Modeling white-tailed deer activity patterns across forested landscapes

Abstract

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory has been identified as a major impediment to the survival and growth of forest regeneration in the northeastern United States. As a supplement to direct control of deer densities through hunting, it may be possible for land managers to manipulate habitat and browsing pressure through carefully planned timber harvest. We are developing methods to relate deer habitat use patterns to regeneration condition and complexity across large landscapes. The preliminary research presented here involved development of methodology to efficiently and effectively model deer habitat use patterns across forested landscapes using fecal pellet groups as an activity index.

Parent Publication

• Integrated tools for natural resources inventories in the 21st century

Citation

Gribko, Linda S.; Hohn, Michael E.; Ford, William M. 2000. Modeling white-tailed deer activity patterns across forested landscapes. In: Hansen, Mark; Burk, Tom, eds. Integrated tools for natural resources inventories in the 21st century. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-212. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station. 680-690.