Migration Routes of Mule Deer in the Rainbow Valley Herd in Arizona

The Rainbow Valley mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) reside in the expansive Sonoran Desert flat between the Sierra Estrella Mountains and the North Maricopa Mountains. The herd, which numbered 1,500 in 2017, is managed for hunting within Game Management Units (GMU) 39 and 40. The movements depicted in this report represent annual range for 3 mule deer which are part of a much larger research project along the Interstate 11 (I-11) Proposed Corridor Alternative. The research is being conducted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), with funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior through Secretarial Order 3362. Although the Rainbow Valley mule deer are not migratory in the traditional sense, their annual patterns show substantial 15-20 mile movements throughout this desert valley. These movements are likely occurring in response to seasonally variable food and water sources. AZGFD recognizes the potential for future research and conservation opportunities across the landscapes traversed by the entire I-11 study area. For example, understanding mule deer movement pathways will be essential in the effort to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts of I-11 if it is constructed. AZGFD is a Cooperating Agency for Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) tiered impact study for I-11 and has been working to understand the potential impacts that the proposed I-11 highway would have on wildlife, if constructed. The timelines associated with ongoing movement studies and road design will allow AZGFD to analyze current data, and provide ADOT with robust input on corridor routes to aid in the design of specific mitigation measures and improvements for wildlife connectivity. These data provide the location of migration routes for mule deer from the Rainbow Valley Herd in Arizona. They were developed from sequences collected from a sample size of 3 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 3 hours.