SURVEY OF THE JONVIGK YARD 
To learn which of the available species were "being eaten, a browse- 
utilization survey was made in the Jonvick yard early in May 1936. This 
was done after the yarding' season, so it represents the Drowse eaten through- 
out the winter period. One hundred and twenty plots, each 0.01 acre in size, 
were surveyed for the species present and for degree of browsing. These 
were located on lines at 5-chain intervals so that no element of human choice 
affected their selection. Availability in each case wa3 considered to "be any 
succulent twigs of hardwoods or leafy parts of conifers that were within 7 
feet of the ground. Grasses, sedges, and ground forms were not recorded, 
"because they were usually too far beneath the snow during the yarding season 
to "be important to deer. The results of this survey, shown in table 2, 
indicate clearly the species that are important as food in this yard. 
Mountain maple, "because of its abundance and heavy utilization by 
deer, was the most important browse species present. 
Thimbleberry and honeysuckle showed a high frequency of browsing 
but these species are more available after the snow begins to recede in 
spring. Because only the terminal buds of the thimbleberry and a small 
part of the annual growth of the honeysuckle were eaten, the actual quantity 
of food obtained from these species was rather small, but it was available 
in time of need. 
Paper birch, red-osier dogwood, mountain-ash, and black ash were 
heavily browsed, but their availability was so low that they are of little 
importance to deer in this yard. 
Balsam fir was found in a large percentage of the plots, and many 
of the trees had been browsed lightly. The aggregate feeding in so many 
places, however, makes balsam one of the dominant foods. 
Although white cedar was found on 32 percent of the plots, in each 
it was represented by only a few limbs that deer could reach from cmstcd 
snow or by recumbent branches that were available only after the snov? had 
receded. The browsing was therefore very light and actually provided very 
little food. 
CONCLUSIONS 
1. Stomach analyses and available-browse surveys indicate that the 
winter carrying capacity for deer in northeastern Minnesota is declining. 
2. The browse species that form the greater part of the winter food 
are those now most available but not those of greatest nutritive value. 
3. Many of the choice browse species are either uncommon or are 
becoming unavailable because of heavy browsing in previous years. 
- 7 - 
