Examining hypotheses about feeding strategies of white-tailed deer

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Abstract
We examined whether the forage abundance hypothesis or the selective quality hypothesis could explain the feeding strategies of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge in Haywood County and the Ames Plantation in Fayette and Hardeman counties, Tennessee (from autumn 1983 to summer 1986). The botanical composition of the diets on Ames was characterized by agricultural crops, browse, and acorns in autumn and winter, and browse, forbs, and agricultural crops in spring and summer. Acorns were common in autumn and winter diets on Hatchie, as were browse and agricultural crops. Spring and summer diets were high in browse and forbs and, to a lesser extent, agricultural crops. Diets were lower in crude fat, crude protein, and fiber in spring and higher in most nutritional parameters in autumn and winter at both sites. Neither the nutritional value nor the abundance of forages had a strong impact on diet in any of the seasons and years of the study as predicted by the forage abundance hypothesis. Spearman's correlation coefficients of forage consumption and abundance in spring and summer were positive and much higher than in autumn and winter at both sites. Deer are apparently less selective during seasons of lower dietary fiber and higher forage abundance. Our data support the selective quality hypothesis as a more appropriate model of feeding strategies for white-tailed deer.

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