Rosebud IQk . l)eC'r ', inter R"'n , Fa bit..· t ppraisal LJan Krywonc.s ~·H1d1~ nd R er LOC {CASTL} Mb/148981 GV/191.24/W5/N0./1982:7 c. 1 KRYWONOS, DAN. APPRAISAL, ROSEBUD LAKE DEER 7 APPRAISAL ROSEBUD LAKE DEER WINTER RANGE HABITAT Submitted To: Len Dunsford Duane Davis Report By: Dan Krywonos Wildland Recreation Student October 1982 The rtose"ci;~d Lake To this date no major human developments have occured on the Hose bud Lake area that will prevent it f::.~om remaining a ,,J:i_ntering range. The terrain i;ri thin the P,osebud Lake study area varies considerably. Deer choose various sites w:Lthin the study area in ::'espect to the snowdepths at different periods of the winter. In the early-·winter period deer can be found tr...roughout the study area while by mid-winter most deer have concentrated at low elevation, thickly forested sites. As the late-winter period approaches deer move up to sno,.v-7 free open. slo;:,e.s t.c fe,ed o:c:. -the neAT gro·wth. During the early--spring period many deer utilize the agricultural fields because of the abundance new grasses .. The ·winter of 1921- 82 ,,,as particularly hard on the w""i.ntering 1 deer. By late January sno .:depti1s exceeded 85 centimeters in many areas. Deer were confined to steeply sloping, west or south 0 aspects at low elevations. These sites were densely forested a::id provided protection from the sno-,0. Red-stem ceanothus was found to be the preferred browse plant, although it was not abundant in many areas. In areas where red-stem ceanothus was lac~ing, deer consumed the twigs of saskatoon, waxberry, buffaloberry, falsebox and other plants. The combination of deep snow and the absence of the preferred browse plant ir.. many areas caused most deer to become weaRened. One deer that had been killed by a pair of coyotes was found t,o have a 12 percent bone marrow fat content. This deer r.-.ms on the verge of starvation c.nd had made eas;-f prey for the co;y:otes. i The Rc-sebud Lake st1J.dy area 1--ias a.:!10 1c.:i.nt 0£ cover ir: some areas .. ar~ adequate if not excessive 'I'he main habitat improvement technique that would be beneficial to deer in the Rosebud Lake study area is controlled burns. Controlled burns would help stimulate new gro1'V""th on many of the s:b..r::tbs t:!:lat have become old and decadent. The logging of small openings in the ~id-~Q~ter deer sites 1'70uld p1~ovide new sJ:i..rub g-.co-vrth. A more a'ou_,_ridant food source seems to be the answer to preventing further deaths either directly or indirectly through starvation. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO. TITLE I Summary i II iii III List of Figures and Appendices v IV Introduction 1 v Rosebud Lake Study Area 2 A. B. VI Location and Physical Boundaries Biophysical Data 1. Landform and Geology 2. Biogeoclimatic Zones 3. Soil 4. Drainage Techniques Used to Undertake a Habitat Analysis of the Rosebud Lake Area A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. Landform, Geology, and Soil Drainage Vegetation Characteristics and Browse Preferences Aspect and Slope Snowdepth Temperature and Wind Predation Competition 2 2 2 4 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 VII White-tailed Deer Winter Range Selection 10 VIII Habitat Preferences of White-tailed Deer and Available Habitat on the Rosebud Lake Study Area 13 A. Food 1. 2. B. 15 15 16 Aspect and Slope 17 Preferences Available 17 18 2. Water 1. 2. E. 13 15 Preferences Available 1. D. Preferences Available Cover 1. 2. C. 13 18 Preferences Available Snow Depth 1. 2. Preferences Available 18 20 20 20 21 - 2 TITLE PAGE NO. F. Temperature and Wind 1. Preferences 2. Available 22 22 22 G. Predation 1. Preferences 2. Available 22 22 23 H. Competition 1. Preferences a. Elk b. Cattle 2. Available a. Elk b. Cattle 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 Human Interactions 1. Preferences 2. Available 26 26 26 I. IX x Results of Habitat Analysis in Association With the Four Winter Periods A. Early Winter 1. Location of Deer in Relation to: a. Snowdep ths b. Food c. Cover d. Aspect and Slope e. Water f. Health of the Deer Population 27 27 27 27 27 28 28 28 29 B. Mid-Winter 1. Location of Deer in Relation to: a. Snowdepths b. Food c. Cover d. Aspect and Slope e. Water f. Health of the Deer Population 29 29 29 30 30 31 31 31 C. Late Winter 1. Location of Deer in Relation to: a. Snowdepths b. Food c. Cover d. Aspect and Slope e. Water f. Health of the Deer Population 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 33 D. Early Spring 35 Habitat Management Recommendations 37 A. General Recommendations 37 B. Specific Recommendations 1. Rejuvenation and Controlled Burn Program 2. Planting Program 38 38 40 :_\T LIST OF FIGURGS Figure I Location Map 2.,, Geology Map 5 3 .. Slope Niap I9 Snowdeptl.i L:-.. MiniEUD. - Mazi!llum T 2I 6.,, Mid Winter Deer Use .1rea Appendix A,. Det.aile~d Appendix B. Pos-!G~mort~m Examin;z,tion Hesui·t.s of Whit~l:-t a: I \ ' "\ ' 3 r r divided into main geological areas or belts. The first belt is the Black argillite belt and the second belt is the Mine belt ( I ). The Black argillite belt u..~derlies most of the study area as shown in Figure ( 2 )• The belt consists mainly of black argillite but includes minor amounts of slate~ ph(Yllite, limestone and dolomite. The soils produced from these rocks are usually black or dark grey and have good g-..rowing capabilities. and help Shrubs and trees grow well here to provide good habitat for wintering deer. The Mine belt underlies a smal1 portion of the study area and consists of th~ck sedimentary rocks. The characteristic rocks of this a:r·ea are calcareous argillites, slate~- phyllite, grey limestone, chert and quartzite. These rock types produce a soil which is characteristt,cally gocd for grm,D.ng trees and providing thick cover for deer. 2. Biogeoclimatic Zones The Rosebud Lake study area is located within the Interior Western Hemlock Zone (Dry Subzone)-Biogeoclimatic Zone. Within the Interior Western Herr.leek Zone (Il1:8:) the folloi::Ji.ng trees are dorninant: Western hemlock, -i,,!estern red cedar, :iJouglas fir, 1;1estern wni te pine~ Western birch and Grand fir ( 2 ) • .A fire that swept through much of the study area in the 1930's changed the succesional stage of the plants to a pioneer cormm.un.-l~y. Therefore much of the study area is characterized by Lodgepole pine, Paper birch and numerous shrub species. The pioneer stage of the study area provides ideal food and cover areas for the de«::r. The Int;erior Western Hemlock Zone usually lies between 4 Figure 2. GEOLOGY MAP ighways ravel-Roads - - 4>< 4-Roads-------- "t I \ \ ) I \ ) ( ./ 5 iiwo-4400 feet -:; yhich is above the Int;erior Douglas fir 0 Zone a.i."1.d below the Interior Subalpine Zone. The annual precipi ta ti on 1"'"i thin this zone is 20-45 inches w"ith 30 percent as snow. Host of the precipi cation occurs in w"inter iv:i. th summers being warm and fairly hw.11id. TJJ.e area experiences 3-5 months above 50 -.degrees F and 3-5 morrths below 32 degrees F. Ter.1peratures are usually never very harsh and therefore do not inhibit the deer population. 