Table 7.1. Relative density distribution of mule deer in the Missouri 

 River Breaks, Montana, 1976-1984. 



represented, while blocks in which deer were never observed 

 during the aerial surveys were significantly under 

 represented. Blocks of medium density occurred in greater 

 than random proportion adjacent to high density blocks, while 

 low density blocks occurred in lower than random proportion. 

 Blocks surrounding medium, low, and zero density blocks also 

 were not randomly distributed (X 2 137.7, 3 df, P < 0.0001; 



r2 -, 



2_ 



= 19.6, 3 df, P < 0.0001; X^ 553.7, 3 df, P < 0.0001; 

 respectively) . In each case, blocks of the same density 

 category were positively associated, while those 2 or 3 

 density categories higher or lower were negatively associated. 

 These data together with Figure 7 . 1 indicate a general 

 dispersion pattern characterized by a high degree of 

 aggregation in and around "core" areas or habitats, and 

 gradual rather than abrupt transitions in density 

 distribution. 



Spatial Distribution by Sex and Age 



Spatial distribution by sex and age classes was 

 quantified only during autumn when all deer were about equally 

 visible and dispersion was not altered by years of varying 

 winter severity. We tested by Chi-square and correlation 

 analysis the null hypothesis that there were no differences in 

 spatial distribution between sex and age classes. This 

 hypothesis was rejected in all tests except for the comparison 

 between females and fawns (Table 7.2), which, as expected, 

 were not distributed differently. Spatial distribution of 

 females and fawns, however, was different from that of both 

 yearling and mature males, and yearling and mature males were 

 also distributed differently. 



Correlation analysis indicated the degree and direction 

 of association between sex and age classes (Table 7.3). 



178 



