Expected 



Summer 



Autumn 



□ Winter 

 Spring 



H Entire Year 



6-8 



Number of Different Cover Types per Block 



Figure 9 . 3 



Annual and seasonal distribution of mule deer 

 in relation to number of different cover types 

 per 28.8 ha block. 



expected, and blocks with 4 or more different cover types 

 received greater than expected use. Once 4 cover types were 

 included, the relative degree of selection increased only 

 slightly to the maximum of 8 types found in any block. Deer 

 use of the least diverse blocks ( 1 or 2 cover types) was 

 highest in spring, coinciding with increased use of 

 sagebrush-grassland vegetation. 



Similarly, deer were not distributed randomly in 

 proportion to the number of cover polygons available per block 

 during any season (summer: X 2 = 659.0, 7 df, P < 0.00001; 

 autumn: X 2 = 583.6, 7 df, P < 0.00001; winter: X 2 = 1269.0, 7 

 df, P < 0.00001; spring: X 2 = 783.3, 7 df, P < 0.00001). 

 Fewer deer than expected occurred in blocks containing 1 to 3 

 cover polygons (Fig. 9.4), blocks containing 4 polygons were 

 used as expected, and those containing 5-12 polygons were used 

 by more than expected numbers of deer. 



Influence of Topographic Diversity on Habitat Use 



Deer did not use the 4 TOPOINDEX categories in equal 

 proportion to availability during any season (summer: X 2 = 



654.3, 2 df, P < 0.005; autumn: X 



2 _ 



709.5, 2 df, P <0.005; 



winter: X' = 1316.7, 2 df, P < 0.005; spring: 



252 



465.0, 2 df, 



