Red deer populations in Norway have increased rapidly over the past 30 to 40 years. The annual harvest peaked above 50,000 red deer in 2021-2022, and the population size is more than 250,000 individuals. Red deer distribution spans the whole southern part of the country, but the species is most abundant along the southwest coast. Populations in this region are partially migratory, which means they consist of both migratory and resident individuals. Red deer typically migrate from lower elevation winter ranges toward higher elevation summer ranges. Migration is more common for red deer living in the central mountains where steep environmental gradients occur, compared to populations near the coast. In More og Romsdal, red deer migrate up in elevation to follow the green-up of spring vegetation, and they return in the fall with the onset of hunting, snowfall, or cold temperatures. Winter ranges are mainly restricted to lower elevation valleys, or near the coastline. Red deer frequently feed on agricultural grasslands during the spring and fall and typically migrate alone or in small family groups. Their migratory routes can stretch across large parts of the landscape.