Wyoming Migration Initiative
@wyo-migrations.bsky.social
We are a research group based at the University of Wyoming, engaged in tracking and conserving big game migrations by sharing science with the public. We post migration tracking, wildlife images, and stories. migrationinitiative.org
#Deer665's route shows the bigger picture of ungulate migrations in the American West: Animals move from desert winter ranges to lush summer ranges, maximizing the extreme contrast of the seasons to their advantage. These migrations support abundant herds and intact ecosystems. #Deer #Science
July 3, 2025 at 3:53 PM
#Deer665's route shows the bigger picture of ungulate migrations in the American West: Animals move from desert winter ranges to lush summer ranges, maximizing the extreme contrast of the seasons to their advantage. These migrations support abundant herds and intact ecosystems. #Deer #Science
In South Park of #JacksonHole, #Deer665 bounded across busy US 26/191 and passed ranch lands, a golf course, and conservation easements before swimming the Snake River. Then she climbed over the 8,400 crest of #TetonPass to reach summer range.
July 3, 2025 at 3:53 PM
In South Park of #JacksonHole, #Deer665 bounded across busy US 26/191 and passed ranch lands, a golf course, and conservation easements before swimming the Snake River. Then she climbed over the 8,400 crest of #TetonPass to reach summer range.
On June 3rd, Deer 665 crossed Granite Creek and headed up the Boulder Creek drainage where she finished the week of migration on June 4. (Image of another #deer nicknamed Jo, that we tracked in Granite Creek back in 2020, Credit Tanner Warder, Wyoming Coop Unit). @deerposts.bsky.social
June 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
On June 3rd, Deer 665 crossed Granite Creek and headed up the Boulder Creek drainage where she finished the week of migration on June 4. (Image of another #deer nicknamed Jo, that we tracked in Granite Creek back in 2020, Credit Tanner Warder, Wyoming Coop Unit). @deerposts.bsky.social
By June 2nd, Deer 665 had climbed to a spot 1.5 miles north of US 191 where it enters the east side of Hoback River Canyon. This is close to where Deer 665 was born in June 2021, a story we are excited to share in the coming weeks. (Image of Hoback Basin pronghorn from May 2018)
June 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
By June 2nd, Deer 665 had climbed to a spot 1.5 miles north of US 191 where it enters the east side of Hoback River Canyon. This is close to where Deer 665 was born in June 2021, a story we are excited to share in the coming weeks. (Image of Hoback Basin pronghorn from May 2018)
Deer 665’s fourth week of migration started at the Raspberry Ridge stopover from May 28-31. She was likely eating wildflowers like sticky purple geranium, arrowleaf balsalmroot (shown here), lupine, and mules ears (wyethia), before she started migrating again on June 1st.
June 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Deer 665’s fourth week of migration started at the Raspberry Ridge stopover from May 28-31. She was likely eating wildflowers like sticky purple geranium, arrowleaf balsalmroot (shown here), lupine, and mules ears (wyethia), before she started migrating again on June 1st.
Migration Tracking Week 4🦌🦌🦌🦌#Deer665 left her stopover in Hoback Basin after seven days, trekking 18 miles further through the Gros Ventre Mountains. She has migrated 147 miles in 31 days of migration, spending 17 of those days foraging in stopovers.
June 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Migration Tracking Week 4🦌🦌🦌🦌#Deer665 left her stopover in Hoback Basin after seven days, trekking 18 miles further through the Gros Ventre Mountains. She has migrated 147 miles in 31 days of migration, spending 17 of those days foraging in stopovers.
#Deer665 has migrated a long way to reach these slopes of wildflowers, aspen and pine that offer food and security. Raspberry Ridge is one of #Deer 665’s favorite stopovers from previous years. She spent five days here in May 2024, and two weeks in June 2023. (Clip from 2018.)
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
#Deer665 came within 1/4 mile of the Rim Station on May 23, leaving the Upper Green and entering Hoback Basin (shown in photo). She stayed north of US 191. By May 24, #Deer 665 made it to Raspberry Ridge, where she spent five days on stopover to close out week three of her migration on May 28.
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
On May 22 #deer665 bounded across the Cora highway WY 352 (shown in this Joe Riis photo) and splashed across the Green River later that day.
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
On May 22 #deer665 bounded across the Cora highway WY 352 (shown in this Joe Riis photo) and splashed across the Green River later that day.
From there #Deer665 crossed the Soda Lake Wildlife Habitat Management area on May 21, and passed another bottleneck at Willow Lake. (Deer foraging on lupine near Willow Lake in May 2018, credit Gregory Nickerson - Wyoming Migration Initiative)
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
From there #Deer665 crossed the Soda Lake Wildlife Habitat Management area on May 21, and passed another bottleneck at Willow Lake. (Deer foraging on lupine near Willow Lake in May 2018, credit Gregory Nickerson - Wyoming Migration Initiative)
This effort is a great example of migration data leading to targeted, voluntary conservation.
