Ronald E. Thill

Snag Density after Different Timber Harvests in Pine-hardwood Forests

Standing dead trees (snags) are an important component of forest ecosystems, providing foraging and roosting substrate for a variety of wildlife species. We examined the effects of four timber harvest treatments on residual snag density and compared these to densities found in unmanaged natural forests (controls) during the second, fourth, and sixth year after timber harvest in mixed pine-hardwood forests of Arkansas. Timber harvest methods were: clearcut with residual tree retention and snag creation, shelterwood, single-tree selection, and group selection. Density of large snags (...

Non-target Captures During Small Mammal Trapping with Snap Traps

There is little published information available on non-target captures during small mammal trapping. We used a variety of snap traps baited with a rolled oat-peanut butter mix to capture 2,054 individuals from 9 genera of small mammals in a study of small mammal and avian community structure in riparian areas and adjacent loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations. We also captured 170 individuals from 24 non-target species over 122,446 trap-nights. Trapping was conducted from 1990 throught 1995 in 57 riparian areas and adjacent pine plantations in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, during 10-...

Quality of Spring Deer Diets on Louisiana Pine-Hardwood Sites

Nutritional quality of diets selected by 3 tame deer (Odocoileus virginianus) during spring 1980 were determined on forested and clearcut, unburned pine-hardwood sites in central Louisiana. Diets were dominated by leafy browse from plants of moderate to high preference for wild deer. From mid-March to late May, nutritive values of deer diets decreased an average of 43.1% for crude protein, 56.9% for phosphorus, and 9.3% for digestibility. Deer diets from clearcuts were generally higher in nutritive value than diets from forests.

Deer and Cattle Diets on Longleaf Pine-Bluestem Range

Seasonal diets of cattle and lead deer (Odocoileus virginianus) using three subunits of a rotationally burned longleaf pine-bluestem (Pinus palustrisAndropogon spp.) pasture receiving moderate yearlong grazing are compared with lead deer diets from 3 similarly managed, ungrazed subunits. Considering all plant species, diet overlap averaged 44.3, 34.7, 21.5, and 8.0% during winter, spring, fall, and summer, respectively. Summer diets were largely complementary. On the average, deer selected 15.5% more browse on ungrazed sites during winter, but 7.3 and 7.8% more browse on grazed sites...

Deer And Cattle Diet Overlap In Louisiana Pine-Hardwood Forests: Preliminary Findings

Seasonal food habits and diet overlap between white-tailed deer (Odvcvileus virginianus) and cattle are being studied on grazed and ungrazed, forested and clearcut loblolly-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda-P. echinata)-hardwood sites in Louisiana. Preliminary data from direct observation of cattle and captive deer suggest that little diet overlap is likely if cattle stocking is based primarily on grass supplies. Greatest overlap occurred during winter on forested sites and during summer on clearcuts. However, few plant species shared by deer and cattle contributed more than 1% of either animal'...