Livestock needed to bring back mule deer?

[1_pointer]

I just ran across this article and thought that I'd pass it along. Seems that there could be a place for livestock on public lands, though the management of such wouldn't be solely for the benefit of livestock. Seems to be some evidence of their application as a tool to help out the dropping mule deer numbers. In addition, this paper asserts that livestock grazing was largely responsible for the 'good 'ol days' of mule deer hunting that so many would like to see return.
Managing Livestock to improve Mule Deer Winter Range**You'll have to scroll down and click on the appropriate article**

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-10-2003 15:24: Message edited by: 1_pointer ]</font>

 

[JoseCuervo]

I tried reading that article, but my dictionary was wearing out too fast. I am sure you could summarize that article, and we would all have to believe you, as anything over 2 syllables (4 letters) seems to stump most of the gang here....

I did like some of the other articles....

My favorite was the Sexual Reporduction of Gambel Oak Near its Northeastern Limit

and the Color Guidebook to Common Rocky Mtn. Lichens...

A GIS Model to Predict the Location of Fossil Packrat (Neotoma) Middens in Cent

Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Water Relations of Oak Hybrid Populations in

Distribution of the Subterranean Amphipod Stygobromus in Central Colorado Strea

Diet Switching and Food Delivery By Shrubsteppe Passerines in Response to an Ex

Effects of Cattle Grazing on North American Arid Ecosystems: A Quantitative Rev

Status of White Pine Blister Rust in the Intermountain West

Distribution, Movements, and Habitat Use of Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen Texanus

Effect of Salinity and Planting Density on Physiological Responses of Allenrolf

Managing Livestock Grazing for Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) on Winter Range

Vulnerability of Fremont Cottonwood (Populus Fremontii Wats.) Individuals to Xy

Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa Umbellus) Foraging in Aspen Stands During Winter in North

Importance of Migrating Salmon Smolt in Ring-Billed (Larus Delawarensis) and Ca

Records of Mammals from the East Tavaputs Plateau, Utah

Sexual Reproduction of Gambel Oak (Quercus Gambelii) Near its Northeastern Limi

Distributional Notes on the Mangrove Warbler (Dendroica Petechia Castaneiceps)

A Color Guidebook to Common Rocky Mountain Lichens [book review]

 

[1_pointer]

Okay 'Gunner, here's my 'cliffnotes' version.

Austin, Dennis D. 2000. Managing livestock grazing for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) on winter range in the Great Basin. Western North American Naturalist 60(2):198-203.

Early to mid-1800s, before European settlement, perennial grasses dominated foothill ranges. Mule deer numbers are limited by forage resources on winter range and rely largely on shrubs for food in the winter.

Season long livestock grazing with little to no regard for degree of utilization shifted plant succession from grass dominated to seral shrub dominated communities on winter ranges. Subsequent increase in mule deer populations then occurred. Cessation of livestock grazing increases fuel loads and fire susceptibility of winter ranges. The lack of livestock grazing and fires then shifted the plant community from shrub domination back to grass domination, causing a decrease in the deer population.

Recommendations
1. Livestock grazing during spring only
a. Must end grazing when livestock switch from grasses and forbs to shrub species
2. Alternate between classes of livestock
a. Sheep and goats consume more forbs, while cattle and horses consume more grass
b. By shifting classes or using them in conjunction a better balance of grasses, forbs, and shrubs can be attained.
3. Use rest-rotation system and only graze about 2/3 of available winter range
a. Grasses for an important part of the deer’s diet at certain times of year, thus part of winter range should be rested from livestock
b. Areas with weedy invasive species or susceptible to invasion or fire should be grazed annually
4. Graze livestock at an intensity that removes 50% of grass and forbs
a. This level decreases fire risk while maintaining a proper balance of grasses, shrubs, and forbs
b. More than 70% utilization will shift the community towards shrubs
c. Less than 30% utilization will shift the community towards grasses
5. Balance deer winter use with spring livestock use
a. Overuse by deer will remove shrubs
b. Use >50% for big sagebrush and other non-deciduous, evergreens and >65% of antelope bitterbrush will cause a reduction in productivity of the shrubs
6. Monitor utilization using permanent plots
a. Spring use of grass and forbs by livestock and overwinter utilization of browse by deer should be monitored in key areas
b. A minimum of 20 100-m2 plots per deer unit using ocular estimates sampled at 5 year intervals is recommended.
null

 

[ktc]

Damn Gunner!

You ruined my morning!

I see crap like that and it frustrates me. Now I know how dumb I really am.

Some desk lizard is trying to impress us with his bullshit.

I might need help with my homework Spike. Can I call ya?

 

[dgibson]

That's all well and good in theory, but I sincerely doubt that any such rotation will ever see the light of day. Too much detail and not enough intuitive "the way we've always done it" practices.

I did find it interesting, though, that they think that the deer population improved with more shrubs; I had always understood that they declined in shrubbery because they didn't get as much nutrition from the woody stems of dominating species. Actually, that was an argument for controlled burns rather than anti-cattle, but it still seems to apply. Or does it? Oh, dear.

 

[Ten Bears]

DG, muleys are more woody brousers then grass grazers.

Another article that fuels the fires.

 

[1_pointer]

DG- Mule deer are limited by winter forage. In many areas only the shrubs are sticking up above the snow. Plus, many species of sagebrush are actually good forage if the animals can handle digesting the terpenes, which mule deer can do. These types of rotation are apart of 'holistic' ranching and it is catching on. Many successful ranches have gone to this type of thing.

KTC-Call anytime!

What this really states is that range mismanagement in the past is what gave us the large mule deer herds of the '60's (their population peak). So, by being better managers of the range, we've contributed to the decline of mule deer. But, grass preferential species like elk are doing pretty good. In addition, this gives some credence to the use of livestock as a tool to manipulate the habitat to help wildlife.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Every one seems to skirt this part of the issue...
Why isn't it feasble to need live stock on the open plains...
Seems just not that long ago, the regions were covered with some thing called bison. From all acounts, there were millions of them. It is said that when they traveled thru an area it was so devestated from so many animals that you could follow the trail of the herds by the torn up earth that nothing was left in. I would highly doubt that if this is the case, these animals had no idea of what a riparian area was and how delicate

it could be, so would wander right thru it by the hundreds if not thousands at a time...
But there is never any mention by any of you of this. This is stuff that the learning channel has been starting to show. So in my opinion, it would make sense that if the ground is not inhabitad by great herds of buffalo, then we would need the cows trampling the shit out of every thing to keep the earth in check...Kinda like fires...
Lets get rid of all fires in the forests, now there is a huge problem...The same could be said for our four legged freinds...

 

[1_pointer]

A bison to cow analogy is not a good one. For one, bison didn't have to stay in a given pasture for a certain amount of time, they could roam to where the good forage was. Often times after they had been through an area they wouldn't return for years, until the grass had grown back. They may have been the first practitioners of rest-rotation grazing. Plus, there were very few bison in the Intermountain West. They stuck mostly to the mid and tall grass prairies. That and those reported numbers of millions of bison may have been an anamoly caused by Europeans and their associated diseases.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Thanks Tyler...
Then if that's the case, cows should be rotated out the same way since the Bison will not be able to complete the cycles that should be there as was intended...

 

[BuzzH]

It wont work to rotate cattle like bison.

Try talking a rancher into grazing certain pastures only every 2-5 years.

They cant wait that long to turn a profit. They HAVE to graze continually to make money.

It would be like you working and making money every 2-5 years...

 

[Ten Bears]

Interesting how things turn, when grazing is shown to produce a benefit....