Influences of Cropland on Mule Deer Movement, Demography, and Nutritional Indices in the Texas PanhandleStudents: Calvin Ellis (MS), Levi Heffelfinger (PhD)
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Mule deer are seemingly doing well in the Texas Panhandle; however, the region consists of ever-changing amounts of row-crop farming amid the threat of a rapidly depleting Ogallala Aquifer. Since 2015, we have been evaluating movement and population metrics of nearly 150 GPS-collared mule deer in these cropland habitats to better understand how row-crop farming plays a role in population dynamics. Results will aid the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and landowners on how to properly manage mule deer and what to expect in the future as this dynamic landscape continues to change.
PublicationsHeffelfinger, L. J., D. G. Hewitt, R. W. DeYoung, T. E. Fulbright, L. A. Harveson, W. C. Conway, S. S. Gray. 2023. Shifting Agriculture and a Depleting Aquifer: Implications of Row-Crop Farming on Mule Deer Population Performance. Animal Production Science 63:1633-1647.
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