range is imminent. Fawn counts indicate that over-population is 
beginning to have its effect on productivity. Present density on 
the island is 10.5 reindeer per square mile, however, the north 
half of the island is not used extensively as winter range and 
topography and edaphic conditions limit its value for future use. 
Also, tallus slopes and rock rubble fields on mountain sides and 
ridges, reduce the total usable range. Consequently, reindeer 
use is concentrated on a much smaller total area. Palmer (1929) 
lists 10 to 16 deer per square mile as the maximum allowable for 
safe range use and he later suggested that this might be too high 
a density for most ranges. If only utilizable range is considered, 
reindeer density on St. Matthew Island is already in excess of 
Palmer's figure. On St. Paul Island in the Pribilofs, reindeer 
reached a density of 49 animals per square mile just prior to the 
"crash die off" (Scheffer, 1951). 
Deterioration of the lichen range has been in progress for at 
least the past 3 to 4 years. Willows also show the effects of over- 
utilization. Comparison of the most heavily used wintering areas 
with similar areas at the northwest end of St. Matthew Island and 
on adjacent Hall Island show marked contrasts. Lush, undamaged 
lichen growth 3 to 4 inches thick is still common (but scattered) 
on the northwest end of St. Matthew Island and on reindeer=free Hall 
Tsland. On the large dry flats, which comprise the most extensive 
wintering areas, lichensare no longer the important component of the 
available winter forage that they have been in the past. While 
early quantitative reports of the vegetation of St. Matthew Island 
are lacking, general observations by early explorers and naturalists 
indicate that a lush lichen flora was a distinct characteristic of 
the vegetative complex of the island prior to the release of the 
reindeer (Hanna, 1920; Beals, 1944). 
The immediate effect of a reindeer population in excess of the 
available range on the vegetation of St. Matthew Island will be quite 
noticable in altering successional stages. Indications of such 
changes taking place are already apparent. However, it is doubtful 
that the survival of any plant species is in jeopardy. Many local 
refugia exist due to the variations in terrain and associated win- 
ter snow accumulations in which plants are completely protected from 
destructive activity. Scheffer (1951) found on the Pribilof Is- 
lands that after the reindeer die off had occurred and the range 
was depleted, isolated areas of lichens and other plants remained 
in areas seldom visited by the reindeer. 
It is felt that bird life on the island will not be seriously 
affected by the increasing reindeer herd, The reindeer are in no 
conflict with the thousands of cliff nesting sea birds, or the 
snowbuntings, redpolls and rosy finches, which nest in the higher, 
rocky terrain of the island. Undoubtedly, the sandpipers and few 
30 
