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HomeMy WebLinkAbout84-6 DEER HERD COMMITTEE 32 OF 33r' cir 1 Loeation of the north xi,n8s doer herd in Frosno Co. ; Cali I ornia . 6.. Lie a burr p•.�1:led- cio-�-n by wolves can be replaced, it two �. ed dosYn by too �;a.~�y deEr nay ,ft�a.l of or three years, a xan�e pulled replacement an as cavy kilo Leopold The St; dv and Its Objectives to deer population decline, t;l;�: California In response to California's O' � �rY the Si err l 1rztta.oiial Forest, DE�artment of Fish and Game (herea.: ller she DFG),, U S F S -. �.• L -' rest and Lange Experit�ent i,at;i.on, the Pacil� c Sou�ns;esL ro.� u s Canyon ,-2tional Parr;, and the Fresno Cau.*ttY ;3tartscran's t e Seq�: oia-Kin Club initiated the North 'Kings Deer Ma.na<,e�ent Flan (Winternantil. i�p . population St is a ten -dear pilot prc,�ram of habitat wanip�ulztian and deer r pop motion nt it vestigatiohs to deterMine the causes of poor oherd ianeaGementC'NOthods to typical Sierra Neva , west slore deer herd and to cevclop herds4, f,:.tr,�► production and ct;.rviti4l study increase replacement in such .e s ' p ;cord repraducti.ve` potential at fan'11 drop ailci to W_ designed to deters n- location(s), cis itude and cruses of subsequent ascextAil-I the oeriOd(s), .- � c investigations be�a;i in s;�rin 19'rl, tiritia the. fawn; ml)tal~ty. PZeli�..ir rl: ­er,14 shire' i` eld techniques to achieve the objectives, and pxoceedeci gpal Of es���.. 1 a �• �, , tea'r..n%c�t�es in folltr•tit~g yea,.0s, This xoport With he gale �en�,���`n o_ t..�. concludes the urz7 La=, i, -,Vest' 8111d offers recommendations for ftit�are Studies. cZ `fr;n I�'erth i<i:'.s Deer Fera Cali: arnia mule neer G_ocw1ets herniontns l alifornim8) in the IXbrth Xinge deer herd a migratory o: the Sierrete.vda u4 slope an eastern the herd Lon ;horst e W al. x-9521 de si gM,L County, Califo:mi a (r ;. 1) . h . 1"(, deer. Drtr surreys as a manage nt unit and es'i.=.=ten the boon from tat to 1057 r t 13,000 deer, ''' •..L r at $,3 deer, and fres; have since e�Vx�.-.ted the a.eraaa pok `rc� 195$ to loog at 9,100 deer, fro -i 1;63 to `1907 5 deer represents a 7 otn to 8 to at 4,g00 dee, The 19f2 POPtlation of 3, 73 8 to 1t decline since ] 953. D- es ti Ytes are based on the buck harvest ,, ��w= �'as-1 (1950 and are useful for 5ho4ring and hard ca�osition met- a o trends over years, but not for absolute doer numbers. �,. .~ �. ' y +P0`011—lat,on a e cline. reflects Yearly popuLt�cn 01ti ..yes, her col osi�zott, harvest and fawn survival frog 1G5 to 1973 are n�-ese ,ten in .� able l+ The f - • , FY r Zhexd frost 1950 to 1569 -ss hluitsp 1(10,b"8it oti a similar decline �.n �a�-n sar,`�,',al (aE,• to regular buck har�es�, were held on t,t�e ea:cluded), but tote). ha^rest in any yeatr never exceeded 2Q rerin}j shoe popes=tIon and often fell be?o;Vt 1b �cient•to afi'eCt�such drastic long- , this level of herd reba,-al -s nsuf tcYt declines, r;ei.ther �i;ter sts.r�r"ata.ot nGr epi :cotic have been a � srated into tro r,.aege~en fctor%tme herd is sep historical a r t River subuni „s, the ni..tt.. on tlae S,'Ost side of the north fork, as' the hg'Kings r - y G r s ` The tl-ain fork O'f � to and the Crown on the easy` Sl�iii'¢ L uhe river. t r t i, c: Rider forms the sout*,ern ,&afti--rY of the herd's r FIGURES c Figure ."No. Page No. 1 Location of the North Kings deer herd ir. Fresno County, California ....... .....,...........:...,,.,..........:..•.««• 2 u 2 Population and spring faHtn survi lml tree: s ........ ► . • • • .. • « 4 a Physical measurements taken on deer necropsied ............ 9 4 Growth curve calculated by regress,.ng age as determined by morphological development on hindfoot length of fetuses . 11 5 Breeding season and fawn drop period .......... 19 6 Fetal weight gain curve for fetuses from 2 year+ does ....... 21 7 Weight variation of fetuses by doe age group during last trimester of pregnancy . .......... ..... ...... ......... 23 8 Weight variation of fetuses by collection year during last trimester of pregnancy ........... ............... .....cr. 24 ' 9 Weight variation of fetuses by herd subunit during Last tr.-'tester of pregns.ncy........................,««..:....:... 25;. 10 Weight variation of fetuses by doe condition during. Last � trimester of pregnancy................................u,. 26 11 Bled carcass weight averages by collection 'period for 2 yea.,+ ! does .........,......... ........:...................... 2 . 12 Eviscerated carcass weight averages by collection period for 2 year+ doe ...a........ •. •.. ....«.•..•... •. •.. ...r 29 * 13 1ea.n body fat indices for 2 year+ does by collection period.. 30 k 24 Mean kidney fat indices for,2 year= does by collection period.:..................................4.......,.. 31 15 Dominance indices for diet species canrwosition by collection � period for deer .............,............................ 40 16 Diet composition by category for the average diet by collec- tion period for all deer ..............................«.. l for deer, 42 43 r 17 Dominance i.ndi.ces for diets by categor es all . t, . .. 18 Selectivity indices for diets by category by collection period for deer frog, the Dinkey subunit ...... .... ... Y. 48 19 Mean proxi ;Ate amlysis of ln=.en contents by collection period for deer.fro�i the Dinkey subure"t ........... ....:.. 50 20 Total rutreb fill 34.11 kilog-rams as a percentage of active netabolic tissue for yearling and older does from the Dirikey St ounit .. 4 0 0. 0 ► ....: A. .. • Y.. ...... ► .... . • ., f I. ...' . . ... ► . 52 21 Spring 1973 migration movetents of radio collared does 444,4. 54 22 Spring and fall 1972 'migration rovemenus of radio collared does Y.:........:.►........:•...................:..«4444« „ 55 jhich deer delay during spring and fall areas in `� � X23 . rationU ...,....... Y...YM...:....:..:..'.... Y«.�.. ....'... rJ 5( ;. 24 r .mi it al 973 migr�av3 on b�ovements of radio collared does 4 4 4 4 : a .. 'a ry[ P-5 fir+, General migration routes used by deer ••.. Y.Y... Y..1.• .a.•►.Y. [59j�, 62 3 ' 0' percent occurrence o diet retains x11 coyote Brats rxAverage- collected 64 x F5 YY at Tabe O - 1. '' 2 Q 0 14 12 13 1:4 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Parre Fopula A a herd composition re , '"n" --,rival and }nerd rotial b,;, legal harvest . L • • .. 1.«.• . . • . I / ...... r ... • r . 1 • . • . • . Xearly, winter -spring and five-year 2A -era es for rainfall on `-he gran Joaquin E�cperirnel nta, n County* ....... }Za.'zge an eastern }fadera Reproductive POten'Uials for, does taken • • � � � • • « by breeding «en #`ram 1971 to 19"(3 `3 B,a�e g2'OUp# .......••a....a.......... ......ra.a 15 Reprodueti�•a pouer�tials foZ 1 year, 2 year and breeding age groups b r '�"`7 year year of Ci?1 leCLlOii s a ... « .. • ..... • 16 :�ePrcvuctvre A*ouentials for 1 year, 2 ,year and 3"7 Yeax breeding age groups by herd subunit. 7 Fawn praat�c,.ion _ tentials for breeding age grOlIZ)s, age classes and total herd.. .. ♦ Regression e nnt' for ...«...........r,.•..�..aa..a 18 q ions io_ heights on ageLl correlation coefi'ic e us and predicted ',a -,m weights at birth for + y fetuses 150 ......... ............. ...« 22 Phys= Cal con �?ition actors for 2 period year does by collection 'a . • .. 1 i • . • • . • .. • a... . ..• • . ...a ,a ......... f... 1 .: « . ►1 .. ... Physical cc d tion factors for fa�.Yts, yearlings and taales pbycal e� ri�rnd .. , ..... , . • ��/� ..�i$Jec�l co"i`nditfion factors .•• • ♦..f ••1•.•• f..•.r•.1..0 ✓2 c�o_s _ 2 s east dies by col..lection. period ana locat�cn ac collection .prom �,he D�:nhc Physical grog rth cha='acterisuics of e � � y ,subunit• . 33 Znci dCnce. Ci p y Ctac S by 'rgL' class f r • « a . ► s 34 .-sites tinct irf ec :ion le Mels by coll.ecti.on perio3 gar all dans ... ....a..... ..,......�.. .. .. r..a... rcod ite,ns c=z)r.ising rare than 1 Percent of 35 diet by collect" on period ar a" ,,, the average ,DiverJ�4" a� r y•y �� 4f'Ea �►....r••..ri.s.�.•. d da,.,it.anee�tinnices foxy diet species composition 36 by callecvlCri period for all deer ►•a•..i«..r •. ..f.a4«.•. D Ci'Co`�as:tion and dominance by. �. 39 e• by doll t , ca-egory for the average period for all deer Diet �`1d, nutrition charactol St3 cS ;Gy dee .. i . • . a f . a 41 subunit by collection .r from the Sankey period and lacati.on of cod lection 4�► D1et Preference by category e:•;pressed as she selectivity thihde>: for average diets by oollec4id�, period for deet from e ✓1.nC.ey* Sitbus']it.;.....a.•.ii,.ia.►.a•.«...�lr•._!'«.r.•'r.i Mean prc i..:34e analysis of ruxen contents b 7 period for deer from t y col ectiot he bin.,e subunit .•...ae.......,oa.. 4 Tonal nt-en fill in kilograms as a percentage of active 9 ��ey�.abolic wissGe f Gr exli bin:�Ly L y and alder does from the $iU•..r.s...,.a••.�'a....••.afa..:a.ea'a«•..ii�it 1�otsl y'i"�c:,�E'i1 'f ilt s,:7 tiil.GgT'a7is as � +- 51 Lutabo.�...�.G iS51; f Or "' R �Jexcelt&9e of active subuy� y tawts. a;.d _dl.es from. the ,Dinkey l* it . V a . 1 . ... a • prxng ,+i%:�.:�:.4iazL -IgLtie�:.e+CtLS C�1 c+�e z'i."`i 4�'t?u��++u.fi'1�'�l b 51 V ele.�.a tir��r L 4"1•,1. T`ed � y doe„ �' radio Pall . . • . q ..... s . r , «': i . ...... • .:.. i'.'. . gz�atic�t Wim'"'e.e..s of aeex: as c'n trwired b , 53 teIew�trr 0I collared does ,V radio ie;rci CCiro;�iry.�Cy L a•►`a•f•«'••arc►ra...«i•.v'a...a.f�p c��a� V u. ► a . r ...... ,. • • • • ... a a':2 . • i... • . a. f r a v."�. 50 iii E J l '.Chwx OF COtii'MLS Pae No t1A L1t;� U�l C.in . . . . � ... ..r r . �r a •.... e . » }.� . . � e e 1 l... ....... r..... s. � • . �» i . » » . e � o • • i � ... 1- 13TRODUCTIGI .. .,. .•.. .........}►...9... ar.•�a ......• The IS UUdY and. its Otio e cti.ve s .... , .. R / • • . • / » • . a . r .... , • . . . T'ne Forth Kings Deer Herd.i.►...r...►•...r....c.,...rc..•».... 1 `..`he north Kings Deer Range ....... � e ........ .... ... ... «, . » Yajor questioas to be Answered by the Study a .. • • • • • • • • + • • » • • 5' Doe Collection and Necrop:;y .... ..... ..►......•..........►.. 8 Reproductive Potential,, Breeding .Period and 10 Fetal Development12 .., ......... ..... .........• ,.. ... .y. Doi? ..onditiOn .•...•.r�....rv.+t....og•...'..►..e...a...w..}.. la Diet and. Nutrition......»a•r....r.s..±...�.•.►.n.a.r.a....u�.. �� seasonal e s Sal Habitat a Preference and Migration ..,....... to ......... 13 ��t3IsTS e►.�..rdril.r.�.t.►"t.1...q�.}.�r..ir.....�....'�....�.e.'.t.. 14 Doe Collection and Necropsy ..•.. r•. .... ....•.... . .... 14 Reproductive Potential., Breeding Period and jl y� .".etiz al. Development ..�:.-.....,.:re..•:�.r.... a...... •. �.....�►•...:. ..e «�.. Doe Condition.. uw..�. •.. •/•• .• �....r�..•.•....�..... •♦ 20 Diet and Kutrit-14on..,.too. •..•t...►.>;•0 r S�asor�,a,:l.iiabtat Preference and tc.g�raton .. r ... s . • r • .;► r r .... • 3 Fa -,-,i Survival 61 ival ... •..s 9 aa.. f/.0./a R a.r. er.} R. •.)*. *.» 8.......4I �{ DISCUSSION ... •. rrf ... .•.�►...•►... a•..•.. r 0. R 04.. a. 6.�r. 0.60a0 6l Repro uctive Potential..�..........�........•.r..•.••.•.► r.► ��y/�� 67 Doe Condlbion .. 4 ..•.••...ar..•.........••....•�.......•..a.. 67 Diet and Nutrition .... •i.►.r..r.r....'a....;...r....►�....i..• seasonal. Habit.Ats and rJigrations .....»...6 Y1.a�s... 4.a1..+..• �7 0I11�IJ MISIa) r' :..,..►••►. •.a.....•. i.':.i.rf ....•a...♦...bi••...�... fir. •. . .x 68 W,'kG ',:-:NT MIUCA IONS, O S' MZGS 1'.... • r�.i . i . ► .. i i R . r �... r a . . ► • 69 AC.KNCf 4:1.iMG 1EG:NTS -4."664 t .... • 'i . 1.... ... ♦ ..... . i a .. ..... • .. .. r. 70 72 LLatil�,i.'4�Cw lr J. d. LJJ a . rl i .,. a . ►: . a .. i 4 ... i. � .. ►:. ... • .: i'a i ..:a... • . .. • . r r a e .. x a .