, D. A., Demarais, S., Leopold, B. D., Burger, L. W. 2010. Deer carrying capacity in mid-rotation pine plantations of Mississippi. Journal of Wildlife Management 74:1003-1012. Download
2010	Jones, P. D., Burger, L. W., Demarais, S. 2010. Habitat value of intensively established pine plantations for Northern Bobwhite. Journal of Wildlife Management 74(3):449-458. Download
2004	Dubey, J. P., Graham, D. H., De Young, R. W., Dahl, E., Eberhard, M. L., Nace, E. K., Won, K., Bishop, H., Punkosdy, G., Sreekumar, C., Vianna, M. C., Shen, S. K., Kwok, O. C., Sumners, J. A., Demarais, S., Humphreys, J. G., Lehmann, T. 2004. Molecular and biologic characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from wildlife in the United States. The Journal of Parasitology 90(1):67-71. Download
2003	DeYoung, R. W., Demarais, S., Honeycutt, R. L., Rooney, A. P., Gonzales, R. A., Gee, K. L. 2003. Genetic consequences of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) restoration in Mississippi. Molecular Ecology 12(12):3237-3252. Download
2002	Williamson, S., Burger, L. W., Demarais, S., Chamberlain, M. 2002. Effects of Northern Bobwhite habitat management practices on red imported fire ants. National Quail Symposium Proceedings 5:136-140. Download
1999	Dehority, B. A., Demarais, S., Osborn, D. A. 1999. Rumen ciliates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), axis deer (Axis axis), sika deer (Cervus nippon) and fallow deer (Dama dama) from Texas. The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 46(2):125-131. Download
1992	Henke, S. E., Demarais, S. 1992. Changes in vitreous humor associated with postmortem interval in rabbits. American Journal of Veterinary Research 53(1):73-7. Download
1992	Richardson, M. L., Demarais, S. 1992. Parasites and condition of coexisting populations of white-tailed and exotic deer in south-central Texas. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 28(3):485-489. Download
1990	Henke, S. E., Demarais, S. 1990. Effect of diet on condition indices in black-tailed jackrabbits. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 26(1):28-33. Download
1990	Henke, S. E., Pence, D. B., Demarais, S. 1990. Serologic survey of selected zoonotic disease agents in black-tailed jack rabbits from western Texas. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 26(1):107-11. Download
1987	Demarais, S., Everett, D. D., Pons, M. L. 1987. Seasonal comparison of endoparasites of northern bobwhites from two types of habitat in southern Texas. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 23(2):256-260. Download
1987	Demarais, S., Jacobson, H. A., Guynn, D. C. 1987. Effects of season and area on ectoparasites of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Mississippi. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 23(2):261-6. Download

Extension Publications

Year	Publications
2023	Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Cain, R., Chance, A., Henderson, C., Street, G. M., Resop, L., McKinley, W. 2023. Understanding Buck Movement: How, When, and Why Bucks Navigate the Landscapeerns. Mississippi State University Extension Service
2021	Hamrick, W. W., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S. 2021. A Guide to Common Native Deer Forages in Mississippi and the Southeast. Mississippi State University Extension Service P3618. Download
2017	Michel, E. S., Demarais, S., Strickland, B. K., Blaylock, A., McKinley, W., Dacus, C. M., Hamrick, W. W. 2017. The Role of Genetics and Nutrition in Deer Management. Mississippi State University Extension Service P3013:10. Download

Graduate Students

Jennifer Sublett
Luke Resop

Awards & Honors

Fellow
The Wildlife Society
Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award
National Deer Association
SEC Faculty Achievement Award
Southeast Conference
Kleberg Award for Applied Wildlife Research
The Wildlife Society
Taylor Chair in Applied Research and Instruction
Funding obtained from Taylor Foundation (2018-2023)
Conservation and Stewardship Award
Boone and Crockett Club
Ralph E. Powe Research Award
Mississippi State University
Deer Management Career Achievement Award
The Wildlife Society and Deer Study Group
Outstanding Media Product
The Wildlife Society, Mississippi Chapter
Publication and Creativity Award
Oklahoma Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Outstanding Peer-Reviewed Article
Miss Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Outstanding Popular Article
Miss Chapter of The Wildlife Society

Society Memberships

American Society of Mammalogists
Mississippi Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Southeastern Section - The Wildlife Society
The Wildlife Society

Dr. Stephen Demarais

Title

Contact Information

Overview

Education

Research Interests

Teaching Interests

Websites

Publications

Extension Publications

Graduate Students

Awards & Honors

Society Memberships

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