Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States, Volume 6

Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5123
By: , and 

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Abstract

This report, volume 6 in the “Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States” report series, showcases the migrations of 23 ungulate herds in the Western United States. The report series is produced by the Corridor Mapping Team (CMT). Led by the U.S. Geological Survey, the CMT is a collaboration among 11 State agencies, as well as regional and Federal partners, and an expanding number of Tribal wildlife agencies. The CMT was initiated in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3362, which was signed in 2018 and provided Federal support to expand existing research efforts to study ungulate populations and conserve their migrations throughout the Western United States. Including this volume, the report series has detailed the migrations of 237 unique ungulate herds throughout the Western United States and continues to serve as a valuable resource to guide local and regional management, policy, and on-the-ground work necessary to maintain intact and functional ungulate migrations. This report highlights several guiding principles of the CMT that facilitate collaboration among the diverse set of partners and contribute to the program’s continued successes. Notably, raw global positioning system data are not shared among participating agencies and the U.S. Geological Survey, delineating migration corridors and seasonal ranges relies on empirical data, the CMT provides flexible approaches to participating State and Tribal partners, and regular CMT meetings create a framework for open communication among agency partners that supports transboundary mapping of migrations. The 237 ungulate migrations that have been included in the report series are an expanding inventory, which can help maintain ungulate migrations in perpetuity.

Suggested Citation

Kauffman, M., Lowrey, B., McKee, J.L., Beaupre, C., Beck, J., Beckmann, J., Bergen, S., Berger, J., Berkley, R., Borg, N., Carl, P., Cowardin, M., Dewey, S., Dugger, K.M., Ehrhart, A., Fort, J., Freeman, E., Freeman, I., Gelzer, E.R., German, D., Gray, J., Greenspan, E., Gregory, Z., Hagler, E., Hanson, M., Hinojoza- Rood, V.D., Hnilicka, P., Jaffe, N., Jakes, A.F., Johnson, A., Kolek, J.T., Lawson, A., Lockyer, Z., Lutz, D., McKee, C., McKeever, J., Merkle, J., Mumma, M.A., Newman, D., Peckham, E., Randall, J.E., Regan, T., Reinking, A.K., Ritson, R., Rudd, W.J., Russo, B.M., Sawyer, H., Schroeder, C., Scurlock, B., Short, J., Stansberry, B., Steiner, E., Steingisser, A., Stephenson, T., VanNatta, E., Wallace, C.F., Weinmeister, B., Whittaker, D., Woody, T., and Yancey, S., 2026, Ungulate migrations of the Western United States, volume 6: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2026–5123, 68 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20265123.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

ISSN: 2328-031X (print)

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Herd Summaries
  • References Cited
  • Appendix 1. Methods
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Ungulate migrations of the Western United States, volume 6
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2026-5123
DOI 10.3133/sir20265123
Publication Date March 25, 2026
Year Published 2026
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston VA
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Seattle
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional publication details