The Warner mule deer herd uses varying life history strategies corresponding with multiple migratory and nonmigratory tactics. Mule deer wintering near Warner Valley and Oregon Route 140 migrate west in spring to Bald Hills and higher elevations in the Warner Mountains, and nonmigratory deer reside along U.S. Highway 395. One GPS-collared mule deer migrated south from a winter range in Oregon to a summer range northwest of Mosquito Valley in northern Nevada. Habitats in this area vary widely. Winter and annual ranges largely consist of mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, A. tridentata wyomingensis (Wyoming sagebrush), low sagebrush, western juniper, and early shrub-tree habitats with patches of nonnative annual grasses. Summer ranges contain mixed-conifer forest or high desert sage-steppe habitats usually including western juniper, ponderosa pine, and quaking aspen with open sections of mixed sagebrush, wetlands, and early shrub-tree habitat. An individual mule deer wintering near Crump Lake in low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush-dominated habitats migrated north to a summer range on Hart Mountain characterized by mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and quaking aspen. Other mule deer winter to the north, near Lake Abert, where low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush compete with nonnative grasses. These mule deer migrate south to the Warner Mountains in spring, overlapping other Warner mule deer on their summer ranges. One mule deer migrated almost 54 mi (86 km)—the longest migration within the herd— along the ridge of the Warner Mountains, passing through these summer ranges to reach Turpin Ridge. The Warner mule deer herd faces several threats, including annual grass invasion and western juniper encroachment, as well as changing climate regimes that reduce forage quality and water availability. Predation, diseases such as epizootic hemorrhagic disease, and highways also contribute to mortality. Each year from 2010 to 2022, ODOT recorded on average 78.7 DVCs for a 30-mi (49-km) stretch of U.S. Highway 395, and an additional 10.7 DVCs for a 32-mi (51-km) section of Oregon Route 140 (ODOT, 2023). In 2010, the Mule Deer Initiative included the Warner WMU and since then, ODFW, BLM, and NRCS SGI have removed 49,940 acres (20,210 ha) of western juniper, treated 13,568 acres (5,491 ha) to eliminate invasive plants, and conducted prescribed burns on 13,002 acres (5,262 ha), along with other habitat improvement efforts (ODFW, 2015, 2020). The organizations also improved 7,018 acres (2,840 ha) of aspen stands by removing conifers, constructing fences to prevent livestock grazing, and using controlled burns to remove conifer slash. These mapping layers show the location of the stopovers for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Warner population in Oregon. They were developed from 47 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 17 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5-13 hours.

The Warner mule deer herd uses varying life history strategies corresponding with multiple migratory and nonmigratory tactics. Mule deer wintering near Warner Valley and Oregon Route 140 migrate west in spring to Bald Hills and higher elevations in the Warner Mountains, and nonmigratory deer reside along U.S. Highway 395. One GPS-collared mule deer migrated south from a winter range in Oregon to a summer range northwest of Mosquito Valley in northern Nevada. Habitats in this area vary widely. Winter and annual ranges largely consist of mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, A. tridentata wyomingensis (Wyoming sagebrush), low sagebrush, western juniper, and early shrub-tree habitats with patches of nonnative annual grasses. Summer ranges contain mixed-conifer forest or high desert sage-steppe habitats usually including western juniper, ponderosa pine, and quaking aspen with open sections of mixed sagebrush, wetlands, and early shrub-tree habitat. An individual mule deer wintering near Crump Lake in low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush-dominated habitats migrated north to a summer range on Hart Mountain characterized by mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and quaking aspen. Other mule deer winter to the north, near Lake Abert, where low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush compete with nonnative grasses. These mule deer migrate south to the Warner Mountains in spring, overlapping other Warner mule deer on their summer ranges. One mule deer migrated almost 54 mi (86 km)—the longest migration within the herd— along the ridge of the Warner Mountains, passing through these summer ranges to reach Turpin Ridge. The Warner mule deer herd faces several threats, including annual grass invasion and western juniper encroachment, as well as changing climate regimes that reduce forage quality and water availability. Predation, diseases such as epizootic hemorrhagic disease, and highways also contribute to mortality. Each year from 2010 to 2022, ODOT recorded on average 78.7 DVCs for a 30-mi (49-km) stretch of U.S. Highway 395, and an additional 10.7 DVCs for a 32-mi (51-km) section of Oregon Route 140 (ODOT, 2023). In 2010, the Mule Deer Initiative included the Warner WMU and since then, ODFW, BLM, and NRCS SGI have removed 49,940 acres (20,210 ha) of western juniper, treated 13,568 acres (5,491 ha) to eliminate invasive plants, and conducted prescribed burns on 13,002 acres (5,262 ha), along with other habitat improvement efforts (ODFW, 2015, 2020). The organizations also improved 7,018 acres (2,840 ha) of aspen stands by removing conifers, constructing fences to prevent livestock grazing, and using controlled burns to remove conifer slash. These mapping layers show the location of the migration corridors for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Warner population in Oregon. They were developed from 47 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 17 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5-13 hours.

