any great extent. Enforcement was largely lacking, and during 

 the homestead era as well as through subsequent periods of 

 drought and depression, residents shot deer as need and 

 opportunity presented. Depopulation of the area, rather than 

 increased law enforcement, probably contributed most to the 

 decline in illegal harvest of deer. 



Mule deer populations increased throughout the improved 

 range conditions of the 1940s and declined somewhat during the 

 severe winters of 1948-49 and 1949-50. Populations may then 

 have increased during good conditions in the early 1950s, but 

 declined following drought during 1955 and 1956. 



Regardless of population level, and in spite of 

 consistently "overused" browse species after 1948, deer 

 apparently remained "in excellent condition", "very fat", and 

 "one of healthiest and most productive [herds] in the 

 country". This seemed to be uniformly true except during 

 periods of drought (mid-late 1950s), when deer were in "bad 

 condition", regardless of numbers. We believe the available 

 data are sufficient to indicate that from 1947-1959, and 

 possibly back to 1944, the mule deer population on our study 

 area fluctuated within the same range of densities as it did 

 during the period 1960-1987. 



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