The Cody elk herd migrates across rugged country on the eastern side of the Absaroka Mountains near Cody, WY. This large herd of 6,000-7,000 animals winters in foothill habitat to the south and west of Cody. There are three core winter areas, namely the valleys formed by the North and South Fork of the Shoshone River and the headwaters of the Greybull River north to Meeteetse creek. In spring, the elk that winter along the North Fork of the Shoshone generally follow the river west towards the park, some of them branching up Eagle Creek and other tributaries. The elk that winter in the South Fork of the Shoshone follow it upstream in spring, eventually heading west up Ishawooa Creek and into the Thorofare and Yellowstone National Park. The elk that winter in the upper Greybull River drainage also summer in the Thorofare, but their journey is more arduous. From winter range, they climb nearly 3,000 vertical feet, up and over Needle Mountain, before descending down to the Shoshone River, only to climb again out of the river up to the Thorofare for summer. Some animals in this herd make migrations as far as 117 miles, while others make shorter migration; the mean migration length is 58 miles. Like the Clarks Fork herd, this herd is also partially migratory, with resident animals typically exhibiting higher levels of calf recruitment. Since most of the migrations of this herd cross public forest and park land, the most pressing management issue is to maintain strong collaborative relationships with the large landowners that privately manage much of the winter range these elk return to each autumn. These data provide the location of migration routes for Elk (Cervus canadensis) in the Cody herd in Wyoming. They were developed from Brownian bridge movement models using 109 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 28 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2-8 hours.

Mule deer within the Clarks Fork herd make a number of significant westward long-distance migrations. These migrations originate north of Cody, near Heart Mountain and along the foothills of Absaroka Front. There, deer winter in the lower elevation sagebrush valleys, and in spring an estimated 2,700 deer head west into the high elevation mountain valleys of the Absaroka Range and Yellowstone National Park. This herd summers along the Lamar River, Cache Creek, and the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. The longest migration is 68 miles and ends just north of Yellowstone Lake along the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley. These challenging journeys, an average of 38 miles long, cross rugged terrain and steep mountain passes such as those at the head of Sunlight Creek at 11,400 feet in elevation. Deer must also navigate human-created obstacles such as fences and the Beartooth Highway (US Highway 212). These data provide the location of migration routes for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Clarks Fork population in Wyoming. They were developed from Brownian bridge movement models using 79 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 29 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2-8 hours.

Mule deer within the Clarks Fork herd make a number of significant westward long-distance migrations. These migrations originate north of Cody, near Heart Mountain and along the foothills of Absaroka Front. There, deer winter in the lower elevation sagebrush valleys, and in spring an estimated 2,700 deer head west into the high elevation mountain valleys of the Absaroka Range and Yellowstone National Park. This herd summers along the Lamar River, Cache Creek, and the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. The longest migration is 68 miles and ends just north of Yellowstone Lake along the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley. These challenging journeys, an average of 38 miles long, cross rugged terrain and steep mountain passes such as those at the head of Sunlight Creek at 11,400 feet in elevation. Deer must also navigate human-created obstacles such as fences and the Beartooth Highway (US Highway 212). These data provide the location of migration routes for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Clarks Fork population in Wyoming. They were developed from Brownian bridge movement models using 79 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 29 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2-8 hours.

Elk within the Clarks Fork herd migrate though some of the most rugged and remote terrain in the lower 48 states. The herd, which numbers around 3,000, winters in the Sunlight Basin and the Absaroka foothills just west of Cody, WY. Winter ranges are a mix of sagebrush hills and lodgepole pine forests, within expansive private ranchlands. During migration, animals travel an average one-way distance of 33 miles, with some animals migrating as far as 67 miles. Spring migrations off of winter range head west towards Yellowstone National Park, up several drainages that flow out of the Absaroka Mountains, including the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, Crandall Creek, and smaller creeks to the south. Summer ranges consist of alpine and subalpine meadows embedded within spruce-fir and lodgepole pine forest that are predominately within the Park. The Clarks Fork herd is partially migratory, with migrants and resident animals mixing on winter range (residents tend to winter along the foothills further east). Over the last decade, the migratory segment has seen poor recruitment due to drought and increased rates of predation by grizzly bears and wolves, while resident animals have been more productive and continue to expand to the east. Aside from the poor recruitment, the migrations are relatively safe because most of the routes traverse lands within the National Forest or National Park system. These data provide the location of winter ranges for elk (Bison bison) in Yellowstone National Park. They were developed from Brownian bridge movement models using 107 winter sequences collected from a sample size of 46 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2-8 hours.

