Response of Kaibab Mule Deer to Management of Summer Range

Abstract

The 400,000-acre summer range of the Kaibab mule deer (Odocoile?ls hemion?4s) has been changed by seeding, logging, fire, and range eeatment. From 1962 through 1968, the summer com- position of food plants was measured by line intercept transects and the deer's choice of food plants by the feeding-minutes method. Planted grasses were an important food early in summer, fungi in late sum- mer, and kees, shrubs, and forbs were found to be used throughout the summer. Plant succession replaced planted species with native plants most rapidly in mixed conifer forest and least rapidly in burned areas. The reseeding pracffces, financed from hunter fees but performed on Naffonal Forest lands resulted in umproved summer deer condiffon and a 24.S percent better fawn crop. The deer accepted the modified habitat slowly and yearling animals were often the first to appear in new feeding areas. RESPONSE OF KAIBAB MULE DEER TO MANAGEMENT OF SUMMER RANGE C. R. HVNGERFORD, Vniversity of Arizona, Tucsont Abstract: The 400,000-acre summer range of the Kaibab mule deer (Odocoile?ls hemion?4s) has been changed by seeding, logging, fire, and range eeatment. From 1962 through 1968, the summer com- position of food plants was measured by line intercept transects and the deer's choice of food plants by the feeding-minutes method. Planted grasses were an important food early in summer, fungi in late sum- mer, and kees, shrubs, and forbs were found to be used throughout the summer. Plant succession replaced planted species with native plants most rapidly in mixed conifer forest and least rapidly in burned areas. The reseeding pracffces, financed from hunter fees but performed on Naffonal Forest lands resulted in umproved summer deer condiffon and a 24.S percent better fawn crop. The deer accepted the modified habitat slowly and yearling animals were often the first to appear in new feeding areas.