3. Soil According to the publication, Soil and Vegetation Resources of the Pend d'oreille Valley B.C., the two main soil orders that occur v,,'ithin the Rosebud Lake study area are the Bru..."l"lisolic and Podzolic orders. The Bru..."1.solic soils are dominant in the lower elevations of the study area. These soils occur on a variety of slopes of east to north aspect. 'E'le soils are well drained and have a good nutrient status. Climax tree species such as Western hemlock and Western Red cedar provide ideal cover areas for 1Ari.ntering deer. The Podzolic soils are dominant in the higher elevations of the study area. These soils occur on slopes from 15-50 percent w"ith a south or west aspect predominating. These soils are rapidly drained ivi th a good nutrient status. A podzolic soil supports rna.ny forrns of shrubs which include waxberry, oceanspray, saskatoon berry, rr.ahonia species ( 3 ) . ceanoth~ and This abUL"'"ldant and varied srirub gro--wth provides ideal food and cover areas for deer. 4. Drainage The Rosebui Lake study area is drained by a dendri tic drair..age sys-tem consisting of many small tributary streams emptying into a larger river chan..Del. Many of these trjcbutary streams exist only during the heav-.r spring run off~ then dry up as SU111mer progresses. These small tributo;ry streams distribute water t:hroughout the study area thereby increasing the abundance and vigor of various trees and shrubs. This has implications on the d·eer because it provides them with abundant food and cover areas. Rosebud Creek is the main creek draining the study area. La.~e Rosebud Creek flows out of Rosebud at an elevation of 2650 feet and empties into the Salmo River at the 2000 foot elevation. The . Salmo Fiver flows in a southwesterly direction t:t>..rough the lower portion of the study area. The Salmo River eventually joins the Pend d'orielle River which then becomes one of the numerous major tributaries of the Columbia River Syst.em. VI Tecrii'.'..iques Used to Undertake a Rabi tat L"'lalysis of the Rosebud LaJ:e ~l\.rea. A. Landform, Geolog-y and Soil Tb.e information for landforms, geology and soil types was the result of research into previous reports and articles done on or near the Rosebud Lake study area. The gro-w-ing capabil- ities of the soils were obtained from various reports along i.~-ith visual observations. Plant types, abundance and vigor helped me make general conclusions on the nutrient status of '7 the soils. A study of the landform is critical in a habitat analysis because landform affects soil conditions, drainage, vegetation characteristics and microclimate i,;r.J.ch in turn affects deer populations. Underlying geology of the study area is important also as it determines to a great extent the soil conditions 1,..-:i thin an area. A study of the soil in an area gives a good indication of the habitats suitability for vegetation and in turn 1''ildlife. B· Drainage The drainage of the study area was determined through visual observations. Topographical maps and aerial photo- graphs were also used to establish the drainage pattern. The drainage system of a..."'1. area is important because it affects the location of vegetation types. The abundance, distribution and type of vegetation then controls the deer activity and location throughout the 'Ninter season. G. Vegetation Characteristics and Browse Preference Vegetation types were- distinguished by using the fixedradiu? plot method or quadrat method to calculate the frequency, abundance and density of each plant species. From_a predetermined point I ran a compass line at a randomly selected bearing for a dista...'1.ce of 100 meters. At this point I established a circular plot with a radius of 3.99 meters. This gave me a plot size of 1/200 of a hectare or .005 hectares, at each sample point. A sample point was esta- blished every 100 meters along the compass line. Compass lines or transects were run in various areas throughout the 8 study area which were used by deer most often. At each plot I recorded the following: a) Total number of trees by species b) The height and diameter of one tree of average size in the plot for each species. c) Total number of shrubs by species d) The average crown diameter and height of one sp~nub of average size in the plot for each species. e) For each shrub species the percentage of browsing Browse preferences by deer were determined by visual observations of each shrub species. A number of browse clippings were taken and measured using calipers to determine the average diameter of browse that deer and elk would consume. D. Aspect and Slope The aspect of the study area is important because it influences the intensity and duration of SU:.11.light that reaches the g-.cound. The SU..'1 1 s energy provides for abundant plant growth and early snow melt. important to de·er ranges. Early snow melt areas are Aspect was determined from comp?-ss readings in the field and from topographical maps of the area. Slope -is also important as it affects the intensity of sunlight-which increases plant growth and causes early snow melt areas. Slope was calculated using topographical maps of the study area combined "With clinometer readings in the field. T'ne aspect and slopes most frequented by deer during the iv"'inter are the areas that need the most intensive management programs. E. Snow Depth Snow depth was recorded each time I was out in the field. 9 The snow depth was recorded using a plastic metric scale. Two different locations were used; one location was out in the open while the other was u.:c'lder the tree canopy. The snow depths were taken j_n these two locations to calculate how much snow is intercepted by tree branches. Snow int.e:c- ception by trees is critical to deer ·wintering areas and this is why deer utilize thick cover types. F. Temperature and Wind Temperature and wind levels were obtained from the Castlegar airport weather office. Temperature and i;,·ind lev-els were used to figure out if they had any affect on deer movements and activities during the "hr:i.nter season. G. Predation Information on predators and predation was obtained mainly tr.rough v-isual sightings of tracks and spoor. Information on predators was also derived from actual predator sightings and from predator kills. Local people were help- ful and lended their knowledge about predators in the area. H. Competition Information on competition between deer and elk was obtained- from visual observations of elk browse preferences along,1"'"ith elk movements .and location in relation to the deer. Com.pet:!,tion for food and cover on a -vti.nter range could prove critical to deer during a hard, long winter. VII liJhite-tailed Deer \.Tinter Range Selection I As w"inter sets in deer are forced to change their habits IO in terms of movement patterns, home