Current or Recent Research Projects

Mitigating Impacts of Energy Development on Piceance Basin Mule Deer Populations

Areas of Interest and Expertise

My research focuses on large mammal ecology and management, with an emphasis on population dynamics, population monitoring, and population genetics.

Streaming Videos

Wild Science: Mule Deer in the Piceance Basin

Select Publications

• Crews, S., N. D. Rayl, M. W. Alldredge, E. J. Bergman, C. R. Anderson Jr., E. H. VanNatta, J. D. Holbrook, and G. Bastille-Rousseau. 2025. Hierarchy in structuring of resource selection: understanding elk selection across space, time, and movement strategies. Ecology and Evolution 15:e71097. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71097
• Crews, S., N. D. Rayl, M. W. Alldredge, E. J. Bergman, C. R. Anderson Jr., and G. Bastille-Rousseau. 2025. Drivers of spring migration phenology in Rocky Mountain elk. Scientific Reports 15:7807. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91947-4
• Hurley, M. A., C. R. Anderson Jr., T. D. Forrester, and J. A. Gude. 2023. Carnivore-prey relationships. Pages 125-139 in J. R. Heffelfinger and P. R. Krausman, editors. Ecology and management of black-tailed and mule deer of North America. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.​
• ​Johnston, D. H., and C. R. Anderson Jr. 2023. Plant and mule deer responses to pinyon-juiper removal by three mechanical methods. Wildlife Society Bulletin 47:e1421​.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22110​
• Bonar, M., S. J. Anderson, C. R. Anderson Jr, G. Wittemyer, J. M. Northrup, and A. B. Shafer. 2022. Genomic correlates for migratory direction in a free-ranging cervid. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 289:20221969. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.1969​
• Johnston, D. H., C. R. Anderson Jr., R. D. Applegate, L. Bailey, E. Cooch, J. Feiberg, A. B. Franklin, R. J. Gutiérrez, K. V. Miller, J. D. Nichols, N. D. Niemuth, D. Otis, C. A. Ribic, M. M. Rowland, and T. L. Shaffer. 2021. Editor's Message: A perspective on the Journal of Wildlife Management. Journal of Wildlife Management 87:1305-1308.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22110
• Swearingen, T. C., R. W. Klaver, C. R. Anderson Jr., and C. N. Jacques. 2023. Influence of camera model and alignment on the performance of paired camera stations. Wildlife Society Bulletin 47:e1422. doi.org/ 10.1002/wsb.1422
• Rheault H., C. R. Anderson Jr, M. Bonar, R. R. Marrotte, T. R. Ross, G. Wittem​yer and J. M. Northrup. 2021. Some memories never fade: inferring multi-scale memory effects on habitat selection of a migratory ungulate using step-selection functions. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9:702818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.702818
• Northrup, J. M., ​C. R. Anderson Jr., B. D. Gerber, and G. Wittemyer. 2021. Behavioral and demographic responses of mule deer to energy development on winter range. Wildlife Monographs: 208:1–37. https://doi.org/10.1002/wmon.1060
• Bishop, C. J., M. W. Alldredge, D. P. Walsh, E. J. Bergman, C. R. Anderson Jr., D. Kilpatrick, J. Bakel, and C. Febvre. 2019. A noninvasive automated device for remotely collaring and weighing mule deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin 43:717-725. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1034   
• Northrup, J. M., A. Arvin, C. R. Anderson Jr., E. Brown, and G. Whittemyer. 2019. On-animal acoustic monitoring provides insight to ungulate foraging behavior. Journal of Mammalogy 100:1479–1489. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz124
• Jacques, C. N., R. W. Klaver, T. S. Swearingen, E. D. Davis, C. R. Anderson Jr., J. A. Jenks, C. S. DePerno, and R. D. Bluett. 2019. Estimating density and detection of bobcats in a fragmented Midwestern landscapes using spatial capture-recapture data from camera traps. Wildlife Society Bulletin 43:256–264.  https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.968
• Peterson, M. E., C. R. Anderson Jr., M. W. Alldredge, and P. F. Doherty Jr. 2018. Using maternal mule deer movements to estimate timing of parturition and assist fawn captures. Wildlife Society Bulletin 42:616–621. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.935
