. Ecology of sympatric populations of mule deer and white-tailed deer in a prairie environment . Hunter harvest was a major factor influencing deer population dynamics on the study area. (Photo by: Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks) through peaks during 1982-1984. They declined significantly during 1983-1986 concurrent with reduced recruitment and relatively high adult mortality. Preliminary analyses suggested that three major population and environmental factors or variables could have influenced these trends — population density, weather, and hunter harvests. Two others, includi
. Ecology of sympatric populations of mule deer and white-tailed deer in a prairie environment . Hunter harvest was a major factor influencing deer population dynamics on the study area. (Photo by: Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks) through peaks during 1982-1984. They declined significantly during 1983-1986 concurrent with reduced recruitment and relatively high adult mortality. Preliminary analyses suggested that three major population and environmental factors or variables could have influenced these trends — population density, weather, and hunter harvests. Two others, including disease (periodic outbreaks of EHD) and possibly behavior-influenced dispersal, may have been important periodically, especially in white-tailed deer. Although some incidence of predation was observed, and potential existed for interspecific competition between mule deer and whitetails, and between these species and domestic livestock, neither appeared significant or of overriding importance in population dynamics of deer during the study. Mule Deer Density.—Population theory for mammals and most management models for deer assume that animal density is a primary variable affecting population dynamics. As population size increases, density-dependent responses (usually competition for food) progressively limit population growth by reducing animal condition, decreasing 32
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