Life Sciences Commons^™

Spatial Ecology Of Mule Deer Migrations From Grand Teton National Park And The Teton Range, Justin K. Schwabedissen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem hosts several of the longest, fully intact ungulate migrations remaining in the continental United States. However, expanding development and an increasing human footprint continue to truncate migratory routes. While the endpoints are often a seasonal range on protected lands, these migration corridors frequently cross other jurisdictional boundaries, including large tracts of private or multiple-use lands, with varying levels of protection. Thus, it is critical resource managers understand the dynamics of migratory movements to define population-level corridors and prioritize appropriate conservation strategies. Mule deer in Wyoming have been documented traveling long distances between summer and winter ranges; …

A Mechanistic Examination Of Interspecific Competition Between Wild And Domestic Herbivores, Courtney Check

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Large herbivores, such as mule deer and cattle have similar life histories and likely compete for resources. However, quantifying the extent to which these species compete and the specific resources they compete for has proved challenging. My research examines if cattle influence deer abundance and behavior due to competition for forage, competition for shade, and/or by affecting the predation risk of deer. Using a grid of autonomous trail cameras, I was able to determine if cattle abundance influences local deer abundance in relation to specific resources and habitat features. Using GPS data from collared deer, I was also able to …

Comparing Fecal Dna Capture-Recapture Methods To Traditional Mark-Resight Methods For Estimating Abundance Of Mule Deer On Winter Ranges, Andi M. Stewart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Well-designed monitoring strategies are required to obtain accurate estimates of population abundance, which is important for evaluating conservation and management strategies. Obtaining abundance estimates using traditional survey methods, like aerial surveys, is not possible in all scenarios and can be expensive and risky. One survey method that has gained popularity in the last decade is fecal DNA-based capture-recapture (CMR). However, this method has not been evaluated on winter ranges or in snowy, winter conditions.

My first objective was to implement fecal DNA CMR to estimate abundance of mule deer in the Round Valley and Goodale winter survey areas in the …

Recolonizing Carnivores: Is Cougar Predation Behaviorally Mediated By Bears?, Kristin N. Engebretsen, Jon P. Beckmann, Carl W. Lackey, Alyson M. Andreasen, Cody Schroeder, Pat Jackson, Julie K. Young

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Conservation and management efforts have resulted in population increases and range expansions for some apex predators, potentially changing trophic cascades and foraging behavior. Changes in sympatric carnivore and dominant scavenger populations provide opportunities to assess how carnivores affect one another. Cougars (Puma concolor) were the apex predator in the Great Basin of Nevada, USA, for over 80 years. Black bears (Ursus americanus) have recently recolonized the area and are known to heavily scavenge on cougar kills. To evaluate the impacts of sympatric, recolonizing bears on cougar foraging behavior in the Great Basin, we investigated kill sites of 31 cougars between …

Managing Forest Disturbances: Effects On Mule Deer And Plant Communities In Montana's Northern Forests, Teagan Ann Hayes

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are frequently the focus of population and habitat management in the western United States. Land and wildlife managers use disturbance to reset forests to earlier successional stages and improve the quality and quantity of forage available to mule deer. However, the effects of management practices on nutrition and selection vary widely, so the implementation of management practices raises ecological as well as management-related concerns. This work investigated how disturbance from wildfire, prescribed fire, and timber harvest influences the spatial and temporal distribution of nutritional resources in mule deer summer range, and therefore, how the …

To Jump Or Not To Jump: Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) And White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Crossing Decisions, Emily N. Burkholder

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

There have been recent efforts to enhance ungulate movement through modified fencing structures. Ungulates such as mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) typically negotiate fences by either jumping over fencing or going under. Here we examine crossing success and crossing decisions of mule deer and white-tailed deer and determine factors that influence crossing success and the impending decision to jump over or crawl underneath fencing. Using a BACI (Before-After-Control-Impact) design, we deployed remote cameras along fence lines in three study areas; Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Suffield and OneFour research center in Southeastern Alberta, …