Elk within the Clarks Fork herd migrate though some of the most rugged and remote terrain in the lower 48 states. The herd, which numbers around 3,000, winters in the Sunlight Basin and the Absaroka foothills just west of Cody, WY. Winter ranges are a mix of sagebrush hills and lodgepole pine forests, within expansive private ranchlands. During migration, animals travel an average one-way distance of 33 miles, with some animals migrating as far as 67 miles. Spring migrations off of winter range head west towards Yellowstone National Park, up several drainages that flow out of the Absaroka Mountains, including the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, Crandall Creek, and smaller creeks to the south. Summer ranges consist of alpine and subalpine meadows embedded within spruce-fir and lodgepole pine forest that are predominately within the Park. The Clarks Fork herd is partially migratory, with migrants and resident animals mixing on winter range (residents tend to winter along the foothills further east). Over the last decade, the migratory segment has seen poor recruitment due to drought and increased rates of predation by grizzly bears and wolves, while resident animals have been more productive and continue to expand to the east. Aside from the poor recruitment, the migrations are relatively safe because most of the routes traverse lands within the National Forest or National Park system. These data provide the location of winter ranges for elk (Bison bison) in Yellowstone National Park. They were developed from Brownian bridge movement models using 107 winter sequences collected from a sample size of 46 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2-8 hours.

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) within the Sheep Mountain herd winter in the East and Northeast foothills of the snowy range mountains in Southeastern Wyoming. The sheep mountain herd is mainly migratory with very few individuals staying on winter range year around. Winter ranges are a mix of grassland and sagebrush hills, often free of snow from wind. During migration, animals that have been tracked with GPS collars (n = 56 females) travel an average one-way distance of nearly 20 miles (32 km), with some animals migrating over 50 miles (80 km). The herd, which numbers around 7,600 has a variety of summer destinations. Some individuals migrate across the snowy range to the west. Others migrate into Colorado, summering in the Rawah mountains. Others migrate short distances into higher elevation foothills of the Snowy Range. Many individuals traverse the eastern front of the snowy range, particularly West of Sheep Mountain and West and Southwest of Jelm Mountain. Summer ranges generally consist of lodgepole pine forests inter-mixed with aspen and riparian habitats. The forests of these summer ranges have been severely impacted by bark beetle over the last decades. More recently, large forest fires have burned some of the summer ranges of this herd. Fawn recruitment most years meets the bare minimum needed for the population to remain stable. The majority of the herd residing north of highway 130 crosses Interstate 80 to access winter range. Successfully crossing Interstate 80 is essential to the persistence of these segments of the herd. Some crossing locations have been successfully mitigated, but most have not. Besides Interstate 80, urban development of private lands on winter range is a concern. Much of this herd’s summer range is on USFS and BLM lands, but most of their winter range is on private lands. In the southern portion of this herd there has been an expansion of housing development built in critical winter range habitats, which removes critical forage, adds stress, as well as increases disease transmission due to homeowners feeding wildlife. These data provide the location of migration routes for mule deer in the Sheep Mountain population in Wyoming. They were developed from 166 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 56 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2 hours.

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) within the Sheep Mountain herd winter in the East and Northeast foothills of the snowy range mountains in Southeastern Wyoming. The sheep mountain herd is mainly migratory with very few individuals staying on winter range year around. Winter ranges are a mix of grassland and sagebrush hills, often free of snow from wind. During migration, animals that have been tracked with GPS collars (n = 56 females) travel an average one-way distance of nearly 20 miles (32 km), with some animals migrating over 50 miles (80 km). The herd, which numbers around 7,600 has a variety of summer destinations. Some individuals migrate across the snowy range to the west. Others migrate into Colorado, summering in the Rawah mountains. Others migrate short distances into higher elevation foothills of the Snowy Range. Many individuals traverse the eastern front of the snowy range, particularly West of Sheep Mountain and West and Southwest of Jelm Mountain. Summer ranges generally consist of lodgepole pine forests inter-mixed with aspen and riparian habitats. The forests of these summer ranges have been severely impacted by bark beetle over the last decades. More recently, large forest fires have burned some of the summer ranges of this herd. Fawn recruitment most years meets the bare minimum needed for the population to remain stable. The majority of the herd residing north of highway 130 crosses Interstate 80 to access winter range. Successfully crossing Interstate 80 is essential to the persistence of these segments of the herd. Some crossing locations have been successfully mitigated, but most have not. Besides Interstate 80, urban development of private lands on winter range is a concern. Much of this herd’s summer range is on USFS and BLM lands, but most of their winter range is on private lands. In the southern portion of this herd there has been an expansion of housing development built in critical winter range habitats, which removes critical forage, adds stress, as well as increases disease transmission due to homeowners feeding wildlife. These data provide the location of migration routes for mule deer in the Sheep Mountain population in Wyoming. They were developed from 166 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 56 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2 hours.

