The Eneas Project monitors pwalxkn (mule deer) mortalities along Highway 97. This is a collaborative effort between Hunters for BC (H4BC) and the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA).

pwalxkn are an essential resource for food security for the Syilx Okanagan people.  pwalxkn are important for cultural practices, knowledge transfer, hunter opportunity, and can be an indicator of ecosystem health.

• The project will monitor pwalxkn (mule deer) mortalities along Hwy 97 between Westbank and Penticton adjacent to and near the wildlife fence that parallels the highway.
• While the fence has successfully reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions, pwalxkn (mule deer) mortalities have been observed in the area adjacent to the fence.

This project aims to quantify pwalxkn (mule deer) mortality and assess causation through field assessments

• The project was recently initiated in February 2023, and preliminary results detected pwalxkn (mule deer) mortality adjacent to the wildlife fence. Causation and mortality trends are yet to be determined. Assessments are ongoing and will monitor the influence of seasonality on mortality numbers.
• Additional data on pwalxkn (mule deer) collision mortality data will be acquired from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) and the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC), to compare mortality rates pre-and-post wildlife fence.
• The longer-term goal for this project is to accurately quantify pwalxkn (mule deer) mortality, determine causation, and collaboratively identify appropriate future mitigation measures to reduce wildlife mortality in the Highway 97 corridor.

October 2024 Update

Mortalities

Since our count began the team has identified 236 mule deer mortalities along the fence line. While our count began in February 2023 it is important to note that some of these mortalities occurred before this date. 

135 mortalities of unknown age were recorded at the start of the project. 1 Mountain Goat mortality has been recorded. An estimate of the ages of deer are as follows:

• 31 Mortalities in Adult (>1.5 years)
• 29 Neonates (Fawn to December 1st of birth year)
• 30 Yearling (1 to 1.5 years)
• 47 Unknown
• 99 Deer – Bones too old to identify

Predators

Coyotes are the primary predator / scavenger we record along the fence line in the project area. Additional trail camera or other signs show bears, racoons (many) and cougar kills. Causation has yet be determined including how or if the fence line is aiding predators to trap their prey.

February 2023 to May 2024 High Fence Mortalities

Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance

RMGA has joined the project with a focused mandate to monitor mountain goat activity, specifically:

• Providing two additional trail cameras for monitoring southern project areas
• Supporting surveillance of wildlife gate effectiveness in mountain goat habitat
• Assisting in documentation of mountain goat fence interactions and potential safety concerns

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI)

MOTI has enhanced project capabilities through:

• Implementation of fence repairs following wildfire damage
• Provision of additional monitoring cameras
• Collaboration on data sharing for pre- and post-fence mortality comparisons

New Project Support

LET’S GROW SOME MULE DEER!

Hunters for BC was recently awarded funds from the Abbotsford Fish and Game Club to support our Mule Deer Monitoring Project.  We are excited to grow this project from fence line mortality monitoring & fence repairs to a broader look at this critically important Mule Deer Winter Range.

Many pressures face our Mule Deer in the Okanagan:

• human encroachment
• recreational access & ATV’s
• resource extraction
• forest encroachment on grasslands

Hunters for BC has engaged with First Nation communities and the Ministry for Water, Land and Resource Stewardship in efforts to focus on this Winter Range and consider future enhancements and protections.