Landscape And Anthropogenic Features Influence The Use Of Auditory Vigilance By Mule Deer, Emma Lynch, Joseph M. Northrup, Megan F. Mckenna, Charles R. Anderson Jr, Lisa Angeloni, George Wittemyer

United States National Park Service: Publications

While visual forms of vigilance behavior and their relationship with predation risk have been broadly examined, animals also employ other vigilance modalities such as auditory vigilance by listening for the acoustic cues of predators. Similar to the tradeoffs associated with visual vigilance, auditory behavior potentially structures the energy budgets and behavior of animals. The cryptic nature of auditory vigilance makes it difficult to study, but on-animal acoustical monitoring has rapidly advanced our ability to investigate behaviors and conditions related to sound. We utilized this technique to investigate the ways external stimuli in an active natural gas development field affect periodic …

Slides: Disappearing Roads--An Efd Project: An Exploration Into Low Impact And Efficient Gas Field Drilling, Charles Dolan

Best Practices for Community and Environmental Protection (October 14)

Presenter: Rich Haut, Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), for Dr. Charles Dolan, University of Wyoming, Environmentally Friendly Drilling Program

25 slides

Slides: A Case Study Of The Roan Plateau Area, Mary Viviano

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: Mary Viviano, EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.

14 slides

Slides: Summary: Sources Of Stress And The Changing Context Of Natural Resources Law And Policy In The New West, William R. Travis

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: Dr. William R. Travis, Department of Geography, University of Colorado at Boulder

43 slides

Slides: Lessons From The Pinedale Anticline Adaptive Management Process, Peter Aengst

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Peter Aengst, Regional Associate, The Wilderness Society, Northern Rockies Office

24 slides

Mule Deer Highway Mortality In Northeastern Utah: An Analysis Of Population-Level Impacts And A New Mitigative System, Mark E. Lehnert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rerouting highways to accommodate construction of the Jordanelle Reservoir in northeastern Utah caused a dramatic increase in vehicle collisions with mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). I evaluated the effectiveness of a new system of highway crosswalk structures installed to reduce deer losses and preserve seasonal migrations. In addition, I constructed computer simulation models to investigate how highway mortality has impacted the Jordanelle deer population.

The crosswalk system restricted deer crossings to specific, well-marked areas along highways where motorists could anticipate them. Subsequent to installation, mortality declined 42.3% and 36.8% along a four-lane and two-lane highway, respectively. I was unable …

Development And Validation Test Of A Mule Deer Habitat Rule, Glenn Gephart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A mathematical description of Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) habitat was developed and subjected to validation testing using correlation and multiple regression statistical techniques. Data were collected on a central Utah study area, which was divided into mountain and desert regions.

Data on deer utilization and several habitat components from 86 study plots visited in 1976 were used to develop a habitat rule. Data from 46 study plots visited in 1977 were used to test the accuracy of the rule. Deer utilization was determined from pellet group counts on 20 0.001 ha pellet plots at each …

Feeding Behavior Of Pen Reared Mule Deer Under Winter Range Conditions, Michael A. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the feeding responses of mule deer to a system of spring livestock grazing. The specific purposes were 1) to determine botanical composition of diets selected by mule deer on a winter range subjected to previous spring grazing by sheep compared to one with no sheep grazing and 2) to develop a basis for predicting selection of individual plants by deer, based on physical characteristics of the plants and the species and physical proximity of associated plants.

The study was conducted within the framework of a completely randomized experimental design with two treatments. Variables controlled for each unit …

Nebraska Deer, William Bailey Jr., George Schildman, Phillip Agee, C. G. Pritchard

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

IN COMMON with the experience of most states, Nebraska's deer herds were reduced to a very low level by excessive harvests in our early history. Most American big-game animals were overharvested in the early history of this nation because of commercialization. Buffalo were killed for their hides, deer for their meat. This slaughter continued as long as the hunter (or poacher) could sell his take at a profit. Modem game management and public opinion reversed this trend. Deer are on the way back all over America, and in some states the protection-complex was so strong that deer were restored to …