Administration

Chad Bishop

Director, Wildlife Biology Program

Contact

Office
FOR 312
Phone
406-243-4374
Email
chad.bishop@umontana.edu
Curriculum Vitae
View/Download CV

Education

Ph.D., Colorado State University, Wildlife Biology, 2007

M.S., University of Idaho, Wildlife Resources, 1998

B.S., Montana State University, Biology - Fish/Wildlife Option, 1995

 

Courses Taught

Senior Wildlife Seminar (WILD 494)

Careers in Natural Resources (NRSM 180)

Research Interests

My research interests are focused on ungulate population and habitat ecology.  Specifically, I am interested in understanding the mechanisms that drive observed population changes in ungulates, with an emphasis on nutrition.  I have conducted most of my research on mule deer.  I place a high priority on applied research questions which have direct relevance for agency wildlife biologists and administrators responsible for conserving and managing wildlife.  I am also interested in pursuing opportunities to advance field-based and analytical techniques used by researchers. 

Selected Publications

Branch, J.V., J.F. Organ, C.J. Bishop, R.J. Regan, M.S. Mitchell, and J.J. Millspaugh. In review. Echoes of 1937: Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would bring wildlife conservation funding full circle. Science.

Eneas, K.L., C.J. Bishop, M.S. Mitchell, D. Becker, and S. Courville. In review. Influence of livestock on habitat selection of grizzly bears. Journal of Wildlife Management.

Eneas, K.L., M.S. Mitchell, C.J. Bishop, D. Becker, and S. Courville. In review. Using electrified fencing to prevent livestock depredation by grizzly bears. Wildlife Society Bulletin.

Peterson, C., T. Hayes, N. DeCesare, C.J. Bishop, and M.S. Mitchell. In review. Consequences of migratory strategy on habitat selection by mule deer. Journal of Wildlife Management.

Vaccaro, D., C.J. Bishop, C. Hansen, J.J. Millspaugh, and J. Brodie. In review. Mammal occurrence in the year following a medium-high severity wildfire. Wildlife Society Bulletin.

Bergman, E.J., F.P. Hayes, P.M. Lukacs, and C.J. Bishop. 2020. Moose calf detection probabilities: quantification and evaluation of a ground-based survey technique. Wildlife Biology; DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00599

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 non-invasive automated device for remotely collaring and weighing mule deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin; DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1034

Maestas, J.D., C.A. Hagen, J.T. Smith, J.D. Tack, B.W. Allred, T. Griffiths, C.J. Bishop, K.M. Stewart, and D.E. Naugle. 2019. Mule deer juniper use is an unreliable indicator of habitat quality: comments on Coe et al. (2018). Journal of Wildlife Management 83:755−761; DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21614

Burkholder, E. N., A. F. Jakes, P. F. Jones, M. Hebblewhite, and C. J. Bishop. 2018. To jump or not to jump: mule deer and white-tailed deer fence crossing decisions. Wildlife Society Bulletin 42:420−429; DOI: 10.1002/wsb.898.

Odell, E. A., J. R. Heffelfinger, S. S. Rosenstock, C. J. Bishop, S. Liley, A. Gonzalez-Bernal, J. A. Velasco, and E. Martinez-Meyer. 2018. Reply to Hedrick et al.: The role of genetic rescue in Mexican wolf recovery. Biological Conservation 224:368−369; DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.05.010.

Odell, E. A., J. R. Heffelfinger, S. S. Rosenstock, C. J. Bishop, S. Liley, A. Gonzalez-Bernal, J. A. Velasco, and E. Martinez-Meyer. 2018. Perils of recovering the Mexican wolf outside ofits historical range. Biological Conservation 220:290−298; DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.01.020.

Bishop, C. J., and M. W. Hubbard. 2018. The role of field research in state wildlife management. In T. J. Ryder, editor. State Wildlife Management and Conservation. The Wildlife Society scientific book series, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.

Bergman, E. J., C. R. Anderson, Jr., C. J. Bishop, A. A. Holland, and J. M. Northrup. 2018. Variation in ungulate body fat: individual versus temporal effects. Journal of Wildlife Management 82:130−137.

Searle, K. R., M. B. Rice, C. R. Anderson, C. Bishop, and N. T. Hobbs.  2015.  Asynchronous vegetation phenology enhances winter body condition of a large mobile herbivore.  Oecologia 179:377-391.

Anderson, C. R., Jr., and C. J. Bishop.  2014.  Migration patterns of adult female mule deer in response to energy development.  Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 79:47-50.

Bergman, E. J., P. F. Doherty, Jr., C. J. Bishop, L. L. Wolfe, and B. A. Banulis.  2014.  Herbivore body condition response in altered environments: mule deer and habitat management.  PLoS ONE 9:e106374.

Bergman, E. J., C. J. Bishop, D. J. Freddy, G. C. White, and P. F. Doherty, Jr.  2014.  Habitat management influences overwinter survival of mule deer fawns in Colorado.  Journal of Wildlife Management 78:448-455.

Brodie, J., H. Johnson, M. Mitchell, P. Zager, K. Proffitt, M. Hebblewhite, M. Kauffman, B. Johnson, J. Bissonette, C. Bishop, J. Gude, J. Herbert, K. Hersey, M. Hurley, P. M. Lukacs, S. McCorquodale, E. McIntire, J. Nowak, H. Sawyer, D. Smith, and P. J. White.  2013.  Relative influence of human harvest, carnivores, and weather on adult female elk survival across western North America.  Journal of Applied Ecology 50:295-305.

