Mule Deer Critical Winter Range

Mule Deer Critical Winter Range is a delineation of those parts of Mule Deer Winter Range that CDOW considers to be of highest priority for protection from disturbance from development. Protection of these parts of Mule Deer Winter Range is considered critical to sustain mule deer populations across Colorado.

Mule Deer Critical Winter Range was created by combining subsets of Mule Deer Winter Concentration Areas, high-density Mule Deer Severe Winter Range, and Deer Data Analysis Units (DAUs).

The high density severe winter range was created by calculating the 2006 post-hunt population estimate divided by the total winter range for each DAU. This was used to map to identify a "higher" and "lower" density threshold. A logical breakpoint was 7 deer per square km because a natural break occurred at this point and it was near the mean density. We then used this breakpoint in selecting those parts of the severe winter range where high deer densities increase the importance of the habitat.

Standard CDOW definitions for Mule Deer habitat referenced above:
1) Mule Deer Winter Range is defined as that part of the overall range where 90% of the individuals are located during the average five winters out of ten from the first heavy snowfall to spring green-up, or during a site specific period of winter as defined for each Date Analysis Unit.
2) Mule Deer Winter Concentration Area is defines as that part of the winter range where densities are at least 200% greater than the surrounding winter range density during the same period used to define winter range in the average five winters out of ten.
3) Mule Deer Severe Winter Range is defined as that part of the overall range where 90% of the individuals are located when the annual snowpack is at its maximum and/or temperatures are at a minimum in the two worst winters out of ten.