Autumn Mule Deer Foods on Heavily Grazed Cattle Ranges in Northwestern Colorado

Abstract

The botanical composition of the diets of domestic cattle and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) was estimated by microscopically examining fecal samples collected on deer winter ranges heavily used by cattle. Diet overlap ranged from 1 to 22% (x = 12%) on the nine areas studied. When cattle are forced from a grass dominated diet to browse forage on overgrazed ranges, diet overlap and therefore forage competition increases between deer and cattle.