condition, however only 3 (7%) of 44 marked adult females died 

 after March. Thus it seems likely that mule deer can recover 

 from FMF levels near 10-12% if new succulent forage becomes 

 available by late March. Deer were in very poor condition 

 during winter 1983-84 and especially 1984-85, but more than 

 90% of the adult females survived the winter of 1984-85, when 

 "green-up" occurred early, regardless of condition or coyote 

 predation. 



The physical condition of female mule deer during late 

 March and April undoubtedly depended on their reproductive 

 status. The 3 females collected during December 1983 (Table 

 4.9) were all radio-collared females with known reproductive 

 histories . The female that had either not had fawns or lost 

 them immediately after birth had a KFI of 122. The other 2 

 females, both accompanied by fawns at the time of collection, 

 had KFIs of 26 and 25. All 3 had FMF values above 89%. This 

 supported our speculation that females which have not 

 experienced long periods of lactation stress weigh more than 

 those that recruit fawns during consecutive years. 



Only color and consistency of marrow samples were 

 recorded during 1975-76. However, comparison of color and 

 consistency with percent FMF in subseguent samples made 

 general estimates of percentage of FMF possible. Femur marrow 

 samples from a fawn and an adult mule deer of unknown sex 

 killed by coyotes during mid-January 1976 were both 

 categorized as white and firm. Twenty-one samples of femur 

 marrow subseguently classified as white and firm averaged 84% 

 FMF (range, 70-96%). A yearling male killed by coyotes on 30 

 January 1976; an adult of unknown sex killed on 5 March 1976; 

 and a 3-year old female killed on 6 March 1976 all had femur 

 marrow classified as yellow and soft. Twelve femur marrow 

 samples subseguently classified as yellow and soft averaged 

 50% FMF (range 36-62%). The femur marrows of 2 other mule 

 deer killed by coyotes in late winter 1976 were classified as 

 red and viscous, which in subseguent samples ranged from 7-19% 

 FMF. 



An adult female killed by coyotes during February 1977 

 and 2 adult females that died as the result of capture and 

 marking operations during February and March 1977 all had FMF 

 levels above 90%. A fawn killed by coyotes in 27 February 

 1978 had a FMF level of 90%, another killed on 7 March 1978 

 had a FMF level of 43%. 



In combination with antler measurements and deer weights, 

 these data indicated that mule deer were apparently in better 

 physical condition during winters 1975-76 through 1977-78 than 

 during those of 1983-1985 (Tables 4.7, 4.8, and 4.9). Fawn 

 mortality was high during both periods. 



107 



