Mule deer investigating a game camera in Madison Valley, Montana. Credit: Public Domain
Project Information
Principal Investigator(s):
- Matthew Kauffman (USGS Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit)
Co-Investigator(s):
- Ellen O Aikens (USGS Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit)
Cooperator/Partner(s):
- Luke Wilde (University of Wyoming)
- Jeff Gagnon (Arizona Game and Fish Department)
- Evan Greenspan (California Department of Fish and Game)
- Matt Mumma (Idaho Department of Fish and Game)
- Orrin Duvuvuei (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish)
- Brendan Oates (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)
- Cody Schrodeder (Nevada Department of Wildlife)
- Jill Randall (Wyoming Game and Fish Department)
- Embere Hall (Wyoming Game and Fish Department)
- Blair Stringham (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)
- Adam Ford (University of British Columbia)
Fiscal Year: 2024
Overview
Migratory big game species, like mule deer, are at risk due to human development and more frequent drought events that can limit access to food resources during migration. To address this, researchers supported by this North Central CASC project are collaborating with State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to examine the effectiveness of corridor conservation as a strategy to improve drought resilience for over 40 mule deer herds across Western states. Ultimately, results from this project will benefit ongoing conservation efforts by identifying what levels of development impacts the species’ ability to deal with drought.
Summary:
Every year, migratory big game move across landscapes to seek out important food resources and to avoid harsh weather. Yet, the landscapes animals move through are experiencing rapid changes from human development and shifting climatic conditions, which put these ecologically and culturally important migrations at risk. Mule deer, for example, are negatively impacted by drought, which changes when and where key food resources will be available along their migration route. To conserve big game migrations, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies are working together to map and protect migration corridors. Although it is often assumed that corridor conservation should enhance the resilience of migrants to climate change, the idea remains poorly tested.
This project is examining the effectiveness of corridor conservation as a drought resiliency strategy for mule deer across the West. As climate change leads to more frequent and longer drought events, it will likely become even more important for deer to freely move and access critical and limited food resources during migrations. At the same time, mule deer movements are altered by human disturbances, which can cause deer to miss out on foraging opportunities. This project is bringing together data and partnerships to investigate these two threats on more than 40 mule deer herds across the West, with the aim of understanding the importance of freedom of movement in the survival and resiliency of mule deer in a changing world.
Results from this project will identify the amount of human development that constrains the movements of mule deer and the impacts of diminished mobility on drought resiliency. This research links two USGS priorities – conserving big game migrations and enhancing climate resiliency – while filling important knowledge gaps needed to strategically target ongoing conservation efforts.
This project was jointly funded by the North Central, Southwest, and Northwest CASCs.