CPW Mule Deer Shapefile Download

Updated December, 2025 CONCENTRATION AREA: Part of the Overall Range where higher quality habitat supports significantly higher densities than surrounding areas. These areas are typically occupied year round and are not necessarily associated with a specific season. Includes rough break country, riparian areas, small drainages, and large areas of irrigated cropland. HIGHWAY CROSSING: Areas where mule deer movements traditionally cross roads or railroads, presenting potential conflicts between mule deer and motorists/trains (more than six highway mortalities per mile of highway or railroad per year is a guide that may be used to indicate highway crossings). LIMITED USE AREA: An area within the Overall Range of mule deer that is only occasionally inhabited and/or contains only a small population of scattered mule deer. MIGRATION CORRIDORS: Specific geographic area that facilitates movement between seasonal ranges and receives higher use than the surrounding landscape, relative to herd or population use, and loss of which would disrupt migration. Starting in 2023 and moving forward, Brownian bridge model of movement data, where available, will be included in this layer. This represents a change in the methodology from how these data had previously been generated. MIGRATION PATTERNS: A subjective indication of the general direction of the movements of migratory ungulate herds. OVERALL RANGE: Area which encompasses all known seasonal activity areas within the observed range of a mule deer population. RESIDENT POPULATION AREA: Area that provides year-round range for a population of mule deer. The resident mule deer use all of the area all year; it cannot be subdivided into seasonal ranges although it may be included within the overall range of the larger population. SEVERE WINTER RANGE: Part of Overall Range where 90% of the individuals are located when the annual snowpack is at its maximum and/or temperatures area at a minimum in the two worst winters out of ten. SUMMER RANGE: Part of the Overall Range where 90% of the individuals are located between spring green-up and the first heavy snowfall. Summer Range is not necessarily exclusive of Winter Range; in some areas Winter Range and Summer Range may overlap. WINTER CONCENTRATION AREA: Part of the Winter Range where densities area at least 200% greater than the surrounding Winter Range density during the same period used to define Winter Range in the average five winters out of ten. WINTER RANGE: Part of the Overall Range where 90% of the individuals are located during the average five winters out of ten from the first heavy snowfall to spring green-up, or during site specific period of winter as defined for each Data Analysis Unit. Winter Range is only delineated for migratory populations. On the Eastern Plains Winter Range is defined as areas that provide thermal cover for deer. Examples are riparian areas dominated by trees and shrubs, areas of pinyon/juniper, topographic cover such as gullies, draws, canyons, shelter belts and CRP fields that provide adequate cover. This information was derived from Colorado Parks and Wildlife field personnel. Data was captured by digitizing through a SmartBoard Interactive Whiteboard using topographic maps and NAIP imagery at various scales (Cowardin, M., M. Flenner. March 2003. Maximizing Mapping Resources. GeoWorld 16(3):32-35). These data are updated on a four year rotation with one of the four Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regions updated each year. These data are not updated on a statewide level annually.