DEER AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT 



Differences in existing plant communities, weather patterns, topography, human use, deer 

 biology and behavior, and a multitude of other factors influence the characteristics of a 

 particular deer population. The two species of deer (white-tailed and mule) occur in just 

 about all Montana habitats, from the coniferous forests and intermountain valleys, mountain 

 foothills and isolated mountain ranges, to the rangelands, badlands, and croplands of the 

 eastern plains. Within each of these habitats, deer are bom, live, and die, and they do so in 

 very different ways. 



The results of smdies recently completed under the Montana Statewide Deer Research Project 

 and analysis of data by regional management biologists have greatly enhanced our 

 understanding of deer/habitat interrelationships and their influence on population 

 characteristics, dynamics and management. The following general description summarizes 

 some of those findings and was taken from a recent paper entitled "Deer Habitat 

 Relationships and Management In The Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains (Mackie, 

 et al, 1992). 



In addition to general forest cover, deer ranges in the mountainous region are 

 characterized by high topographic diversity and relief. These give rise to diverse 

 vegetative cover. The region also has moderate summer and winter temperatures, 

 more precipitation and locally heavier snowfall than the plains. Logging and 

 recreation predominate among land uses. 



The plains lack the topographic and vegetational diversity of the mountains. The 

 region is characterized by strong differences between seasons and year to year 

 variation in temperature and precipitation. Livestock grazing and farming are 

 predominant land uses. 



Deer employ a variety of strategies to cope with environmental features and 

 conditions they encounter in the two regions. Most deer in the mountainous 

 environments are migratory; moving between traditional winter and summer ranges. 

 These movements typically occur as individual behavior rather than mass migration. 

 Many involve relatively short distances up adjacent drainages or to other, nearby 

 ranges. Others may involve longer movements as far as 80 miles over divides and/or 

 to distant drainages. Where conditions are suitable, some deer will remain yearlong 

 residents of the winter range. 



Distinct seasonal ranges are less apparent in prairie habitats and are used by 

 individual deer in a variety of ways to cope with the considerable environmental 

 variation. Most deer occupy annual home ranges in which local use patterns vary by 

 season and weather conditions. However, use of some habitat complexes may require 

 regular, seasonal, migration-like movements at different times of the year because of 

 local environmental deficiencies (ie. drought). 



