A Good Step for Central Oregon Mule Deer

[rtraverdavis]

Most Oregon hunters are keenly aware of the dismal state of our mule deer herds, and here is an opportunity to stem the tide a little.

Deschutes County (Central OR) is considering a list of amendments to the county plan that would restrict certain types of development deemed to clearly have negative impacts on wintering mule deer:

“The purpose of the 2023 Mule Deer Winter Range Combining Zone (or WA-MD) is to conserve important mule deer winter range habitat in Deschutes County; to protect an important environmental, social and economic element of the area; and to permit development compatible with the protection of the mule deer resource.”

The amount of development in Central Oregon over the past 20 years is incredible, and not surprisingly, the mule deer population has tanked in corresponding fashion. I only wish these amendments went further to include more restrictions to County Commissioners’ ability to rezone ag land to residential, but that is another proposal for another day.

LINK TO THE FULL PROPOSAL

If anyone (Deschutes County resident or not) feels inclined, I highly encourage you to email the senior County Planner, Tanya Saltzman, and state your support of all of the proposed amendments. Her email is: [email protected]

Thanks guys.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

it looks like the mule deer really have there wintering area problems with all the homeless in the area//china hat area is getting overun by the homeless people as well as other areas.

 

[rtraverdavis]

it looks like the mule deer really have there wintering area problems with all the homeless in the area//china hat area is getting overun by the homeless people as well as other areas.

This doesn’t address homeless camps. This is about updating county codes to restrict certain development in high-use winter range.