Thesis
Mule deer habitat use of the Buckskin Mountain winter range
(2001)
Abstract
During 1997–98, we compared environmental and climatic aspects of individual mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) use and randomly selected sites for populations that inhabited a common winter range located in southwestern Utah and northeastern Arizona to determine which microhabitat components were most important. In 1997, deer use sites exhibited more tree litter (P = 0.0001), more exposed bare ground (P = 0.021), lower wind speeds (P = 0.028), and were located on southeast facing slopes (P = 0.028) than non-use sites. In 1998, larger amounts of tree litter (P = 0.0001), lower wind speeds (P = 0.007), more exposed bare ground (P = 0.0001), and lower snow depths (P = 0.001) were found at deer use sites than at non-use locations. Individual animal microhabitat preferences did not differ from the study population. This new information regarding winter range mule deer microhabitat use relative to landscape features and climatic conditions will assist managers in evaluating habitat conditions and in implementing management experiments designed to enhance mule deer survival.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2001
Degree
Master of Science
Field of study
Fisheries and Wildlife
Department
Fisheries and Wildlife
Advisor
Terry A. Messmer
Citation Information
Curtis W. Hendricks. "Mule deer habitat use of the Buckskin Mountain winter range" (2001) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/terry-messmer/423/