Table 3. Mule deer population characteristics in the Otter Creek 

 area in 1979, 



Month 



Number Classified 

 Total Bucks Does Fawns 



Fawns: 100 Bucks: Population Structure (%) 

 Does Adults 100 Does Bucks Does Fawns 



September 52 5 24 23 95.8 79,3 20.8 

 October 103 9 43 51 118.6 98.1 20.9 



9.6 46.2 44.2 



8.7 41.7 49.5 



Distribution : Spring distribution is shown in Figure 7. Most 

 observations are located in a band across the center of the study 

 area between Threemile and East Fork Otter Creeks. Several of 

 the observations were in the 9-15 size category. More than half 

 of the observations were in the 1-3 range. The deer are beginning 

 to disperse over the area and break up the wintering groups. 



This dispersal and reduction of group size reaches its zenith 

 during the summer season (Figure 8). Only three observations were 

 of groups greater than three. 



Fall observations (Figure 9) show the deer beginning to group 

 together as the number of observations in the 4-7 size category 

 increased significantly. Also the deer were not as widespread as 

 during the summer months. Three groups of deer appear to be forming: 

 those north of highway 212; the central group stretching across 

 the study area on a southwest-northeast axis centered on Home Creek; 

 and a southern group extending from above Newell Creek to below 

 Ten Mile Creek. 



The 1979-1980 winter in contrast to the two previous winters, was 



very mild with little snow fall. As a result, mule deer remained 



quite widespread and did not gather into large concentrations 



(Figure 10). Nearly all observations were in the 4-8 size category. 



One observation of a group larger than 15 animals was made and 



four groups in the 9-15 range were seen. Two major wintering 



areas were determined: one southwest of Otter Creek north of 



the Custer National Forest; the other east of Otter Creek and south of 



Threemile Creek. The remainder of the observations were too 



scattered to consider. It is likely that many deer wintered 



in the adjacent Custer National Forest. 



i 



Vegetation type usage: A considerab 

 is apparent in usage of vegetation t 

 percent of the spring 1979 observati 

 pine type while only 15 percent util 

 The weather pattern, deep snow and c 

 1979 spring which forced deer out of 

 grassland types, explains the variat 

 winter mule deer were able to utiliz 

 pine and only 58 percent were observ 

 extremely dry summer of 1980 forced 

 coulees and draws of the pine type. 



le difference between years 

 ypes (Table 4). Ninety-three 

 ons were in the ponderosa 

 ized the pine type in 1980. 

 old in 1978 extending into the 

 the creekbottoris and sagebrush/ 

 ion. During the mild 1979-80 

 e vegetation types other than 

 ed in the pine type. The 

 deer to utilize the more mesic 



14 



