Effects of cottage development on white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, winter habitat on Lake Muskoka, Ontario

Abstract

Forest canopy characteristics (canopy closure and size of gaps) and browse supply were measured and contrasted with data collected on sites with cottage development and sites with no development. The canopy closure of conifers was greater on undeveloped sites than on developed sites. Winter browse supply was four times lower on developed cottage lots than on undeveloped shoreline sites. Cottage development reduced the carrying capacity for deer by lowering food supply and thermal cover provided by mature conifer trees. -from Authors