Improving habitat for mule deer was the topic of a recent meeting in Saratoga in which the public was informed of a plan by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to address declining numbers of mule deer in the Platte Valley.

At the meeting, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director Scott Talbott said they  asked the Game and Fish Commission to set aside $500,000 in seed money for the establishment of the Platte Valley Habitat Partnership. Talbott said  it is anticipated that the $500,000 the commission has provided will trigger matching grants to multiply the fund many times to develop habitat projects.

The proposed partnership follows a series of meetings beginning last august, at which the public was asked to provide input on issues and challenges facing the Platte Valley Mule Deer herd. Following the meetings, the Game and Fish used the public input to draft a management plan which will guide mule deer management in the coming years.

The Platte Valley Mule Deer herd is one of the focus herds under the Wyoming Mule Deer Initiative, and has been selected for special attention as part of the game and fish effort to address declining mule deer numbers throughout the state.

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