� (e Kce .> jrI �3 NOR'Tx KrZS DIM a , 1 ! YAWNPRc1MMO�{ AM Sit - by Vii'�i, "S�y �A lay Harold � . Salwasser V a P.SSMCt. North ne Forth Kin; -s Deer Nerd fa',M pr03uebion ani, stLrvival s 1.971 to thea . 3nb t dy 1109P a in spring inform -at' on rc!PrOduct��aZ success in a mjgra'tory mule deer herd on the central Sierra Uest slope.. A ercent head obi QIA. tion decline aver t3-- las'.; decade p-Ompted the study. Over 50 dors Wert o A- ACYO Sled tti 1t�2.2a1 eedi� Qtenvla -ected and br ng p ls) condition and disease rates. pote:� ia1 "3t,Z1 : roduc�t Cn in the herd Wss high at 135 falwzs per 1:00 does ' Classes. ut ;U ^5 be'r] Qd. but the exact CauS4, and tiZe- Of' death is not .�11G4i2, 11� 19733? :a�1f fi rxl5 s1L'ti 7 Yiflg theI3�J I'_at&, pL 'ioA s -r -@d �hC � x {, fall ,.r Lio,l ay, fall co.:."i.,.'S Sere hi fall Zagyra- ,.r gh. In 1971 and 1.972 mother O Dercent QL .� t4 I �r f'2' -^S G� �C e t�l� tLt1 T1� _ •>> ..� C" Or, on tf+e_..h+jjat� -r � 74 and fall co-,MLs 'Vere 1.d at aOOlft a a fa'riS r 100 doe:. Sr: ry Migrat :O;, `r,eEan in mid-Apri;i to e ar1~ti . y d�pendin3 on Vire +aat'ner 2.ni 14..iiti*lv� cl: C�!�- a31td- t n deems US= i �,�, �d "holct:�lareas'.in transit;anal. fn_ ��s to ddl ,- a?'o;,� the nig�at oft chile v1�...d, o,. K at h�-------�-�-----� .�� ' �h stares ir�vrO,-ed F,� of 21.eL'&i1G iS. Do -es here in t�241 c�fity �E-iOn ryhen they bei 1 migrating, twt '-"fi4rcd signi_ cant fat reserve denle.,4otis along the Mir tical. After thr e weeks on gCod sZ:r�ier ranges �.�a re;s�r'r'�S to t?t' levels,. prior to 1973) �re„' were able to restore fat s�.perent Liar P This finding, along with an iation in late term fetal sizes and: the tiring Of fawn mortality, duir^S t e 1 martyr mes f ir r arc ].t is '7otoheS j o tt�..ai.�.s�,j,.LLcste�ea.4 cp�e,�-:1�, �� ert_oust..ehr�e3 h izedrt �x� does deficiet—c * js y' his w ire result of deo �'io -at ip L,it�ter r c ration re—d fora&`?$ -Is the reSlilt o �+a$t p.•�Ttle� c 1 �., r a.. E3 'T r2... maul•,. in O� t ' f ties tnd '�ta,Aentt d.� 1 a- at." plEL'lu CO,'Tvit�]15 t.s, and th�.� the deficiency, is at Least partly the v Coil C' ir`i ILO -t fai»;l stz-vi it in present heris. r+*�.+ -•• �� LI,}Trilt ' Ce ti w V AdtAriis Ura ui- e Report 2 0 74-h, b l� :+ " ' by edSu orted Reral A" d in h'ildlife Fest oration Eros eet� W-51..R� dig G�zm4 lhve:3bigaticns projeet. l 0 =� Research Assistant School of i`o es Grii•er:ityr of �^alivrnxa, fier,eley try a�►d Cvns.z°vatior, •� "a�S? 1':.�t:"i`..aa.b�!.e: 'I 7L sZ.,)''1"aL'RAuaaaEw..r'•tr,"�S:k:7.gG31...t�".wrw.���-+a a'.. :�.. e4 LITERATURE CITED C (Continued) .,'Oensenj � erhert A. 1947. A sys tr „7 fol- cl ass j fYing ^uave9e' a do and'�e, llol, 33, No. 4, Oct. 1947,n in Callrorniaw C3I. Fish. ash. flicho 931, ull, 'roI�75, PPx1"•39rrentaI feeding of deer. l'niv. Aria, rwicY xPer...c ta., Tech. Plur.b, T.R, 19G1. Sprouting of chaparral by December aster a Forest Service Pacific std forest and Expee. Sta. Tech, 5 il:dfi�rw e in tl�t1}r, U,s, Sampson, Arthur 1d, 1944 3 Paper• 57:1-12. 19' Plant succession or, burned chaparral lands in !lOrther California. Univ, of Cal. College of h r• 9 Exp. spa. 'Bull, 1585 pR 11.39, n Taber, Richard D. 1953. Studies of b1acE;,taled deer re r- cover LY 1953. Cal. Fish and Ga P ojuction o Ga -ie Vol, 39, �Vo. 2 pp 117-186, n three chaparral 'Ga -re 1958. The blank-tiied deerthe chaPp-twral, d3. a�e Gare 8�ilw $ PA 1-'1 A. Of Fish and CAL -.NEVA WILDLIFE 1'RPISACTIw:ls 1979 1819 4 U. af' ,. 4 ) • +�. arw • * w,. . y r �� Y • � tit i,� 1,04t r � 4.4 �'�'rw w;h IY�A i 1 J ii 1• +tt ti"�Y r, a v. wYw♦ t.«w, rw�,,.�.t •�,, a S Y? r' y i • ! ttitit •rtygji:+'t�lrrtc7,,�,`' T{+t{�41 a,Y .;t�L�wwL�°1.�"Yf'4, lYv,4t R.p Y��tt fit? 17 f e+, tiH a. V �y s d �,+ -Y L'•. *'ate `,'�} •i �. t r..3 •7 tt•A `r CAL -.NEVA WILDLIFE 1'RPISACTIw:ls 1979 1819 4 U. af' ,. 4 ) • +�. arw • * w,. . y r �� Y • � tit i,� 1,04t r � 4.4 �'�'rw w;h IY�A i 1 J ii 1• +tt ti"�Y r, a v. wYw♦ t.«w, rw�,,.�.t •�,, a S Y? r' y i • ! ttitit •rtygji:+'t�lrrtc7,,�,`' T{+t{�41 a,Y .;t�L�wwL�°1.�"Yf'4, lYv,4t R.p Y��tt fit? �y CAL -.NEVA WILDLIFE 1'RPISACTIw:ls 1979 1819 4 U. af' ,. 4 ) • +�. arw • * w,. . y r �� Y • � tit i,� 1,04t r � 4.4 �'�'rw w;h IY�A i 1 J ii 1• +tt ti"�Y r, a v. wYw♦ t.«w, rw�,,.�.t •�,, a S Y? r' y i • ! ttitit •rtygji:+'t�lrrtc7,,�,`' T{+t{�41 a,Y .;t�L�wwL�°1.�"Yf'4, lYv,4t R.p Y��tt fit? w Deer carrying capacities in untreated chaparral are largely governed by weather and its t effects on forage quality and quantity. Good "deer veers" are represe"rtted by %eather conditions that promote good herbaceousF, znd/ar an acorn mast crop. Thase conditions that extend the forage succulence Period through the critical sr^er and fall months and alleviate entry of animals iii poor condition into the cold dorrr311t hinter months when browse forage quality is low. When these conditions occur, deer prpulatio;is and survival increase, SUMiMARY In summation,.wi'ldfires are infrequently responsible for losses of deer, l.Mediately after a wildfire and for about one vegetative growth year, deer use and populations in large burns are generally very limited due to the displacement of animals and rer•,val of cover. Concurrent with the growth of cover dnd in res onset -to increasedd ve e at4ve div particularly the herbaceous species that improve the oppoi•tun ny for selection of a more nutritious diet, the displaced deer population returns and fan Production and survival increase. In tiildfire this increase in herbaceous diversity i,; sH rt lived and within 5 - 7 years most of the post -burn herbaceous invaders have disappeared '7s_ this herbaceous vegetative element declines the deer carrying capacity in terms of fain production and survival also declines. As a result the deer population gradually returns to its pre -burn level. in managed chaparral, deer populations can be maintained at a much hiprx�r 1 vel.than occurs fora har-t Lire following--a-wildfire. This is achieved through a cti b`lnaG;on of periodic burning (2 - 3 years) of small parcels 2 - 5 acres) to t"aintain succalr?nt and nutritious the nutritional of flcha and management or deer, but the primary ob _S.is iso an.�.ove t e and tnvad�n forb5, grid i c us�on or nertrtanent orassv o enrn is pr y p e o v t� �€3tic qi• forage god over a ior.ger periad.uf tira� ezrttcular- _l Burin the.]ate sumer and fall months w h9n .orae conditrons in, cha arra 1. are or:.._ - ._.�,-.. LITERATURE CITED ki choff, Arthur I, Productivity in tone California deer herds. Cal.. Fish and Game Vol: 44, 110, 3 July 1958. Bissell, Harold 0. and Helen Strong. 1955, The crude protein variations irr the browse diet of California deer, Cal. Fish and Gane, Vol. 41, N9. 2, pp 145-155. Biswell, H.H. 1961, Manipulating of chamise brush for dyer . ge improverrpent, Cal. Fish and Game Vol. 47, No. 2, pp '125-144. Daslrann, R.F. (_ ), Fluctuations in a deer papulation in California chaparral. Humboldt StateaCollege, Federal Aid Proj. PR'14-31-R, Mimeo 10 pp, basmann, , m nn, R,F, and Richard D. Taber. 1956, Behavior of Colrn^.bian blacl:tailed deer faith reference to population; ecology, Journal of Mia„titplttgy Vol, 37, lio,. 2,, may 1956, pp 143-1641, Dasr!arn, W,P. 1962. Big game of California. Cal. Cept, of Fish and C,a, ,publication booklet, 55 pp, Dixon, Joseph S. 1934, A study of the life hist;r,, and food habits Of riul4 deer in California., Cal,, Fish and GarW , Vol, 20. 'tris, 3 and 4, �Jw t :rrs. a �K � n'.11 t"y1 �"'^a.r%t-,�y�`s_'�"h..F�114.+....+>.!t%...r•3�. } ^! �`"'_'_.,... .i � : i �'S� �L!3.'icL:�.1us...'+:��.y. w .. crude t e diet of deer on thri;o range types TABLE 1. Monthly level of 'proteinnn in, percent of dryweight) (Expressed APR MY JU6I . JUL . AUG. SEP. OCT- NOV- DEC , A`: ER . RANGE JAN - FES . MAR. . 8,4 8.0 7.0 5.9 5.1 6.1 Chap.'+t r a1 12.3 9,4 9.3 12.3 13.9 12.1 10.0 12.8 17.9 141,4 Shrubrand 18.3 21..1 18.1 17.5 14.1 12:1 11.3 9.2 10.0 12.5 14.6 1647 . 19 19.6 19.6 20.1 26.4 17.,8 15.0 14:1 10.1 11.1 Wildfire ,6 Fawn by 100 adult does on each of three range types, TABLE 2, production MEAN PiUt•;BER PROPORTION OF CORPORA !ERTILIZAT1OIi FAW;i AGE,AT IN 100 LUTEA RATE PER DOE PRODUCTION FNWIN DROP ADULT DOES .-- Chaparral 2 year s 1�, *0.5 81 0.42 0.94 0.94 9 62 Older ---------- pROOUGTtO;i PER 100 ADULT - 71, FA IS ShrLbland 2 years 27 1.0_ 73 1.75 0.94 0.94 25 120 Oider PRODUCTIM PER 100 ADULT DOES - 145 FAWNS burn 2 years 25 O.fib 75Z.40cond 0,94 O.S4 16 99 Older springlot41n LjMdfire burring}_ pRCOUCTION PER 100 ADULT DOES - 115 i Atli{5 *Assu-ed TRA'ISAC7i0:1S 1979 CAL41 VA WILOLM 187 j Wildfire burns in chaparral during their early sucressionar oeverot?renc can cnus_s1nn;;i- 0dtctease de jy jOestlislrZ;x; however, as the herbaceous co;*ponent of the vegetative cover disappears and the browses mature, the forage quality and quantity decline. For two or r� T4 declaneshun�ale4ror�a5lyear•ssafr�erptheu/rtld�rer•the£hereafter their, productivity *" - L , carry -ng capacity is about equal to the preburn population (Taber 1951). Sampson (1944) recognized a criticr;l shot�tage of s� ^pr:ard fall forme i_r~_ burned arid. ( unburned chaparral .tykes, ''Provision of animals with ar.ple nutritious forme is seldom " accomplished by beushland burning; with few exteptions, the period of nutritious for of these area's in extended for only a relatively short time by burning." j Eiswiell (1961), from studies of Lake County deer and chaparral manipulation, concluded thatliam erent of thanrse brushlands for name should be to reduce the �u_s Ye Ott X ;spots and introduce ,palatable herbaceous s ecies for use in wjnteh and early. spring, 4� ## Datmann, R.F. ( ) found a decline in deer carrying capacities in managed chaparral or, ,n 1, shrub land similar to the declines in wildfires (Taber 1951), but the lovoling off point is considerably highor than on an uh:nwSed chaparral burn. He also observed that ` coinc'idental with the seasonal decl7itie in the protein qualityr of browses during hat dry su;.r eathpr, �orta�i - " , _ - t o} began,. i3y faai, 'sa r;rany carcasses adiier:n lata ted that tit was obvious that a maµor die -off was in progress "Most carcasses shmoJ obvious signs of yrfD.V riti.on. An tv-ly growth of Herbaceous forage; and a fair supply of acorns becawe availAble to the de;�r i.t October. pith inct•eased Food the mortali , declined,. only two �0 deer 1v;re found dead in October -November, ;c:rparod with inyAagust-Sej te. bar." CAL-NEV'A WILDLIFE TRANSACTIONS 1979 186 In capitulation, most of the forage benefits resultingfro m a wildfire are restricted to tr the 300 fti strip around the riargins or near cover the first year, Thereafter the #` r original occupants move back to their original home ranges occupying most of the burn, ".4 Thus most of the highly nutritious forage produced. the first year goes unutilized except e original population together with new immigrants near cover. After the fiist year thmm and the new 'fawn crop begins to utilize the now over -abundant forage supply. By the '. third year the nutritional valve of the browses has declined to nearly its pre -burn level. After the third growing year the browse forage benefits are nearly equal to the pre -burn ' r conditions or• old chaparral with the exception that most of the rapidly greHing succulent shoots of the browse plants arc within reach of the animals, soma new browse species are :- beginning to fill interspaces between the sprouters, herbeoe is still an important .) component of the stand and the period of succulence of the vegetation as a wAtole is stilt slightly prolonged. This improved succulence period lasts for about five years in both the sprouting and non -sprouting vegetative types (Sampson 1941). j .g C0t"IPARSTON OF 'U11'4ANAGED, PRESCRI8E BURNED AND 14ILDFIRE TREATED CHAPARRAL OP! DEER • vy �!! The advantages to deer and other wildlife of managing chaparral to r,r•eate "opened brush" z or- "shrub lana" have been documented by Biswrell at al, (1952) and caber (1,956). Taber l has summarized these advantages, based on Work in 'Lake County. No or the most striking comparisons is that about. 