Mule Deer Survival in Agricultural Landscapes Reveals Impact of Land-Use Practices

Strategic Insights -

Mule deer populations face significant challenges in agricultural landscapes dominated by cereal grain crops like winter wheat. Research from Washington State University highlights the crucial role of fawn survival in shaping population dynamics, with food quality and cover quality being critical factors. The study found that maternal females selected habitat features with more vertical structure, such as shrubs and trees, while fawns preferred bed sites with greater overhead canopy cover. The findings suggest that increasing the prevalence of quality shrubs and trees and supporting cropland restoration programs like the Conservation Reserve Program could benefit mule deer populations.

Key Takeaways:

  • Fawn survival is a critical component of population dynamics in wild ungulates like mule deer.
  • Habitat features like food quality and cover quality can significantly influence fawn survival.
  • Maternal females in the study selected habitat features with more vertical structure, such as shrubs and trees.
  • Fawns preferred bed sites with greater overhead canopy cover, especially when provided by woody shrubs and trees.
  • Agriculture was the lowest ranked land cover type in terms of selection, suggesting that mule deer populations benefit from non-agricultural habitats.
  • Intact shrubland and grassland were higher ranked than restored versions through the Conservation Reserve Program.
  • The study suggests that increasing quality shrubs and trees and supporting cropland restoration programs like CRP could benefit mule deer populations.

Statistics:

  • 27% of bed sites were in growing wheat.
  • 57 maternal females were examined for fawn searches and parturition dates.
  • 47 fawns were used to create a Resource Selection Function and measure land cover.
  • 6000 km^2 was the size of the agricultural landscape studied.
  • 27% of bed sites were in growing wheat.

Sources:

  • Washington State University. Early fawn-rearing habitat of mule deer in an agricultural landscape. Ecosphere, 2025,16(9):n/a-n/a. (Ecosphere - http://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2150-8925).
  • NewsRx LLC. Washington State University Researchers Publish Findings in Agriculture (Early fawn-rearing habitat of mule deer in an agricultural landscape). Agriculture Week. October 16, 2025; p 922.