Deschutes County can step up to protect mule deer
Graphic created by the High Desert Museum
A loss of 56%
Central Oregon’s mule deer are in peril. It’s time to do something about it.
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are an iconic Central Oregon species. They spend the year traversing our geography, spending summers in the wooded high mountains, and winters in the sparse sagebrush of the high desert. Unfortunately, the cumulative effects of human activities on both private and public land in recent years have caused mule deer numbers to sharply decline.
A recent report from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reveals that mule deer populations in Deschutes County declined an alarming 56% since 2004. Mule deer need our help before it's too late.
New Data for Wildlife
In 2022, we have a huge opportunity to help mule deer. Deschutes County is updating its protections for mule deer on private land throughout the County.
The County’s current protections only apply to a small area based on outdated data from 30-years ago. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recently provided updated data to the County, showing that mule deer rely on a much larger area of the County.
Click on the map above to view a storymap that looks into each map in detail. Source: Deschutes County.
In 2022, Deschutes County will be asking for the public’s input on how much the County should do to protect mule deer from inappropriate development in certain habitat areas.
Restoring Wildlife Habitat
We support doing all we can to restore mule deer populations in Central Oregon and protect those who remain. At LandWatch, we are tracking the Wildlife Inventory Updates and will keep you alerted to opportunities for public input when the time comes.