17 thoes as much herbaceous forage was produced in shrub land r (86 pounds per acre) as in climax chaparral (5 pounds per acre). As a result; winter deer• diet on shrub land was about 18-21 percent protein, roughly twice as much as in chaparral. On a year-long basis, protein level averaged 17" in wildfire, 1,41% in shrub land and only t 9% in chaparral (Table 1). Furthermore, because of better browse availability, 506 R" r pounds per acre of available woody forage v,as oro.duced in shrub land, against only 181 pounds in chaparral. The average Q•ecen:bei• deer density in ;shrubs d was. 60 ter 5 uuare i mile, 56 inwildfire burn, and only 25 per square mile in chaparral. Fawn production average, doe te,�o years and over) was 1.45 in shrub land, wore than twice the 0.7 rate r ! in chaparral and 1,11, in new wildifre burn (Table 9), Taber (195u) surmises that a diet r i low in protein and phosphorus is responsible for the low ovulation unci reproductive rates Atl of deer living in untreated chaparral. j Wildfire burns in chaparral during their early sucressionar oeverot?renc can cnus_s1nn;;i- 0dtctease de jy jOestlislrZ;x; however, as the herbaceous co;*ponent of the vegetative cover disappears and the browses mature, the forage quality and quantity decline. For two or r� T4 declaneshun�ale4ror�a5lyear•ssafr�erptheu/rtld�rer•the£hereafter their, productivity *" - L , carry -ng capacity is about equal to the preburn population (Taber 1951). Sampson (1944) recognized a criticr;l shot�tage of s� ^pr:ard fall forme i_r~_ burned arid. ( unburned chaparral .tykes, ''Provision of animals with ar.ple nutritious forme is seldom " accomplished by beushland burning; with few exteptions, the period of nutritious for of these area's in extended for only a relatively short time by burning." j Eiswiell (1961), from studies of Lake County deer and chaparral manipulation, concluded thatliam erent of thanrse brushlands for name should be to reduce the �u_s Ye Ott X ;spots and introduce ,palatable herbaceous s ecies for use in wjnteh and early. spring, 4� ## Datmann, R.F. ( ) found a decline in deer carrying capacities in managed chaparral or, ,n 1, shrub land similar to the declines in wildfires (Taber 1951), but the lovoling off point is considerably highor than on an uh:nwSed chaparral burn. He also observed that ` coinc'idental with the seasonal decl7itie in the protein qualityr of browses during hat dry su;.r eathpr, �orta�i - " , _ - t o} began,. i3y faai, 'sa r;rany carcasses adiier:n lata ted that tit was obvious that a maµor die -off was in progress "Most carcasses shmoJ obvious signs of yrfD.V riti.on. An tv-ly growth of Herbaceous forage; and a fair supply of acorns becawe availAble to the de;�r i.t October. pith inct•eased Food the mortali , declined,. only two �0 deer 1v;re found dead in October -November, ;c:rparod with inyAagust-Sej te. bar." CAL-NEV'A WILDLIFE TRANSACTIONS 1979 186 ) 1'V:iT"J l" Li':+T44t: pt,ltit5 ks•.id hcrwf. E Nr . o � ti .. Y 1 Atrte.. .._ ..�. �...-:.:.- Yr Piyut-e 6. Av-6rage nuiber of hnrbaGeous plants and brush seedlings per cilaor, on sprouting an an non— s,"roa�tittc coy"ers s before and after burning (From 54ripson 1944).. r 3^ C :S 1 2c ` .g C6' P 00 G 1 stf;5 of nILSM le,71r�r op fCin.: 8 Dx G/tD fMhrtaaA$ON�OVF1ik JRS0WPtFh JA3oND Fig r2 7. The effects of burning on the protein Content of Dinah itsgoesrough leuof annualull gm cycle h. (Adapted with from Daher 1958), As winter meeges orfth spring, thn sap rises in the shrubs and from March to i•Say this annual growth attracts the deep• -.a feed on the tender and nutritious shoots, As the browse species new growth becomes available, deer that wrpre daily ldslog lush he=bage have been observed to leave it to browse in the brush field until the %occulent new leaves and toigs begin to harden when, they again seek out green herbage if available (Figure 5). N0'•iE RANGE Taber and Dasmann (1958) in their studies of chaparral deer found the average ho, -,e range of ajoe_yAs_4njy half a mile in diameter and that of 'a buck was about three-quarters of a mule. In the preceding review we discussed hoar deer are oportunis's,, using the various slopes to stay in harmony with their forage and bedding needs. They move frc^► south facing slopes in late spring to cooler north exposures as the weather wa.­n,. In the late fall and winter deer move back again into the sun. Jheymove_up onto tha ridges or down into the canyon bottoms according to daily or seasonal requirements. 7trtr5e daily and seasonal requ'rements are very immpo'rtant since they predicate the location, size and shape of each. adult's home range. Wlhen it comes to purposely managing chaparral for deer, knowing 'their habitat requirement is necessary to determining the lo,a.tion and kinds of treatments necessary to increase deer numbers and survival. WILDFIRE EFFECTS IN CHAPARRAL O; rI AND ON BEAR V,ost wildfires temporarily denude the land exposi , ch- soil and the krildlife to the elements, Seventy-five percent or more of a gro, ,u is bare the first year after'a wildfire burn. Gerarally but few deer at pped and killed by wildfire's. They usually escape into the surrounding brush'lands o, into the recently burned area. As a result direct losses of deer in Fin res are rare. 1.3c .= vifni h hits± rn-:.HrenLsnt of chaparral deer for forage, escaae, bedding In sone ti1dffres deer have beet observed to occupy areas, where the physical character of the land, such asdeep canyons or large boulder or rock outcrops, provide the required cover. In some instances deer will occupy dense: thickets wherQ burned brush stubs or trees provide cover, This shortage of cover and forage following a wildfire foecet most. deer to utilize the surrounding unburned edges. The shortage of forage and cover following a fire in chaparral is generally of very short duration (Figure 6), PIumb (1961) found that many shrubs had sprouted 10 days after the 1960 wildfire on the San Dimas E=xperimental 'Forest, Re4rowth of species referred to as sproutees usually occurs within a few days and some of these new Succulent shoots provide excellent foragei Most of this fora a isw not utilhzA the first.y@Ar_exce t 0 unj he. �..._...�» �.t .,Lw ,....... h....0 .a...,C..... +n .1n rhnrF n +hni,. $enAinn w4#4.4n =).Ali* 'Inn -Fo64- hf V V.Yt;!_ Y 4 -,Iv, r.uvue I, ej i""4,52 u. . ""..�...,..... r. --- -!rt'!_ '! ..... y.. meets and, exceeds -the toyer. nee�ds of deer and tFr? prevbu►•n deer pop„lation returns to the recently burned ranges along with immigrants from the surrounding unburned chaparral whose ho -,,,.e ranges overlapped the. burnt or whose ranges were close enough for the anim=al to detect the new impreylad forage, Gibbons (1953) rtpertedl that belled deer detected manipulated chaparral for distances of three-quarters of a alit and some Wividuals relocated their home ranges to take advantage of the new ilr;roved forage sui)ply, the imir;nyed forage _benehits..as_a rosult of fire las.t.for"only..!s s. .re, as indicated in Fiqures 6 and 7. Sampson (1944) depictad the incredze and decline in forbs and grasses before and after bunring (Figure 6)j indicating herbaceous forage benefits for deer can be expected to last about 7 Year$ . The crude ,protein ,.con tent of brows e.:;i n s oyaaU�_44� w_t him lust three years. Taber (1958) graphically portrayed this rise and fall in cha"154 during its annual growth cycle over 3 years (Figure 7). CAL -NEVA 1JILDLIFE TRAeNS CT'IONS 19.79 184 DEER DIET. GRn55 5 � r rf4� S; ) Figura 5. Cvpaeatiye diets of cher on opened brushland, on Cense unt-eated brjsh, and on wildfire burn Grasses and foebs constitute a favorite winter and spring food it_i where available; but shrubs are the pr ,nary source of foci inn s; -Ver, (Adopted from Taber and Dasnann 195$). 183 iao 75 $: o 25 Figura 5. Cvpaeatiye diets of cher on opened brushland, on Cense unt-eated brjsh, and on wildfire burn Grasses and foebs constitute a favorite winter and spring food it_i where available; but shrubs are the pr ,nary source of foci inn s; -Ver, (Adopted from Taber and Dasnann 195$). 183 During the rut and up to late Rovember•, chaparral deer _... •. v, , ,,,. ,,, ,1_Vt!d` ,s rr c�e _gr,i ants and new herl eocs growth, Herbaceous growth as a result of fall rain often begins in October and this new forage supply usually becomes available first on north slopes v.here it receives protection from, the early fall sun, hoat and wind (Figure 5), l„or•th slopes are used until they become too cold, which usually occurs in late lloveitwer= As the south slopes become r..ore habitable and the young herbaceous forage grotrs, use increases on these slopes. b grow shorter and colder and the dam cold air Settles into the canyon and As the days strear, ottots, deer congregate on south and east slopes and in, selected warm pockets and sheltered ridges, The 1Artg rteight loss trllir h §�9.gn in July continues iiito�t•;ckets usual er�d in Ja.nuary�or Februa, when '.th_; ora5s ark trt,, yr ,i��yy ��� cw.” I z..S.+_`Lu:.-18.t x t -y SUMMor a.nd alIgure 5), Many of those drier in poor conditiZn that rade it throuvh�he s� er and fall die in late winter prior to this irrroverent in the forage supply, he March Many of the (orbs such as filaree, popcorn flo�rer and brodea are eagerly sought after and eaten, In the heavy brush where the herbaceous plants are largely shaded cut, the deer are forced to maintain a diet largely comprised of brc;se (figure 5, CAL41EVA WILDLITE TRANSACTIONS 1.079 182 --- - - •-gym - a - : _ aa� sscis, .` va:�t .x 4 A y Acorns are also a significant factor in improving deer herd production as well as ricer survival. Since the acorn drop is coincidental with the bre+`ding acorn ' J period, years Of Brod production have been observed to improve breeding conditions of buds and doog resulting in improved and increased fetal et rates. Thus aco�$�i.n the di0t?war in any one year can result in imaroved herd survival and production autd srtrvtval of ttr next year's fawn crop. _ vaI ,, While there is a general drop in forage quality during the su,*�rjer, >orr0 rrjk•age species sustain a higher protein level. Such species as California ' ! }� fit laut'e1, t�n,rntain r,aho �.n+ chokecherry and deer brush, maintain a protein level' of 7 to ID mr Man at LhiS any, (Bissell 1555; Taber 1958). .fi These plants are usually very li-ited or unavailable in I mature chaparral. r $ 3' P 9 Riparian vegetation or irrigated ,plant growth associated with seeps, spr=irtgs, sir=ea ss or ponds often provides keyfgenesites in chi raging chaparralduring • •• the hot surcaer months, These ri arian_.fora forage a,._ enerallyM represent the a core of the chaparral deer pop.rlat They represent the o �isum--.- i ,' _I? _ gtng sues oyer t e M .; �..ap or Ogg t�erfod ai`"time aiid"are`gener�ls,. T lythe fool point of dee-r, pro a atiottiumts, Y " These riparian t�fche5e a satt`ce of high quality succulent forage for nursir_g does, thus assuringp fawns i f� Who continue nursing to some extent until late August n rt�nynchaparral tiful kranges. for is these sites that year after Year the �.