range location and food selection. Deer are forced out of their high~elevation sun:m1er range to lower winter~range areas. Deer migration from the sun1ffier range is initiated by the accumulation of about 20cm of: snmv ( ). The migration is usually a rapid event, althou.gh in years of gradual snow accumuiation the deer move onto the winter range over periods as long as two months. Deer hapitat selection is influenced mainly by snow depth and snow hard.Yless. Few deer are found 1"1here snow depths exceed 24 inches because the deers movement is severely hindered. Deer usually winter in areas '"d. th less tha.."1 18 inches of accurrrulated snow if possible. Deer use favourable cover, slopes, elevations and aspects to avoid excessive snow accumulation and cold winds. Studies have shown that escape from cold winds is more important to deer than a supply of food ( 5 ) . At these times deer seek shelter in thick coniferous cover on the lee sides of ridges. The deer will remain in heavy cover even if food is not available. During the winter season the movements of deer are severely restricted. Deer at this time move only enough to obtain food because snow increases the energy expenditure of deer significantly. Studies conducted by Mattfeld (1973) suggest that a 45 kilogram deer expends four to five times as much energy walking in 40 cm of snow as it does on bare ground ( 6 )• Besides restricting movements of deer and increasing energ;J expenditures the snow also limits energy intake by deer. Deer are forced to change their feeding habits to primarily browse plants rather than herbaceous plants because snow buries the \ herbaceous plants. These browse plants have\less protein in w-:i.~ The basic metabolic rate for a deer requires about 1,140 calories per day for each 45. 4 kg. of body weight if the air temperat01.re is 0°C or higher ( level~ 7 ). If temperatures drop below freezing the metabolic rate of a deer drops rather than increases. This works against the deer because even if food is abun.dant the deer ':.,rill still lose 12 to 15 percent of their body weight. This results in weakened deer which are more susceptible to diseases a.ri.d predation ( g ) . Winter ra.11ge is important to the deers' survival; therefore the selection of ·winter range is extremely critical. Habitat selection for wintering deer can be divided into four main categories. These categories relate to snow accumulation at different times during the winter season( 9 ) . Early Winter DuriI'..g this portion of the winter season snow depths are insufficient to hinder deer movements. The early w""inter period begins with deer migration to 1,.fintering areas and ends when deer are u..-ri.able to negotiate easily in open areas. If herbaceous plants'a:re buried by snow at this time, the deer tend to select areas w""ith high shrub levels. At this time deer may or may not use coniferous trees for cover. In early i'l""inter the deer are distributed on all slopes and aspects. The main restriction to deer during the early winter perioC. is with elevation because snow depth increases -w"i th elevation ( lYiid-Winter )• The rriid-,/Jinter period is the critical and usually longest time for deer on their winter ra,nge. Snow depths are sufficient to restrict deer movements in all open areas. The mid-•..,""inter period begins when snow accumulations restrict deer movement and. ends when snow melts from the steep south and west aspects sufficiently to allow deer free movement in open areas. Deer select thick coniferous cover to reduce snow accurmJ.lation I2 through interception. The deer move out of the cover only to feed ( ::::::: ) • Late 1,iinter Due to increased radiation from the sun the snow depths decrease at this tillie. Snowmelt first begins on south 5 souti.1.east and west aspects respectively. deer select snow-free slopes with cover nearby. The openings provide wru."""illth and, more importantly, sb:cub forage and herbaceous plants which may grow as soon as the snow disappears ( I2,). Early Spriri..g In this period snow has left most low-eleYation sites although it still res,tricts deer movement at high-elevation sites. Peer begin their upwards migration to the sumrner range. During this time deer switch from day-tL.~e feeding to nocturnal feeding. At this time deer often use cultivated fields which have new grasses sprouting in them ( I3 ). VIII Habitat Preferences of "'GJhite-tailed Deer and Available Habitat on the Rosebud Lake Study J,rea. Deer,like hw'Tians, are individuals; therefore their habitat preferences may vary from region to region. Habitat preferences of the White-tailed deer in the west Kootenays w~ll be outlined here. Available habitat of the study area will also be discussed as a comparison -to the preferences. A. Food 1. Preferences The fantastic growth of vegetation in the sum.mer gives a false impression of abundance. Summer vegetation is important but the critical vegetation is that TvJl:icl: is available during 1.v~nter. Especially important is the vegetation near or in dense coniferous sta...~ds where the deer are "'"'ten forced tc stay. ~~ 1:3 In ·the 1N-in-t~er -Che protein lev~e1 of br'O~\fse plants drops as much as 25 to ll-0 percent and the plants digestibility also lessens ( I4 ). Low digestibility means that even less of the protein content can be utiJized. A crude protein level of 7 percent is required to maintain deer. However, a protein level of 13 to 18 percent is needed to maintain young white-tailed deer in a healthy Food pre_ferences by white-tailed deer are usually determined by plant palatibility. Palatability is defined as plant characteristics that stimulate a selective feeding response by animals ( I6 ) . In red-stem ceanothus, an important deer browse, the terminal 2-5 inches of a twig is selected with an average ci.i.ameter of 2. 4 millimetres ( I? ) . Protein levels, phosphorous levels, calcium levels, moisture levels and some fourty other nutrients all determine the palatibility of a browse plant ( 1~8 ) . Deer are selective feeders and are able to choose the plants and tw"igs iv"i th the highest protein and nutrients content. Depending on the quality of the browse a whitetailed deer w"ill consume approximately 1.5-2 kg. per day ( I9). Some of the prefered brm\rse species of the )• Pend d'oreille Valley are listed here (\ -:::·o ~ Figure "lflhite-tailed Deer Browse Preferences Common Name: Scientific Name: Redstem ceanothus Ceanothus sangu.ineus Saskatoon i\.melanchie r alnifolia I4 Prrmus •,lirginiana Black cottonwood Populus trichocarpa Western :red cedar Tnuja plicata _co• 2. Douglas J..lr Pseudotsuga menziesii Snowbrush ceanothus Ceanothus velotinus Oregon grape Berberis nervosa Available Tne most impm.