Growth Response and Deer Utilization of Fertilized Browse

Abstract

A study was conducted on the Fort Stanton Cooperative Range Research Station in Lincoln County, New Mexico, to determine the response of hairy mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus breviflorus), wavyleaf oak (Quercus undulata), and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) to nitrogen fertilization and to compare mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) use on wavyleaf oak range fertilized with urea and ammonium sulfate. Growth of leaders on nitrogen-fertilized mountain mahogany plants was significantly greater (P < 0.005) than that of control plants in 1970 but not in 1971. There was no significant response to nitrogen fertilizer by either wavyleaf oak or fourwing saltbush for either year. The crude protein content of fertilized wavyleaf oak leaves was significantly higher than that for unfertilized leaves. Oak range fertilized with urea exhibited greater use by mule deer than unfertilized oak range during the summer, fall, or winter. Plants fertilized with ammonium sulfate apparently did not attract deer. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 38(3):525-530 Intensive management of game animals and their habitat is necessary because man's encroachment on wildlands is steadily diminishing game ranges. Range fertilization offers opportunities for game habitat management. The benefits derived from fertilization of game range may include: increased cover for game animals, increased quantity and quality of browse (Gibbens and Pieper 1962, Wood and Lindsey 1967, Curlin 1962), increased reproductive levels in deer associated with higher quality range (Cheatum and Severinghaus 1950, Swank 1956), and increased palatability of certain browse species (Schultz et al. 1958). This study was undertaken to obtain more information on the effects of fertilizers applied to game ranges. The objectives