The Warner mule deer herd uses varying life history strategies corresponding with multiple migratory and nonmigratory tactics. Mule deer wintering near Warner Valley and Oregon Route 140 migrate west in spring to Bald Hills and higher elevations in the Warner Mountains, and nonmigratory deer reside along U.S. Highway 395. One GPS-collared mule deer migrated south from a winter range in Oregon to a summer range northwest of Mosquito Valley in northern Nevada. Habitats in this area vary widely. Winter and annual ranges largely consist of mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, A. tridentata wyomingensis (Wyoming sagebrush), low sagebrush, western juniper, and early shrub-tree habitats with patches of nonnative annual grasses. Summer ranges contain mixed-conifer forest or high desert sage-steppe habitats usually including western juniper, ponderosa pine, and quaking aspen with open sections of mixed sagebrush, wetlands, and early shrub-tree habitat. An individual mule deer wintering near Crump Lake in low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush-dominated habitats migrated north to a summer range on Hart Mountain characterized by mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and quaking aspen. Other mule deer winter to the north, near Lake Abert, where low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush compete with nonnative grasses. These mule deer migrate south to the Warner Mountains in spring, overlapping other Warner mule deer on their summer ranges. One mule deer migrated almost 54 mi (86 km)—the longest migration within the herd— along the ridge of the Warner Mountains, passing through these summer ranges to reach Turpin Ridge. The Warner mule deer herd faces several threats, including annual grass invasion and western juniper encroachment, as well as changing climate regimes that reduce forage quality and water availability. Predation, diseases such as epizootic hemorrhagic disease, and highways also contribute to mortality. Each year from 2010 to 2022, ODOT recorded on average 78.7 DVCs for a 30-mi (49-km) stretch of U.S. Highway 395, and an additional 10.7 DVCs for a 32-mi (51-km) section of Oregon Route 140 (ODOT, 2023). In 2010, the Mule Deer Initiative included the Warner WMU and since then, ODFW, BLM, and NRCS SGI have removed 49,940 acres (20,210 ha) of western juniper, treated 13,568 acres (5,491 ha) to eliminate invasive plants, and conducted prescribed burns on 13,002 acres (5,262 ha), along with other habitat improvement efforts (ODFW, 2015, 2020). The organizations also improved 7,018 acres (2,840 ha) of aspen stands by removing conifers, constructing fences to prevent livestock grazing, and using controlled burns to remove conifer slash. These mapping layers show the location of the migration corridors for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Warner population in Oregon. They were developed from 47 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 17 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5-13 hours.

