White-Tailed Deer Utilization of Three Different Habitats and Its Influence on Lone Star Tick Populations

Abstract

Deer-use patterns as determined by pellet-group counts on sample plots in 3 different habitats in Oklahoma during 1973 and 1974 did not differ statistically, but biological trends were apparent. The meadow habitat received greatest deer-use in the early spring and the upland oak-hickory most during the summer of both years of the study. Abundance of Amblyomma americanum (L.) was highest in the upland oak-hickory habitat and lowest in the meadow habitat whereas the bottom oak-hickory habitat supported an intermediate population. The meadow received considerable deer-use; however, it did not support a significant tick population because of unfavorable ecological conditions. The bottom oak- hickory habitat had low deer-use but was second in tick abundance because microclimatic conditions there were the most favorable of the 3 habitats and allowed greater tick survival. The upland oak-hickory habitat reflected heavy deer-use through tick abundance but its climatic conditions were not as ideal for tick survival as those in the bottom oak-hickory habitat.