• provide colonizers that;, i,r. igrate or restock sur- rounding marginal habits whose populations suffer high W,7% dry or cold years,, dry ,,inter mortality on hot,, °= Another source of succulent forage is generally found on agricultcral lands or in the yards and gardens where human land 1 use teas invaded the chaparral landscape= These: LEL-n sources of high Quality for are responsible for sustai- `ming hiph deer Carrving c aci on ather<vise for deficient r tr cha_parrul lands 6 su le through the dry s=.,rimer months of July, August, SeptEtiereandnc beder forage needs a• �`' 1 1 r a1 Fall and Winter October through March) j �d Breeding activity begins in mid-September with swelling of the necks of prime bucks, Actual' mating follows 4 - ri wooks later l�Y;t and reaches a peak in Mti chaparral deer ranges (Figure 3 td s d— e t.0 o� cost g ( g )= After a decline in rutting and breeding activity, b,;cks return to their horse ranges, if they have been away, and sperd much ti heavy cover in an effort renew tme foraging and in heir condition. The does :• . and young deer reserra their feeding and beddingroutine, ne During the rut and up to late Rovember•, chaparral deer _... •. v, , ,,,. ,,, ,1_Vt!d` ,s rr c�e _gr,i ants and new herl eocs growth, Herbaceous growth as a result of fall rain often begins in October and this new forage supply usually becomes available first on north slopes v.here it receives protection from, the early fall sun, hoat and wind (Figure 5), l„or•th slopes are used until they become too cold, which usually occurs in late lloveitwer= As the south slopes become r..ore habitable and the young herbaceous forage grotrs, use increases on these slopes. b grow shorter and colder and the dam cold air Settles into the canyon and As the days strear, ottots, deer congregate on south and east slopes and in, selected warm pockets and sheltered ridges, The 1Artg rteight loss trllir h §�9.gn in July continues iiito�t•;ckets usual er�d in Ja.nuary�or Februa, when '.th_; ora5s ark trt,, yr ,i��yy ��� cw.” I z..S.+_`Lu:.-18.t x t -y SUMMor a.nd alIgure 5), Many of those drier in poor conditiZn that rade it throuvh�he s� er and fall die in late winter prior to this irrroverent in the forage supply, he March Many of the (orbs such as filaree, popcorn flo�rer and brodea are eagerly sought after and eaten, In the heavy brush where the herbaceous plants are largely shaded cut, the deer are forced to maintain a diet largely comprised of brc;se (figure 5, CAL41EVA WILDLITE TRANSACTIONS 1.079 182 At this time of the year, right after fawn drop, the 'herd reaches its population level. While some fauns do not survive at this season., mortality is ger,01611y low, except in areas where cover or forage is not adequate. Does heavy with fawns arks easy prey for ( predators as are fawns where cover is inadequate (Taber 1958). Sunurer tate Jame, July, st and1Rte tber Distribution and .Behavior During the spring and early sums r deer in the chaparral shift, from south to north facing slopes to remain in harmony with the optimum teizperatures (55 to 65 F, Tabor 1958) and to feed on the later maturing plants to be found there. At night when the tewprrature falls they often i4;nve onto the south slopes to feed and bed. At this season cover is.essefttiat for escape from the heat and the distribution of north slope cover patches that provide shade and allow understory air circulation determines the distribution of deer on their home rang -s. If small patches of cover are available near food sources the door will use these. The large► g acre or more escape cover areas are used and needed to escape from Food and 4later ,-;e daily requirement of water for a hundred -pound deer appears to be about 2.5 quarts ttlicliol 1938). During the winter and spring when the food is succulent, this amount is taken in automatically With the food, but as sur„mer coves on, the mistiure content of the food drops and the deer Bust have free water- to drink (Taber 1958). gater could be a � siinifitant factor in chaparral fawn survival during dry ,years, with the early dessica tion of lierbage'during`Jane, July ani A,jgusf`t�riile�la`wns are nursing. Does nursing �fawns requiie_a, high ug al ty„ips �vith sm an adeouate unix of oisture to sustain their ca lk. The quality of deer food is generally highest whe; plant growth is the fastest, This fast growth period occurs primarily in the period of fast grawth and high protein content of forage that deet condition reaches its annual peak. There is an nbrupt drop in forage value in late June and_ea ly July (Figure �4): Thus in Jule and early August a Apct n chaparval^deer condition be Protein quality of the G'iaparral forage continues to drop throughout Auga;st and September. Even in a good ceocwth year the protein content of most deer foods including chamise, which is the staple of chaparral deer, falls off to a level of about 3 to 5” too low to sustain deer in gccd condition (Dasr~ann 1955). Evidence at hand indicates that a 70' crude protein level in adequate amounts of palatable browse should maintain deer in situations other than those subjecting them to prolonged cold or stress (Bissell 1955). In some years or on so!.`re chaparral ranges, the diet- of the deeris su Dle,rrented byan acorn mast Srop bg�gitniiing usually�in Septerber. Acorns are an excellent source of fat` and carbohydrates and a good supply'gene-ra ly leads to good survival of fawns and adu'-s conditonhthroughiJuly, August fall Yenths�. chaparral Jeer decline it throughti suitter . year (` `"r81hcr•+ever, an years when acorns are plentiful, high fawn production and sarviva een recorded (Inlay pers. corrrunitation). Mast Cry on „fears of low at&n petuuction and poor` forage gro14th, deer mor tatety fin chaparral is_ high in August and 5e� tps, er and in the winter when the we biped stresses of poor condi, tion and weather` can result inmidiFit,natsses. CAI:-NEVA'WILDLIF5 TRANSACTI03S 1979 181 r n r CRU` 6 PROTEIN LEVEL 3o CD Ln r.. ,eciduous SN'ubs Herbaceous C: 20 (winter a� cv growth Herbaceous co (spring gNon- d0clduous Cotv;� S ru 0 7Z level Figure 4 Seasonal bevel or crude protein in,woo end" errTl,ztlus tants (modified �rbm`aber and bast i958), P i E�R, Rekraduction Chaparral' deer seBischoff ldom breed before they are .lb to 18 rionths old (Tapp tt �li,aoceber 195s). Breeding activity generally begins in Septet er and is co, Yearling Southern nerds begin breeding earlier than northern herds (Croneniller 1.950). r females tend to breed 3 - 4 rreel.s later than the adult and single et.10yos are most 3 prevalent (Taber 19581- Bischoff 1958), Adult does in goad physical condition normally beat- twin fawns each spring: on poor ranges or poor forage growth Years chaparral, does da row breed yrs yearlings ,and tilzy ie not prcduce as M,511Y fati�ns a year t.D;en they do star* brec ing. Teris is due to a di, n ti;e ►`aber 1er 953). Fawnscare�-d at tasu3llyedroppedfin breeding rather than a loss during preg�arcy (� later April, May acid ,lune (earlier in the �ou,�t}irn 204chapdays� ranges gerea3adepictsitl;eher.lualnren ranges) following a gestation period of aback productive cycle in relation to vegetative phet,oiogy: y SEASMAL HISTORY S rin (aril , to ,June The fa,�rning period rheavaiio_ fiehtno!ffyt3:e on nort el ofhaarral ppevin�asrr�ars drd f et�reqt% and or nto thick wee) -,s in the spring y or mra, cover to bear their atawnS. this season andlthisers'esultsIinrtheir as spreadinilapartrather evenlyc tcf,ards each other �,er the country wherever suitable facthengaco cover habitatdi Opfcupied ih re Ye erabout 30 Qasnann (1958) fcund that when all of" ter - forces inq does to he s pare riile, These observations indicate the aterage fawning ria r_y istJbouroaSh'acre in chaparralond i Thay is teflrloorial behfvi ingosite outr�ofpthenarea does, 3u pp of heavy deer cancerrtr•atiorr. Crast''aran (1855) found on one Lake County range se high deer density there vias an emigration of one-third of these young does every year because of the inhospitable behavior of the older does and con' Fawn suckling begins shortly falla;ringalthenough toinueS standfand or itst. tda. has sufficientou60 to 75 days non 134), provided the newborn fawn is he y milk. fr•o� different chaparral ranges of the state show that from Autopsies of pregnant fines conception to birth practically all farms survive in a healthy condition until birth, t.4any of thea, Waver, die shortly after they a►'e} erin. inadr*huat2ono,ss o 0,- hfawns l difficult to study but it is prclabl s`elated to _-R____�—.-- W durirt and after' regnancy(ry►' lorth Prtsno Studies of pregnant does and'herd atin torPolit occurs�onrth�iistmiig�r'atory}\herd's suTree range County) show that a.. ..-.-0 „ vegetative and it is hypothesizeu this loss is due to th_ eneral curtailment Pf ve etative distur- e on Bance on riddle elevation 9ration corridors and suz;1� tOMings ha titats that has led. to a dnrlin�in th tir�fawnns�r virvaltrelatedThe f,forarinri allSetopvoornnutres'ition,cbutequence abetted 1r3S been a redzcti4n by the con;.r,rrent losses of brush and other covers fused by fauns for prctLction from. weather and predation (SalWasser 1978). food Sprirq isya p�rind o4 abuh the ender trvigst forage galid leaves ho`br,.any^kare hhigharrnual grcvth beginning in �a p l of succulent herbaceous plants juality deer reed, in addition to browse there is a Supp y of high Q,jllity, especially on the burned Or open sheublands. Even pregnant does; putting to r,ch of their energy into the grdwinr fae+ns, gain in condition» CAL-NiStAr WILOUre UANSACT IONS 1979 lis e' ..�#r+�: T'a!y"��'�".!' 'rt�w�4i'r'^"�•' r-^ +,. ✓ :+:'y_°'s`v'' '7LL2. � }, ,tiR�."'ii LLi'�`�41ik�17�iF3ritiki�Fdtm.!Sisu�''wvasavo'c'c'"�_ `."m` — - -- R f t' BEER ROCKY NS utF;: 'v OLACd•TA•LED PEER ^ j_.�f... 4IA MULE DEER ��% � uo- � oAUEoR 50UyHEAtf MULE ryEtF INYO MULE DEER J RURFO LEER " rQC9 Figure L Races and distribution E of rule deer (W•P. Damann 1962). ti iY 4 r a. -`}o :•ia: Apr` :tar June Ju Y F.JN`K Jan.- .- yr ` r r+t t REPRODUCi ION s+o►eo6 PHEIMLaGY t rioure 3w The ain nnual Cycle pmodified�+ romuTaber and DaSM3,1A 1958�e ojoD" x flendOCino County ( CAL -MA l;1LOLM TRARSACTMNS 197 6 178 s. EFFECTS OF FIRE ON DEER IN CHAPARRAL G,C, Ashcraft California Department of Fis`., and Game 5508 E. Pontiac Fresno, California 93727 - INTRODUCTION To understand the effects of fire on deer in chaparral,,a brief review of their reproduc- tion, seasonal history, and habitat requirements is in order, Also ►tnderstanding the effectsof fire on chaparral vegetation is important to understanding,why deer respond positively to fire induced vegetative succession. Finally, the effects of un-ranaued, managed, and wildfire treated chaparral on deer grill be discussed. CHAPARRAL DEER Chaparral deer populations in California include three sub -species, the Coiunbian black- tailed lack-- tailed deer eod,�c.az: eaa l era onus l.eY _.nuaa�' , the California n. ul a deer (04� .ioi'eua hl it"1 10 4,411,fil- icuz), and the southern mule deer fall otwe ns hie' W rrco ie x a: rY; �, The combined ranges of these three sub -species of mule deer corresponds sc:xwhat with Sa�'psen (1944) and Jensen's (.947) classification of Chaparral and chaparral associations in California (Figures 1 and 2). r Y j.�k j �'it� ♦ . Y �!