DOW Research Update on Mule Deer Study

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KREMMLING, Colo – Sportsmen and members of the public interested in an update on a multiyear study of buck mule deer survival in Middle Park are invited to attend upcoming meetings hosted by the Colorado Division of Wildlife in Kremmling and Granby.

Lead researcher Eric Bergman will explain progress on the study, which has collared 100 bucks so far. Bergman will describe the collaring process and how the information gained from those deer will improve the Division's ability to manage deer populations around the state by improving population models and informing harvest decisions.

Two public information sessions are planned:

Granby, Tuesday, Feb. 1 - 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Granby Community Center.

Kremmling, Wednesday, Feb. 2 - 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Blue Valley Sportsman Club (located 11 miles south of Kremmling on Highway 9).

Management of deer populations has become more complicated since the state responded to mule deer population declines by moving from over-the-counter deer licenses to limited licenses in 1999. The state's numerous deer herds are managed at a smaller scale and gender ratios and license numbers are more tightly monitored.

During the initial two to three years of the study, the Division will establish a baseline by monitoring mule deer in Middle Park. Then the Division will temporarily adjust the allocation of hunting licenses in the area in an effort to change the ratio of bucks to does in the herd. During this period, Bergman and his team of researchers will monitor the population to assess how the license allocation actually affects the population of deer in the area.

"It's extremely important for managers to know if there are differences between survival rates of bucks, does and fawns when we manage herds for different objectives," said Bergman. "For instance, in some areas we may be managing for a post-hunt ratio of 45 bucks per 100 does while in other areas we may be managing for a post-hunt ratio of 25 bucks per 100 does. We've learned that we can effectively accomplish this, but we don't know if the over-winter survival of bucks under these two conditions is different."

More information about the Division's mule deer research may be found at:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Research/Mammal/Deer/

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