Mule Deer Conservation: Issues and Management Challenges

The goal of this book is to summarize and synthesize the available information on mule deer ecology and management into a useful reference document.  Advances in technology combined with more sophisticated experimental design has added considerable insight to the foundations of mule deer ecology described in the classic “Mule and black-tailed deer of North America” edited by O. C. Wallmo and published in 1981.  Integration of new information into management approaches, accompanied by proper evaluation, has assisted in fine-tuning management strategies to provide for healthy mule deer populations throughout the western states and provinces.

 

The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies created the Mule deer working group in 1998 to address concerns about the long-term decline in mule deer numbers. The group, consisting of wildlife biologists from western states and Canadian provinces, has collectively pooled the available scientific knowledge on all aspects of mule deer biology and ecology into one source.

 

This book is organized into nine chapters, with 8 chapters reviewing the major influences on mule deer and one chapter examining the critically important area of data collection and use.  With chapters written and reviewed by 20 active mule deer managers and researchers; the information is as timely as one can hope for.

 

The mule deer has become a symbol of the West because the species spans the West from Mexico well into Canada.  The continuing evolution of western land management requires that wildlife managers anticipate these changes in land use and make recommendations based on the best science available.  Emergence of new issues will require continued emphasis on both population and habitat monitoring.  This text will certainly contribute to the body of scientific information used by managers, researchers and mule deer enthusiasts.

 

Click HERE to print an order form