Elk (Cervus elpahus canadensis) within the western section of the Bighorn Mountains display altitudinal migration. In the spring, they migrate from the western foothills up into the mountains, and in the fall, they head back down to lower elevations (fig. 70). The herd, which numbers around 2,700, winters along the western foothills of the Bighorn Mountains along the eastern section of the Bighorn Basin. Winter ranges are a mix of shrubs and herbaceous grasslands, largely supported by private and BLM land, though many individuals will remain within the boundaries of the Bighorn National Forest. During migration animals travel an average one way distance of 20 mi (32 km) ranging from as little as 5 mi (8 km) to as far as 74 mi (119 km). In spring, animals migrate off winter range and head east up the Bighorn Mountains. They traverse up the slopes generally following clearings in between extensive pine forests. Summer ranges consist of evergreen forests that are predominantly lodgepole pine with smaller areas of open herbaceous grasslands. The summer range is almost entirely within the Bighorn National Forest, but some individuals will summer in private land to the south. The population size of the herd has remained relatively steady over the last decade. While there is a higher concern for the animals on their winter range because it contains large areas of private land, their migration routes are much safer because they are relatively short, do not cross any highways and are for the most part within the Bighorn National Forest. These data provide the location of migration routes for elk in the Medicine Lodge population in Wyoming. They were developed from 52 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 19 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2 hours.

Elk (Cervus elpahus canadensis) within the western section of the Bighorn Mountains display altitudinal migration. In the spring, they migrate from the western foothills up into the mountains, and in the fall, they head back down to lower elevations (fig. 70). The herd, which numbers around 2,700, winters along the western foothills of the Bighorn Mountains along the eastern section of the Bighorn Basin. Winter ranges are a mix of shrubs and herbaceous grasslands, largely supported by private and BLM land, though many individuals will remain within the boundaries of the Bighorn National Forest. During migration animals travel an average one way distance of 20 mi (32 km) ranging from as little as 5 mi (8 km) to as far as 74 mi (119 km). In spring, animals migrate off winter range and head east up the Bighorn Mountains. They traverse up the slopes generally following clearings in between extensive pine forests. Summer ranges consist of evergreen forests that are predominantly lodgepole pine with smaller areas of open herbaceous grasslands. The summer range is almost entirely within the Bighorn National Forest, but some individuals will summer in private land to the south. The population size of the herd has remained relatively steady over the last decade. While there is a higher concern for the animals on their winter range because it contains large areas of private land, their migration routes are much safer because they are relatively short, do not cross any highways and are for the most part within the Bighorn National Forest. These data provide the location of migration routes for elk in the Medicine Lodge population in Wyoming. They were developed from 52 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 19 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2 hours.

Mule deer within the Dubois herd make several long-distance migrations into the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (fig. 26). These migrations originate from winter range in the warm, protected sagebrush valley surrounding Dubois, Wyoming, and extend to the southeast on the Wind River Reservation. Each spring, an estimated 6,000–7,000 deer leave this valley and the Reservation and migrate northwest. These journeys, averaging 44 mi one way, begin as deer ascend Togwotee Pass (9,658 ft [m 2,944] in elevation). From there, they cross challenging natural terrain with high mountain passes and disperse into the north Wind River Range, Gros Ventre Range, Absaroka Range, Grand Teton National Park, and deep into Yellowstone National Park. The longest migration is 105 mi (169 km) and ends in Yellowstone National Park. This deer herd encounters a number of challenges related to human activity such as housing developments on the outskirts of Dubois, roads, and fences. Deer-vehicle collisions along U.S. Highway 287/U.S. Route 26 are a particular concern and a priority for mitigation measures that reduce deer mortality and improve motorist safety. These data provide the location of migration routes for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Dubois herd in Wyoming. They were developed from Brownian bridge movement models using 108 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 41 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 2-8 hours.