Table4 Rankedmodels used to test explanatory variables (elk availability (elk/wolf), deer availability (deer/elk), cow elk to calf ratios, and mean snow depth) for changes in proportions of elk calves in summer cougar diets over time, including AIC scores, ΔAIC, Wi, andlikelihoods, in order of performance, best to worst.
| Model no. | No.of variables | Model | AIC | ΔAIC | Wi | Likelihood |
| 1 | 2 | {Deer/Elk+ Cow Calf} | 85.793 | 0.00 | 0.29 | 1.00 |
| 2 | 2 | {CowCalf + Snow} | 85.8264 | 0.03 | 0.29 | 0.98 |
| 3 | 2 | {Elk/Wolf+ Snow} | 87.0374 | 1.24 | 0.16 | 0.54 |
| 4 | 1 | {Snow} | 88.254 | 2.46 | 0.09 | 0.29 |
| 5 | 1 | {CowCalf} | 88.8982 | 3.11 | 0.06 | 0.21 |
| 6 | 3 | {Deer/Elk+ Cow Calf + Snow} | 89.8507 | 4.06 | 0.04 | 0.13 |
| 7 | 2 | {Deer/Elk+ Snow} | 90.3895 | 4.60 | 0.03 | 0.10 |
| 8 | 3 | {Elk/Wolf+ Cow Calf + Snow} | 91.6315 | 5.84 | 0.02 | 0.05 |
| 9 | 3 | {Deer/Elk+ Elk/Wolf + Cow Calf} | 92.9873 | 7.19 | 0.01 | 0.03 |
| 10 | 2 | {Elk/Wolf+ Cow Calf} | 93.1075 | 7.31 | 0.01 | 0.03 |
| 11 | 3 | {Deer/Elk+ Elk/Wolf + Snow} | 93.6315 | 7.84 | 0.01 | 0.02 |
| 12 | 1 | {Deer/Elk} | 96.3017 | 10.51 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 13 | 2 | {Deer/Elk+ Elk/Wolf} | 97.3428 | 11.55 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 14 | 1 | {Elk/Wolf} | 98.0101 | 12.22 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 15 | 4 | {Deer/Elk+ Elk/Wolf + Cow Calf + Snow} | 101.6466 | 15.85 | 0.00 | 0.00 |