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
This effort is a great example of migration data leading to targeted, voluntary conservation.
The Luke Lynch wildlife refuge was named in memory of the #Wyoming director of @theconservationfund who raised more than $2M to purchase and restore the land & donate it to WY Game and Fish Dept.
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
The Luke Lynch wildlife refuge was named in memory of the #Wyoming director of @theconservationfund who raised more than $2M to purchase and restore the land & donate it to WY Game and Fish Dept.
The map shows her swimming across Fremont Lake bottleneck outside of Pinedale on May 20, though our GPS didn’t pick up the exact crossing location.
From there #Deer 665 moved through the Luke Lynch Wildlife Habitat Management Area.
From there #Deer 665 moved through the Luke Lynch Wildlife Habitat Management Area.
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
The map shows her swimming across Fremont Lake bottleneck outside of Pinedale on May 20, though our GPS didn’t pick up the exact crossing location.
From there #Deer 665 moved through the Luke Lynch Wildlife Habitat Management Area.
From there #Deer 665 moved through the Luke Lynch Wildlife Habitat Management Area.
Migration tracking week 3: 🦌 #Deer665 migrated 37 miles through the finger lakes near Pinedale, WY to a new stopover in the Hoback Basin. So far she has migrated about 129 miles in 24 days since leaving her Red Desert winter range, with a full two weeks spent in stopover.
June 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Migration tracking week 3: 🦌 #Deer665 migrated 37 miles through the finger lakes near Pinedale, WY to a new stopover in the Hoback Basin. So far she has migrated about 129 miles in 24 days since leaving her Red Desert winter range, with a full two weeks spent in stopover.
#Deer 665 must jump or slide under dozens of barbed wire fences. This is risky, because deer can tangle in the wires and get trapped. Fortunately people have retrofitted hundreds of miles of fences, adjusting the height and adding smooth wire to be more wildlife-friendly. Photo by Tanner Warder.
June 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
#Deer 665 must jump or slide under dozens of barbed wire fences. This is risky, because deer can tangle in the wires and get trapped. Fortunately people have retrofitted hundreds of miles of fences, adjusting the height and adding smooth wire to be more wildlife-friendly. Photo by Tanner Warder.
#Deer 665’s herd traverses working lands owned by BLM, state of Wyoming, and private ranchers. Several properties along the route are protected as Game and Fish Wildlife Habitat Management Areas, or private conservation easements.
June 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
#Deer 665’s herd traverses working lands owned by BLM, state of Wyoming, and private ranchers. Several properties along the route are protected as Game and Fish Wildlife Habitat Management Areas, or private conservation easements.
#Deer 665’s route is wildlife highway each spring and fall, with braided trails winding through the sagebrush. She’s following well-beaten deer trails marked by scent, scat, and browsing. We can’t know for sure, but #Deer665 is likely moving in a small group. Photo by Tanner Warder/WY Coop Unit.
June 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Deer 665’s specific route took her from the Prospect Mountains across Big Sandy River on May 12. She swam the East Fork River on May 14, and splashed across the outlet of Boulder Lake three days later. Photo: Deer in the Prospect Mountains in 11/24 by Gregory Nickerson
June 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Deer 665’s specific route took her from the Prospect Mountains across Big Sandy River on May 12. She swam the East Fork River on May 14, and splashed across the outlet of Boulder Lake three days later. Photo: Deer in the Prospect Mountains in 11/24 by Gregory Nickerson
Migration helps them optimize their nutrition, so they can recover from winter, nurse their fawns, grow antlers, and put on fat for next winter. That's #deer665 with the collar in a photo taken in Nov. 2024 by field technician Phoenix Bennett in the Prospect Mountains.
June 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Migration helps them optimize their nutrition, so they can recover from winter, nurse their fawns, grow antlers, and put on fat for next winter. That's #deer665 with the collar in a photo taken in Nov. 2024 by field technician Phoenix Bennett in the Prospect Mountains.
This part of her route runs through the foothills of the Wind River Range, paralleling the Lander Cutoff of the Oregon Trail. #Deer 665 is just one of thousands of mule deer heading north on this corridor to find better springtime forage.
June 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
This part of her route runs through the foothills of the Wind River Range, paralleling the Lander Cutoff of the Oregon Trail. #Deer 665 is just one of thousands of mule deer heading north on this corridor to find better springtime forage.
#Deer665 ended winter with 5.9% body fat and is pregnant with twins. That's her with the collar in this image from last November 2024 by field technician Phoenix Bennett.
June 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
#Deer665 ended winter with 5.9% body fat and is pregnant with twins. That's her with the collar in this image from last November 2024 by field technician Phoenix Bennett.