A high-density deer herd within a 391-ha predator exclosure on the Welder Wildlife Refuge was sampled to investigate diet and nutritional levels. Annual diet of the exclosure herd averaged 76% forbs, 21% grasses, and 3% browse. Deer from the surrounding area consumed 87% forbs, 10% grasses, and 3% browse. Fawns from both herds consumed less grass during the first 9 months of life. The exclosure herd also exhibited lower ruminal levels of crude protein, higher levels of calcium, and higher calcium to phosphorus ratios than the surrounding herd. It was hypothesized that with increased herd size, deer within the predator exclosure overutilized the most desirable forb species and were forced to consume more grasses. The resulting decrease in nutritional level was responsible for changes in health, condition, and population parameters. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.