~tant brm,rse species &,vailable to deer on the Rosebud Lake study area are: Red-stem ceanothus (Ceanothus sanguineus), Falsebox (Pachistima ~sini tes), Saskatoon (.Amalanchier spp. ) j Waxberry ( S;ymphoricarpos al bus), Buffalo berry ( ShePherdia canadensis), Thimble berry (Rubus parviflorus), Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor}, and Western red-cedar (Thuja ulicata). The plant frequency or percent occurence gives a good indication of w·hat percentage of the total study area a given br01,JSe species occurs on. The following is the pe~cent occurence of the most important browse species available to deer on the Rosebud Lake study area: red-stem ceanothus ( 2 3 .. ) , false box ( 76., ) , saskatoon (L6" ) , waxberry ( 6I ) , buffalo berry ( 69 ) , thimble berry ( 23 ) , ocean.spray ( I5), and western red cedar .All the vegetation plots were done while snow was still present so only plants above the snm'\J- 1.-vere included. Most herbaceous plants, grasses nad forbs were covered by snow. B. Cover 1. Preferences Adequate percentages of cover contribute to the health I5 of a deer b.erd ii' Cover provides a shelter from the elements such as "Wind, snow, rain and cold ·weather conditions. Cover also provides an escape area from predators and also increases the deer's sense of securi·ty·., ~Iitl1 adeq12.ate cover a deer will feel less threatened by predators, hunters, roa.rring dogs and snowmobilers. Some studies have indicated that a sense of security is needed to maintain deer in good physical condition ( 2I \ ) . The ideal ratio of forest cover to shrub cover varies with the season of use. Du.ring the summer months a ratio of 60 percent shrub cover to 40 percent forest ' cover is ideal. This ratio provides adequate protection from predators and human related harrassments ·while still providing a plentiful food source. j In the winter months a ratio of 40 percent shrub cover to 60 percent forest cover is ideal. This ratio provides snow interception from the trees, protects the deer from harrassment and allows them access to sr:.rub feeding areas. 2. Available During the w"'inter season deer utilize thick coniferous cover because of the inereased snow· interception. Decidious trees provide little or no snow interception so they are not usually used as snow cover in "Winter. The lower elevations of the study area from 2000 feet above sea level to 2400 feet above sea level consist of dense stands of even aged coniferous trees. Tn±s dense coniferous cover consists mainly of lodge-pole pine, cedar 't-ri. th small a.mounts of Douglas fir and groves of paper birch trees. I6 The study area from 2l~OO feet abo1.re sea le--:rel to 2650 feet above sea level is occ1.;_pied with medium to dense stands of coniferous cover interspersed ~"ith openings of decidious vegetation. ~he coniferous cover is primarily lodge-pole pine trees and douglas fir v,.ri th mj_nor quantities of engelmallii spruce. Decidious vegetation consists of numerous paper birch trees. The study area from 2650 feet abo-re sea level to 2800 feet above sea level consists of open conife:cous cover 1~Ji tb. large areas of decid.ious co"""ver o The conife1>'")0L1s vegetation is comprised of mainly douglas fir and lodgepole pine. Smaller quantities of western white pine and engelmann spruce occu.r while some cedar grows in moiste::.~ areas along the creeks. The study area from 2800 feet above sea level to 3500 feet above sea level consists mostly of low· shrub co-v-er 1-v""i th occasj_onal coniferous groves occurjcng en north and west facing slopes and in ::noister gully areas. Th,e coni:Cer- ous stands are mainl~r lodge-pole pine and douglas fir with some engelma.nn spruce. The s~J.rub cover is cor:J.prised mainly of red-stem ceanothus, buffalo berry, ·waxberry, mallow ninebark and willow. Diffe::::'ences of the above cover analysis will oceurr> due to changing aspects and soil ~oistures w~thin the area. A.long many of the creek areas a p:r'edorninance of moistm:·e tolerant plants such as western red cedar will survive. C. Aspect and Slope l. Preferences The aspect of an area is one element which decides where a deer poPf¥-tion will w:Lnter. Deer usually utilize slopes that face south, southeast or west ( 22 ) . The reason they use these slopes is because of the increased solar radiation which lessens snow depths, hastens snow melt and causes increased vegetation growth. Deer on winter ranges often utilize steep slopes of 20-60 percent because the snow is usually lighter on these slopes. Snow melts off faster and vegetation is used for feeding, protection from predators, protection from nature's elements and bedding areas. 2. Available Due to the significant elevation changes within the study area and the varying topography, all aspects and slopes can be encountered. Most of the study area is si tu2.ted on a westerly and southerly aspect while easterly and northerly aspects represent a small fraction of the total study area. Slopes within the study area vary from 0 to 100 percent although most slopes are in the range of 10-40 percent. See figure ( D. -:i. ,;; ) • Water 1. Preferences The water supply of an area is affected by climatic conditions, soil types, geologic structure, range condition, vegetation density and fire history. to the survival of a deer. 1vater is imperative A white-tailed deer of 100 pounds req_uires abm.It 2 quarts of water each day. Open water in the form of lakes, rivers or streams are most often used by deer. However, deer will often consume snow to obtain needed water if open water is not available. The conversion of sno'il to water requires the deer to produce I8 .1 0· 40% 10-60% extra body heat which in turn causes an energy drain on on the deer. Therefore, a supply of open water is regarded as best for ·winter ranges. 2. Available During the fall season the deer popuiati9n of the Rosebud Lake study area may obtain water from numerous sources. lflany small creeks trickle along the forest floor as they make their way dol-m to the Salmo river. ~rnen winter sets in all of the open water on the study area except for the Salmo river freezes over. This effectively prevents the deer from reaching open water because of the long distance to the Salmo river from the main deer w~ntering areas. The deer can not afford to expend great an1ounts of energy travelling through deep snows to the Salmo river. The alternative is for the deer to obtain their water from snow and brow·se plants. E. Snow Depth 1. Preferences The snow depth in an area influences a deer's mov:ement or location at any one time. Deer move dm·m from high elevations when the snowpack reaches approximately 20 centimetres. Deer are restricted in movement when the the snow depth exceeds 40 centimetres ( ',__.,,..,, >-:; \ j. Ease of movement for an UJc'1gu.late through snow varies ·w"'i th the snow conditions at the time and the chest height of the lli"'"lgctlate. '1'he chest deer varies between 50 and 60 cm. height of a white-tailed 'VJhen an u.o."'1.gulate si:nk.s to 70 percent or mere of its chest height, it becomes very difficul~c to move and high energy expenditures occur. 