+'r� SrC y"i'TY;i Com' L i7X +, r Figure 1, Chaparral distribution CAL -NEVA WILDLIFE TRANSACTIONS 197 177 BIC-CAMh `VI.NTER .RANGE ---A DIMINISHING RESOURCE JAIL:ES O, ICi,n113tEDSOX Unit+rrtity Of yfri:onn, Tuesah, ,Ariioea By the year ` 000 Americans will simid about 80 iwrecnt inure tinie hunting than they did in 1960 (Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission) 1962). if the same projections apply to big -risme bunt- in- and associated recreational opportunities in the western Vnite-d States, then it is doubtful it thk demand can be met With quality equal to that of today. V,, -pane amnbers are detmidned by quantity and quality of habitat—and in the tuountahiourt West vintrr range is the critical hnbitat because of its relkire sl mill mire m)(1 lurtitiot, -ill - of IUL-das ince with big - y . „�productivewinter habitat ntti5t ba provided a d maintained. But the prospects for doing jwt this nrr "• not ^ood. I'Viater ranges are tipparently aeelining in acreage inttl protlwtivity rat ie: than increashig to rnect the need of a rapidly expanding population of reeten tion-utitided Anwricans-. " llou• sib , the problem facing wisiter range and how long has it been gore ont 'The problem is not nein. Gauze and range nnanaroc". have lona recognized the problem of detel"OrAtillgr winter. range. Iit 1936, Palme: alai SNOW (U. S. Depnrtment of A riettittire, 1936) described in Senate Document 199 hole rrduetioci 'itt the range arca " and its depletion were Affeethlg Wildlite. Today tlic saline problon i • 260 Tn1RTY-SECOND NNOR r AarERiCA1 V,%DLTFT Cay F -','U exists, but there tire additionat forces at wi•ark to the detrinwilt, of winter raitige, mid their ,imp. et is perhaps just ns serious as J[7 yrs►s' ago. Itis niy purpose ill this paper to dellnento and illustrate the-hiapilet of some of the niore iinportaut factors causing decline in winter range. I have categorized the factors into two groups: 1) those whit -h. exert aii influence yet tire more or less within the control of resource managers and 2) those over which thegameor land manager has little if any control—but whose effect is just as devastating. FACTORS IltSOURCE MANAGERS CAN CONTROL Overuse I3y Livestock grid iiia game The widespread overuso of ranges by livestock and game animals is probably* the most important factor affecting decline in winter range. Most parts of the Nest Have been overgrazed by livestock sometime in the past 50 or 100 years (U S. Department of Agriculture, 1936) and many ranges have been excessively used by game (Leopold et al., 1947). Winter ranges are certainly no exception. Range depletion has brought About reduction in total quantity of forage, the elimination of many species valuable for biggame, invasion of low value species, starting of widespread erosion, and destruction of cover, Range misuse has so modified the environment on some ranges that perpetua- tion of key plants for big game is seriously. hampered, Although range depletion has declined in the last 30 years with the practice of range management and better control of livestock, on public and private ranges, it is not difficult to .find ranges which are still overstocked with either livestock or big game, or both. Moreover, some ranges that deteriorated many years ago have failed to improve signifieantly under better management and even today are poor game habitat compared to what they once were. Despite the more difficult problem of maintaining big gatme popula- tions in balance with habitat, many game departments are doing a good job in the more accessible regions. However, ill areas that are less accessible, or distant from population centers, game numbers are often high in relation to available forage and in some cases the range is deteriorating rapidly, Unfortunately, in many states the authorities charged with responsibility of managing game populations do hot hold rile confidence of the people or thein elected state officials and thus find it difficult to maintain reasonable garde herds regardless of how good their designs for inanagennent niay be. Tt'ild ar Stan is demon8trating his ability to exercise great control over re, and the devastating fires that destroyed millions of acres of timber', `VISTFtt R:rt`•or---.k DimwisitiN a ltF,o" icr , 261 forage and wildlife early in this cettui•y (Lyuaa, 1956) are a thing of the. past, Yet, every year many hundreds of :aeres of forest and range are consumed by wildfire in the Western l'nited States. W, inter ranges are especially vulnerable to fire because they are 'usually situated in valley bottoms adjacent to highivats, toww•ias or cities, recreational areas, and other areas frequeitted by human beings. On two key; bitterbrush (Pa rshia tride.atata) whiter ranges in soutltorn Idaho, representing only a small part of winter range in Idaho, over 79,000 acres have burned in the last 50 years,a Although lee actual acreage of browse burned could not be determined,, observations suggest that fire has caused a significant loss of bitterbrush. On many areas of this winter range, fire followed by invasion of cheatgrass, has of eetively prevented the return of bitterbrush. Very slows recovery of bitter - brush following fire Lias been noted elsewhere in the Nest(Nord, 1955). • 1i1sects Disensc; and Rodents Insects, disease and rodents cause damage. to game food plants, but the magnitude of their impact is not, known. Whereas the effect of pests to timber species is well known and is receiving significant attention very little work is being done on pests injurious to range plants. Actually there are coinparatively few insects that cause serious dama;e to range plants (Teem, 1052) and their activities often go unnoticed, but occasional outbreaks may cause sinnifiennt loss at browse.. Nord (1965) lists several insects which feed on bitterbrush, some of which are destruetive. The Great Basin tent caterpillar (111alacosontii f ravilis) has defoliated bitterbrush over much. of its range (Keen, 1952), requiring years for the plaints to recover. Grasshoppers (lite ldnopltts. 'spp.); cutworms Lyapliof a tt_iar961410sa), and Nvireworms (Elatt7(lv4) are particularly injurious to bitterbrush seedlings and. have jinxed many a revegetatioa project (11ubbatdl 1956). NumerouR outer insects because of their local abuodsuu— are suspected of being injurious to the vigor and reproductivity of bitterbrush (Nord, 3r,05). Iteseachers in Idaho .(Ferguson of al., 1953; Dasite et al., 19C?" ."e. recently confi� �•,ed Xord's suspicion,i, finding that aboi f 'o' the potential bitterbrush Aced crop in a local. are. 11 four insects Which are eonnmon during 80miit- .-,N ,rt► .. �`,'" periods, Other browse plants wliieh are periodlvl'`* d by i.,sy...i are various species of ceanothus (Ceattetlatts •* ».:�, 19b` r: g�tmoe1 oak (Qtrerclts ambelii ()lrovvn 19581, tt,�asa-Ain rnaliaMany (Cee& errs wi s" t. and big stt rebruslt Arfenrisia h-ittc�atata Ccen 19!32), p pl } ( ( s tF'It6 da�y�etct+er, shine :tailanrt 1+arct, 'Dant, "a.iit+a. '2G'_'; Tit►Itrr•yi:►n.n NORM 1NiIlnGAv \\iiuut,tf�i: t;u�h�ianF:�ci lit the early 1960's eltr110111 tnountit' it-ln11110"tuty (0. lydtfolius) WIN killed on 6000 it -res 'ire lcotltltwestent wittio roitowim, inresisitions or .lttoannfplttdrs eliui►loltitl ��rryjtnu►lri (loul'niss tinct I it �]J(i7). Tite mgebrush defoliator (,Aeogn ircbYler•) infests big stigebrush till other browse pfimL4 throughout the western United States. A serilills infestlit if it or .,t rnly t in soutliwestcrn Oregon, liorihutlsti-m Cidiforttill. null iiol'thwvhtern Nevtula in 1963 and 1964 wits studied by ti=ll tlttti,a). lie repuii+tot! high mortality over )melt of the area Bird J►'rcdielt�tl the ittot serious nlpnet of rirar/n would be oil deer and atitelopt. witit,eriiig lint'=s, Oil the ])evil's Garden(leer range wheel iliftStilt loll ►• AVIleLl ;JT pement in 11154, 111111 Itlitileipated sagebrush ,•,nrtylity would execed 90 percent by 1063. a:rrta ;t�:s iliroritllifion is available oil discuses affecting shrubs. ^4,rii (liseusses sovertil diseases which aro known to be pritllogLi..`�i. opt !,ittctrbrush, The datnpill aft ov,1111isnis, whitat at4 kitowli: t„ rnilyt ter,;,; + rtazlity funong seedling bitterbrusli) are particularly troubleso►ite ill =,itme;4d rehabilitation efforts and 'pre- sittuxblyr take it noir toll in natural reacuernaziii. Authorities working 'with regetlerittio(i of shrubs have found that Control of sninll rodents and rabbits i., an absolute tu,_L,!Mty to obtain regeneration or 4urtaitr speei0s (Plunnuer, 1963; laalint ret, Anil 138sile, 1J3J), lrotileally, small rodentit area cousltlerkl important ',. the natural ret;encrotitul of sante speeies and 11i rnit►y tlu-13) evelt _considered rodo-tits r4 initial to the perpetuation of bitterbrusli ill California.. 'i'u my kitowledgrit no one hits defiuctl the oeulogleid status ttf cotiinttntitit.s wlteie the destructive effects or i'udetitis begin to on'tW 'gh their benelielid elyects, r-ecsoinably this iteets to be hetet- tinned, as part a,f nn tfvvrltil curdy of wily importiilit htuilo brown %posies i118U n1afly tlrtitis art: not adequately regelleVittilig. Nowhere liltve I suets estiinatt�a of dal►ttt; a to wi►ttitr t`iu►g4 i front flood or sail erosion, but, to be stere, tllc aiinu,nl losses must be appreemble. In December 1904, virtually every sttennt eltiuntel in the lineifitr Northwest flooded durin., a wcek of wiscasoonbly liiglt temper- atures bad -,trill tin snow p�heiitnnettit. if tilt wimmit of Mreitrttbnnl3 r•trttinr, tlelio Mio i, and bins wastbio of steep slopes that oeetwretl itt soittlier►i Idaho was riin►esentative of the'eiltire. flood area, then niliny Hundreds of Meru of winter rtuig must hove, *been tomoved frolo production, .lust as dninatina is the more insidious neceleritted sheet erosion that, nottifs oti tlettriorated, and poorly vegetated s ONA. Whurtl e t Pr t )VINTYR RAN(lF—it Diatl:ilsinva llf-«4ovttGk 2G3 is not adequate to stabilize surface soils, sere* and even Vouiig seedlings caul be scoured from the soil surface and washed away. This pienomenoii is a emitributing enure of roor reI-It-nertltibn observed on deteriorated bitterbrusli anti cu.rllent momitnin lnahngany ranges ill idaho and Montana. 1cnln�irnl ,�uccrs.einir Deer mil elk range ;is diminislihig in rivalify find illimitity *rebase of ecological succession. In north Idaho and western ,Montana, dev- astating evastuting wildfires burned over 4.5 million acres of forest *meat nest of the continental divide from 1910 to *920 (J.,'on, 1066). The sliecotsio!) which followed produced luxurinnt gromsy Mope:t and briishfields Mid consequentty deer and elk numbers il►erensed tremendously. Inereas higly efficient fire suppression brought an end to tete big wildfire period olid permitted redevelopment of the cliniax forest; Simultane- ous with ,succession of the forest, habitat tuid game numbers steadily dwindled despite light hunting pressure. Ewen before sueeetsion has proceeded to a closed canopy of trees find elitninited the shrubby plaitts, brmm on many tall -growing hardwood speeie9 oti this region lifts grown beyond the reach of game aili►nals, thus sltorietiiiig the pert�.l of habitat suiti bility for game even more. Of the liian u factors which have contributed to loss of habitat in these northern forests; fire suppression has undoubtedly had the greate9t single i'mOrt t (Uyon, 1 JGti). X',+lien in communities where shrubs nre the apparent stitble vegeta- tion, or suo,,-- snit to forest is slow, growth in height of the shrubs i9 a factor limiting availability, Curllonf mountain mahogaily stands in Irontalta atid. Idaho are an example, Many stands consist only of mature treelike pllints with little,or no reproduetion, Stands of this type provide virtually t,o hrnwse atoll-, the mature plants are high•liut=d and the feav seedlings or g pinnts present are hedged alid covered early in winter witit Allow. Density of shrub stands is another auecessiolial r,griction in game haibitat. Increase in density to the extent of inncce5sihflit 1� is perhaps more of a problem tin yearlong ranges such As the chamise and chaparral shrub types of CalYorl►ia (I31swell rt al., ]952) and the SonthWest, Noiictlielo.", ninny t;hrtil►K 01inds tin wo.Ovrn rtitigos are sn dense as to restrict rfn innl moveluei►t or ava►lAbility of browse. Tile rettoov.,L'Alon which fullowo overgrov.1m eaki srs devline tit it'inter range not oiily thrnngli lots of vigor nhil liilirUtlitV- sof ovcrtrstd pinnts, but iii jmg of rnnncit�i fpr reprorltertinu ulider the depleted conditions. A stand of browse which does not littve adequate supply of ,t•oung p4lnts to replace those lost is 'fit dnug.r of being lost n4 *;nitre 264 TuIRTY-SECOND NLVTIt AMERICAN WaxiL',FE CONFEttFNcr, habitat. Ditterbrush is ati outstanding example of a species with poor repr:.ductive capacity under such circumstances. Curlleaf mountain - mahogany is also poorly regenerated under certain conditions (Hoskir ind. Dance, 1955). In co.