. The Canadian field-naturalist. 468 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 96 dynamics of Moose and deer by increasing neonatal mortality (Kucera 1976; Peterson 1977; Verme 1977) and by slowing development to adult size (Peterson 1977). If winter forage was limiting a Moose population, one should observe: (1) high utilization of preferred habitat types and common utilization of marginal ones; (2) high utilization of available browse, particu- larly of the most preferred species; (3) frequent brows- ing of generally unused plant species; (4) changes in plant composition induced by Moose browsing;
. The Canadian field-naturalist. 468 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 96 dynamics of Moose and deer by increasing neonatal mortality (Kucera 1976; Peterson 1977; Verme 1977) and by slowing development to adult size (Peterson 1977). If winter forage was limiting a Moose population, one should observe: (1) high utilization of preferred habitat types and common utilization of marginal ones; (2) high utilization of available browse, particu- larly of the most preferred species; (3) frequent brows- ing of generally unused plant species; (4) changes in plant composition induced by Moose browsing; and (5) lower digestibility of browse consumed. Study Area and Methods The study was conducted within six 530-km2 blocks arranged as three pairs (Figure 1). One of each pair was in a lightly hunted (permit only) reserve and the other was nearby in an open or heavily hunted zone. Two blocks were within La Verendrye Reserve and one within Mont Tremblant Park. The heavily hunted or "H" blocks sustained hunter days/km~2 each year while the lightly hunted "L" blocks sus- tained hunter day/ km"2. Block pairs were further designated according to the year in which its Moose had been surveyed by winter aerial counts, 1977, 1978 and 1979 - 77, 78 and 79. Climate, physiography and vegetation of the region were described previously (Crete et al. 1981a). Habitat was partitioned into five forest types according to Crete (1977): mixed stands containing shade-tolerant hardwoods (Ht) with closed (C ^ 50% crown) or open (C < 50% crown) canopy (, HtC, HtO); mixed stands containing shade- intolerant hardwoods (H,) with closed or open canopy (HiC, HiO), and the remaining stands (R) comprising generally pure stands of conifers. Strata were delim- ited on 1:20 000 forest maps from examination of 77 ° 00 â W 75°00 ' W LA VERENDRYE RESERVE L-77 L-78. H-77. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitall
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