Occupancy modeling of habitat use by white‐tailed deer after more than a decade of exclusion in the boreal forest

The exclusion of herbivores in forest areas is a strategy used to reduce the impact selective browsing and increase regeneration desired plant species. On Anticosti Island (Québec, Canada), by white-tailed deer prevents balsam fir – white birch forests leading their conversion into spruce forests. Large exclosures were established for ca 10–12 years clear-cuts with patches residual from 2001 2006 assist natural stands provide shelter food resources deer. Our objective was assess how use after removal fences according spatial configuration habitat composition. We randomly distributed automatic cameras periods 14 days during summer six ranging 3.1 11.2 km2 (n = 25 per exclosure) which reduced years. compared candidate occupancy models that included resource variables while simultaneously controlling affecting detection probability. obtained weak evidence increased 19% when forage resources, represented cover Cornus canadensis, 0 100%. None other (distance between border distance cameras) retained, suggesting regenerating period related availability therefore, any management improves production should help maintain or