Food access by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at winter feeding sites in eastern Quebec

In 1995, we studied aggressive behaviour of White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at winter feeding stations in the Pohenegamook wintering area, Quebec (47 degrees 29'N 69 degrees 14'W). The study aimed at determining if aggressive behaviour was related to priority of access to food by various age-sex classes. Deer were observed daily at four feeding sites and weekly at six others. More than 100 deer frequented these 10 feeding sites. Two sampling procedures were used to record behaviours: 'continuous record' and 'instantaneous scan samples'. Competition for food was severe and interaction rates were high at the feeding points. Even though bucks spent more time feeding than does and fawns, they did not deny the latter access to the food. In late winter, does and fawns were more aggressive and had better access to food. Group size was positively related to interaction rates and negatively to access to food. The composition of the group was the variable that most affected access to food. Does and fawns shared the resource with low interaction rates and weak aggressiveness in the absence of bucks. At this wintering area, emergency winter feeding would be effective, particularly because there was some sexual segregation observed at most of the feeding sites. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.