Being set in their ways could be a disadvantage to Wyoming’s mule deer as housing and energy development continues in parts of the state, a wildlife biologist said.
“Elk are very plastic (flexible) in their movements. Pronghorn are a little less plastic, but they’re able to roll with the punches. With mule deer, they almost put their hooves in the exact same place their mothers did,” Kristen Barker told Cowboy State Daily.
She’s the Cody-based research coordinator for the Beyond Yellowstone Program, a collaborative effort between the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the University of Wyoming and the University of California, Berkeley.
The group recently completed a study of how land development affects big game in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Research was conducted around Cody, Pinedale and along big game migration corridors in the Red Desert.
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It revealed that for the most part, critters avoid development, she said.
“Even if there’s good stuff right around the development, if the animals are going to avoid it, it doesn’t really count as habitat anymore,” Barker said.
Avoidance Tactics
Development for housing or energy can have a big effect on how elk, deer and antelope behave, according Beyond Yellowstone Program’s research brief.
“Our work reveals land development is one of the strongest single influences on migratory big game, affecting everything from where herds live within the broader landscape to where individual animals walk each day,” the brief states.
And it doesn’t take much. A little as 3% of the land in a given area being developed can be enough to disrupt animals’ movement patterns, according to the brief.
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But there doesn’t seem to be a one-size-fits-all pattern for Wyoming’s premier big game species — elk, mule deer and antelope, Barker said.
Elk seem to be best at just avoiding human activity and are willing to go out of their way to do it, she said.
“Those Cody elk herds, they can still make big, broad movements” to avoid human activity, she said.
Antelope, not so much. But they still might alter their routes to get around things.
Stubborn Mule Deer Take Long Journeys
But mule deer are “set in their ways and very loyal” to their ingrained migration routes, Barker said.
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That’s why people might see mulies showing up in their back yards, she said. It might not be that the deer are completely comfortable being around people, but because homes were built along migration routes, and the deer were just too darn stubborn to change their ways.
And those who see mule deer in their yards should appreciate they might have come from a long way off and still have a long journey ahead of them.
Some deer herds in Wyoming frequently travel great distances as they move between summer range, typically high in the mountains, and winter range in lowlands such as the Red Desert, Barker said.
One Wyoming long-distance record-holder is a mule deer doe, Deer 255, which logged 242 miles one way during her seasonal migration, according to radio collar data.
The Curious Case Of The Estes Park Elk
Of course, many rules in nature have exceptions. As Barker noted, her group’s research indicates that as a general rule, elk like to avoid development.
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But here are the huge elk herds that spend part of the year camping out right in the middle of Estes Park, Colorado. Those elk trace their ancestry back to Wyoming. During migrations in and out of Rocky Mountain National Park, they take over the town, grazing in city parks and loitering in downtown business parking lots.
“The situation in Estes Park shows how flexible elk are. One reason they’ll hang out in an area where there’s a bunch of people is, there’s also a bunch of food there,” Barker said. “If there’s not a big cost associated with them being around people, if they’re not being hunted or they’re not being chased around by dogs, they will stick around if the food rewards are there.”
With mule deer, however, their hard-set migration routes might hurt their food supply, she said.
They’ll likely still go through developed spots on their migration routes, but they’ll hurry through. So, they might miss the prime growth periods for certain types of forage along the way, Barker said.
What’s Next
It’s evident that big game animals prefer a “buffer zone” between themselves and human development, Barker said. But just how much distance is required for which species remains unclear, so that could be the subject of further research.
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How research might affect policy isn’t up to the Beyond Yellowstone Program, Barker said.
“We’re more of a research group than an advocacy group. We have a mission of getting the information out there in a way that is more digestible than typical scientific research papers,” she said.
And there needn’t be a zero-sum “either-or” between development and wildlife movement, she added.
“It’s possible to have both. It’s possible to have good, solid development and to preserve wildlife migration routes, if we do it the right way,” she said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
LARAMIE — Jay Sawvel said last Saturday it’s a miserable time to be a head coach at a non-power conference level.
Why?
Two words: Transfer Portal.
