Palatability Ratings of Black Hills Plants for White-Tailed Deer

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Abstract
Stomach analyses of 319 white-tailed deer, Odocoileus vir-ginianus marcrourus, killed in the Northern Black Hills of S. Dakota from 1941 to 1944, were compared with availability of forage and browse plants on the range. Palatable key plants for Jan. to Mar. were Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Mahonia repens, Juniperus communis and Quercus macrocarpa; for Apr. to June, Poa pratensis, forbs, A. uva-ursi, and Populus tremuloides; for July to Sept., Rosa fendleri; and Oct. to Dec, Mahonia repens, A. uva-ursi or Ceanothus velutinus Shepherdia canadensis, Corylus rostrata, Ostrya virginiana, and Rhus trilobata were unpalatable during the winter, and any appreciable browsing of those spp. would indicate a serious range condition. From Jan. through Mar. in normal or moderate winters, plants of high palatability made up 58% of the diet, those of medium palatability 39% and those of low palatability only 3%. During the corresponding period in the severe winter of 1944, the use of plants of high palatability fell to 32%, and of medium palatability to 30%, while the use of those of low palatability increased to 38%. Unpalatable plants were not eaten by deer at the point of starvation. Since the deer did not thrive on plants of low palatability and made no use of unpalatable plants, it was concluded that unpalatable plants should be given no wt. and those of low palatability, little if any wt. in calculating range carrying capacity.

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