greasewood, and river riparian types predominated were used 

 less than expected during summer. 



The Douglas fir-juniper and pine- juniper-shale types were 

 often closely associated on adjacent north- and south-facing 

 slopes such that the block method of analysis gave weight to 

 both types even if one was preferred more than the other. 

 Riley and Dood (1984) reported that the Douglas fir- juniper 

 type was used proportionately more by mule deer fawns than the 

 pine- juniper-shale type during summer. Overall, deer use was 

 more widely distributed among types (i.e., there was less 

 negative selection or avoidance of types) during summer than 

 any other season. 



Deer use of blocks containing the Douglas fir-juniper 

 types remained high relative to other types during autumn, but 

 overall use of blocks containing the pine- juniper-shale types 

 declined from summer. The 2 Douglas fir types with the least 

 overhead cover received the greatest use. Also, the scattered 

 density pine- juniper-grass type received proportionately 

 greater usage than the more dense pine- juniper-grass types. 

 The river riparian type received more use during autumn than 

 other seasons, but use remained less than expected based on 

 availability. 



During winter, deer selected for a variety of types, 

 although Douglas fir-juniper types received their highest 

 combined use of any season. Blocks containing the Douglas 

 fir-juniper types received their lowest seasonal use during 

 spring, and fewer deer than expected were observed in 

 association with the scattered density Douglas fir-juniper 

 cover type. The scattered density pine- juniper-shale and 

 scattered density pine- juniper-grass cover types were the most 

 selected types during spring. The sagebrush-grassland type, 

 although not selected, received its greatest use during spring 

 as influenced by the availability of forbs in that type (Table 

 3.3) . 



On a yearlong basis, deer were more closely associated 

 with and apparently showed more selection for Douglas fir 

 types, collectively, than for any other vegetation types on 

 the area. Among cover types, the burned Douglas fir- juniper 

 type received the greatest use relative to availability. The 

 pine- juniper-shale vegetation type ranked second, but this may 

 have been due at least partially to its close topographic 

 association with the Douglas fir types and the method of 

 analysis . 



Any assessment of habitat selection based on observed use 

 relative to availability is subject to possible shortcomings 

 that must be addressed to place results in perspective and 

 avoid false conclusions. The block analysis, in common with 



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