Estimation of Mule Deer Population Size, Survival, and a Description of Movements in Rocky Mountain National Park
Conner MM. 2004. Estimation of Mule Deer Population Size, Survival, and a Description of Movements in Rocky Mountain National Park. Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO) biologists and wildlife managers were concerned that mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations were declining in the Estes Valley, which is winter range for ROMO deer. However, there were no data to document this purported decline in mule deer population sizes in the Estes Valley, only anecdotal field observations. To develop a deer management strategy, ROMO needed baseline information on their mule deer population. Deer were marked with visible collars and a mark-resight study was conducted in the winters of 2001, 2002, and 2003 to estimate annual wintering population size. Deer were radiocollared and located from June 2001 to June 2003 to estimate survival rates and describe movements of mule deer. Using field data, a population model was parameterized to explore dynamics of the Estes Valley mule deer population and help ROMO biologists to optimally plan future data collection efforts.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Conner, Mary
- Date of Issue
- 2004-03
- Units
- ROMO
- Keywords
- mark-resight, Mule Deer, Population Estimation, Survival Rates