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New research from Utah State University shows droughts drive deer to urban areas and irrigated croplands in search of water.

Mule deer abandon natural habitats for irrigated lands when plant water content drops.

This shift increases risks for deer and causes crop damage for farmers and gardeners.

LOGAN — Utah's drought conditions are far from a secret, and the impacts are widespread.

Currently, most of the state is in a moderate or severe drought, according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor. While droughts can have far-reaching impacts on water infrastructure, they can also affect wildlife habitat conditions.

Utah's extreme drought from 2020 through early 2023, which ended with a record statewide snowpack, was a double-whammy fo

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