types, and 4) the Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, larch association on 

 thie northeast slopes. White-tailed deer primarily use the first 

 two types. Limited use of the dense Douglas-fir stands, inter- 

 spersed throughout the winter range occurs during mild winters 

 (U.S. Dep. Agric. 1956). Use of the two primary habitat types is 

 generally from the streambottom up to an elevation of approximately 

 4000 feet (Bergeson 1942, Blair 1955a, U.S. Dep. Agric. 1956). At 

 elevations above this level, snow accumulations and temperature 

 extremes are usually not conducive to more than minimal use by 

 white-tailed deer. 



During a normal winter, white- tailed deer are distributed 

 throughout the two primary habitat types. As conditions become 

 severe, the deer are restricted to the bottomlands and lower 

 benches where snow accumulations are more moderate (Druraheller 

 1936, Blair 1954b, Blair 1955a). 



The normal winter home range for white-tailed deer has an 

 activity nucleus associated with the riparian habitat types (Mackie 

 et al. 1980). Dense cover found along the riparian zones is an 

 essential habitat component, providing the thermal cover necessary 

 to help minimize the overall energy expenditure of the wintering 

 animal. Within the area of concern, white-tailed deer have a 

 tendency to use riparian areas as bedding sites, moving onto adja- 

 cent slopes during the early morning to feed. After feeding, they 

 bed on the warm exposed slopes, feeding back to the bottomlands 

 during the late afternoon. This cycle allows for heavier use of 

 the browse on the slopes with corresponding light use of the browse 

 along the bottoms (U.S. Dep. Agric. 1947, 1956). Therefore, when 

 the deer are concentrated in the bottomlands during severe winter 

 weather, they have a larger supply of emergency food available to 

 them. 



Browse and conifer reproduction are the primary food supplies 

 utilized by wintering white-tailed deer (Bergeson 1942, Campbell 

 1972, Firebaugh et al. 1975). Taller browse plants and conifer 

 reproduction are utilized during early to mid-winter when periods 

 of heavy snow accumulation exist, while the lower plants, such as 

 Oregon grape (Berberis repens) , are utilized more extensively 

 during the late winter as snow levels subside. Firebaugh et al. 

 (1975) found grasses are utilized only during periods of minimal 

 snow accumulation and forbs are aji important food item during the 

 spring "green-up" period. 



3) Population Status 



The general population trend for the v/hite-tailed deer popu- 

 lation in Lincoln County is outlined in ^pendix B. The population 

 suffered a decline around the turn of the century due at least in 

 part to the liberal harvest. From 1909 to 1919 the population 

 recovered; however, another decline took place between 1919 and 

 1933 (Bergeson 1946). During the 1930's and 1940's, tiie population 

 again recovered with a peak in the population level achieved during 



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