Tracking the Herd: Where Mule Deer Stand in 2024

-By Michael Luby

Mule deer have always been survivors. They’ve weathered everything from wildfires and predators to harsh winters and human expansion. But over the last hundred years, their story has taken some sharp turns. Once plentiful across the western U.S. and parts of Canada, mule deer numbers dropped off hard in the back half of the 20th century. This change is largely the result of lost habitat, growing cities, and a changing relationship between people and wild places.

The Good

Now, in 2024, the picture is complicated. In some places, there’s reason to be optimistic. States like Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah are seeing herds hold steady or even tick upward. Colorado’s herd alone is estimated at over 418,000 — a sign that habitat work, smart management, and a few well-timed wet years are starting to pay off.

The Bad

But not all the news is good. Mule deer in Nevada, New Mexico, and parts of Oregon are still on the decline. Drought, disease, and increasing pressure from predators are hammering already stressed populations. In Washington and Idaho, tough winters have caused local die-offs — especially in younger deer that just couldn’t make it through. Across the West, urban growth keeps carving up migration routes and pushing herds into tighter, more fragmented pockets of country.

The ugly truth

It’s not a one-size-fits-all problem. That’s why wildlife managers and conservationists are now looking at things region by region, tailoring solutions to fit the land and the specific pressures each herd is facing. From prescribed burns and wildlife corridors to predator balance and disease monitoring, the goal is to keep mule deer not just surviving, but thriving, across their full range.

For those of us who’ve spent a lifetime glassing ridgelines and tracking hoofprints through the backcountry, these numbers matter. They tell us how the land is doing and whether we’re holding up our end of the deal. Because at the end of the day, mule deer don’t need our pity. They need space, smart policy, and folks willing to fight for the wild ground they stand on.

More to follow, – Mickey

Good Luck!

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Michael “Mickey” Luby – Writer Bio

Michael “Mickey” Luby is a modern-day mountain man and unapologetic traditionalist living deep in Western Montana. A seasoned mule deer hunter with decades of experience chasing high-country bucks, Mickey has earned a reputation for grit, stubbornness, and a sixth sense for finding big deer where the air is thin and the trails are long forgotten.