Overview of the Starkey Project: mule deer and elk research for management benefits.

Abstract

Managers have long been concerned about the welfare of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and elk (Cervus elaphus) on public lands in the western United States. These two species generate millions of dollars annually to state wildlife agencies from sales of hunting licenses, and elk viewing generates millions of additional dollars to local and regional economies (Bolon 1994, Bunnell et al. 2002). By contrast, the potential for elk and mule deer to compete with livestock, to damage agricultural crops and to modify plant succession make the two species obvious sources of controversy among private and public land managers.

Citation

Wisdom, Michael J.; Rowland, Mary M.; Johnson, Bruce K.; Dick, Brian L. 2004. Overview of the Starkey Project: mule deer and elk research for management benefits. In: Transactions of the 69th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference: 455-474