The species occupies a range of open habitats in the Neotropics, in particular grassland areas and the cerrado shrublands. In Argentina, it also occurs in coastal salt marshes.

The Pampas Deer occurs in insular populations in western, northern, and central Argentina, eastern Bolivia, central and southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Prior to the 1800s, the species was abundant throughout the grasslands of South America (Wemmer 1998, González et al. 2010). The Pampas Deer was a widespread species occupying a range of open habitats, including grasslands, pampas and the Brazilian savanna known as the Cerrado, in eastern South America from 5º to 41ºS (Cabrera 1943, Jackson 1987, Merino et al. 1997, González et al. 1998, 2002, González 2004, Weber and González 2003, González et al. 2010). However, the area encompassed by these habitats has been dramatically reduced to less than 1% of that present in 1900 (González et al. 1998). Currently, Pampas Deer populations are generally small and highly isolated (Jackson and Langguth 1987; González et al. 1998, 2002).

Included on CITES Appendix I.

In Argentina the entire Samborombón Bay area has been a protected area since the 1970s. The area currently includes two provincial reserves (Bahia de Samborombón and Rincón de Ajó) and one national park “Campos del Tuyú”; all of which were created with the purpose of providing refuge and protection to Pampas Deer. The entire Bay was included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance of the Ramsar Convention and was declared as Wildlife Refuge in 1997.

A Pampas Deer PHVA workshop was conducted in Uruguay in 1993 and conservation recommendations were listed for the main populations in Uruguay (González et al. 1994). Several conservation deer workshops were facilitated by Deer Specialist Group to plan management and conservation strategies for this species. These have been followed up by diverse research and conservation activities in the region.

Recommended conservation actions include further population surveys, ecological research, strengthening of existing management of protected areas, creation of new protected areas, establishment of a collaborative captive breeding programme, and enlisting the co-operation of local landowners in maintaining this species (Wemmer 1998). In 1984 the Province of Buenos Aires declared the species a "Natural Monument" in Argentina (Gimenez Dixon 1991). The provinces of Corrientes, and San Luis did likewise in the 1990s. Uruguay also declared it Natural Monument in 1985 (decree 12/9/85).

In spite of all these efforts, the majority of populations remain in fragile condition. Recommended conservation actions include further population surveys, ecological research, strengthening of existing management of protected areas, creation of new protected areas, establishment of a collaborative captive breeding programme, and enlisting the co-operation of local landowners in maintaining this species (Wemmer 1998). Some measures must be implemented to develop privately owned protected areas in order to preserve these last populations. These measures must include exoneration of taxes by government agencies and other fiscal incentives to stimulate private conservation action (González et al. 2002.).