Stomach Content Analysis Related to Condition in Mule Deer, Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico
Anderson AE, Snyder WA, Brown GW. 1965. Stomach Content Analysis Related to Condition in Mule Deer, Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 29(2):352-366
An index to the food habits of a nonmigratory mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population occupying a juniper--pinyon woodland, succulent--shrub, and shortgrass--shrub complex in southeastern New Mexico was provided by botanical analyses of 93 stomach content samples. Thirty-nine males and 54 females were obtained by shooting approximately 2 deer per month over a 49-month period. Of the total estimated volume of stomach contents, browse made up about 70 percent; forbs, 26; and grass and unidentified plant material the remainder. The five major food items, comprising about 64 percent of the total, were wavyleaf oak (Quercus undulata), juniper (Juniperus spp.), hairy cercocarpus (Cercocarpus breviflorus), yucca (Yucca spp.), and unidentified forbs, in order of decreasing percent volume. Juniper was the highest in total frequency with less variability and was the major item during the January-March period. Wavyleaf oak was the major item from April through December. When unusually heavy precipitation increased all forage--especially forb production in 1958-59--forbs exceeded both browse and grass components yearlong. Females of all age-classes collected during, and for several months after, this period were significantly heavier (P = 0.05) and presumably in better physical condition.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Anderson, Allen; Snyder, Walter; Brown, George
- Units
- GUMO
- Keywords
- Animal Studies