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State Studies Mule Deer - Coyote Relationship

Photo by Mike Keller on 1-15-09, courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

A new study employing the cooperation of BYU and Utah State University researchers and state biologists proposes to answer the question just how many mule deer fawns each year are lost to coyotes.

The study will begin in June and take place on Monroe Mountain in Central Utah. Doe mule deer will be captured and fitted with radio collars and vaginal implant transmitters that will be ejected when they give birth. The transmitter will alert biologists of the time and general location of the herd's newest additions. Biologists will then attempt to fit the fawns with expandable radio collars in order to monitor how many survive the critical first 6 months of life.

Coyotes will also be fitted with collars to show researchers their location in relation to the baby deer.

The study is in need of volunteers. Interested parties should contact the Division of Wildlife Resources in Cedar City.

Chris Holmes holds a Masters of Professional Communication degree from Southern Utah University. While at SUU his work received numerous awards including the 2009 King Foundation Best of Festival Award in the National Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts. Chris is co-host of the daily public affairs program, Big Picture Morning Show on radio station KSUB (Cedar City, Utah). He also is a sports and news contributor at Cherry Creek Media. He lives in Cedar City, with wife, Marie and five children.