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
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. |
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 |
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. |
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). |
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 |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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 |
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 |
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. |
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). |
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). |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
2018 | Dykes, J. L., 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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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 . |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
2016 | Michel, E., 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. |
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 | 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. |
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. |
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. |
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 |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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