Starting cornerback Keany Parks, just three days before the spring window is set to slam shut, entered college football’s version of free agency on Wednesday, becoming the seventh Wyoming player to bolt this spring.
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Quarterback Deyon Batiste is also on the open market. So is running back Harrison Waylee, nickel Wrook Brown and cornerback Charles Williams. Edge rusher Sabastian Harsh has already committed to North Carolina State. Fellow defensive end Dawan Martin is also in search of a new home.
Parks is expected to sign with the University of Houston, according to two sources familiar with the situation.
He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“I think we got some capabilities to be good,” Sawvel said, referring to the cornerback room. “We have a lot of work to do and we have some development to do, but there’s no weeping or gnashing of teeth, as they would say in the Bible.
“So, we’re OK. We’re going to move on.”
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Parks tallied 41 tackles — 34 solo stops — and broke up seven passes during his first full year in the Cowboys’ secondary. He also added a fumble recovery. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Wisconsin product was moved to cornerback during the 2023 campaign after signing as a running back the year prior.
The former three-star recruit was tabbed the No. 2 prospect in the state, per Rivals.com, rushing for more than 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Bradford High School. That damage came in just 19 games and included a 193-yard performance against Racine Case High School.
Parks was also recruited by Power-4 programs Arizona State, SMU, Iowa State and Wisconsin. Washington State, Louisiana Tech and Tulane also showed interest.
“I loved it from the start,” Parks said back in August of 2023 when asked why he eventually chose Wyoming. “Coach (Tim) Polasek and coach (Craig) Bohl, we just clicked from the start. I felt like this is the place I wanted to go to be great. I plan on putting my head down, just working and showing them what kind of worker they got.
“I feel like I belong in Wyoming. This is my home.”
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Not anymore.
MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:
* Wyoming’s Dante Drake has been a menace in the trenches
* Cowboys plan to add another QB after Batiste departure
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* Wyoming’s rookie corner is turning heads this spring
* Double or nothing: Pokes’ makeshift front five falters late
* Wyoming’s Adrian Onyeigo learning the pass-rushing ropes
* Wyoming looking to add to roster with spring portal looming
* Can Wyoming’s Gary Rutherford snag a starting gig?: ‘No doubt’
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* Wyoming cornerback to enter NCAA Transfer Portal
* Caleb Robinson: ‘He was missed last year, for sure’
* Sawvel: It’s a ‘wide open’ battle for back-up QB spot
* Cowboy football enters third week of spring camp
* Hendricks on edge rushers: ‘Production pays the bills’
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* Gary Harrell named running backs coach at Wyoming
* Pokes working on hurry-up offense, focus on ‘middle eight’
Sawvel said Wednesday Parks was the third-best corner in last Saturday’s scrimmage, behind rookie Tyson Deen and Snow College transfer BJ Inmon. He also went on to say he will “address the specifics” of Parks’ move following Saturday’s annual spring game.
“We may have a little state of the state type of thing on that, and we’ll talk about some of those things,” the second-year head coach reiterated, adding that he has “supreme confidence” in a couple of young corners on this current roster.
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Deen and Inmon could be opening-day options. Ian Bell, a junior with double-digit appearances under his belt, could also be an option. He has dealt with foot and hamstring issues over the last couple of seasons.
This staff is also high on redshirt freshmen Markie Grant and Tyrese Boss. Same can be said for Incoming transfers like Brooklyn Cheek and Justin Taylor, who could also make the transition from the safety spot.
“I think there are possibilities there if we chose to do that,” Sawvel said. “I don’t know that that’s necessarily what we need to choose to do right now.”
Sawvel said he was already in the market for a defensive back or two himself before Parks’ departure. That’s easier said than done, though, he added.
Cornerbacks are a hot commodity.
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“Well, No. 1, they’re really hard to find right now,” he said. “Look, there’s a reason (Parks leaving) just happened.”
The portal is set to close April 25, less than 24 hours prior to the Cowboys’ exhibition inside War Memorial Stadium. Players have to enter free agency before that date. They can sign with a new program at any time.
