ODFW release – SALEM, Ore. – ODFW staff will host a webinar about the revision of the state’s Mule Deer Management Plan on April 17 at 6 p.m. The webinar will be livestreamed on YouTube and the Mule Deer Management Plan Page, https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/management_plans/mule_deer/index.asp. Questions and comments about the mule deer plan must be submitted in advance of the webinar using the Provide your input link on the mule deer plan web page. During the webinar, wildlife biologists will address public comments and discuss key topics such as herd range scale for mule deer population monitoring and management. The webinar will be recorded for those who are unable to view the livestream. It will cover information found in the first three chapters recently released on ODFW’s website: 1) Introduction, Goals and Objectives, 2) Oregon Mule Deer Distribution and History, and 3) Mule Deer Biology and Ecology. Staff will also cover the Herd Range Technical Report and general information about upcoming chapters and section releases. A highlight of the new Plan will be management based on more biologically meaningful herd ranges, which are based on ODFW’s extensive research of mule deer movements across eastern Oregon. Wildlife management units created in the 1950s are no longer adequate for mule deer management based on their current movements and behavior. “The delineation of herd ranges means survey data collected during winter will apply to the same populations as hunter harvest reports from summer-autumn,” said Josh Smith, ODFW Acting Mule Deer Coordinator who is leading the effort to write the plan. “This approach is critical for developing appropriate management recommendations.” ODFW staff plan to host additional webinars as more chapters or sections are released for review. Sign up for email updates to keep in contact with ODFW staff working on the mule deer plan update.
