Migration Routes of Mule Deer in the Dubois Herd in Wyoming

Mule deer within the Dubois herd make several long-distance migrations into the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (fig. 26). These migrations originate from winter range in the warm, protected sagebrush valley surrounding Dubois, Wyoming, and extend to the southeast on the Wind River Reservation. Each spring, an estimated 6,000–7,000 deer leave this valley and the Reservation and migrate northwest. These journeys, averaging 44 mi one way, begin as deer ascend Togwotee Pass (9,658 ft [m 2,944] in elevation). From there, they cross challenging natural terrain with high mountain passes and disperse into the north Wind River Range, Gros Ventre Range, Absaroka Range, Grand Teton National Park, and deep into Yellowstone National Park. The longest migration is 105 mi (169 km) and ends in Yellowstone National Park. This deer herd encounters a number of challenges related to human activity such as housing developments on the outskirts of Dubois, roads, and fences. Deer-vehicle collisions along U.S. Highway 287/U.S. Route 26 are a particular concern and a priority for mitigation measures that reduce deer mortality and improve motorist safety. These data provide the location of migration routes for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Dubois herd in Wyoming. They were developed from Brownian bridge movement models using 108 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 41 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2-8 hours.

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