Kickoff is slated for noon.
University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
The rules are simple: What was the player’s impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.
This isn’t a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220’s Cody Tucker are Robert Gagliardi, Jared Newland, Ryan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.
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We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS — only we hope this catalog is fairer.
Don’t agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports – #Top50UWFB
Amid mounting concerns about White House disregard of court orders, Wyoming’s congressional delegates made clear last week that they continue to support President Donald Trump’s defiance of the federal judiciary.
And they are willing to insult their own constituents in defense of that position.
Rep. Harriet Hageman and Sens. Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso publicly derided a distinguished swath of the Wyoming Bar while dismissing concerns those constituents raised in a March 26 letter warning that Trump and his allies’ threats could erode the country’s rule of law.
Wyoming’s federal delegation lashed out at the letter’s signees the same week federal judges warned that the Trump administration was striking at the core of the constitutional system that protects Americans from an unruly or oppressive government.
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The more than 100 Wyoming jurists who put their name on the letter asking the delegation to protect the rule of law included three former state Supreme Court justices, an ex-governor, two former state attorneys general appointed by governors from both political parties, veteran attorneys and young Wyoming lawyers making their start in the profession.
Among the names were those of Republican and Democrat politicians and the former law partner of Rep. Harriet Hageman’s husband. Though their leanings covered the political spectrum, they shared one thing in common: Mounting concern that the rule of law is under extreme duress.
In response, Lummis, Hageman and Barrasso described the signatories as “biased, misguided” and “liberal,” in a press release issued last week.
The delegation’s response came in two phases — the first was an April 11 letter rebuffing the Wyoming jurists’ concerns. Overreaching judges, not President Donald Trump’s threats, have placed the federal judiciary in the crosshairs, the delegation wrote.
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., addresses an often-hostile crowd on March 19, 2025, in Laramie. (Megan Johnson/WyoFile)
That letter ended with an olive branch. “We look forward to working with each of you to secure a prosperous future for Wyoming and to ensure a return to the non-partisan rule of law,” the delegates wrote.
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On April 15, however, after WyoFile reporting made their letter public, the delegation dropped any niceties and issued a press release headlined: “Wyoming Delegation Responds to Biased, Misguided WY Judges and Lawyers.”
The delegate’s letter itself was “extremely dispiriting,” Jackson attorney Bill Schwartz, one of the letter’s signees, told WyoFile on April 17. But he had not yet seen the press release.
“Well, that’s just preposterous,” he said, when a reporter described it to him. “These are very accomplished lawyers, from every part of the state, that went to the same law school as [Lummis and Hageman] did… Many of us know at least one of the delegates. And we know they know better.”
The delegation’s answer has dismayed the letter signers, who saw in it deeply worrying signs for the country’s democratic rule.
“We are, in my judgment, in very dangerous times,” Jackson attorney Bob Schuster wrote in an email to his fellow signees. “My concerns are only heightened by the cynical and unprincipled response from our Congressional delegation,” he added in the email obtained by WyoFile.
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The three politicians, for their part, say they’re responding to “liberal former judges and lawyers attempting to publicly pressure the delegation into falsely condemning President Trump and allowing judges to continue blocking the agenda more than 70% of Wyoming residents support,” according to the press release.
In today’s Wyoming politics, “if you have an independent thought sometimes that makes you a liberal,” Gillette attorney Tom Lubnau said. As a Republican politician, Lubnau served in the Wyoming House from 2004 to 2014, rising to become Speaker of the House in his final term.
“I’m going to take every opportunity I have to defend our court system and our constitutional system,” Lubnau told WyoFile. “Do I think the system is perfect? No. Do I think it’s the best system man has devised? Yes.”
Lummis, Hageman and Barrasso did not respond to interview requests from WyoFile.
President Donald J. Trump, seated next to U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-WY, right, meets with members of Congress during his first presidential administration. (White House photo)
Lawyers and former judges who signed the letter say that even in the more restrained portion of the delegate’s response, the politicians misstated fundamental tenets of American law. Though disheartening, the delegation’s response has galvanized the letter’s signees to continue speaking up, and has led other Wyoming jurists to reach out and offer support, Schwartz said.