+:rast to losses of bitterbrush to retrogressive 'succession, this browse is being lost in 'parts of Oregon and California because of primary or secondary succession to ponderosa pine (Game Range Rehabilitation Committee, 1963). In these situations even the more favornble Habitat conditions and absence of disturbance sloes not compensate for the inherent poor regenerative potential of bitter. brush (Nord, 1965). 011ir_ r Wilt3taild nse� In the competition betive.6h 'wildlife and the other multinle uses of wildlands, big game often comes out the loser. I have already mentioned the losses to timber through forest succession in north Idaho. Vie current policy of artificially planting trees on logged aitd burned -over timber stands in the West is seemingly working to the detriment of big game Habitat. ;►fore often than not areas that had patch -work patterns of timber interspersed ,With small stands of brush and grass before fire or logging, end up as solid stands of tree seedlings when the higlily mechanized planting job is finished. Where planting is delayed, and brush leas been allowed to occupy the site after lire or lagging, foresters may resort to chemical treatment of brush to eliminate mpetition from tree seedlings, Moreover, as demands on land increase, brush -covered 'lands will be increasingly scrutinized for their potential to produce crops of grass or trees. " Cotes and sheep Have been winning out for a long time over deer and elk. Hundreds of thousands of acres of sagebrush have been plowed up or sprayed to make tray for grass. The value of these range programs in terms of increased forage production for livestoek.and stabilization of soils can hardly be questioned, But there is ,reason to question then, in terms of their impact on wildlife and particularly the impact on big game minter range, The Colorado Department oaf Game Fish and Parks became so concerned over the high acreage manipulated in Colorado that, 6, special research project has been set'; np to i.uventory range manipt0ation projects and to study the effects on range, livestock and wildlife. There is little question but that f sagebrush removal And grass seedling have had a detrimental effect on. critical wiliter ranges in Colorado," Fortunateir, not all of the range improvement work: being done todsy is Stith a single use in minis, but we have a long tray to go in ach'tov'llig Integrated. multiple u4t, nianagcineit. ipeE¢enal "ebmspondeneo erlih i.eureneo t. lilordan, Harold shepherd, asa noiend o, Xdteld, Colorado Lepskment of Came, Fish and Pa'tdce. " WINTER I mNaE—A Dtitixisin\zo 171:�;oviw `?Gu FACTORS RESOURCE -1fA-*tAOWS CANNUT CONTROL Thus far I Have discussed losses of winter rivige to � factors over which the resource manager has some cont,,ol. Put tliere are other. impacts over whieli the resource manager iris relatively little to, say --outside of His voice as a private Ctizem. Thetis impacts arise from population growth and demands nzodern soeirty for '.bore goods and servives and are affecting nein' r range on butte private and government lands. Softie rises enciroa,,ll, r,railmllly and sociningly fin-te little street in any one locality, 'vhilu other ,iisrs Have it cleyastittine, impact.- Urban m act.r~`rl an H xpa'nstUn,_Private Tatter prise itnd Recreation. Consider the effeet of expansioit tit western cotminunities Like Afisgo+ala, Boise, Logan and innumerable (Akers which are surrounded or bordered by winter range. The grmyth of residential areas into tile foothills or canyons gradually knocks out elle lower fringes of ranges wli t li are critical for oalne survival in severe �r'inters when snots is deep on'higher portions of range. In similar :fashion small farms,. *nnehes, a thew lumber mill or phosrhnte mine, may usurp land where door or elk formerly wintered, Receentional use of land, both govern- ment and privately developers, will inerrttsitlgly lied higher economic loses for the more accessible lands, R,,antis, dtttlt, rniivlies, summer and whiter Homes, and campgrountlg will enci%aeh uu winter ran -es. Even the expaiision of Forest Service campogtounds has sonar Conflict With winter range, Road_ _ s wid, High-tuai . Year by year forest roads are penetrating dreper oto the unroaded back country, With new emphasis on timber salvage cutting, control Of forest pests and fire, and access to recreational areas the deplanes for new and improved roads and l ghways i's coiiiiri, from every walk oflife. This is manifested by the divers,, groups which testified before the 8i90i Congress regarding the Federal -Aid Iiighwily Act of 1066, and the overwhelmhil; mass of t stimony presented *ii favor of increased appropriations. THe national, forost development 'pµogra ii for rontls and trails, presented in testimony of I tWwnrtl Cliff, chief of the Forest Scrviee, before the Senate Silbconmiittee on roads, calls for construction find xecol Aviaction of nearly 770,000 miles of Pitt. chaser and government roads in the six Nvestern regions for the period 190M919' If only 6 percent of these roads pass throuni game wilitcr ran,. an estimated 190 g , 00 neres Will be lost in this short time, In rituality the figure may be much higher, Testimony of thri Idaho Fi h ntid Clamo Comnusslon before the same subeoininitte+ although sup- portntg increased road_approlir atilops clearly indleaicd the concern of rG• 't'�. ;;;:cowt)ttT'i f"�'^tN 1':ti.tifl>' Uu"' t Ct;);;C1: wildlife people for the potential detrimental %i►fincnacs cf road.; to wildlife resolit'(11(:s, Now super 1111(1 interstnte hi"ilways occasioiutlly pass through winter range. NVIleu they do, habitat is destroyed ar, the `ate of iievcrlil acres per utile. To millii»ird tvillter maiiltenanee, llighways are, mere often dant not located on south -facing, slopes, muelt to the dotrimellt of the winter range; Blicroachntcht of highiivays and rands alt hinter rluy;e is ;;ratltii►l, hilt in some instaitc(:s it can spell ini►licd"utte, disaster to local gaitic plgiulllfirrns. Thr iicty dividmi interstate higlitvay west of ])Oliver, Coln► -ado htis clilninuted at lcatit �0 nereeitt riE the triutt:r range for the rhttidelit braid of bighorn sheep tleitr Ceorgetott'110 Colorado,-' Water is the limitiuh resource in the western "united 'States and its (10Y lopniciit Will eontiuue at a rapid rate and with high priorities: Unfortunately the ()lost Critical big, game winter range is located in valleys and eanyou liottmrrs •where trutcr develuim,16-tt projects art, constructed. The program of tvplor iie•,tclopnlettt for 1dallo serves tee fill example of the impact that °''"►tisr, projects call have oil Winter range. In sotifhent Tdaho tiloile nit ystinutted 50 square miles of winter range Illwo been i1w0ed. by 10 dams built since 1940.4 At least 11 nate water development peojeet.s, w1lie11 are under eonstruetiou. or brine planned, will usurp more Winter range --to say llothing of srluell ri crvoirs being planned 'tinder the Small Watertlicd Act, Table 1 sltotvs that tile 11 reservnini will have a combined maxiuitull surface area of over 91,5,000 acres, In every ease big—game winter ranee will be affected. For the Ririe project losses will be minor and can be mitigated with purehtise nlid developnient of adjacent land for the 150 deer now r'intering in the reservoir site, For the Divorshak Dani, HOW under construction, loss in game herds ranging froth 10 percent for elk to 58 percont for white-tailed deer are anticipated, Ploplacement of the 'lost browse resource Zvi`►,' be extremely difficult because of contrasting environments in, the pool area where winter habit currently is located and on te oitly land available forat replacement. Herein lies the problem in Mitigating lenses from these projects, In the first plate, winter habitat cannot be Fihuply nor easily re• tatol►lislltd on file livare-St pieeo of land, Secondly, tile galnc Animals Involved emilllt, be rxlicett.d to simply drop their old habits anal 't'r� rKonq) roerrFtaoidenre with Clinura A. 1•tow, iteglohal Genie bhdcNr(it totar4zu il6pnrtnteiil at Sitiiie, YUIt L Parke, ilu " Prohltn"' lure) rrwarrh nrnl, Por rrhelrilftal►t n anti n(onetlement of flet+r trLHer roma 11, Moolhern idalto,•' nnpuidhillrit rriinn, Intermouptetu E'oei k" neii,e Skleertliitnt Statloh, liolae, Idaho. re `'VI TF.ii RAtiGE1 A DIMINn 111NO 111—NOURCF, 267 7a11ix, I.'wrIMATKIII DI VAI."rnV rL NINN►a WATER nl';vi LOI1,NIKNT PROJECTS ON 111(1 UAMN 11`1\ 1'11,11 1(tir(il'i IN WAII0.1 Ataiannioi ln�n in L+((mala). uirfnra huhlln�, rcK1UcU,.o acre of Iitan'daYm hi its Me hrnl"i 1'mjcct rnrnuir 10,41 of t;noto Year pereenL l.Ynu Craiulaa III,S(K) Deer stc IA, 7,100 Ririe I.F,i'110 Altilr lliti+r (irnlef) valley 1;f;6W �ttilo Uet'r I'l,i11UQ '!S Elk 4(11,(1, 1.,. D orithnit 16,wo Hlk 13:750 110 \Itile Deer 71110 1T 11'hitti-Wiltrl I l rr 6,4W 58 letan PennyVIK* 15:5W I.ik 110411 V, \( kilo+ i eari � 125 hi White-nall"l I)err .'111Y11 :S.1, dluaao 1110 2.11 Itiuhorn slap 1110 ` Upper Stitr tax;+ 1Tt1 Mille 11ty,r 2W 10 (huh 1..:ritaio ;i r"s 17,1. x( \lido Derr 4,1170 -- 1{Ik— Ai-alln 'tiro sprinre -111'=1,u Mole )unr 11 571 -- 11elts Can}vo 11,4= Elk 1,0711 -- IUain ott(ainal Crum U. S. Futh k tvildilre 8ervire, Ilim-114 of Mart 1'InheriM k 1vik11ire, niter itiu,in Studied, 11,66e, )lona. s WRImot coinIte wtory tnea.+irm. stidderalt' beghi using, alternative relllges whilult Oflit lids so convenient ly providod. Por some of the Idaho prt.,"-'rts, liffligntion problehls are even moro severe than for Di,N,orshak. Ili the case of thi! Penny cliffs Project,. Where a pool, length of 73 utiles is col-.euiplated, 35,500 Man. clays/year of hunting for five bio Sftiiie species will be Bast as a result of nit anticipated 25 percent reduction in herd size..Utlioritiles of tht, U. Si Fisli and Wildlife Service indicate that there is ", , . no conceivable way to nl tigllto the loss" of Avinter range which Avould result front construction of fenny Obits, improveutents.ill the inundated ur(illi 111111 I'u »rovidinrr new futilities Intl sert'iees which the restrVoirs domwid, When tho Garden Vailo, Project is rollstrueted, with i( maximum of 18,600 surface acres, an estimatpil CIA iteres of whiter range will be destroyed in accomodat. inutile reservoir and extensive hilprovenictitss l lle loss a this illuelt winter ralige, Roll all areli !hitt is already* in Boor condition will r(�sult ill. evefl fu►'thrr depletioll front illevensc(l grazifig pressure which tie reservole will rause, Blotkoge of nil- gratlai rooters will likely be a serious problem; witli Garden Valley, ►#lultiole U.o Sar+er (aloe( Oard6n Ynliea% bnrn mill ttrserl•nlr Vro;ret. Oitrdeel `viillOY 01111 Ramirit lianter blitrirty 'Bolsa Nailmial Parent, ilt�xlnn 4, Tlrrtnther 2e 1068, 268l(`F11aT1-SE 1 ORTI1 l MERICk21 �� 1i.UL1)`>; CONC1:ili:NCE forcingelts ' tals to sinter on overused ray or in lleavv snow t>t on. ii anon n slopes which aro. by nature not ideal ,cutter on ntlrth-faeinb nor readily subject to inlproveulrlit.