Values of Four Communities for Mule Deer on Ranges with Limited Summer Habitat

Abstract

Four plant communities were evaluated from May through September for mule deer dietary and nutritional values. The communities were dominated by Utah serviceberry, Gambel oak, big sagebrush, and mixed browse. In early summer deer diets contained many browse and forb species and were high in crude protein, but as summer progressed fewer species were selected and dietary crude protein declined, especially in the big sagebrush and serviceberry communities. Thus late summer was determined the critical period for forage quality. Range conditions were reflected by body size and condition of deer in fall.