BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE OF MULE DEER TO A HIGHWAY UNDERPASS

A concrete box underpass 3.05 x 3.05 m (10 feet) and 30.48 m (100 feet) long under Interstate 70 in west central Colorado was monitored for deer use during four years following its completion in early 1970. A seasonal mean of 345.1 plus or minus 133.0 (50) mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) passed through the structure when moving to or from their summer range. A video time-lapse surveillance system recorded behavioral responses during four migration periods, spring-summer and fall in 1972 and 1973. On the basis of video tape playback of 4.450 approaches and 1,739 entrances, deer displayed three basic overt responses: look-up, tail-up, and muzzle-to-ground. The frequency of the look-up response was indicative of the reluctance of the animals to go through a structure of this size and character. The underpass was successful in permitting about 61 percent of the local deer population to migrate safely under the highway. /Author/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0022541X
• Corporate Authors:

  Wildlife Society

  5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 200
  Bethesda, MD  United States  20814-2144
• Authors:
  • Reed, D F
  • Woodward, T N
  • Pojar, T M
• Publication Date: 1975-4

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 00 361-367
• Serial:
  • Journal of Wildlife Management
  • Volume: 39
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Wildlife Society
  • ISSN: 0022-541X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Deer; Design; Migration; Safety; Underpasses; Wildlife
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00098607
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 18 1975 12:00AM