° The effect of withdraliy'al of wooer range from fro ilc�htlto ithOu t compelisatory measures call li of rang to vary trous, depending on the nil' ottnt of range affected, number for rchabilita- using elle xaeige, condition of the range, opportunities tioel slut c5ti<blislinient of new range, and extent ore(luctitalloof lrao aQe, Even where range is naw in ;;god shape, a big without adequately providing for the displaced animalrlcould raises n rapid deterioration of habitat niid heavy less of anienals. uest ion of how nein �e inter ran rC is to b uestiolll Certainly itfor Seis not and this indeed is a most perplexing rant cumber of dollars for rtiough for the construction agency to g' tlirr purchase of additional land and conversion or rehabilitation to whiter range—then to sit back feeling that the job is done, Shrub regei:eration at best is difficult and a long term process, d- ole in best sites, to say nothing of ecologically i11•suited sites. �Lu(1--itoele imperative that relocated raegeos� a to servetef ac entlyto or as cas altelose as ratives, to those usurped 1f they aregoing Every game manager has observed death ,loss because w browse shortage during severe ~,winters in drainage bottoms ai1c1 lover slopes while a short distance up the drainage or side iilope shrubs may be only lightly browsed, but under srtoNv too deep for tile game T11F, FUTURE'FOR'W1NTru RANGE or It seems obvious freta tiiis.s„i�ys,s,tn gteba�doile� to coo teractlltl�e en(1 f dwi ifl in IV nt r ) Uses of land over which ~Vildland resource Managers�e far lnndtto control swill continue to compete effeetivel with bid 6 • that provide' goads find services for society and 1 fSee n o1es unlikely ree entiot> existing priorities Brill greatly ehailge• p em llaai8 thRt resource, but it eurrentcy�e s?i e l,oy lying, nly when theereereattioll public outdoor recreation ill g sale problem as it is of recreation is as well informed of the big g needs ill general, will priorities for game habitat ltnlcalequnto Taitteati n proportionate emphhsis, Then we can exileet for flnmat;ed regouri4.N. But mitigation of damages to winter range is successful only to the Ila create To date extent that Ve1T9 tall 0 QCCOiitat" a'iel'pli ill those tanks seiriadcquato for many technical k sP.. — ereoeal carrespendeati, Dlek Noroti, Itrglonat Gam• I11910061, Idaho Fish Ina Game Department. r YIN LR IZ,l:Mtil--�1 ,�)t> t l�Itil(i lit 5l)4'1tt L nG� areas, Tilo ve-Sellrrlt eIl'�lrt is aitt�Irell 11, 11+t�Ilyd 10 develop tilt, IvVel, rile 4�laitrl liecomplish ilte job. Alli.'(x anal :+' •� Ir ell fipeeirs, to Leal �r.'lI.-e about rtintc Pcst+i, Zt1 14�Iu`1) hoiv to restore depleted ranges and er' �°e Beit' rang aero dii'e►f�etcuvtrnnuTental s tune and Inallafre, White-. e n2 as f_ � I �rrttx a)'* alltl to tions, to enective.ly t�!ordhiati gale seed livestock a rat inteand to (,rate 1'sg gttlnr Ila ,tat aeallagcnleitt wills tllilbcr tnti)lagemt'nt, tion We )Teed to seek t'ut manapenlent princil lrs tlltit are already avail- aggressively vail ago essively inaplelue fible. I�' nallyr evildi,A1ed itlaiia-emeut and improvement should be laune(1 by broadl .; trained mai►aners till d refioec' etseit humall need.-, e lleC.ds of all,P resource values, bool1 tangible and intafattible, for the future. TUnik 0it` O llaaile, J, Y., It. B. l'erl'.twn. and M. at. ruralax 1964. S{x,lrf � Deat"a He+1riLk `aIndttA,IIt. alkrt,uttsr tile eno 9}, ro d x on �L Bidwell, H, H. lt, U 1UG3. `lunlcteh-'nt of eharr.r a br(latil . for aamr in CnlUpt q. Calot. Pis). and (Tame. 38(4) t tGq•ABA.^ 91 92 Brown, 1larry F. crest.tentrst Colorado. Vtology, 39(2) 1958. Lambe! oak 1n 1crRUKon, it. 1)., )I i3. Earned+, and J V. flaaile x)83. Insects.,I.,Iestrattire to bI68rbr t a4 nowe a and seeds In saPthwestar4c Idaho. Jour, YeansEntoiaa+r6T Purniaa, 31, It-- end 'lV• k. flan ata. Rog. ld, on Jo, 43a 24, PP - Idaho. Ulanomles of dtcec.Cipti: raarta, gi l+ro)an BU on o, 7%ln rnaho•anT to Idaho. Unly. of testa Agrie. E State 0aaca "t Firh Game Range Rehab}'ition Corn tamlttes :983. weate,n Game Range RySDhp r• 1Featero .baser, of Comrtm. Vat. `'b►1 (1}' r 3erfice licit, Ralph 0. 1966. 3aget.ruah defoliator outbrrak In northernCa1llornaa. 1?+S nrMt Rex, Data 11SW-1512 Pp. tir)ifielal [titgelaticn. lio(mRren, R. C. and J, v Basile 195,9. impr.)v{nl;. 'southern Iii aha deer winter tnncea o lclnbo 1)rpartmen of Ftah and Gante 1\iadl. leulc. `ll 3c b9 DD• HOrmay. A• ililft,rbruah.tn Calltoraia. t.S. Toted Fertatt, Cnlafarni,a Fared L Range 1t1A3. e•,xr Eta. Sea. Note S4, 12 pie• 1loakina, L. 11• ,� rid P. D* 13aike 66. �1 rotor browse On the S'ocatello big Kama rar. 19 ;r. (n rontlteastern Idaho• .Your. wil,1111ti Ilr:t. 19(2)% 215.2'25, Hibberd. R. 1,. dratrrorH1 by tirt+sonns and wireworms, Lt•R, Forest 1969. I)iltetbru.h 'ietdaintti Sea. iter• Note 114, 2 PP. +met, Wit. fosse h Rango Exa', Keen,:1`, P - I052, ]a,ect enemies ofeatern Sorcrts, t1,5. Drift. Arxla 3'+*c. PBM :to. 293 (reviaed) g81rP• q neer I.ro1>otd A., L, It, tlowla; and D. p .pe 1 li , surrey of orerpOPnlateti titer range,in tate L?niled- S.tatea. �aor. Wit l. Dfgt, 11(£); 154•10c Lyon, T,. eek 1988, tn. habitat management for14 24 15 nt Probaeaof PP, In lhs Beret ern force s. J U B. yorest Senite, Rrsearth PMpet Nord, F. A. qbi'<j34. 198b, AuletotoCY et hitlerbrnsh is CaUforiiG, Eeol. Mono. 36(31 245 PP. Outdnotloa RtWortes U&4W CommiasioR 1982, Uutdoor r"rtaticn for AmEri 4.9. Government Printing 0tace. Plitmtner. ,ir PerrJ 111651 Job eamp.etian report !or Ratne forage revrr:ctation rro;et3 1r.=:R•iQ. t'ta�+ Mate Ilept. of ltlah .4 0anie 110, NO, dS•IU' U' S.1 DO a"rtm�>rat at X rueratld e. 74th Congr,t 2nd fleas, Svttate Dotnrr+rnt ib -4. 829 pit• BIG-GAME \i/INTER RANGE—A DIMINISHING RESOURCE JXUE$ 0. T\I.E1&�[ED5O'X L` irrriit 6f Arizont7, Turson, iri_ottcl By the year 2000 , n't'.ciri[tis Will spend ubuut 80 lx`rueltl iiiurc tiuic lttuntine, than they diel in 1960 (Outdoor Recreation Rrsourees ) eview Cwoznnu�;5ioii, ? . If the :satire projections apply to bigrgttme luuht- in" and awiciated recreational opportunities it, Ole western 'United Statrs:, thea it is doubtful if 011-ideutiaitcl ecu► be inrt Nritit quality enual to that of 4oiav, Div,,-.aam(. itunibeis at'e dek IrMiltatl bycluantit.y and quality fl habit* --� iii the mountpinovt`, 'West Wliit(1` 1'i111jY,1: )5 the critical hrbitat because of is relative slillill sire turd lurtttion iit areas ,where land is in demand for other uses. To meet future demands for bi-g;aine huntitr; 0 `360 TnUtT1-SECOr17 NORTH A-mmt1C.it`1 AVILDIAPE Cb\'F.> tti �t'�' fi 11"t�TF.tL 1Z<'l�»ftF:---.5 pttall`;lr•Ift»ylt ;',".�Itl'llt`F: 0t exist:!, but tht'r+> Ili -j, £lklilitiwt£.tl furees tit rti'nrl: to tllc dett'intt�nt 111 �. forage and wildlife early in this gentttry f l,yw,5, 11166) lire a thin,of F the Yet, CVcr»`f elli` Illally> llnll(lrctls l7f At'!'S of fnTCSt Illl(1 range \l1t1tev rallf;e, 11114 their inlpavt 7s perhaps just itit Serious its :itl y*ealti ! j)ast. are eollsUllwd l)y- lvildf`lre, ill the r`reste'MI 1,I11teSa tit111rS. 1+�'llttl'r 1'a I" s a{n. It is 111\" purpose ill 016; j)kllmt` if) (lelinc(tte and illnstrall+ till: ilitllltl,t 1 are especially vu in to fire bCCtlllSe tll(1y t.re usually sitUatCf1 i1] . 1';illCs` bottontti 'fl(ljtIecnt to high! ays, towns Pir title`+, TCereational Of some Of the-tnnrt" ittl tortttnt fa'otol (i1tlaln�* del'1i71e 171 rrintcr range. 1 have eategori2ed tit(' ftletors into two groups: I? 'those whit t � S tner areas frequented tit, ]tllnlnt: beings, crit, t.11'o fey z r +t ren S ill Southern Tdallo, IbitterbrU trldrittata) whiter exert tt1l 111fiUf'1)Pc Set tire )IMM e, !tr leSa ZYlthiil t11C control of reSOtlTCe h (% urshia r£l1iE, only a small part of wino r rang+. tit Itlaho, over +9,000 ltittnagers aritl those (1\rr \v;+:+ a the TMallle or !tilt(! tnallagel` lilts little g repre.;elttitig acres have burned in the iast 50 \`Ctll'ti.l Althot1,'.,'h ti7C flGttli?I £lt'TelipC 1► tln�nl°011tt()1-1)11L 11'11otiP etlet't 1S just ilS (]E\'nSt£tttllag. '. of browse burned couhl not be dkermined, obv,rl`ationi fiuc-79est that ]''lLT{Jai ll i' CliftC'la ;Ir1lN;illFltS CAR CONTROL 4' t11'e ltas CIt+ISetl S ,I- if ,,.aut loss of bituirl+;liIsh. (.111 nI ny' tiro of t i. Overuse By L; vestork navel Big Game winter rani e, fire followed by invmilou of ehe::t;r£tss, has etiec:ti'vcl`' prevented clot return of bittewlirttslt, �'(`ry s!vw recovery of bitter - The Av desprca(l overuse, of gauges liv livestock alld game ttut7na,q as brush follo.�rin fire lots been noted ekowhere ill the �Yrst ,(\fiord, probably= the most important factor affecting deelittr tit hinter rang. x »,� Yost parts of the West have been overnrayed'by, livestock solnetim,e i71 the past 50 or 1,00 y"ears t,1". S. neparllllent of kgrieulture, I9l36) Sint! 111Scets, Divan, ond Rodents ninny" ranges ha\`c been ereeSsl\'ely used by game (Leopold et a .)' Insects, fllseli.x." alai, rodents ealls(1 tlalnaf;e to ^t1R14' food platlts, hitt ( '1 etion !las 1;117 Winter Cr ran+�t3 are certainly no C�teptlCllt, ]cant*�' depletion ,1 r ranges the magnitude of their intptlet is not known, �i hcreas the effect of . brought about reduction 121 cocci! (jUallt,lty' of forage, illi' elltlliltatl(in (1, pests to 'tbuber' %peeics, iS `cell 1411=11, and 14 receiving, Si-ntf7Cant !navy species valuable far nil ' at71C, itll'nSlon C+i l(�1C L'tlllt@ SpeGleSy 9 n,l,tention, Very' little Aror]: iS Reil!"" done on p,sts in j11TIt1115 to rh710e starting of widespread erosion, and destruction of cover, Rant,e that 1 plaltts, t�Cttt£ltly t]1crC are Ct1111pi1Tatir"eiy» f 11 'i''.lset'"tS that cause their aeth'itics often misuse has so nlodifled the envirotimptit on sante rtingrs perpetua- tion of key plants for big game is seriously» bampered. t serious tli nitlre tv call e plants rXectl, ISt.i`'1 Pwl +;,�l1 ltlnlotire(l, taut nee�lsiniial out���eals nla�° t=st n �signi�leant loss of ,;1lthougll rant e depletinn has declined ill the lust 30 years with axle brolrse. practice of ran, -,a lulluazement and better control of lil'estoek oil Nord �l,.4 f,5) lists several insects tt'hiell fer14 all bitterbrusll, some of public and private ranges, it is not dif lelllt to gut! ranges W1111611 are which are destructive. The Great Basin tent: cW Ierpillar ("Valoalso))w still overstoeked �xith either livestock or big game, or both, Moreover tl`(+ttlis) tlt1q rirft)I]atr(1 bitterbritsh over lnur'sl c I)s range {xceenk Solari ranges that kl�'terioratetl; tllalty'fears apo have failed to ilmnT.01,e � 111.1'?'', tk'(11`iriit;� }'ears for thejllailts to �raCSllOpjtiers sl tlificautly* t1n(lcr I)etter management all(] 'even 'to(ltly arta poor pme 1flllor17'tr�j sit!?,�. clic\1`lrrlltS l:ticophotta warj:aratoszN, £Itld wirelvorms habitat colnp£tr,,d to it"11at they" Once V -ere. (ElAir dt,r) are partienlarly- injurlows to flit.°»rbrush ceedlinga anti .DCSpitf' clic 111nre tlifllctllt j�roblettt Of n1at11tA1111[lr bt1,* f tulle llopu a- have jilix"(1 Iltc�llN, a 2'e egetation prt eJ ,-t 1Juh11Ard, 1990}•--ttlilelbn5 tions in balance with habitat, orally game dePartlllOnti IM's (101119 a other in"ecS because of their local abtltltlallue tWe sllsy' ectl"a of heitla goo(1 job Ill the Ilion, accessible V1111011q. Xf li'lt PvPr, it' £Il'e s that are t injurious til tile vigor and 1'l'I11`0(llttyt11 int' Qf 1",{T: r�.