20 The activity and home range size of a d.eer is reduced as snow depth increases. White-tailed deer usl::.ally seek hea:v-y- coniferou.s cover a.nd only move out of it to obtain food. 2. Available The snowdepth on the study area greatly i:n:fluenced the distribution cf deer. Snow depths in the ·winter of 1981-82 became so great above 2700 feet that deer •:Jere almost -drtually excluded from these areas. and temperature records are shm·m in Figure ( Snow depth [l- ) • Snow depths were_· recorded. on the days I was out in the field ange areas for white-tailed deer should be avoided sothat wintering deer have to face only natural stresses and not the additional stresses of human interaction. 2. Available Rosebud Lake and the area irr:mediately adjacent to it are extensively used by ·winter recreation enthusiasts. Rosebud Lake is used by ice fisherman while the roads and trails around the lake are used by cross-country skiers and snowm.obilers. Ice fisherman and cross-cou.ntry skiers do not distUl~b the wintering deer. These recreationists stay close to the lake and avoid conflicts -w""ith deer. Snowmobilers do however disturb deer to a &ertain extent because they often used old roads and trails which cross through prime deer wintering areas. One good feature is that snowmobilers usually stayed on the roads and trails because the forest was too thick to allow them to go elsewhere. ·wintering deer was reduced. 26 In this way the disturbance of the IX Results of Habitat .A:ialysis in Association with t:'le Four 'VJinter Periods A. Early Win.ter 1. Location of Deer in Relation to: :::; \ -·) Snowdepths The early winter period began when the deer moved onto the winter range in September and October in preparation for the breeding season and ended by December 15th -"'1hen snowdepths had reached approximately 15 inches. At the start of the early ;;\Tinter period the deer were distributed throughout the -winter range to take advantage of the food source. During the main breeding season in October and November the deer co!lcentrated in an area just north of Rosebud Lake. See Figure ( 5 ). As the early winter period p!'ogressed the snowdepths began to hinder deer movements. At this time many deer relocated themselves to a lower elevation area in preparation for the harsh rnid~winter period. A small group of deer however remained in the area just north of Rosebud Lake. See Figure b) 5 1/ . Food The early ~~nter period is a time of relative abundance in comparison with the other winter periods. Deer take advantage of this time and feed on a -,.;ride variety of plants. He::'baceous plants are available along w~ th the woodJ- bi~owse plants ·which '"~11 consist of the main food available to deer during the long 1·Iinter. As the snows arrive the deer are forced to abandon their feed::i_ng on herbaceous plants and turn almost entirely to woody browse plants. Di..J.ring the early '"-inter period the favoured browse plant was red-stem ceanothus. '1;rere also used as a food source. 27 Areas cove::'ed ir. false-box c) Caver \·'hen the deer fi:2st moved onto the i:Jir:.ter range they sought sanctuary froCT hunters and a place to carry out their breeding. The deer utilized the thick decidious cover along Rosebud Creek for this purpose. The presence of numerous scrapes and rubs along these areas indicates this. lfuen the snow can1e the deer were forced to leave the hj_gher elevations along Hosebud Creek and move to lower elevations. At the low elevation areas the deer concentrated in thick coniferous cover. As snow depths inc:eeased deer movements dec:!'eased so that less energ-.:r would be expended. d) Aspect and Slope At the begi:o-lc.ing of the early ;,Jinter period the deer utilized all aspects and slopes vJi tl1in the study area. No snm.;r was yet present to restrict the movements and thereby the location of the deer. \•Jhen the snow did arrive most of the deer migrated to a lo·wer elevation area with a predominantly 1.Jesterly aspect. Much of the area consisted of steep slopes up to 60 percent. The deer used this area because the steep slopes helped lessen snow depths and the thick coniferous cover helped intercept snow. e) ·water For most of the early winter period deer were able to obtain water from small creeks and the Salmo River. vJhen the creeks froze over most of the deer probably used snm-.:r as a source of water, From observing deer tracks crossing the highway I concluded that few deer continued to travel dov..'ll to the Salmo River because of the long distance through quickly deepening snow. 28 f) Heal th of the Deer Fop,ilation. The deer population entered the early vti.nter period in excellent condition. The large sur::L."Iler range that they l"lad occupied had left them in good shape. When the deer first arrived on the -winter range food was fairly abunda::J.t in the form of herbaceous and woody pla2:1ts. T.ne only ccn:peti tion the deer· faced was a hen:. of about 25 elk. The elk competed heavily for a preferred browse plant called Tl-io deer were in good ~1.eal th and I would red-stem ceanothus . conclude that they had little trouble avoiding predators. ,, -cne snovj arri\red the deer ·Kere restricted to a smaller area arid -v-:-ere forced to cor:suine lo,.vJ nutrient \i·jood~r bro.,.1Jse plants . Less- of the preferred browse plant, red--stem ceanothus, was available to the deer. I 1he deer consumed mainly saskatoon, waxberry, thimbleberry, a::J.d falsebox plants. The deer faced little compet.i ticn at this t.ime because the elk had rem.aiLed at the hig11.er elevations. The deepening snow forced the deer to expend more energy· in obtainir:g food and in avoiding prsdators. 1. Location of Deer in Relation to: a) Sno1."'rdepths The ~~d-winter period began about December 15th snm0depths of appi~oximately in open e.reas ~ ~Then 15 inches hindered deer movement The mid-',,-inter period ended 'cy March 15th ·:1be:u reduced snowdepths on steep south or southeasterly slopes a:!_loi-..red deer easy· movement in open areas .. By t:r..e start of the mid-:v-inter perioC. most of the deer had relocated themselves to low elevation slopes. _!'l..reas :,vi th a ·west, southwesterly aspect below 2600 feet were most often used. See Figu.re ( i-- v auo e 2"'on 0 ~ f~o+ c~ v i·y, ~.,,-, . . C.~- 6 ). ,,,-~nor+vh. ~ ;:(.';!-- Some deer ho11.Je 1er r·emained 1 o-P_. Rose:"'und L--alce. -" -· See b) Food The rr.id--:i·\-inter period is the most d.ifficul t and lor1gest vri:nter period that the deer must endure. It is at this time / that food is at its lo-vJest abundance and a,/eers mobility is reduced due to great snowdepths. Snowdepths duiing the mid-winter period reached a high of about 85 centimeters. This large amount of snow buried all herbaceous plants and forced deer to consume woody browse plants. 1·11l.en deer cou.ld locate it, red-stem ceanothus was by far the pr,eferred browse plant. mid-winter area provided an 1).nfavou.rable grovJing area for i~ed-·--stem ceanothus . Therefore deer browsed on less pref erred plants such as saskatoon, waxberry, buffaloberry, thimblebe:::ory and cedar. The deer also spent rr.r~ch time and energy· pa1\7ing a1.