The Wind River Reservation in Wyoming contains over 2 million acres of the best and most diverse and intact habitats in the contiguous US. It is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. In collaboration with Tribal Fish and Game, the USFWS Lander Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office and the USGS Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit, partners have been conducting an investigation of the migration patterns of 113 GPS-collared mule deer that began in 2018. As part of our SA diversity and inclusion efforts with a $60,500 investment, this project will extend the ongoing work and engage various segments of the tribal community in the research as a means to further understanding of fish and wildlife management and STEM issues. This project will support two community gatherings, one at an EST community center and one at a NAT community center. These events will feature presentations from the team and Tribal Fish and Game about the scope and intent (and findings so far) of the study. Second, the effort will host several middle and high school classes on field trips to the study area, to participate in capture or other hands on work. Finally, the project will recruit a tribal undergrad or graduate student at the University of Wyoming to conduct a yearlong internship on this project.
