Seasonal movements of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia

Abstract

Nineteen adult female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), fitted with very high frequency or global positioning system collars in the Rocky Mountains of southeast British Columbia, exhibited straight-line seasonal movements ranging from <4 km to 109 km. Movement was almost entirely along the floor of both low- and high-elevation valleys, although there was some use of mid-elevation mountainsides during early winter. Spatial locations of deer spanned 891–2234 m above sea level. Seasonal movements of these deer from a single winter range extended to two provinces, three national parks, one provincial park, non-park provincial Crown land, and private land. Deer populations with similar movement patterns may be most effectively managed by considering their extensive movements and coordinating approaches across jurisdictions.