Wildlife presence is a strong indicator of community vitality.
Verdi Sub-Unit Mule Deer
The Verdi Sub-Unit is a genetic family within the Loyalton-Truckee mule deer herd that migrates seasonally via a wildlife corridor from the Verdi area of Nevada to the Glenshire area of California. A “corridor” is a connection between habitats that facilitates the movement of deer within the landscape needed for their seasonal migration, gene flow, or dispersal.Seasonal migration of the Verdi Sub-Unit by way of viable corridors to viable fawning grounds protects genetic 
health and diversity within the unit. These are key elements for the vitality, and even survival, of the mule deer herd. Mass-use tends to dilute the quality of organic prizes like game and fish, and to induce damage to other resources such as non-game animals, natural vegetation, and land for recreation.
With urban sprawl development projects destroying viable migration corridors, the future of mule deer in this region is precarious. In the foreseeable future scientist predict extinction of the herd’s sub-units and potentially the entire herd in this area if migration between habitats is blocked.
Part of what created the addiction that I felt for outdoor recreation was the solitude that could be found in open spaces. The wildlife are watching carefully from a distance as the dust rises from my rubber treads, but the creatures of the forest naturally default to a feeling of kinship. They welcome the man or woman who wishes to share a moment with them and they feel comfortable in the presence of their human neighbors –provided those people glide quietly and tread lightly –and the animals are comforting to us too.
What can we do?
- Bald Eagle: A cherished open space encounter with wildlife in the Glenshire area.
To help, you can participate in our wildlife study. SOS Glenshire is conducting a study of the wildlife presence in the entire Glenshire area. A study of this deer population will help us better assess the needs of the mule deer in our particular place. This study has both a scientific component and a citizen based component. For the scientific study SOS Glenshire is partnering with governmental and non-governmental organizations to participate in a professional bi-state study of the Verdi Sub-Unit of mule deer and their migration corridor in this region. For the citizen based component we encourage community activists to tell their story about encounters with wildlife. There are two ways to participate, both methods are acceptable for the citizen based component of our wildlife study:
- Tell your story and participate in our Wildlife Study.
- See the 2009 Citizen Based Wildlife Study results HERE.
Please report the type of encounter you have:
- Informal Encounters: Passive observations of wildlife made from the car or home.
- Open Space Encounters: Active observations of wildlife made while engaged with open space recreation, or organized wildlife hikes.