The delegation issued its response during a week of ongoing clashes between the president and federal judges over the rights of migrants detained by the Trump administration and shipped to a prison in El Salvador.
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On Wednesday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. issued an order suggesting he could soon begin proceedings to hold the Trump administration in contempt of court. Trump had called for that judge, James Boasberg, to be impeached after Boasberg issued an injunction temporarily halting the president’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to detain people.
Trump invoked the act to justify his administration’s imprisonment of Venezuelans and other Latin Americans in El Salvador, without court hearings. The act was last used during World War II, when it led to the infamous internment of Japanese-Americans, including at Heart Mountain in Wyoming.
The Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation has also called on the delegation to check Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. “The misuse of the Alien Enemies Act at that time makes us particularly sensitive to any future abuse of the law,” the foundation wrote in an April 1 statement.
The delegates did not respond to that message, though it was delivered to each of them, officials from Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation told WyoFile Monday.
Concern over Trump’s suggestion that Boasberg should be impeached was central to the Wyoming jurists’ letter to the delegation. The signees called on Hageman, Barrasso and Lummis to speak against the idea that a judge could be personally targeted for a ruling the president didn’t like. Trump’s threat also drew a rare rebuke from U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.
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The George W. Bush appointed chief justice said Trump was challenging two centuries of precedent, and that “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”
What’s at stake is far broader than the rights of those now imprisoned in El Salvador under Trump’s invocation of wartime powers, according to the signees of the letter to Wyoming’s delegation.
Schwartz, the Jackson attorney, and others pointed to a Thursday ruling and admonition penned by conservative, Ronald Reagan appointed judge Harvie Wilkinson, as an example of their concerns.
“The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order,” Wilkinson wrote. “This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear.”
“If today the Executive claims the right to deport without due process and in disregard of court orders, what assurance will there be tomorrow that it will not deport American citizens and then disclaim responsibility to bring them home?” he continued.
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Lummis on Thursday labeled Boasberg’s injunction pausing the deportations to, and imprisonments in, El Salvador as “one of the most shocking examples” of judicial overreach during the Trump administration.
“Boasberg ordered planes full of dangerous illegal aliens and alleged Tren de Aragua gang members to turn around mid-flight and return to the United States,” Lummis wrote in an opinion column published by Cowboy State Daily.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis speaks at a town hall at the Gillette College Technical Education Center in Gillette, Wyoming in 2024. (Satterly, WikiCommons)
In the first three months of Trump’s presidency, judges have issued 15 nationwide injunctions on federal policies, Lummis wrote, one more than they did throughout the entirety of President Joe Biden’s term. “We must remember that judges are not policymakers – and they have not been elected by the American people to legislate. The people of Wyoming deserve a government where their elected representatives make the laws,” she wrote.
Her fellow Wyoming Bar members say she’s being disingenuous at best.
“You would think that any reasoned response to our letter might have paused to consider one of the first cases any of us read in our Constitutional Law course — Marbury v. Madison,” Schuster, the Jackson attorney, wrote in his email to colleagues.
That 1803 case established that the courts can find that laws passed by Congress and executive actions are unconstitutional. The delegation, Schuster continued, is arguing that “the Court really did not mean what they said and that its 222 years of lasting precedent … is vaporous.”
ROCK SPRINGS — Western Wyoming Community College will host the 2025 Boars Tusk literary and fine arts journal May 1 at 5 p.m. in room 1302 by the pendulum. There will be 84 works from 48 different authors and artists.
The Boars Tusk is a literary journal that focuses on publishing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, artwork, and photography from the students at Western and residents of Sweetwater County. The journal provides a forum to showcase their work. Prizes for the event involve $75 for first place and $30 for second place in each category. Attendees can expect readings from authors, short presentations on artwork and photography, a chance to mingle, and light snacks.
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The literary editor this year, Krystal Carmine, discussed the importance of the journal, saying “Boars Tusk is a collection of lived experiences, giving voice to the artists and storytellers within our community.”
