Mule Deer Fecal Group Counts Related to Site Factors on Winter Range

Abstract

Measurements of 32 site factors on 931, 100 ft2, circular plots systematically distributed among lower, middle and upper Cache la Poudre, Colorado winter range study areas of about 500 surface acres each, were related to cumulative mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) fecal groups counted on those plots (1963-65). Single and multiple linear regression and Chi-square analyses indicated that vegetative measurements, particularly antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) parameters, were the site factors most closely related to fecal group counts. These site factors accounted for about 10-13 percent in single linear regressions, and 8-20 percent in multiple linear regressions of the significant variation (R2) in fecal group counts.