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Wild native ungulates are some of the most economically and socially important wildlife in western North America. In a 2006 survey of outdoor activities, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported nearly 3 million people hunted in the 19 western states and millions more enjoy seeing these animals. �In 2006 alone, hunters were afield for almost 50 million days and spent more than $7 billion in local communities across the West on lodging, food, fuel, and hunting-related equipment. Fluctuations of wild native ungulate populations during the past century have increased interest in their management, continued conservation, and the ecological integrity of their habitat. Monitoring wildlife populations is one of the most basic elements of wildlife management. Because conducting a census of an entire population is rarely feasible, sampling is required and rigorous methods are necessary to base management on a sound foundation.� Management of wild native herds of ungulates follows principles developed over decades of research and management experience. Populations are monitored in a consistent fashion and management actions are prescribed to achieve population objectives. Management decisions are annually monitored for effect and adjusted accordingly to maintain populations within the carrying capacity of the habitat and the social constraints of the public for whom wildlife are managed. The continued health and stability of wild native ungulate populations in North America will depend on appropriately managing their habitat needs on a multiple use landscape with a focus on regional collaboration, rigorous monitoring methods, data analysis and sharing, and the practical application of adaptive harvest management principles.