White-tailed Deer Food Habits and Preferences in the Cross Timbers

Management Implications
Several plant species, plant complexes and
plant groups emerged as being very important
to deer in the Cross Timbers and Prairies
Region. The importance of browse in the diets
of deer in the Cross Timbers and Prairies
Region, even in high rainfall years and on
ranches that provide supplemental food
sources, dictates that managing for browse
diversity and abundance should be a primary
goal of any deer management program. Some
of the most important browse species included
oaks, sumac-poison ivy complex, elbowbush
and common greenbriar. A mixture of these
browse species in reasonable abundance and
availability is an important component of good
white-tailed deer habitat in the Cross Timbers
and Prairies Region. Plant communities on
individual ranches will vary with general soil
type, but a diverse mix of these species in a
growth form available to deer should indicate
above average deer habitat potential.
Appropriate management of grazing pressure
by both livestock and wildlife is key to achieving
and maintaining browse diversity and abundance
goals. Management strategies will most
likely include rotation grazing of cattle at a light
to moderate stocking rate and an adequate harvest
of deer according to a population based
harvest recommendation. Other tools that may
be used include management of noxious brush
species and prescribed burning.
Forbs are also an important component of deer
diets. This study indicated that deer preferred
and heavily used forbs during spring and summer
when weather conditions and/or land management
practices promoted their occurrence.
Good grazing management can reduce competition
for forbs. Native grasslands and brushlands,
managed with a combination of rotation
cattle grazing at an appropriate stocking rate
and properly timed prescribed burning, can
produce an abundance of diverse forbs when
the weather cooperates. Other management
techniques such as fallow disking or brush
management that disturbs the soil and sets back
plant succession may also be appropriate for
promoting forb production. Mast is an important
seasonal component of the diet. Important mast
species included mesquite beans and prickly
pear fruit in summer and oak acorns in fall.
Mast from other species, such as bumelia and
skunkbush, are also important in some seasons.
Since many of these species are also important
browse species, management techniques that
promote diverse browse communities should
also be beneficial to important mast producers.
Food supplements, planted agricultural forage
and grain crops, pelleted feeds and attractants
(feeder corn) that were available on study sites
were found in deer rumens. Availability of
planted crops and pelleted feed were restricted
to sites classified as being in excellent range
condition. Seasonal use of commercial feed
(pellets and corn) on sites where both were
available ranged from 1% to 17.4%. However,
the highest seasons for utilization were fall and
winter (hunting season). Additionally, pelleted
feed and corn from feeders were pooled in
the analysis. Utilization of planted agricultural
forage and grain crops was tracked separately
and use peaked in winter (18.4% of diet) and
summer (10.3%). Overall utilization of feeders
and planted agricultural forage and grain crops
presumably would have been higher if available
on a year-round basis on range sites rated as
being in poor to fair condition.
The planting of agricultural forage crops or
providing supplementation for white-tailed deer
should be closely evaluated early in the deer
management planning process. The long-term
results may be difficult to evaluate and costs
may outweigh benefits. The results of this study
indicate that naturally occurring native foods are
much more important to deer than supplemental
foods. The overwhelming importance of natural
food sources indicates that proper management
of native plants should be given precedence
over supplemental food in the planning and
execution of any deer management program
in the Cross Timbers and Prairies Region.
DEER DIETS IN THE CROSS TIMBER AND PRAIRIES REGION OF TEXAS (BY SEASON)
25