Summer Foods of Deer in Northern Wisconsin

Abstract

Summer foods of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied using rumina from 76 road-killed deer collected between 15 April and 15 November. Aspen (Populus spp.) leaves and grasses were found to comprise more food volume than any other plants. Barren strawberry (Waldsteinia sp.), bush-honeysuckle (Diervilla sp.), lilies (Liliaceae), and acorns (Quercus spp.) were seasonally important contributors to the rumina. Woody browse comprised only 3 percent of the aggregate volume. Most foods eaten were shade-intolerant species which suggested most feeding occurred in open forest types. Forest and habitat management to favor aspen, oaks (Quercus spp.), upland brush, and sodded openings will favor deer forage production. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 38(2):215-219 Most deer habitat and forage research in the Lakes States has focused on the obvious limitations of winter range. Aldous and Smith's (1938) report on late fall and winter food habits of Minnesota deer constitutes the only major food habits study based on rumen analysis for the area. More recently, limitations in summer deer ranges have become increasingly evident as essentially even-aged forests mature and convert to more tolerant types (McCaffery and Creed 1969:6). Also, increasing concern has been expressed for total nutrition and year-round habitat. We studied the summer food habits of deer in northern Wisconsin to better understand their seasonal dependence on specific foods and forest types. Since deer are selective feeders when a variety of forage is available (Klein 1970), we felt foods eaten by deer would reflect both forage and habitat preferences. We wish to acknowledge F. W. Stearns, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, for supervising the laboratory portion of this study. A note of thanks also goes to those who assisted with the sometimes unpleasant task of extracting samples. METHODS Rumen samples were collected from roadkilled deer between 15 April and 15 November in 1969 and 1970. Four subseasons were used to determine changes in utilization or availability: spring (April-May), early summer (June-July), late summer (August-September), and fall (OctoberNovember). Approximately equal numbers of deer were desired in each subseason. Deer were sampled as they became available in the subseason of interest. Samples were taken in quart (0.946 liter) jars and preserved with 10 percent formalin.