7 4                       DEER FoOD HABITS                              
           J      9                                      i~

ille, 1b asamI, red oak, highibush cranberry and alder.This liet is satis-
                              j !                               f ji    
                                      I                           t,
factor) for short yarding periods in the (iuantities eaten.             
               1
     FirsUt-Choice Palatability. Cedar was fed in limited amounts.  Mass-
                                                         I i f
wrool, altern~ate-leaved dogwood, iwilow      n red maptle  aid su mae were,
fed
in unlimited quantities.Some minor changes in palatability ratings were 
                                   ;                                    
   t
made after this and the next three diets were tested, so slight differences
        &',           ,'''                            4
exist between these diets anied palatability ratings given elsewhere in this
                         '      .-'z -     -
report.                                                                 
           ,     ;*         .*           w¢                    ;
  
Mil..-sw~a-5--sXu             *x
    T[his is aI satisf~actory (liet for short vardling periods.         
                                                                    P~~'~~.4.
    Second-Choice Palalability. Hemlock, mnountaiil mlaple, hard maple, 
                                        >
yell0ov birch, red-osier dogwood, juneberrv and chokechierry were fed in
                                  N'   t        -                       
      ,*
unlimited amounts. This diet is satisfactory for short yarding 1)eriods.
              -   , -.i,.                                               
         '' ', '5v .'
    Tliird-Choice Palatability.White lirch, white pine, (plivking aspen,
                                                             ,          
            ,
holliv hazel and re(l oak were fed in iulimited amoints.    A satisfactorv
         _-4*.3                                       '                 
           - -
diIt for s  yort varding periods. ;i-
    Lot; Palatabilily. In 1947 the following species vere fed in tnlimnited
                                                                        
  ZN ;'L                                      .     f -
quantities: balsam, eln, black ash, Nor-wav pinie, alder and gray'dogwoo(l.
e saline species vere fed in 1948 except that gray dogwood was elimi-   
               j A 3   r -
late(l. IThis is at satisfactory (liet for short varig perios.gt
                                                                        
                                          ~~~~5' ~ ~ ~ ~
    Although (leer have a marked preference for certain browvse species,
          ;      1..,
it is evident that species classed as low palatables will suistainl deer
satis-             '                      jIM                           
    -    -
satisfactorily if tile\ are available its (Itianitity ail(l sitfficienit
variety.                Penned deer feeding ol Iay and l)rowse offtred (lturinig
feeding experimetits
    Hemiiilock aidi YellowBirch.  Hemlock was progressively ilimitel to 
                          amp husk Husk county in 1947. Only certain tvpes
of fecd~ were "il
force consumption of yellow birch. This (liet indicates the)recference deer
                                                  (leer n each pen.
halVe for hemnlock. It is satisfactory for short yarding periods and it approxi-
maites food( coii(hitions often found at helmllock-hardwood scutting operatiols.
    HIlenock and Ilxar(  lxlodV. Hemlilock. basswood, vellow  birch, red
                            Botl (liets were unsatisfactorv, since deer read
ed or approache(d tlIwir
maple and hard maple were the species fed. This diet also approximates  
                        critical wVeights il relatively Short lperio(ls.
lIe( oak was indlicate( to hel
foodl conditions found at mllany cwttiikg operations in the north.   It is
                      al better food than) jack pil e, siltlce deer eatting
tile 14 iost rd (oak l(; os tfl
piobabl y satisfactory for sb ort vardning periods.                     
                        Ieast weight, even though the (leer preferrel jack
I)iie.
    Balsami. Straight balsam  wa;Is fed ill miliimited (tuantities.  Balsam
                         Jack 'inel, lRed Oak, Alfalfa tanid Corn. Jack pinle
aial( redl oAk ill Van -
alone is a starvation food. lest dieei hareaced or                      
                        il're iie;ar their criticalil *il a iatities were
sllp)pilenienited with I alfalla Ili;v an id Corit ill tests otf t\%, )
weights in only 28 days.                                                
                        I)CIIS of deer. 1i theI filst p)en, alflalfla and
cornl mlade til) aoIbmt 15 par eviat
    Cedalr. Straiglit white cedar was fedl in unlimiited amouilits. Thle
diet                   of the diet; ill the secot(l pen, aeout 20 per cent.
IBotlh (liets wt're satlis-
wa;s barelyZ satisfactory for a (iO6-dav v'ladill> perio(l. evcl tlbollgl
test coil-             factorv. Alfalfa and cortin imprtoved(l thei jack
piie at id rd(I tak- (dict in pro-
slip)tioi was higih. Appareitl'v cedar weilil fed alole \wold not l)st SiS-
                     portionl to( tie alioullt of thl s- upplement.
factory' for a 90-day vardiing period.
    Jack Pine fall iI (l Oak. All (lIts conititilning tlesie two s)peies
\krer                                                Cotnclus ions
eased to test t vpes of browse diets founid inll tIc ci ia-l arca of the
Stualt'.                     It is recogi ized th at wild(l eer ill win ter
inellrg()o weilf Ilsscs tfat
Iln thle twt dijets itadc icl Itpxcfusiveiv' 4)f pick p)i Ic atid tied (oak.
jack pit t              r   eae     oti*svrtV f viie          e   c'a ( clafth
     I    'ttIe
                            lt' t\\' {lits sb;W(1e 1l) t~xtlasise~s st j;¢zi
1)illt;t~t1 1il o .      (11iz1tid to (lie sleto   ritvs oti wol iter weath;ei-
and co1 nditiiti. ()I,,t ll,  ;s,,w,,
was limited to force contsttill)tiol  f oak.  Ilk thle lisSt pel, (deer weret
                   1oiwev', it w;as tlit possible to calculi tet a it  nollo
1  \\( 'ighlt loss frutl
ed at dliet apprh)xitiatinlg at colistiptti)tioti ratco' ofi ie-third jack
pinic to two-         lthse experimielilts.
thieds red oak; thlis ratin was changedtd to *cdifl partis  f bot h Speiesil
                        It is also r1cogi /l.4 d t rfit Wild-tlrIpul )Ieer
(I l WhiCi are pciit ld aila
tiesect idtl petll.                                                     
                       fretipitlivdittitil'(dbv fiedit^lqaitl \\'('itailt4.Zwt
tiviticS('lmto14tI-'1'  -