Use of Rio Grande Plain Brush Types by White-tailed Deer

Abstract

The relative use of 11 major brush types and a rootplowed area by white-tailed deer was studied on the San Pedro Ranch in Dimmit County, Texas. The mesquite drainage, hackberry drainage, and guajillo scrub types were preferred by deer in fall, winter, and spring. In summer, the mesquite drainage was preferred and all other types were used about equally. The granjeno drainage, rootplowed, and mesquite savannah types were used least. The preferred brush types occurred on sandy loam soils. The composition, density (within a range of tolerance), structure, and phenology of brush were not important factors influencing selection of types by deer. The quality of typical brushlands as deer habitat appeared to be largely a function of range site. Range sites capable of high gross production of herbaceous plants deserve consideration for their value to deer in brush clearing schemes. Some brush should be left intact as screening cover on such sites to insure continuing deer populations on ranches practicing brush control in the Rio Grande Plain.