\;ay- the snov,.T to obtain the leaves of false box plants<) c) Cover At the sta:::'t of the mid-winter period the deer had already moved onto tl'1e low elevation slopes. Foi~ the most part these slopes are densely covered i·T1. th coniferous trees and s r.trub s . The ratio of coniferous cover to decidious is approximately 75 pei~cer::.t coniferous to 25 percent decidim.:.s. The coniferous cover is ma:i_nly lodgepole pine and douglas fir ·with paper birch making up most of the decidious cover. Sr..rubs such as saskatoon, waxberry and buffaloberry are al.so abun.dant. The deer on the mid-wir..ter range do not lack cover, but in +'act may have more cover than needed as the ideal cover to lJ.Q percent decidious. ratio is 60 nercent conif~ous yv ~ During the mid-c,-v""inter pei-•iod the dee::.~ remained in thick cover as much as possible. Deer often used old roads and trails while moving from one browse area to another. d: Aspect and Slope T:he rr.d.d-·winte!' period found the deer on a westerl;)T aspect with steep slopes of up to 60 percent. The combina- tion of westerly aspect and steep slopes helped reduce snovrdepths by as much as 15 percent from a level riorth or east aspect. Therefore deer were better able to move in search of food and escape enem2es. e) Water DJ.ring the mid-winter period snowdepths were sufficient to severely hinder deer ::novement. Even with all this sno-vJ I observed as many as thirteen deer trails leading to the highway. Most of these trails ended at the highway al'tt.ough a few continued down to the Salmo River. E-v-idently some deer were using the river as a source of water while others may have obtained water from the snow. f) Health of the Deer Population The deer population began the mid-w-inte!' period in relatively good health. The mid-1~-inter period lasted 3 months and the deep: snow and lack o: preferred browse left rJ.any deer in a wea~;;:ened state. I wpuld suspect that a few~deer did succumb to the hardships of this stage of winter. Some deer may have died directly by starvation while others may have provided a::: easier prey for predators. I did not find any deer carcasses during the !'J12d-1vinter period however I did observe coyote feces which contained deer hair. The deer on the mid-1"'-inte::'.' range faced some competition with the elk herd althou~1 the elk only remained in this ~- are 3, a short time . C.. Late ~linter 1. Location of Deer in Relation to: a) Snowdepths The late i:rinter period began approxiinately l1arct. 15th when most of the snow had melted off steep, open, south, southeasterly and ·westerly aspects. The late winter period ended by May 15th when snow had receded off most low elevation sites. _4..t th9 st.a1~t of the late 1<\rinter pe2."'iod snov.r 011e1'°" much of the study area was still at lea.st 12 inches in depth. f!lany deer abandoned their lm..J elevation mid-·winter ranges and moved up to higher open slopes which were void of snm-.r. The deer fed in these open sites and bedded in thick cover nearby. dm~ing b) See Figure ( 7 ) for the location of the C.eer the late-·hrinter period. Food During the late winter period the deer moved to the open hillsides to feed on new groi\rth that would appear quick:ly. New grasses, herbs and buds on wood_y sr...rubs would soon appear. took advantage of this nei:.v gro1~rth as ·well as the easier access to old growth plants. Before the ne·w growth appeared the dee::.~ fed on old gro·hrth sr.rubs such as red stem ceanothus, waxberry, buffaloberry, falsebox, saskatoon and some oceanspra;;r. As the late w~nter period progressed the deer began to feed in some agricultural fields. The deer began feeding nocturnall;y- as they ventured out in the fields to obtain new grasses. c) Cover During the late Hinter period the deer became less dependant on cover. They fed on the open slopes and fields at night and used nearby cover during the day to hide from enemies. The cover they chose at this time of the winter was not necessarily coniferous cover. The snow was quickly melting and the deer did not need the shelter of conifers for protection against the snow. Therefore the deer usually sought out thick decidious cover such as that found in old growth oceanspray and red-stem ceanothus. d) Aspect and Slope The late winter period began with the deer moving up to open south, southeasterly and southwesterly aspects. These open slopes varied in grade from approximately 20-6- percent. The southerly aspects combined with a steep grade accelerated the snow::; -w"ithdrawal. The deer favoured these slopes because of their early snow melt and the early appearance of new grasses and herbs. e) Water More deer began to travel dmm to the Salmo River for their water. However at the start of the late winter period the snows were still quite deep along the river flatlands. Therefore many deer probably still relied on snow or found small melt water strea~s. As the late winter period progressed small cr:", ks would appear to satisfy the 0 deer's needs. f) Health of the Deer Population The deer population within the Rosebud Lake study area had just finished a hard three month mid-w"inter period. Deep snows attributed to a loss of mobility and therefore the deer found it harder to find food. All of the deer population weakened as a result of the mid-·winter period but the young deer suffered the most. On March 21st we found a dead deer on the study area. Evidently the deer had been killed by a pair of coyotes as we fow.'1.d coyote tracks and u,,-o punctu.re holes in the does neck to confirm this. The deer was a you...'lg doe approximately 10 months old. The deer appeared to be in very poor condition. I removed lung, heart, liver, stomach and leg bone samples. Tne lung, heart and liver sar.::ples were found to have no abnormalities. Upon examination of the stomach contents it was found that the doe had been feeding almost entirely on falsebox (paxistima myrsinities). From the leg bone samples I removed some fresh marrow and the:'.1 weighed it. placed the marrmv- in an oven at 70°C for 96 hours. I then .l\...fter this time the marrow was again weig1:1ed and the percentage of fat in the mar:::>ovr was calculated. The doe was found to have 12. 08 percent bone marrow fat -"'rhich indicates the deer was in a fairly advanced stage of starvation. _A..ny deer with a bone marrow fat content of less that 25 percent is in a very weak condition. The young doe found on the study area must have been very weak and therefore it became easier prey for the two coyotes. The snow depth a.t the kill site was only 6 inches and should not have hindered the deer too much. The young doe ·was also carrying two fetuses; male and one female. the fetuses. No defcrrni ties were associated ·with The fetuses appeared to be at the 86-90 da.y old development stage. 