AI Summary

In the western United States, deer‑hunting interest rose in the 1980s and 1990s, prompting managers to raise the proportion of mature male mule deer. Although this shift may improve hunting conditions, the overall mule deer population has continued to fall. A new study by BYU researchers Ranjana Pal, Randy Larsen, and Brock McMillan links the higher male-to-female ratio to poorer nutritional condition in females and reduced population growth rates. The research, published in *Ecological Solutions and Evidence*, suggests that the current management focus on increasing male numbers may be undermining long‑term population health.

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