Key Findings
UNH researchers identified an unprecedented migratory distance of 300 kilometers in an adult male white-tailed deer, with implications for population management and the spread of chronic wasting disease in the species.
About the CO-Author
Rem Moll, Assistant Professor of Natural Resources and the Environment
Contact information: Remington.Moll@UNH.edu, 603-862-3054, Moll Lab website
This research first published in Ecology and Evolution.
Researchers: R. Moll, J. Mcroberts, J. Millspaugh, J. Wiskirchen, J. Sumners, J. Isabelle, B. Keller, R. Montgomery
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) have unveiled a groundbreaking finding pertaining to the migratory behavior of adult male white-tailed deer. A study led by Remington Moll, assistant professor of wildlife ecology, discovered a record-breaking travel distance of 300 kilometers (approximately 200 miles) within a three-week period.
The research, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, holds significant implications for population management and the transmission of chronic wasting disease. Research into deer migration is also essential to the deer hunting industry, which involves nearly 8 million American participants and contributes over $20 billion to the U.S. economy.
“It looks like someone took the GPS collar and drove across the state of Missouri.”
Professor Moll's discovery emerged during the analysis of data obtained from GPS radio collars attached to more than 600 deer in Missouri. The remarkable movement pattern observed initially puzzled the team, leading them to question the integrity of the data. To authenticate their findings, Professor Moll and his coauthors conducted an extensive survey of scientific literature to identify other instances of long-distance travel, known as dispersals, among white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Amongst these documented occurrences, the deer designated N17003 surpassed all others by a substantial margin of 174 kilometers.
The significance of these findings extends beyond the sheer range covered by the deer. N17003 ventured an impressive distance equivalent to the span between New York City and Baltimore, specifically journeying between the towns of Stanbury and Paris in Missouri. Notably, adult male white-tailed deer typically exhibit sedentary behavior, differing from their juvenile counterparts who seek more favorable breeding opportunities through mobility. Between November 4 and 22, 2017, N17003 crossed a major river seven times, an interstate highway, a railroad, and eight state highways during its travels.
The motivation behind this exceptional journey raises intriguing questions. Professor Moll speculates that hunting may have played a role, given N17003's nocturnal swiftness and daytime concealment behavior. Deer possess an awareness of hunting seasons, often responding to the sound of gunshots and recalling past experiences. Consequently, they occasionally relocate to areas where hunting is prohibited.
Understanding the distance and manner in which deer travel holds critical importance for species management and the control of chronic wasting disease, a fatal neurological condition transmitted through direct contact between deer and environmental factors. The observation of deer crossing county or state lines emphasizes the necessity of coordinated regional management efforts.
Funding was provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the University of Montana.