2. one This would make the 10 month old doe late hi.needer at arouncl December 20, 1981. The post--mortem examination of the doe indicated that the deer was in a we2kened state therefore becoming easier prey to coyotes. Under the siA.me snow conditions a pair of coyotes chasing a healthy deer would have had a more difficult time cat::::hir:g it. The results of the post-mortem examination conclude that the cri_d-winter period was very hard on the deer and must have resulted in the death of other deer. D. Early Spring I v,ras not available to make obser--:.ratio::s of the deer on the 3.osebud I..,ake st"L elevation slopes which first become free of snow. These slopes provide an ideal site for the growth of nu.'Tlerous red-stem ceanothus shrubs. Many of these shrubs however have become old and decadent and few new shru':::Js are there to replace them. objective in the late-1'1J-inte::-- area is to .~.timulate !le1,J ·The gro<;,·;t,h on these old ceanothc.12 shrubs and also establish new plants. controlled hu.rn could be cond'-lcted on the entire hillside. A controlled burn done in the fall would release nutrients into the soil c.nd could also help activate the ceanothus. seeds buried in the soil. Next spri:ig the old plants ·would produce new buds and shoots while ne1,1 sf1...rubs would also establish "them.selves. The deer after facing a 2'.lard r:::.id.-·"rtnter period ·would have a bountiful food source du.ring the late 0Tinter period. Adequate cover should be left nearb:r so that the deer ;;,Till have bed:ling areas and predator escape routes. 2. Planting Progra,,111 A planting program. although ex:pensive may be ben:fficial in areas. A less expensive form of planting would be to direct seed rather than the transplanting of st.rubs. Ceanothus seeds can be collected in the fall and stimula.ted to germinate by boiling them in water for two to four :minutes. T:-:e seeds are then planted and after a four month cold period they ,,"ill gers.inate in the spring. This type of planting program would best be suited fo:;.~ the late ·winter use area. Ceano"·~ thus grow·s well here ar..d is the preferred browse plant by both deer and elk. ,-. '-· Appendix _A_ Highways Gravel 4><4 Roads - - - Roads - - - - - - - - - - Gravel Pit @TuJ Contour Interval IOOft AppsnC.ix B Post-mortem Examination Results of \-!hi te-tailed Doe Found on }'.(osebud Lake Study .A:rea March 21, 192·2. Site and Kill Description: -White-t;ailed doe folli""ld. March 21 approximately 50 feet; frcm power line right~ Of 1/Ia;l e -Snoi:,\JU.ept.h 15-18 cm, snoi,r was crusty, co~rote -vJall~ed on t.op of ' ·1 e ,.:i"'eer sanl•\- approx -1.fl sno-"1 WD..J.. 2 -Ti-ro set,s o 0r coyote tracks were present_ -Tt-m holes in neck indicate method. of kill, holes in neck are 5.2 cm aparJc, first hole is approx,. 7cm x l.5cili and second hole is l.2cm x lcm. -The doe appears to have been killed approx. 24 hours before we found it, most of the blood had collec.ted in ·the abdorrinal ca-v""i ty which had been torn open by the coyotes. -The doe appeared to be quite thin Post-Merten Exawj_nation Results: -Samples were ta.'-':en of the follm-.,'ir.:.g: bone, tooth, stomach, ovaries and. fetuses scope indicated no abnormalities -Stomach contents were prima:cily falsebox leaves -Toot,h samples indicated the doe -:,.Jas approxo 10 mon·ths old -Tz'go fet"),J..ses -rv,rere found inside the associate,d ~th the fetl..4ses ~ doe~ FETUSES Fem.ale 23 cm 20.5 Cill 376.23 grams 231.97 grams - Weight Lengt11 -The -Ci~O fetuses VJere at the 86-90 da3r de'zelopmental stage 96 hours . al.J'. .,/ 7.78 =12.08 % fat -12.08 percent bone marrow fat indicates the doe was in a state cf advanced starvation PHOTOGRAPHS OF WHI1.1E TAILED DEER FOUND ON ROSEBUD LAKE S1.1JDY AREA. Photo I. Doe l y ing dead on old road. Ph ot o 2. Holes in deers neck made by coyotes. Photo J ·. Immature bald eagle :found feeding on dead deer. Photo 4. abdominal regj_on of deer torn open by eoyotes. ""\ \ - Photo 5. Close ups of the does placenta and two fetuses. c Photo 6. Does stomach contents containing a large amount of falsebox leaves. - Location: Rosebud Lake Date: March 6, 1982 Weather: Clear and Sunny Plot Size: radius 3 .. 99m Distance Between Plots IO Om Browse Rating: L/ Trace to .IO% fv1/ IO to 50'% H/ 50 to IOO% N/ None Plot No# IOI 102 103 201 202 JOI 302 FIXED RADIUS PLOT METHOD Ave Layer Species Total No:jf Ave Ht., (m)Crown Dia .. ( m) Tree L.P. Pine 3 Shrub L .. P .. Pine 3 Ocean Spray I Paper Birch 4 Mallow Ninebark J I Willow Buffaloberry 4 Tree Douglas Fir J Black Cottonwood 2 2 White Pine Shrub Saskatoon 4 2 Waxberry Mallow Ninebark I Tree Paper Birch 5 I Shrub Cedar Engelmann S. I Saskatoon 15 Waxberry I Black Cottonwood l~ Shrub Ocean Spray 7 Waxberry 5 Mallow Ninebark 3 Redstem Ceanothus 2 I Tree Douglas Fir 2 Shrub Willow s .. I Engelmann Thimble berry 25 Bracken Fern IO Buf:faloberry I I Shrub Willow 2 Waxberry Mallow Ninebark 12 Buffaloberry 3 Oregon Grape IO B.edstem Ceanothus 4 Shrub Waxberry 5 Mallow Ninebark 8 Buffaloberry 4 Oregon Grape 7 Redstem Ceanothus a; 23 .. 5 I.,60 I .. 90 5.0 1 .. 2 2 .. 1 I .. 3 15.,5 15 .. 0 I2... 0 2.,I .,73 I.,2 I2.,0 3.,2 2 .. 06 2 .. 40 I .. I7 J .. 2 .,30 1.,53 .,90 .,40 .. 25 "55 2 .. 4 I.,8 2.,I .. 35 .. 60 .. 50 I .. 9 .,75 .. 58 .,30 .,65 Browse Rating N 20/25% E!l N N TV N " TV N N 1'T n n n n u N VT N VI N N 13% S.E. n N n L5% 11 N " " "n L5% .,40 I.,O MI5% I .. 8 I.h5 I.I I.,4 .. 30 I .. 6 .. 60 2.5 I .. 5 .,45 .. l~3 .,20 I.,30 I .. 23 .,55 .. 45 .,25 I. I5 n n N N .. lt,.O "n 11 Lio% .,25 .,50 1.,27 3.,3 1.,97 I .. 2 1.45 .,20 Ea,, n I .. 2 .. 20 " "n .,50 I.I IO% N M20% N 2 .,Li.) .,80 ft Tl ti .70 2 .. 6 I .. 5 fl N 1 .. 25 2 .. 0 I.2 2 .. 9 I6 .. 8 4.,5 Aspect ~~ Slope N N N VI 25% S.E .. " "n n " " " " N H90% n n L5% H90% tv n It L5% N L5% IV 15% S.E0 N N N N N N N n n n Ii 3o/,h s. VI n ft " "n "n " 42% s. n VT n n vt n n TV ~~ ~· -""' _..JI .-"" ·- ..,- I ,, ..;. -"--' .... _. _,_ - .:__,, - -~--:... \_J ---· -:::""""·~-,...----r-,-'-------l'T=;~'"'"---:::·-·~,~ _; .5~-~--c-,,-, . ~ - -- "- - I ' l+OI 402 50I 502 60I 602 Tree L.P. Pine Douglas Fir Paper Birch Shrub Saskatoon Tree L.P. Pine Larch Shrub Douglas Fir Saskatoon Buffaloberry Waxberry Paper Birch Tree L.~. Pine Paper Birch Shrub Douglas Fir Engelmann S.. Buffaloberry Saskatoon Tree Douglas Fir L .. P. Pine Shrub Douglas Fir Engelmann s. Saskatoon Buffaloberry Tree L.P. Pine Cedar Paper Birch Shrub Buffaloberry Waxberry False Box Thimbleberry Douglas Fir Q.ueens Cup Tree L.P. Pine Paper Birch Cedar Shrub Bufraloberry Waxberry False Box Thimbleberry 2 I 8 9 .. 5 I .. O 8 .. 0 I.,2 27 1 .. 90 3 I 8 .. 0 rs .. o 20 .. 0 I I.,3 30 7 3 I .. 4 5 5 I I I 14 5 2 I I .,60 .. 50 I .. 8 I8.,0 8 .. 0 9.,0 4.,5 6 lil " Vf n " 2 .. 2 .. 90 .88 N N .,60 n _N " n ,,70 N n n " " " n n " ,,60 N I,,J N I.,8 L5% .. 50 ,.45 s .. w. N N N .. 80 4.0 5117~ N I.I 8 .. 0 6 .. o 15% Ea n n " N .,80 ,.70 lT .N .. 20 I.,2 I .. 4 I .. 5 ,,55 I n N N LIO% .50 .. 63 rv 71 ..,40 N IO 5 0/7% Ea I .. 5 .. 65 .. 75 .. 35 .. 25 .,45 I .. 2 5 .. 54 .,45 I .. 5 9.0 .. 