Maggie’s love for the outdoors began at a very young age as she grew up hunting, fishing, camping, and doing all things outdoors. Wildlife has always been a passion of hers, and she has always known that she wanted to pursue a career in the wildlife field. She earned her undergraduate degree in Range and Wildlife Management at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where she was able to be part of several wildlife research projects, furthering her dedication and enthusiasm for the field. Maggie has always loved west Texas and is so excited to be at the Borderlands Research Institute doing her part in giving back to wildlife and the outdoors.

Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) have experienced declines in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. Growing competition with the invasive Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) is being intensified by extreme drought conditions in this desert ecosystem. It is important to understand how Mule Deer are responding to these pressures and what consequences it may have on their survival. This project aims to assess the impacts of extreme conditions on Mule Deer across the Trans-Pecos. By identifying strategies mule deer use to cope with limited resources we hope to identify specific management strategies to offset the demographic costs of these tradeoffs, ultimately mitigating future mule deer declines in the region.