Mule Deer Population Location 



Figure 1.5. Mean and range of densities for 3 Montana mule 

 deer populations. A=Cherry Creek (Wood et al. 

 1989); B=Missouri River Breaks (this study); 

 C=Northwest slope of Bridger Mountains ( Pac et 

 al . in prep. ) 



density-dependent intraspecif ic competition for forage could 

 have been important . 



Our data also indicated that "territoriality" of females 

 during parturition (also see Ozoga et al . 1982 for white- 

 tailed deer) functioned to determine home range establishment 

 for the entire population. This "territoriality", at times, 

 also resulted in emigration, which helped limit population 

 growth rate. 



Because the environment was heterogeneous and habitat 

 quality varied across the area, home range location (space) 

 and use influenced recruitment and mortality rate of 

 individual animals. During "good" conditions, deer survived 

 and recruited fawns in "marginal" areas. During "poor" 

 conditions, deer with home ranges in marginal areas not only 

 failed to recruit fawns, but were subject to higher mortality 



21 



