Mule Deer Research Looks for Ways to Boost Herds in Southern BC

Welcome to Hunting & Fishing BC, my podcast about fishing, hunting and other wild pursuits in British Columbia and western Canada.

I’m Robert Koopmans and this week I talked Dr. Adam Ford and Chloe Wright, a PHd student. Both are wildlife researchers who work and study at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus in Kelowna. 

The two are currently halfway through an ambitious research project on southern B.C.’s mule deer. Using GPS collars and remote cameras, they are mapping movement patterns and ranges of mule deer across wide, diverse landscapes.

While the work is not yet complete, the research has already turned up several interesting insights about mule deer, including which of B.C.’s predators have the most apparent impact on deer herds. ,,,,

 Already, the work is clearly showing the importance of habitat, as the GPS tracks collected so far show deer often move long distances — as much as 100 kilometres — between summer and winter ranges, using predictable migration routes. 

 I talked with the two researchers about many aspects of their research, including how it might one day be used to benefit deer populations…

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 Thanks for listening to this week’s episode. If you want to share a thought, send me an email at [email protected]. I’m Robert Koopmans, thanks again, and we’ll catch you next time.

 Learn more about the project here: https://bcwf.bc.ca/initiatives/mule-deer-project/