College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Major Advisor:

Sonja Christensen

Background:

Rachel received her B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University in 2021. Her undergraduate research focused on how different behaviors of white-tailed deer influence the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease among a population. She also spent time in southern Texas where she researched how canopy cover influences choice of birth site by white-tailed deer on the San Antonio Viejo ranch. Her current research is focused on the willingness of landowners to adopt/accept CWD management practices and allow access to their lands. Specifically, she is evaluating the willingness for targeted culling at various intensities, and willingness to allow access by hunters with varying sex-age harvest criteria. Rachel is interested in researching topics such as disease ecology, population ecology, and human dimensions of wildlife.