Mule Deer Mt Borah Migration Map and Statistics

This analysis uses location data collected on mule deer that were fitted with GPS collars in Idaho for 2003 – 2019. Individuals using a winter range (as defined as a winter herd), were used for the analysis if their location data was available at the time of the analysis. Each individual’s location dataset is used to estimate winter and summer ranges, and seasonal spring and fall migration using net-squared displacement techniques (Bunnefeld et al. 2011). Fall and spring migration locations are used for the migration route analysis. After individual mule deer spring and fall migration locations are determined, a Brownian Bridge Movement Model (BBMM, Horne et al. 2007) is used to estimate the individuals Utilized Distribution (UD) during the seasonal migrations. Depending of the frequency of the location data, either a BBMM or a Forced Motion Variance model (FMV) are used as an estimate of that season’s migration UD. If locations collected at a < 7hr schedule, the migration used BBMM modeling techniques. If the schedule was greater than 7 hrs a FMV modeling technique was used (Fatteberge et al, in review). Further, FMV techniques that allowed for a 14 hour gap in location schedule were preferred over FMV models that used a maximum of 27 hr gap. When an individual had several seasonal migrations, the resulting UDs distributions are combined and averaged to create a single UD of all the seasonal migrations conducted by that individual. Individual UDS are then combined for all individuals in the winter herd with available UD information. For migration routes, the following classes were delineated based on the area’s use across the winter herd, used by 1 individual, used by 2individuals to 10% of the winter herd, 10 to 20% use of the winter herd, and greater than 20% use by the winter herd. The combined individual UDS are aggregated to estimate winter herd stopover locations. From the combined winter herd UD, the top 10% of recorded values are selected to represent population level stopovers. *** The Mount Borah mule deer seasonal migration analysis is limited by the number individuals such that only 10 to 20%, and greater than 20% migration route use could be classified. It is likely that IDFG will update mapped migration routes as additional spatial and temporal data becomes available. Mt. Borah Migration Statistics: Analyzed/Prepared by: Jodi Berg and Scott Bergen December 2019 Spatial Metrics: Average length of Migration: 48.9 miles Maximum Migration Length: 73.4 miles Minimum Migration Length: 27.8 miles Total Migrations Analyzed: 27 Total Number of Individuals: 12 Total Number Spring Migrations: 18 Total Number Fall Migrations: 9 Of 27 individual seasonal migrations none used Brownian bridge movement models, 2 used forced motion variance (1000m) with a 14 hour time-lag, and 25 used force motion variance (1000M) with a 27 hour time-lag. Temporal Data: Extent of Study: April 22 2017 to December 31 2018 Spring Migration Fall Migration Start Date Average April 17 November 22 Minimum March 25 October 2 Maximum May 15 January 12 End Date Average May 27 December 23 Minimum May 12 November 20 Maximum July 7 January 22 Duration Average 39.4 days 31 days Minimum 7 days 8.1 days Maximum 62.8 days 63.3 days Migration Use Class Statistics: Migration Use Class: Acres 1 individual 403,054 >2 indv – 10% NA Medium (10-20%) 197,931 High (>20%) 76,089 Stopover 21,992