Ecology of Deer on Devils Tower National Monument

Abstract

Currently, white-tailed (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (0. hemionus) use Devils Tower National Monument and adjacent private agricultural lands year round or migrate from the Monument to other areas. Construction of a game proof fence by adjoining landowners threatens to enclose Devils Tower National Monument. If this occurs, deer use of the Monument may be substantially altered and long­term management of the population may be faced with many of the problems associated with island reserves. National Park Service management policy charges the Monument to detect or predict changes in the natural resources under its stewardship. However, current deer use of the Monument is not well documented so that a baseline for monitoring long term changes is lacking. The University of Wyoming Department of Zoology and Physiology and the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, in cooperation with the University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center and Devils Tower National Monument, initiated a study in June 1990 to document the population and habitat ecology of white­tailed and mule deer on Devils Tower National Monument. Objectives of the study during this reporting period were to: 1. radio-collar a representative sample of the adult female population of deer 2. radio-locate adult does to identify daily and seasonal habitat use and movement patterns 3. determine seasonal deer densities on the Monument