Calvin Ellis
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University – Kingsville
M.S. in Range and Wildlife Management
The Interaction Between Mule Deer Spatial Ecology and Chronic Wasting Disease Epidemiology
Calvin grew up in Hoschton, Georgia spending his free time exploring wildlife through hunting, fishing, and hiking. This instilled a passion for wildlife conservation in him ultimately leading to him attending the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. During his time there, he held the Academics Afield Coordinator position through Georgia Wildlife Federation where he introduced natural resource students to conservation through hunting, volunteered at the UGA Deer Research Facility, and worked multiple technician jobs across the country. His undergraduate research focused on evaluating elk sightability in the elk restoration zone in eastern Kentucky. In August 2021, he started his M.S. as the Boone and Crockett Fellow in Ungulate Research at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University – Kingsville. His project focuses on mule deer spatial ecology in the Texas Panhandle and its implications for Chronic Wasting Disease management. Particularly, Calvin’s research investigates dispersal and exploratory movements juvenile mule deer and also examines site fidelity of non-migratory mule deer. Management of CWD is a complex process and Calvin’s research will provide managers with detailed information of mule deer spatial ecology that can be incorporated into CWD modeling and subsequent management actions.
