1974 Flath - MDFG - continued the railroad deer relationship study. 



Knoche (1974) - MDFG - continued the evaluation of big game 

 habitat improvement. 



- Ctoserved the use of the winter ranges adjacent to the 

 reservoir was increasing, but was below previous years. 



- Browse production estimates indicated bitterbush pro- 

 duction was greatest on topped segments, while service- 

 berry and chokecherry production was stimulated by both 

 burning and topping. 



1975 Knoche (1975) - MDFG - continued work on the railroad-deer 

 relationship study which concluded June 30, 1975. 



Firebaugh, Flath, and Knoche (1975) - MDFG - compiled the 

 final report for the railroad deer relationships study. 



- Presence of the railroad had no measurable effect on the 

 distribution of deer on the winter range. 



- Density of deer adjacent to the railroad is related to 

 the number of deer killed by the trains. Can not directly 

 correlate the mortalities along the old grade and the 

 relocated grade, because the number and type of trains has 

 not remained consistent. 



- The deer population has a low reproductive rate; however, 

 the majority of the hunter harvest is 2 1/2 years old or 

 younger indicating good reproduction. 



- Browse is an important winter food with grasses utilized 

 during mid to late winter when snow depths are minimal. 

 Forbs are important as food during the spring "green-up". 



- Due to the location of the railroad grade in the drain- 

 age bottom there will be concentrations of deer along it 

 (and corresponding higher train caused mortalities) dur- 

 ing periods of severe weather. 



- Since deer adhere to traditional wintering sites, 

 attempts to attract them to presently used areas would 

 have marginal results and are not recommended. 



Knoche and Brown (1975) - MDFG - completed the work related 

 to the evaluation of big game habitat improvements. 



- Use of control areas continued to be as great or greater 

 than tlie spring broadcast burn areas. 



B14 



