Willis Sontheimer
M.Sc. Student in Wildlife Ecology
Willis grew up in Norman, Oklahoma and obtained a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Oklahoma. He is in his second year as a M.Sc. student in the Wildlife Ecology program at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
Willis’ thesis investigates the degree to which diet and maternal attributes influence the relationship between body size and antler size throughout the lifespan, and at specific ages, of male white-tailed deer. His work will examine the following questions: does antler growth rate decline with increasing body size? Do maternal attributes influence antler growth? Are maternal effects most apparent in younger-aged males and diminished in older-aged males? The results from this research will be useful to deer managers to determine how maternal and nutritional conditions affect antler size of mature males.
