ODFW: Upcoming Mule Deer Plan webinar focuses on predation, harvest management

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff will host a webinar about its rewrite of the Mule Deer Management Plan on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m., focused on chapters about predation and harvest management.

Watch the webinar, read these chapters and participate via the Mule Deer Plan webpage. Comments and questions can be submitted from the page.

The webinar will begin with wildlife biologists presenting information, followed by a Q&A session based on comments and questions received. It will be recorded and saved to YouTube for those who are unable to view the livestream.

The influence of predation on deer populations is complex, and the effects can vary widely depending on a number of factors. Habitat selection, body size, nutritional condition, social organization, and young rearing behavior all play a role in how vulnerable deer are to predators. For example, fawns are most vulnerable to predation, and an individual deer that is malnourished or diseased is more likely to be killed by a predator.

The draft Plan focuses on research and monitoring efforts to determine the level of predation and how that rate is impacted by other factors, as well as what ODFW has learned from past predator removal studies and efforts.

The Harvest Management chapter reviews the background of mule deer hunting in the state, as well as the goals and future direction of harvest allocation in the state.

Find more information at the Mule Deer Plan webpage, https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/management_plans/mule_deer/index.asp