• Peterson, M.E., C. R. Anderson Jr., J. M. Northrup, and P. F. Doherty Jr. 2018. Mortality of mule deer fawns in a natural gas development area. The Journal of Wildlife Management 82:1135–1148. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21476
• Bergman, E. J., C. R. Anderson Jr., C. J. Bishop, A. A. Holland, and J. M. Northrup. 2017. Variation in ungulate body fat: individual versus temporal effects. The Journal of Wildlife Management 82:130–137. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21334
• Lendrum, P. E., J. M. Northrup, C. R. Anderson Jr.​, G. E. Liston, C. L. Aldridge, K. R. Crooks, and G. Wittemyer. 2017. Predation risk across a dynamic landscape: effects of anthropogenic land use, natural landscape features, and prey distribution. Landscape Ecology 33:151-170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-017-0590-z
• Peterson, M. E., C. R. Anderson Jr., J. M. Northrup, and P. F. Doherty Jr. 2017. Reproductive success of mule deer in a natural gas development area. Wildlife Biology 4:1-5. https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00341
• Northrup, J. M., C. R. Anderson Jr., and G. Wittemyer. 2015. Quantifying spatial habitat loss from hydrocarbon development through assessing habitat selection patterns of mule deer. Global Change Biology 21:3961–3970. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13037
• Lendrum, P. E., C. R. Anderson Jr., K. L. Monteith, J. A. Jenks, R. T. Bowyer. 2014. Relating the movement of a rapidly migrating ungulate to spatiotemporal patterns of forage quality. Mammalian Biology 79:369–375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2014.05.005
• Freeman, E. D., R. T. Larsen, M. E. Peterson, C. R. Anderson Jr., K. R. Hersey, B. R. McMillan. 2014. Effects of male‐biased harvest on mule deer: implications for rates of pregnancy, synchrony, and timing of parturition. Wildlife Society Bulletin 38:806–811. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.450
• Northrup, J. M., M. B. Hooten, C. R. Anderson Jr., and G. Wittemyer. 2013. Practical guidance on characterizing availability in resource selection functions under a use–availability design. Ecology 94:1456‐1463. https://doi.org/10.1890/12–1688.1
• Lendrum, P. E., C. R. Anderson Jr., K. L. Monteith, J. A. Jenks and R. T. Bowyer. 2013. Mig​rating mule deer: effects of anthropogenically altered landscapes. PLoS ONE 8(5): e64548.  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064548
• Lendrum, P. E., C. R. Anderson Jr., R. A. Long, J. G. Kie, and R. T. Bowyer. 2012. Habitat se​lection by mule deer during migration: effects of landscape structure and natural–gas development. Ecosphere 3:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1890/ES12–00165.1
• Anderson, C. R. Jr., F. G. Lindzey, K. H. Knopff, M. G. Jalkotzy, and M. S. Boyce. 2010. Cougar management in North America. Pages 41-54 in M. Hornocker and S. Negri, Editors. Cougar: Ecology and Conservation. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, USA.
• Anderson, C. R. Jr., and F. G. Lindzey. 2005. Expe​rimental evaluation of population trend and harvest composition in a Wyoming cougar population. Wildlife Society Bulletin 33:179-188.  https://doi.org/10.2193/0091-7648(2005)33[179:EEOPTA]2.0.CO;2
• Anderson, C. R. Jr., and F. G. Lindzey. 2003. Estimating cougar predation rates from GPS location clusters. The Journal of Wildlife Management 67:307-316. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3802772
• Anderson, C. R. Jr., M. A. Ternent, and D. S. Moody. 2002. Grizzly bear-cattle interactions on two cattle allotments in northwest Wyoming. Ursus 13:247-256. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3873205

Education

• Ph.D., Zoology and Physiology — University of Wyoming, 2003
• M.S., Zoology and Physiology — University of Wyoming, 1994
• B.S., Wildlife Biology — Colorado State University, 1990

Current or Recent Positions

• Mammals Researcher Section Leader — Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2013-Present
• Wildlife Researcher — Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2006-2013
• Affiliate Faculty — Idaho State University, 2009-Present
• Affiliate Faculty — Colorado State University, 2012-Present