A pregnant mule deer doe springs away as she is released after a health check conducted by the Division of Wildlife Resources at Hardware Ranch, near Hyrum Utah, on March 4, 2020. The staff collect data to come up with "body condition score". They measure loin thickness, rump fat and physical size to arrive at an overall score of the percentage of body fat. These deer were captured and measured last fall, so the new data will reveal how well they did during winter, the most difficult time of the year. (Photo/Agencies)
A helicopter gently places mule deer does on the ground at a field clinic where the Division of Wildlife Resources will check their condition to determine how they fared the winter at Hardware Ranch near Hyrum Utah on March 4, 2020. The staff collect data to come up with "body condition score". They measure loin thickness, rump fat and physical size to arrive at an overall score of the percentage of body fat. These deer were captured and measured last fall, so the new data will reveal how well they did during winter, the most difficult time of the year. (Photo/Agencies)
Employees of the Division of Wildlife Resources measure the girth of a mule deer during a health check at Hardware Ranch, near Hyrum Utah, on March 4, 2020. The staff collect data to come up with "body condition score". They measure loin thickness, rump fat and physical size to arrive at an overall score of the percentage of body fat. These deer were captured and measured last fall, so the new data will reveal how well they did during winter, the most difficult time of the year. The higher the body-fat of a deer, the more likely it is to have a fawn that survives. If at 6 months a fawn is 60-70 pounds, they are likely to survive the winter, the hardest time for the animals. (Photo/Agencies)
