Summer Habitat of White-Tailed Deer in North-Central Minnesota

Habitat types used and food habits of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied in north-central Minnesota during the summers of 1968 and 1969. Home ranges of three radio-frequency marked does varied from 167 to 471 acres, but use of local areas varied. Upland deciduous and upland mixed areas were used intensively by deer, whereas fields and lowland areas were avoided. Use of upland conifer, cutover, plantation, and right-of-way habitat types was approximately proportional to availability. Use of types varied with age of the stand, period of summer, and time of day. Browse accounted for 68 percent of 6,925 instances of plant use at 31 feeding sites, and 63 percent of the volume of nine rumens examined was comprised largely of leaves and current year's growth of plants under 3 feet high. Forbs accounted for 25 percent of use at feeding sites and 32 percent of volume of rumens examined. Grasses and mushrooms comprised the remainder of the diet. Preference for forage species varied in relation to habitat type and to phenology. The most important factor governing deer use of habitat types was availability of preferred forage species.