ODFW release – SALEM, Ore.—ODFW staff will host another webinar about its rewrite of the Mule Deer Management Plan Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. Watch it and participate via the Mule Deer Plan webpage. The topic of the webinar will be Chapter 6 – Nutrition and Habitat and Chapter 7 – Parasites and Disease. Draft chapters discussing these topics are available online at the Plan webpage to read now (sign up to get notified when new chapters available). Habitat is the strongest limiting factor on mule deer population size and distribution. Chapter 6 of the Draft Plan discusses habitat challenges encountered by mule deer (including drought/climate change, post-wildfire conversion of shrub communities to non-native invasive grasses, changes in forest management) and strategies to address these challenges. Chapter 7 discusses current and potential threats from disease and parasites to mule deer, including Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) which is considered the most significant infectious disease impacting deer in North America. CWD has never been detected in Oregon but was found in Northern Idaho near Oregon’s border in 2021. Strategies like increased monitoring can help detect CWD and other diseases early. People who are interested are encouraged to tune in and submit questions/comments before, during and after the webinar using this form or by emailing odfw.muledeerplan@odfw.oregon.gov The webinar will begin with wildlife biologists presenting information and followed by a Q and A session with biologists answering questions submitted by the public. The webinar will be recorded and saved to YouTube for those who are unable to view the livestream.
