Mule Deer Browse/Cover ID

[gaetz]

Can anyone ID this popular cover/browse plant pictured in the foreground? It's a very thick, study, and rugged browse that is often purplish in color.

Regards,

TRH

 

[TOPGUN]

I've not hunted where it is located, but I'm going to guess that it's mahagony brush and a mulie favorite!

 

[gaetz]

Topgun-

Thanks for the input. This photo was taken in Northern Utah. I don't know of this plants range, but it's prevalent here and in Wyoming. I'm guessing it's pretty widespread throughout the west, but that just a guess.

TRH

 

[bucklover]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 02:50PM (MST)[p]Some people collect its seed. It almost looks like a cotton colored catapiller. They use what looks like a big butterfly net and swoop it back and forth on the bush. They then fill big gunny sacks with the seed and then selling it. From those I've talked to, they can make a bunch of money doing this.

 

[Blanding_Boy]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 02:52PM (MST)[p]Mountain Mahogany
Common Name: Birch-leaf Mountain Mahogany
Genus: Cercocarpus
Species: montanus


WHY??

Todd Black
BTO

 

[WesternSky]

Buckbrush and its terrbile to walk through if there's a big stand of it.

 

[beavis14]

horible to walk through and probably the cause of more scratched gunstocks than none other

 

[gaetz]

Blanding-

Why? Because I often see deer in and around it and I think it would be good to know what it's called. Just trying to be more informed.

Thanks for your response,


TRH

 

[bowhunt]

It is Mahogony. Deer love it, deer hunters hate it.

 

[SouthernWyo]

True mountain mahogany or curl-leaf mountain mahogany. The posts above are correct, it is a mule deer staple, especially towards late summer, fall, and through the winter. That stuff looks pretty healthy, some of the mountain mahogany on the winter range around Baggs Wyoming looks like those little sculpted trees you see in Japanese gardens because it's been hit so hard year after year after year.

This hunter loves it, where you find healthy patches in the country we hunt, you will find quality deer habitat. Some other plants that are good for the serious mule deer hunter to know are antelope bitterbrush and serviceberry.

 

[gb22]

Thanks.

I've hunted and walked through that stuff (Idaho) for over 5 decades. I never knew what it's real name was. Dad had named for a lot of things....can't really look up names like "green sh.t".


Within the shadows, go quietly.