Mule Deer On the Move

[MuleyMadness]

Mule deer translocation update for February 9th-February 15th

Additional lab results associated with translocated deer came back showing general agreement between the ultrasound assessment of pregnancy and a hormone test using blood. Because the initial capture (early January) was early term (conception in November or December associated with the rut(s), there was potential to miss pregnancies with the ultrasound. In summary, hormone tests suggest all but 5 of the 51 translocated deer were pregnant when captured. All but one of these was supected as open based on ultrasound. Thanks, Leslie! (Note from Lee; I understood they were all pregnant and have said so on this forum and others. I apologize for the error.)

We were unable to hear 1 resident deer with a suspect collar (weak signal) from the ground this week. We hiked into the area near the location we marked on the flight last week, but were unable to detect the signal. We also listened from different locations surrounding the area where she was located on the flight without success. As we move forward, we may only have sporadic contact with this deer on flights.

We had one translocated deer mortality this week. The deer died between Mon Feb 11th and Wed Feb 13th. Mountain lion tracks and caching of the carcass suggest cougar predation. This deer was found approximately .50 (1/2) miles east of the deer killed last week by a cougar and we suspect the same animal is responsible for both events. Both these deer were in dense junipers at higher levels than the majority of resident and other translocated deer which may have put them at increased risk of predation.

We've listened for radio signals 3 times since the last update and identified the general location of 48 of 49 resident deer (missing the resident deer with a weak signal) and 46 of 46 translocated deer.

We have continued to carefully (without disturbing them) observe translocated deer. We have now observed 15 different translocated deer. All but one of them has been associated with groups of resident deer. Although time intensive, we will continue these efforts over the next several weeks.

This week, we downloaded data from 5 GPS collars (3 translocated deer and 2 resident deer). These 5 GPS collars appear to be working well. Thanks to Kent for helping with remote downloads and initial programming of GPS collars. The attached .kmz file (Note from Lee; Not received in email) shows translocated deer are using the same general areas as resident deer, but their movements and habitat are more widespread and dispersed. Over the next couple of weeks, we will continue remote downloads (need to be within a few hundred meters between 6 am and noon) on remaining GPS collars (total GPS collars currently out = 18)

In summary, we've had six total mortalities (1 of 50 resident deer, 5 of 51 translocated deer). At least one of the translocated deer died of capture myopathy (106* temperature). forty eight resident deer (missing one with weak radio signal) and 46 translocated deer were alive and accounted for this week.

We urge caution when interpreting these results as they are only preliminary.

Thanks to all for continued interest and support.

Please forward to any that are interested.

David Smedley (BYU)

[MuleyMadness]

Fresh Cougar kill pics, to go along with previous post...

[swbuckmaster]

sounds like if they could get rid of the cougar that is eating them the transplant would have a chance of being a success.

However some of the deer pictured above look pretty skinny/hungry and the next 2 months will determine there success or failure inmho.

[codyca]

Thank you for sharing. This is very interesting to me.