The Warner mule deer herd uses varying life history strategies corresponding with multiple migratory and nonmigratory tactics. Mule deer wintering near Warner Valley and Oregon Route 140 migrate west in spring to Bald Hills and higher elevations in the Warner Mountains, and nonmigratory deer reside along U.S. Highway 395. One GPS-collared mule deer migrated south from a winter range in Oregon to a summer range northwest of Mosquito Valley in northern Nevada. Habitats in this area vary widely. Winter and annual ranges largely consist of mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, A. tridentata wyomingensis (Wyoming sagebrush), low sagebrush, western juniper, and early shrub-tree habitats with patches of nonnative annual grasses. Summer ranges contain mixed-conifer forest or high desert sage-steppe habitats usually including western juniper, ponderosa pine, and quaking aspen with open sections of mixed sagebrush, wetlands, and early shrub-tree habitat. An individual mule deer wintering near Crump Lake in low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush-dominated habitats migrated north to a summer range on Hart Mountain characterized by mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and quaking aspen. Other mule deer winter to the north, near Lake Abert, where low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush compete with nonnative grasses. These mule deer migrate south to the Warner Mountains in spring, overlapping other Warner mule deer on their summer ranges. One mule deer migrated almost 54 mi (86 km)—the longest migration within the herd— along the ridge of the Warner Mountains, passing through these summer ranges to reach Turpin Ridge. The Warner mule deer herd faces several threats, including annual grass invasion and western juniper encroachment, as well as changing climate regimes that reduce forage quality and water availability. Predation, diseases such as epizootic hemorrhagic disease, and highways also contribute to mortality. Each year from 2010 to 2022, ODOT recorded on average 78.7 DVCs for a 30-mi (49-km) stretch of U.S. Highway 395, and an additional 10.7 DVCs for a 32-mi (51-km) section of Oregon Route 140 (ODOT, 2023). In 2010, the Mule Deer Initiative included the Warner WMU and since then, ODFW, BLM, and NRCS SGI have removed 49,940 acres (20,210 ha) of western juniper, treated 13,568 acres (5,491 ha) to eliminate invasive plants, and conducted prescribed burns on 13,002 acres (5,262 ha), along with other habitat improvement efforts (ODFW, 2015, 2020). The organizations also improved 7,018 acres (2,840 ha) of aspen stands by removing conifers, constructing fences to prevent livestock grazing, and using controlled burns to remove conifer slash. These mapping layers show the location of the winter ranges for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Warner population in Oregon. They were developed from 85 winter sequences collected from a sample size of 32 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5-13 hours.

The Warner mule deer herd uses varying life history strategies corresponding with multiple migratory and nonmigratory tactics. Mule deer wintering near Warner Valley and Oregon Route 140 migrate west in spring to Bald Hills and higher elevations in the Warner Mountains, and nonmigratory deer reside along U.S. Highway 395. One GPS-collared mule deer migrated south from a winter range in Oregon to a summer range northwest of Mosquito Valley in northern Nevada. Habitats in this area vary widely. Winter and annual ranges largely consist of mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, A. tridentata wyomingensis (Wyoming sagebrush), low sagebrush, western juniper, and early shrub-tree habitats with patches of nonnative annual grasses. Summer ranges contain mixed-conifer forest or high desert sage-steppe habitats usually including western juniper, ponderosa pine, and quaking aspen with open sections of mixed sagebrush, wetlands, and early shrub-tree habitat. An individual mule deer wintering near Crump Lake in low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush-dominated habitats migrated north to a summer range on Hart Mountain characterized by mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and quaking aspen. Other mule deer winter to the north, near Lake Abert, where low sagebrush and Wyoming sagebrush compete with nonnative grasses. These mule deer migrate south to the Warner Mountains in spring, overlapping other Warner mule deer on their summer ranges. One mule deer migrated almost 54 mi (86 km)—the longest migration within the herd— along the ridge of the Warner Mountains, passing through these summer ranges to reach Turpin Ridge. The Warner mule deer herd faces several threats, including annual grass invasion and western juniper encroachment, as well as changing climate regimes that reduce forage quality and water availability. Predation, diseases such as epizootic hemorrhagic disease, and highways also contribute to mortality. Each year from 2010 to 2022, ODOT recorded on average 78.7 DVCs for a 30-mi (49-km) stretch of U.S. Highway 395, and an additional 10.7 DVCs for a 32-mi (51-km) section of Oregon Route 140 (ODOT, 2023). In 2010, the Mule Deer Initiative included the Warner WMU and since then, ODFW, BLM, and NRCS SGI have removed 49,940 acres (20,210 ha) of western juniper, treated 13,568 acres (5,491 ha) to eliminate invasive plants, and conducted prescribed burns on 13,002 acres (5,262 ha), along with other habitat improvement efforts (ODFW, 2015, 2020). The organizations also improved 7,018 acres (2,840 ha) of aspen stands by removing conifers, constructing fences to prevent livestock grazing, and using controlled burns to remove conifer slash. These mapping layers show the location of the winter ranges for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Warner population in Oregon. They were developed from 85 winter sequences collected from a sample size of 32 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5-13 hours.