60 3 I8 3 2 9 4 II .50 .60 "55 .. 85 I.I .. 65 9.,5 7 N N N N .. 35 .. 65 .. 53 I .. 8 25 I 2 N I.,8 I.2 .,70 I7 7 .70 2 .. 0 7.,0 2 .. 6 I,.7 I .. 9 2.,I I r .. o N N N N 0/5~~ w 0 N LIO% L5;f~ N O/I~~ W., N N n n L5% ti " LIO'fo LIO% .,L~O LIOO,h "" "n .,35 N n n FIXED RADIUS PLO'r CALCULATIONS Plots: IOI,I02,~03,20I,202 Species %Frequency L .. J?. Pine Ocean Spray Paper Birch Mallow Ninebark Will Ow Buffaloberry Douglas }l,ir Black Cottonwood White Pine Vlaxberry 20 .. 0 40 .. 0 40 .. 0 60 .. 0 40 .. 0 40 .. 0 40.,0 40.,0 20 .. 0 60 .. 0 20.,0 Cedar 40.,0 Engelmann s., 20.0 Saskatoon Redstem Ceanothus 20.,0 20 .. 0 'l'himbleberry 20 .. 0 Bracken Fern %Relative Freg,uencl_ 3.,70 7 .. 4I 7.41 II.II 7.,41 7,.41 7.,41 7,.41 J.70 I I.. II. 3,,70 7,.41 3,.70 3,,70 3,.70 3.,70 %Abundance 5 .. 13 6 .. 84 7 .,69 5 .. 98 2 .. 56 4,.27 3.,42 5.,13 L.7I 6 .. 84 .. 85 I .. 7I 12.,82 .I .. 7I 2I.,J7 8 .. 55 Density %R 240 320 360 280 5 .. 31 120 200 I60 240 80 320 40 80 600 80 IOOO 400 tive Densitz: 7.,08 7 .. 96 6 .. 19 2 .. 65 4.,42 3.,54 5 .. :n I.,77 7.,08 .,88 1,.77 IJ,.27 L.77 22 .. 12 8 .. 85 Plots: 301,302 Willow 50.0 \f'faxberry IOO.O 100 .. 0 Mallow Ninebark IOO.,O .tmff'aloberry Oregon Grape IOO .. O Redstem Ceanothus IOO .. O 9.,09 18 .. 18 I8.,I8 18.,18 18.,18 18.18 I.,64 IL.48 32.,79 II.,48 27 .. 87 14 .. 75 IOO 700 2000 700 I.,64 II .. 47 1700 27.,87 14 .. ?'5 900 32.79 II.,b.7 Plots: 40I ~ L,.02, 501, 502 L .. P. Pine Douglas Fir Paper Birch Saskatoon Larch Huffaloberry Waxberry Engelmann s .. roo . o 75.,0 IOO .. O 25.,0 75 .. 0 25.0 50 .. 0 18.,18 I8 .. I8 IJ .. 64 I8.,I8 4.,55 13 .. 64 4.,55 9.,09 100.,0 12 .. 5 IOO .. O 7.,64 4 .. I7 9 .. TZ 54 .. 86 .,69 I9 .,Lt.4 2.,08 L.39 550 300 700 3950 50 1400 150 IOO 7.64 4.,17 9 .. 72 54 .. 86 .69 19 .. L._4 2 .. 08 I.,39 Plots: 60I,602 L .. P. Pine cedar P;iper Birch Buffalo berry Wax berry J:"alse Box 'rhimbleberry roo.o roo .. o roo .. o I00.,0 roo .. o roo . o Douglas Fir 50 .. 0 Q.ueens Cup 50.0 38 .. 39 I2.,5 2 .. 68 4 .Li.6 !4.,28 I2 .. 5 I2.,5 12 .. 5 9.,82 12.,5 12 .. 5 6 .. 25 6.25 6 .. 25 I8.,75 .,89 4 .. L~6 4300 300 500 1600 700 2100 1100 IOO 500 38.39 2.,68 4,,46 14 .. 28 6 .. 25 18 .. 75 9.,82 .,89 4e46 VEGETATION PLOT LOCATION MAP 501-502 .... 401-402 _____ ,, /--; ( I l Scale: 1 =500 0 0 _,,, / I --103 March 9, I982 Calculations of Percent Water Content in Redstem Geanothus Twigs The twigs were dried at 70 degrees celcius for 72 hours .. Twigs were collected from plots 201 and 301 .. '1\vig length at 2., 4r:rn diameter point bite Wet twig wt .. I.,8cm 2 .. 0cm .,IOOg .IOOg 2.,8cm .05~ 3 .. Icm 3 .. Jcm 3 .. 5cm 4 .. Icm 4 .. 9cm 6.,0cm 6 .. Icm 6,.Jcm 6.,5cm 6 .. 6cm 7 .. 8cm 8.,2cm I0.,2cm IO .. ?cm II .. 7cm I2.,0cm IJ,.6cm .. I50g .,025g .. IOOg .. I25g .. 075g .,075g .. I75g .. 225g .. r75g .. 25og .. I75g .. IOOg .. 27og .. 275g .. 325g .. 35og .,45og Dry twig wt .. 11104g .. 02g .. 03g Weight lost %Water content .,06g .. 08g .,02g 60 80 40 43 .. 33 .. u85g .. 02g .,02g .. 065g .. 005g ,.08 80 .,05g ,.075g .,025g .,005g .. 075g .. 045g .. 095g 60 .. 05g .. 07g .,IOg .,I8g .. 08g ..I Jg .. I5g .,02g .,I6g .. 22g .,26g .,I8g .. 32g .,I2g .,025g .,08g .,IIOg .. 055g .,065g .,I?Og .. I3g 20 33 .. 33 6 .. 66 42 .. 86 20 54 .. 29 48 14 .. 28 80 L,,0., 74 20 20 48 .. 57 28 .. 89 Average% water content is.,.,. 42 .. 05% Calculations of ~verage Diameter Point Bite of Redstem Ceanothus Hrowse Samples were obtained trom plot no# 30I., Stem Noff I. 2 .. DPB(mm) 4 12 .. 3,.5 3.,0 5.,0 4.,25 j" '75 2,,75 4 .. 0 4 .. 0 2.0 3 .. 25 2.,5 13., 3 "5 3 .. 4,, 5 .. 6 .. 7., 8 .. 9. IO., I I .. 14. 15. 3 "5 2 .. 5 A>rerage .uPB s 3 .. 4Jmm • £.ppendix D GENERAL PHorr oc'rRAPHS OF THE ROSEBUD LAKE STUDY AREA Photo I . @.nd the main l ate wi ntering a.rea to the Photo 2. Lower port ion of tne study area west · or Roseoau Lake. ~his area serves as the mia winter~ ug region. Photo 3. Transmission line northeast of Rosebud Lake • . , / Photo 4. Whitetaileu deer along the Salmo river. PhJto 6 . B11ft·1lob JI·ry ; a common 'brow so plant. Photo 7. W'ixberry. Photo 8. False box that has been uncover d by deer a nd browsed on. END-NOTES 1 James T. Fyles, Stratigraphy and Structure of the Salmo Lead-zinc area. (Victoria: Queen's Printer, 1959). pp. 73-74 2 Forestry Handbook for British Columbia. British Columbia, 1971). pp. 205 3 b.c. (Vancouver: The Forestry Club of R.F. Ferster, Soil and Vegetation Resources of the Pend-d'oreille Valley (Ministry of Environment, 1980). pp. A-18 4 Ibid., pp. 76 5 William Dasmann, If Deer Are To Survive. Wildlife Management Institute, 1971). pp. 20 (Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 6 Leonard, Lee, Rue, The Deer of North America. pp. 295 (New York: Outdoor Life, 1979). 7 Ibid., pp. 296 8 Ibid., pp. 296 9 R.F. Ferster, Soil and Vegetation Resources of the Pend-d'oreille Valley b.c. (Ministry of Environment, 1980). pp. 76 lOibid., pp. 77 11 12 13 Ibid., pp. 77 Ibid., pp. 77 Ibid., pp. 77 14 Leonard, Lee, Rue, The Deer of North America. pp. 298 15w·11· . i iam Dasmann, If Deer Are To Survive. Management Institute, 1971). pp. 52 16 sanford (New York: Outdoor Life, 1979). (Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, D. Schemnitz, Wildlife Management Techniques Manual. D.C.: Wildlife Society, 1980). pp. 134 (Washington, 17 Peter Ommundsen, Biology Instructor, Selkirk College, Castlegar, B.C. - 2 - 18 sanford D. Schemnitz, Wildlife Management Techniques Manual. D.C.: Wildlife Society, 1980). pp. 135 (Washington, 19 Peter Ommundsen, Biology Instructor, Selkirk College, Castlegar, B.C. 20 R.F. Ferster, Soil and Vegetation Resources of the Pend-d'oreille Valley b.c. (Ministry of Environment, 1980). pp. 74 21 William Dasmann, If Deer Are To Survive. Wildlife Management Institute, 1971). pp. 19 22 (Harrisburg, Pa.: Leonard, Lee, Rue, The Deer of North America. pp. 298 23 F.L. Bunnell, Snow, Trees and Ungulates. Stackpole Books, (New York: Outdoor Life, 1979). (B.C. Fish and Wildlife, 1978). pp. 03 24 Ray Demarchi, Wildlife-Livestock Interactions in the East Kootenay. (Wildlife Management, B.C. Fish and Wildlife, 1968). pp. 28 BIB.LIOGRAPHY 1. Bunnell, F.L. Snow, Trees and Ungulates. Wildlife, 1978. British Columbia Fish and 2. Dasmann, William. Pa., 1971. Stackpole Books; Harrisburg, 3. Demarchi, Ray. Wildlife - Livestock Interactions In The East Kootenay Region. B.C. Fish and Wildlife Branch, 1968. 4. Ferster, R.F. Soil and Vegetation Resources Of The Pend-d'Oreille Valley b.c. B.C. Ministry of Environment, 1980. S. Fyles, James T. Stratigraphy and Structure Of The Salmo Lead-Zinc Area. Victoria Queen's Printer, 1959. 6. Omundsen, P. 7. Rue, Leonard, Lee. 1979. 8. Schemnitz, S.P. Wildlife Management Techniques Manual. Washington, D.C., 1980. 9. Forestry Handbook for British Columbia. Columbia. Vancouver, 1971. If Deer Are To Survive. Biology Instructor, Selkirk College. The Deer of North America. Castlegar, B.C. Outdoor Life, New York, Wildlife Society, The Forestry Club of British