Bishop, C. J., C. R. Anderson, Jr., D. P. Walsh, E. J. Bergman, P. Kuechle, and J. Roth.  2011.  Effectiveness of a redesigned vaginal implant transmitter in mule deer.  Journal of Wildlife Management 75:1797-1806. 

Bergman, E. J., B. E. Watkins, C. J. Bishop, P. M. Lukacs, and M. Lloyd.  2011.  Biological and socio-economic effects of statewide limitation of deer licenses in Colorado.  Journal of Wildlife Management 75:1443-1452.

White, G. C., and C. J. Bishop.  2010.  A bountiful harvest for science: how conservation science benefits from studying game species.  The Wildlife Professional (Fall 2010):42-46.

Dulberger, J., N. T. Hobbs, H. M. Swanson, C. J. Bishop, and M. W. Miller.  2010.  Estimating chronic wasting disease effects on mule deer recruitment and population growth.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 46:1086-1095.

Bishop, C. J., G. C. White, D. J. Freddy, B. E. Watkins, and T. R. Stephenson.  2009.  Effect of enhanced nutrition on mule deer population rate of change.  Wildlife Monographs 172:1-28. 

Bishop, C. J., B. E. Watkins, L. L. Wolfe, D. J. Freddy, and G. C. White.  2009.  Evaluating mule deer body condition using serum thyroid hormone concentrations.  Journal of Wildlife Management 73:462-467. 

Bishop, C. J., G. C. White, and P. M. Lukacs.  2008.  Evaluating dependence among mule deer siblings in fetal and neonatal survival analyses.  Journal of Wildlife Management 72:1085-1093.

Watkins, B. E., C. J. Bishop, E. J. Bergman, A. Bronson, B. Hale, B. F. Wakeling, L. H. Carpenter, and D. W. Lutz.  2007.  Habitat guidelines for mule deer: Colorado Plateau shrubland and forest ecoregion.  Mule Deer Working Group, Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 

Schultheiss, P. C., H. Van Campen, T. R. Spraker, C. J. Bishop, L. L. Wolfe, and B. Podell.  2007.  Malignant catarrhal fever associated with ovine herpesvirus-2 in free-ranging mule deer in Colorado.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 43:533-537.

Bishop, C. J., D. J. Freddy, G. C. White, B. E. Watkins, T. R. Stephenson, and L. L. Wolfe.  2007.  Using vaginal implant transmitters to aid in capture of mule deer neonates.  Journal of Wildlife Management 71:945-954.

Bishop, C. J., J. W. Unsworth, and E. O. Garton.  2005.  Mule deer survival among adjacent populations in southwest Idaho.  Journal of Wildlife Management 69:311-321.

Bishop, C. J., G. C. White, D. J. Freddy, and B. E. Watkins.  2005.  Effect of limited antlered harvest on mule deer sex and age ratios.  Wildlife Society Bulletin 33:662-668.

Bishop, C. J., E. O. Garton, and J. W. Unsworth.  2001.  Bitterbrush and cheatgrass quality on 3 southwest Idaho winter ranges.  Journal of Range Management 54:595-602.

Affiliations

The Wildlife Society

Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Honorary Lifetime Member

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

National Association of University Fish and Wildlife Programs, Past President

National Cooperators Coalition

Mule Deer Foundation, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federaion

Professional Experience

As Director of Wildlife Biology, it is my privilege to serve the needs of students, faculty, and staff within the Wildlife Biology Program, while working closely with administrative leadership in the College of Forestry and Conservation and College of Humanities and Sciences. My primary responsibility is to help the Wildlife Biology Program excel as a national leader in educating students and conducting cutting-edge research on fish and wildlife. As part of meeting this responsibility, I place a high priority on fostering and maintaining relationships with partners sharing this same passion for excellence in wildlife education and research.

Prior to becoming Director of the Wildlife Biology Program at UM, I spent nearly 16 years with Colorado Division of Wildlife and later Colorado Parks and Wildlife. During 2012-2015, I served Colorado Parks and Wildlife as Assistant Director for Wildlife and Natural Resources. I oversaw a staff of more than 200 permanent employees encompassing fisheries and wildlife biologists, program coordinators, hatchery managers and technicians, real estate specialists, and various water resource specialists. These employees were broadly responsible for monitoring and managing fish and wildlife populations, acquiring and managing land and water assets to benefit fish and wildlife, protecting and managing natural resources within State Parks, and providing various regulation and policy recommendations. I interfaced closely with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission and a diverse array of partners and colleagues in state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations across the nation. 

During 2009-2012, I was Leader of the Mammals Research Unit within Colorado Division of Wildlife, overseeing a staff of research scientists conducting research on black bear, cougar, elk, mule deer, lynx, snowshoe hare, wolverine, and small mammal species assemblages. Research projects on these species encompassed population and habitat ecology, nutrition, effects of oil and gas development, effects of forest change, human dimensions, and human-wildlife conflict. I worked in coordination with a host of agency and university scientists and coordinated closely with the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University. During 1999-2009, I was a wildlife researcher studying the population and nutritional ecology of mule deer. I worked closely with mule deer biologists in Colorado and across the West as well as wildlife faculty at CSU.