The Sumpter mule deer herd includes resident and migratory individuals. Mule deer wintering near Oregon Route 244 and La Grande, Oregon, migrate south to Wolf Creek, Glass Hill, and Elkhorn Ridge in spring. Although mixed-conifer forest and ponderosa pine dominate seasonal ranges for these mule deer, winter ranges contain more sagebrush grassland and summer ranges contain more riparian and early shrub-tree habitats. Other mule deer wintering in patches of big sagebrush mixed with conifer, ponderosa pine, western juniper, and quaking aspen forests near North Powder Valley and Powder River also migrate to Elkhorn Ridge for the summer. Some mule deer along Burnt River, where winter ranges are characterized by big sagebrush, western juniper, and grassland, migrate south to areas with more mixed-conifer forest and invasive annual grasses near Monument Rock and Willow Creek in spring. Other mule deer either migrate north or west to Austin, Oregon, and Oregon Route 7, where big sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, mixed-conifer forest, and ponderosa pine are common. Some of these mule deer travel as far north as Elkhorn Ridge and Wolf Creek. In 2015, the Cornet-Windy fire burned 56,766 acres (22,972 ha) of forested summer range near Oregon Route 245 (BLM, 2023a), improving browse quality but potentially reducing shelter by decreasing canopy cover. Highways are a significant cause of mortality in this area; for example, Interstate 84 had an annual average of 162 DVCs from 2010 to 2022 along a 100-mile (161-km) section (ODOT, 2023). No GPS-collared mule deer successfully crossed Interstate 84 although multiple seasonal ranges and migrations closely bound the highway, indicating a possible loss of historical migration routes. These mapping layers show the location of the stopovers for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Sumpter population in Oregon. They were developed from 154 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 53 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5-13 hours.

The Sumpter mule deer herd includes resident and migratory individuals. Mule deer wintering near Oregon Route 244 and La Grande, Oregon, migrate south to Wolf Creek, Glass Hill, and Elkhorn Ridge in spring. Although mixed-conifer forest and ponderosa pine dominate seasonal ranges for these mule deer, winter ranges contain more sagebrush grassland and summer ranges contain more riparian and early shrub-tree habitats. Other mule deer wintering in patches of big sagebrush mixed with conifer, ponderosa pine, western juniper, and quaking aspen forests near North Powder Valley and Powder River also migrate to Elkhorn Ridge for the summer. Some mule deer along Burnt River, where winter ranges are characterized by big sagebrush, western juniper, and grassland, migrate south to areas with more mixed-conifer forest and invasive annual grasses near Monument Rock and Willow Creek in spring. Other mule deer either migrate north or west to Austin, Oregon, and Oregon Route 7, where big sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, mixed-conifer forest, and ponderosa pine are common. Some of these mule deer travel as far north as Elkhorn Ridge and Wolf Creek. In 2015, the Cornet-Windy fire burned 56,766 acres (22,972 ha) of forested summer range near Oregon Route 245 (BLM, 2023a), improving browse quality but potentially reducing shelter by decreasing canopy cover. Highways are a significant cause of mortality in this area; for example, Interstate 84 had an annual average of 162 DVCs from 2010 to 2022 along a 100-mile (161-km) section (ODOT, 2023). No GPS-collared mule deer successfully crossed Interstate 84 although multiple seasonal ranges and migrations closely bound the highway, indicating a possible loss of historical migration routes. These mapping layers show the location of the stopovers for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Sumpter population in Oregon. They were developed from 154 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 53 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5-13 hours.

The Trout Creek mule deer herd is composed of residents and migrants that make short-range elevational migrations. Mule deer mainly winter at lower elevations surrounding Blue Mountain and the slopes of the Oregon Canyon Mountains. In spring, some of these mule deer migrate to higher elevations in the Oregon Canyon Mountains. Other members of the herd winter in the southwestern portion of the herd’s range, inhabiting areas near Hawks Mountain, the Pueblo Mountains, and the foothills of the Trout Creek Mountains. These mule deer migrate to summer ranges on the crests of Holloway Mountain and the Trout Creek Mountains. Notably, one mule deer formerly wintering on the Trout Creek Mountains migrated south from a summer range on the Nevada border to the Montana Mountains during the second documented winter before returning to Oregon in spring. Habitat on winter ranges consists of A. t. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) plant communities and non-native annual grasslands. Summer ranges consist mainly of native grasslands, mountain big sagebrush plant communities, and mountain shrub communities. The Trout Creek mule deer herd faces several threats, including summer wildfires, highway barriers, and competition for resources. In 2012, the Holloway fire burned 462,017 acres (186,972 ha) including most of the Trout Creek and Oregon Canyon Mountains, resulting in the temporary loss of shrub cover at higher elevations and conversion of native forbs and shrubland to invasive annual grasses at lower elevations. Although no migratory mule deer attempt to cross U.S. Highway 95, some resident mule deer have ranges spanning the busy highway, which had an AADT value of 2,095 vehicles in 2018. The Trout Creek mule deer herd also borders the Barren Creek Complex HMA to the north and the Beaty Butte HMA to the east (DOI and BLM, 2020; BLM 2022). The Barren Creek Complex HMA contains approximately 2,500 feral horses while the Beaty Butte HMA contains 463 horses. Both feral horse populations surpass the respective maximum appropriate management levels of 892 and 250 horses, respectively, suggesting that mule deer and horses compete for resources in the few areas where ranges overlap. These mapping layers show the location of the stopovers for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Trout Creek population in Oregon. They were developed from 40 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 10 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5 hours.

