77 



Use of topoRiraphy : Usae;e of dissected mid-slopes, i.e. hillsides, 

 occurred in all six seasons and was (greatest durinp; the winter 

 months, 95/S (Table 29). Spring, I98O, and summer 1981, saw the 

 least use of the hillside category with 19 and 27 percent of 

 the observations respectively. 



The alluvium/terrace type received significant usage in spring 

 1980 and summer 1981 when 70 and 67 percent, respectively, of 

 the mule deer were observed there. This category Is primarily 

 associated with alfalfa fields adjacent to Rosebud Creek. The 

 least amount of usage In the lowland categories occurred during 

 winter when no observations were made in the flood plain or 

 alluvium/terrace categories. A similar usage pattern was 

 observed along Sarpy Creek (Martin 1980c). 



The unland types, mesa- butte tops and steep slopes, had limited 

 deer usage in every season (Table 29). The spring and summer of 



1980 had the most with 11 and 19 percent respectively. 



Use of exposure : Usage of northerly exoosures by mule deer in the 

 Greenleaf-Mlller study area was greatest during the spring of 198O 

 (Table 30), when 8l% of the mule deer were observed there. The 

 winter season followed with 50% of the winter mule deer observations 

 occurring on northerly slopes. Obviously snow cover was not a 

 problem. Swenson (1981) reported the average dally snow depth at 

 Miles City from November I6 through March 15 to be .07 Inches. 



South slopes were most used during the fall of 198O and spring of 



1981 with 42 and 50 percent of the mule deer observed respectively. 

 Summer usage of southern slopes was low in both years of the 

 study with 17 and 11 percent respectively. 



Eastern slopes received more use by mule deer than westerly slopes 

 during every season except fall 198O and spring 198I. Easterly 

 slope usage ranged from lOjS in summer 198I to 89^ during the 



1980 spring. Westerly slopes had much less usage and ranged from 

 2% in summer 198I to H2% during fall 198O. 



Use of slope: Usage of flat lands was greatest during the summer 

 months (Table 31). This corresponds to mule deer usage of the 

 creek bottom vegetation subtypes and was 57^ in 198O and 72^ 

 in 1981. Gentle and flat slopes were credited with more mule 

 deer observations than medium and steeo slopes in every season 

 except the I98O-8I winter. Even then k2% of the mule deer were 

 observed on gentle slooes. Steep slopes received their greatest 

 usage during soring months. Eleven percent in I98O and 1255 in 



1981 were observed on steep slopes. Medium slooe usage ranged from 

 h9% in winter 198O-8I to I8 and 19 percent during the summers 



of 1980 and 1981, respectively. No observations were catagorized 

 as medium during the spring 198O surveys. 



White-tailed Deer 



A small white-tailed deer population was found on the Greenleaf- 

 Miller study area. These deer were concentrated along Rosebud 

 Creek between the mouths of Miller Coulee and Miller Creek. 



