MOOSE WINTER FOODS IN THE INTERIOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA: A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS

Preliminary analysis of moose (Alces alces) winter food habits at Revelstoke, B.C. from 1977-1985 is described in this report. Food habits were determined from samples of 242,292 bites at feeding sites, 24 rumen samples, and 864 stations on utilization transects. Major species in the winter diet included Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), western red cedar (Thuja plicata), Oregon boxwood (Paxistima myrsinites), and various deciduous shrub species. Use was largely determined by availability, which was primarily related to snow accumulation. Utilized browse species were ranked in three groups depending on preference by moose over the winter period. There were major differences in food habits among different ecosites used by moose. Bias in the feeding site analysis technique can be reduced by sampling ecosites in proportion to usage patterns