The Trout Creek mule deer herd is composed of residents and migrants that make short-range elevational migrations. Mule deer mainly winter at lower elevations surrounding Blue Mountain and the slopes of the Oregon Canyon Mountains. In spring, some of these mule deer migrate to higher elevations in the Oregon Canyon Mountains. Other members of the herd winter in the southwestern portion of the herd’s range, inhabiting areas near Hawks Mountain, the Pueblo Mountains, and the foothills of the Trout Creek Mountains. These mule deer migrate to summer ranges on the crests of Holloway Mountain and the Trout Creek Mountains. Notably, one mule deer formerly wintering on the Trout Creek Mountains migrated south from a summer range on the Nevada border to the Montana Mountains during the second documented winter before returning to Oregon in spring. Habitat on winter ranges consists of A. t. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) plant communities and non-native annual grasslands. Summer ranges consist mainly of native grasslands, mountain big sagebrush plant communities, and mountain shrub communities. The Trout Creek mule deer herd faces several threats, including summer wildfires, highway barriers, and competition for resources. In 2012, the Holloway fire burned 462,017 acres (186,972 ha) including most of the Trout Creek and Oregon Canyon Mountains, resulting in the temporary loss of shrub cover at higher elevations and conversion of native forbs and shrubland to invasive annual grasses at lower elevations. Although no migratory mule deer attempt to cross U.S. Highway 95, some resident mule deer have ranges spanning the busy highway, which had an AADT value of 2,095 vehicles in 2018. The Trout Creek mule deer herd also borders the Barren Creek Complex HMA to the north and the Beaty Butte HMA to the east (DOI and BLM, 2020; BLM 2022). The Barren Creek Complex HMA contains approximately 2,500 feral horses while the Beaty Butte HMA contains 463 horses. Both feral horse populations surpass the respective maximum appropriate management levels of 892 and 250 horses, respectively, suggesting that mule deer and horses compete for resources in the few areas where ranges overlap. These mapping layers show the location of the stopovers for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Trout Creek population in Oregon. They were developed from 40 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 10 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5 hours.

Most of the Southeast mule deer herd winters along the Owyhee River in regions containing sagebrush communities and Columbia Basin grassland mixed with non-native annual grasslands. These mule deer either migrate west to summer ranges on Road Canyon and Gravel Ridges or east to the Owyhee Mountains along the Idaho border, with one mule deer migrating as far as Bald Mountain, 38.3 mi (61.6 km) into Idaho. Summer ranges feature shrubland, Columbia Basin grasslands, western juniper, and evergreen forests. In 2014, the Buzzard Complex fires burned 398,596 acres (161,306 ha), including Road Canyon, allowing medusahead and other non-native grasses to invade areas with originally low perennial plant abundance. Five mule deer winter separately near U.S. Route 95, in areas containing higher percentages of western juniper. In the spring, they travel southeast into Nevada to summer on the Santa Rosa Range, with one mule deer migrating to the Tuscarora Mountains. Of the Southeast mule deer that were tracked for at least 100 days, 82 percent migrate seasonally, with several moving to summer ranges in different states, complicating issues of population management. The Southeast mule deer herd faces several challenges, including highways and the low abundance of preferred browse. The northeastern section of U.S. Route 95 had an AADT value of 2,007 vehicles in 2018 and intersects multiple migration corridors, with mule deer commonly crossing the highway along Succor Creek and Rock Creek Flat. In summer, Southeast mule deer spend more time in riparian zones and must compete with grazing cattle in the Owyhee Mountains for high-quality forage during drought years when natural water sources evaporate. These mapping layers show the location of the stopovers for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Southeast population in Oregon. They were developed from 140 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 37 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 5−13 hours.