Project Details

Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.

The overall goal of this graduate project is to determine the efficacy of using translocation as a method of urban deer control by determining the survival rate of translocated deer, cost per deer of capture across multiple capture techniques, and assessing the change in urban deer populations by looking at changes in deer vehicle collisions and public perceptions.  
1.	Evaluate the efficacy of translocation as a management tool to reduce human-wildlife conflicts with urban mule deer
a.	Design and administer a survey questionnaire to determine public perceptions of urban deer pre-and post-treatment
b.	Assess the change in number of deer-vehicle collisions in the city before and after the translocation study
2.	Estimate and compare the annual survival rate of translocated urban mule deer at two different release sites
a.	Make additional comparisons to other translocation studies and estimates of wild deer survival in the vicinity of the release locations
3.	Calculate the cost per deer of capture using varied capture methods
4.	Assess the body condition of captured urban deer 
a.	Compare body condition to wild mule deer in Utah
b.	Examine the effect of body condition at capture on post-release survival probability

Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.

LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.

TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.

List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.

If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.

Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.

Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.

During winter 2014--2015, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) will remove 200 adult does and buck mule deer from Bountiful, Utah, adjacent cities and other suburban areas along the Wasatch Front and release 100 in the Raft River Mountains in Box Elder County and 100 in Big Wash in Duchesne County.  Capture start date will be dependent upon the first significant snowfall and will continue until conditions warm and snow melts.  
The UDWR will capture deer using multiple techniques including drop net, clover trap, drive net and canister net.  Traps will be baited and set in the evenings and checked at first light.  When traps are checked and nets are deployed, division personnel and volunteers will manually restrain deer until they are hobbled and blindfolded.  Animals will be placed in sternal or left lateral recumbency to prevent bloat. The heart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature will be monitored and recorded approximately every 5 minutes throughout processing. At rectal temperatures > 104F, animals will be cooled by applying ice bags, water, or alcohol to the neck, chest and abdomen. All bucks will have their antlers removed to ensure the safety of animal handlers and that of the animal. Deer will then be aged, sexed, weighed assessed for body condition (Riney 1960, Cook et al. 2010) and have measurements of the metatarsus and chest girth taken (Parker 1987). A blood sample may be taken by venipuncture. All deer will receive a numbered ear tag; yearling and adult deer will also be tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) by a rectal biopsy and fitted with a radio collar (does) or ear tag radio transmitter (bucks).  
To complete CWD testing, a liberal amount of analgesic cream will be applied to the anus of each animal immediately upon arrival.  A rectal speculum will be inserted into the anus.  A 1x1 cm piece of the rectal mucosa will be extracted and placed into a tissue cassette and fixed in formalin.  Gauze will be placed over the extraction site.  New gloves and disposable speculums, forceps, tweezers and iris scissors will be used on each animal to prevent transmission of disease. All deer will receive an injection of FlunixiJect (Flunixin meglumine, 2.2 mg/kg intramuscularly) to reduce pain and stiffness and be given Ivomec (Ivermectin, 0.2 mg/kg subcutaneously), an antiparasitic.  Chemical immobilization drugs will be used on a very limited basis for individual deer which pose a risk to itself or others and will only be administered by trained DNR personnel.
Each deer will be loaded into a horse trailer or box and transported to the release location.  Deer may be taken from multiple trap locations to a central location and transferred to one trailer before being taken to release site.  Deer will be captured, processed, transported and released on the same day.  Release at the site will occur as quickly as possible to minimize time spent in the trailer.
Following release, the graduate student will monitor for radio signals at least once a month over the course of two years to determine survival.  Monitoring will be conducted by fixed-wing aircraft every other month and on the ground as needed. All mortality signals will be found as soon as possible so collars can be retrieved and necessary data can be collected at the scene.
During year two of the study beginning winter of 2015--2016, another round of trapping will commence at the first significant snowfall and continue until snow melt.  Procedures will be similar to those outlined for year 1.

Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.

Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.

List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.

Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.

Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.