The deer and pronghorn were herded into capture nets by a private helicopter expertly piloted by a crew that does similar work in South Africa. They aerially herded 15 pronghorn from the English Village area, but no deer. Deer were later aerially herded and captured for tagging and released near Rough Haul Road, northwest of Michael Army Airfield.
Knight suspects that Dugway's pronghorn go to a home on the range -- the Air Force's Utah Test and Training Range. Northbound pronghorn may travel 60 miles from Dugway, crossing Interstate 80 and wintering on the west shore of the Great Salt Lake. Knight suspects southbound antelope may travel 60 miles, to the Delta, Utah area.
"No one knows what these pronghorn and mule deer of the West Desert do," Knight said. "So, in an attempt to understand their ecology and biology, we're tracking them."
The three-year study is part of a larger state initiative, to better understand wildlife migration patterns throughout Utah, Knight said.
-30-
Social Sharing