�rtisll ('Nord, 1:1i1�1] less tlrcessll)]e, or distant Econ! lloplllntittll centers, ra111e 11Utubel5 are � ilCSt�a('17eC4 wll Tdttlte Fkyi'gttSon et (ll„ 1863 DtAlle r nl., pt7sl a\'I often high ill relnt!on to available forage and ill some cases the ran, #, Ml ret'4ntly' l'rwltiir a t?t] \`ord"s slt�ltielnnS. unilill .Lai abtitit vtle4l;i a of is i11 orally* states t11C authnrlties til., pofe,114.of bitterllttt'h wd crop in a t,,a�:al awl NMS de-trave�i charged with re�ponl lbility of malltiging i amp populations do not w?:.* .ire txr�W'll: hold the conntlence of the 'people or their 7'h'f"IMI, state offi+'1a1% and q u ` 1' herds rogartllem of thus arid, It t 7fI1C11.' tl1 ;lialnta111 rellsQnRb1P �aniti' �� u e -� "� +•�"` '�,,;,,� � " ^�"" _ 11(111' good tht.ir for mannhemont Inlay* 1)e. Can is dern nitrating, ltis ability to exerelst% great control over tlrt+, and the devastating fires that desttgp(1 millinns of acres of 011►her, - . -._ _. 26`3 1*tlntTr-S*XC i.Vn NOItTl.t A-ni--itwxx AVit,oI,nox, (o.Nl^'1•itnxGL In tilt early 11060's eurlivaf 111ounlain-ntnllogrally (C, 1(dijolilts) ticlts killed oil Cd}all southwestorn Walio following infestations or Ill oe inpjo(j(^a! prnf(tniula i Furniss tnhd Darr, 1,90).Tlw sagebrush defoliator (':l qw, iveb lcri) infests bi", sagebrush and ut9her bmwse plants throughout the western United States. A •tWillus hillestation of .trago in southwastrrlt Clregoit, ninrtbra4terit California, and nortbwestvrtt .Vada in1963 and 1964 was Studied lot. Haul t, ltltis, 11%r roportetl high mortaiity over much of the area and prAit•tod the italrt serious ilnpaet of x1roga would be an dear and anit ltalttt oiantrrinl-t areati, f1n the ])evil's Harden deer range whel•e infe,t-Wti'on rearhe,l 07 peremit in 1964, ]fall anticipated sa�ebrilt;i nhol tali'ty ,, otld .,xveed 1.10 porretit b,-,.1063. L'Velt !.'•5 ini^,rluattion is avanable at eliseasei affecting shrubs. r'tlyd `1']ti i; disou st% several diseases which are known to be luallo ellie oil bihterbtutih, The clantlyin -ofr or, ltuistlls, W111011 tare known 'til a.ause high 'ortaliti' lutiong seedlhig bitterbrush, art, pnrtioulanrl,<• troablesonle in artiRdid rehabilitation efforts and pre sutnIiir• tame it by! null in natural regmemdon. lutLoritioi l:orhing with .regeneration of shrubs have found: that es,iltrol of small rodolits awl rabbits is all absolute neeessitY to obtain regeneration of vortain stleraes (Pluillul0r, 196 3; 1101111gren and Basile, 11,1391. li-oulenli.', snnall rodents are considered important inl. tilt, naturill rp,rllerill itin ttf .mute species and llorusay (1943) even colxsiderlxtl tts,mnitial to the perpetuation of bitterbrntib inn Caliifirrnfa. To ul,y „h.lindedge no one has refined the ecological status ur eolniiuuniitil �ihrl't� tilt, destructive Wets of rodents begin to ollwi►•eigh their bet,totieial bil'l'ets. Presumably this tnoeds to be deter 'Wed as pail ltt an 'ov"all study of 'l.Vlly impudillnt l ailie larowse spceies ill Sri nn'y art -as lire not adequately rcgcnerating, Fbsml and Sad,, r"Niall XoNO.t rr luive , %een estini ws of Oatuago to 'whiter rnimps fro' Hood ur suil i'riash ni, but, to be sure, the annual losses nnust be appreciable. In 1%trinbrr 3,164, virtually every strew Onlitthel in the l#ini'ifh� ��Itrtlt i'r?tit lhlodetl during a ween of 11118vasonabll, 111+441 teltl)t'n'� Mums and An tial ,snu11` lillentnuena. It The ann imint of strcainbk, nutting. depositittu. Burl tune wastlll; of stekill slopt;ti than orrnlrt'ed in suntherj itlnta, w o,, rt-jimsent itive of the entire Hood am", bell nnnnnY hund,ret.s (if arra, of Winter range 'east hays been rtttnitivild from liraaditdt.��tn: Jum as dtiniiagog is till' luole' illsitlious aceelpra Wd, Net erosion that o+cors on ilm,orinrated and poorly vegetated slopes. Wham, eovel. 1V' ISTENC R,►attt,.—,k Dmi—,isill-No Rlsollcc% IN3 is not adequate to stabilise sorflee soils, seed acid 'even Yotltlr, Withs can be scouted frohn. the soil surfaee and washed away. Tins pliellonneitnni is a 1•ilnt'ribu6ng cans( of purr regn neratiun uliserved on deteriorated bitterbrush and curlleaf nnonntain nnal►ogany ranges in Idaho a+nil Atonttinn, h7colonical PlIcerxs Oli Derr and A rmwo is 111 quality and iiloollity beeause Or eeoltlt;ieal succession. Inn north Idaho and western ;1i`ontllun, dev4 astatim.I Idtlres burned over �.s�r million nere, of 'forest land west of the vinntinu�ilttil divide. front 1'a .0 to V20lad°nir, 1.901",Tile su��ressztiti which followed tnroducetl 111\uriant _1;rttssr sloths ant, brushfields and consequently deer and c11: number;; inereased treinendou'-d . Inercas- iiMly eAhlent fire suppression brut, ht nit and to the big wildfire period and permitted redevelopnleut of the OlinlWK forest, Simultane- taus Witt► suecessioll of tilt, forest.. hallitat and ga njo uninbera steadily dwindled despite light hunting pressure. ]' voll horovi. suree�-iinn Nati proceeded to a Closed canopy of trees and 1.4itililKited the shrubby plants, browse oil 'any tall-, eon hig hard)vood slievies of this region, has grown beyontl the renoll of g0lue attituals, thus shnrtrliill¢ tits+ period of Habitat suitabilitti- for game event more, Of the niany factor, NvIliell have contributed to los-5 of habitat in these northern, forests, fire suppression has undoubtedi.r Mild the greatest single inlptlet (Tovonn, 1966). Even in rwwi hollies nl'here ,Mints are the atiiiamlit stalale vgeta- tion, or sueet%s on to forest is sea►►T, gowth in heir lit of this shrubs is a .faetor limiting browse availabilit y, C urlleaf luonintain anello rint Stands in lfontana and Idaho are an elainple– lfany stands Consist silly of mature tt•ee-like plants with little or no reprtitluetion, Statins tLf this typt, provide virtually no browse at alt, rile nnoture plants tire lnitll.litl(�d and the few see MhMs or young phints present are hedge and eovered eardy in Minter will) snffll'. Days, of ;shrub stands is another sttecesshmntl restdelluu in Wlulc hatiltnit. Inerea5e in density to the esWnt or inaccessibility of browse is props noose of a praltletn on yvarinng rauff Well 11s the chatnise and ch4parral shrub t4vtles nit California i 13lswalt �rl nl., 1912) and the89111;11 v ,Sk. \onethele; annt ;heath; Nt;' is u1t, westerin rtttl,;ry art,so dense as to rmtriet, animal inoveniont or availability tai bt-owse, 'Phil retrogreassiinI whiell follows over"ra%Ill",.", mltlso.s >;lrcllnr in il'n1teP t'tltlgt, not Llnl,\' tllrt111,11 to«�, of Vigor ilnll'nllllrtittli�i' of overused plants, but in loss of eapaeit�� far reprodn etiuu until" the def tett enndit;oOs, A.sland of browse whiell dm% )hot have ad Iuate supple taf )Tung plant~ to replace those lost is in dtil,:er (it lilt 'As �'tlnle t, n j -Til IItTlSC a't1aZ1'Clt :i�• ty* «irEettetiteCr'A:ttitte'ect�leiTi1ip,plItyof E n�`st7i1e�euieasE�tt'nGituoi ul npoor Iitterbrrtslt is all �tances, ttirllnf liab.ttat. cplit` '1111(1"r srieh otrct11stiiler toultiolt zs xtproduetircisaalso 1)iaorly utahogany 1n�ta1, rrressir±t succession, this Iioslius aitll 1?allc, 1 xu colltrltst to losses t,f hitkrxlaretslt to l PLIld Int! it,ntuc 1t1Lit�e pr Itt,t it1 1)aits tit Oregtlu atld t'nlifarilia lace ltsc of broNese 'is beill)ontlerosa P� i pritilars, or 8"CoittlarN" stir°r'e'iota to 1 'ttition ('tntui)ittre, l:rt �3r, Iu tltesc s tunttnits encu rite tnM Rellltbila tlttlt)iis ntttl til)sPUPe of "eiis txelltinl of 1 lite t i farol'nlil,t* hizbitnt ton eltcrittive P 0otul)P1Is'It", for the iltberP>lt Poor re" brush t-0rei, . tlliie :inti the other niLlltiple lues o tura Il`iitiival+l frses Tn the eoiitpetitiQii betvr�e1l nIl for 5iicecsson i►t tortll int*e nlxCne ti� tIInI e c Iiia nnitie often dollies oeit the laser. 1 to yeti nitd rr ll losfies to tiutber tllrilli_1t lUeilt nlieti the , lauun� tr; esri oll - to t11Q Itiallo.'1'lit+ .,tvrreilr l)Qlie}' of nlit tt:�, ";Nll}° P .arcus tllllt batt btlriiotl-or+er tii11t1)e�r nlotlhabitntli�Ite* often than i1 s11i0.11 stni�ls of tletriiiit+itt of 11' �a ry .,,..lt)ersetl 7tatcl -WOrk lultterits of tctlili�*r ►,i*�, . 7 is a sl)etls 1``here' io )lntlt,ut, job. ytile I etxcc ntltl }txn g kwfor ttrP c r 1o1*1"iIt{+, tri} il) ns salitl ulsbegallls of brush t t site septllill fi rtillciL the Itir�lllr tuee.i;rit xt�tl eell, to elteniicttl txcntllleitt of cr is tlt�lnV'ed« tuitl brtlslt llns beep allow h to ocnu�r platttiii� Biu fotestPas • rr_ s,,etllinl,+s• 1lQxetit'era tts fitter fire or to I,t brttsil to elituiiuite enliiiletitiott `Qtn tree "r of trees, l)riisli-e�overdl latitls \r"iil l)e inGrcngingl3 t ,ir otrilttialtoti * '" 1 rRss tlelitalltls on lalla Werease, reflate fro )s cif r .. or"cr ticPr sPi'utilti7.et1foe ttu 1 ng tltit far m°cbxu� io ltltr`Q beell f�t)rrts nt.I sheep lift s* 1)c �i i'ot nereg of r f those range riIIt1 elle. X utitlretls t)x tltri.t �rd�s. The rnlltt o IT or sl)ra.Y(`(1 it) titnkc tl1 f n io , r itetinli fill` Iir�eStock nite rlcl\> ttl 1 1 d , , . , ` t*nso lit' * • glIL 10110 : > ut titer+. I ktttieitlai:`V i)t,rsrlil.,s `11t tnrlllfi tlf;irtil;Lite•l inx . ,, llife «titt'1 1. sttt N11,11ntioll of soils 4 act all rr lle iietctltlZt :14"ilt iU ternl% Q t11C}T llltil Milt Of t1 R rynnts~ rxiutcr ratite.'Tlte,�Gl't)o'rettltlttlrl)tnrtin+atlt ti£ i i tiny ttlllaet ou r ° )xo;.ee+t ling been ct k Own"', ,� i°II tintl l'a.l• 1 �+1,tit h special resetirel. l tI oitlril� tlia effects tilattiirrillltrtl i1t tolt , ttYlaecw ntiirtllation lirojeets ittttl t ttrtr..ltt�tr�` r Ile.rti is littlo questit)ti but flint til, tai011 it rltti ct lir t*stnek ".fief ri'ilti ec is have llztrl a tletriitit+atC ltlte r R gLl 0 gn ebru%h xeniorml nticl r1ts, t es iti irolarntlo.� Ft) tililntel�, tint Alt o * I c0.1 r41i1tel rnZ ttYtlar« i'1 rr'ittt €t sittt;Il' 11*e 1tI ltlttle blot er ti t (lout, iti4t*ntetl 11111 t ittpxot etnettk rr-otk its iii �a �e iii tt�alitet; ilii 1CIII \r n ttttittlll;etuent. ittattlnn. Uarohl shot"ltora, ;Pori+±nat Cnrro+lwriueatp trtt9 'Lnttrintt+ �- �nto;d, �n1u'�a+tt* i)vrsitnftal; at t;att��, 'l±i:h ea"t I*arks. n 1�:� 'R'1:°r>✓te'I�A�al:---:� Dlaxt�t;�ttt�tl IlEsot°1it�>�<; r"OuucE IA�°AVX1 • to fnetaxt over 1� xt-rates R — t)tltr*T it;inter rail P +,I`hi�s far T linrte �isril Act1 lass! i of little to orae t•itutrr,". 11iit are whiell elle resourec ntntta cr llafi $ acts arise im )ncta av'cr wIllell the, 1e�o r pri �tcn( yr �. l l tsFti iu2 n More I Ii1S t'oICC a t ,1t'rtl StseO, t r sav---otttsitle of xi Lite ni)t1 t creritlr nitil detnatitl�s rFf li °re ILL b=).11 frQIlt Iioi)lilafltlli , r N%,j ol�`r rat•, 4P4*iliil �1 � have Uf1(tfi nitll ser\'it'l*S ihltl Cr11Sl"+�t'nPrUat«h;rt1il11tt1�' atl[l t 1l tlt'vtL4iittiU "rI\°ernilleiit Iautls. X011 , ; ., Intl\° little !#Peet ill a,iti' oilr locality, ry"ltilt� +ikltl r « impact. vrbnal, xpullxion; 1)1•�1�ate "°�ttier�sriao 011d y3erl•t adult r'tler t1tP eifcet of e�ptitlsoUltttt�otbcrst*� liit'I�tlrt �u>trle*i1. rn �°Q11 t �* , tt) the Bolt lao�.,t'.11 aU 'itt1i11lllei n * r n. 1S1��*�Illa, s « +rrllr�tli of TP4iti.titilllR*i tif,rtine�',C e)L bartiR rctl by W111ter rnlir;P. TI,, r )mvor ft'ttt�t i Zt{irV is +� it1tC stir4 i\ nl itt sk*S Pet) ri int! l ; nl 11 I tirtlts, l�t)lltorde ox enli``Ql)S grntlittill;C �ntiCii4 otit t 1P ! ,r°Ii; 11 tire ~.Critical r rtiolis o£ rau�c• ill 'Alnilnr fttgltl 1nn� Where, t1rc+1) oA liir,ller p . both �t►tern a freer' lultilacr mill or 1aI1ogl)Iiatc lliue" uia�` ilsttr rilneheq, �t' of lntitl, ttaltl'+' + "eIt))e11, 11i1I 'ale!'rCiiSill*,r,1i� {illt�°t rZ rt11C1Iner titltl " Plk foctuerl�` lritttPetl. Itrt�rt at,«tiro rI` fleet or de* I 11iL''Iit, allil -pri 'ate t' tlitta6 ltlii �t ryVlCt1 s trill ellPrnncll ttn rwinttrlht'.ic} rri1. uses for the 1710re aeeesslble lantlg. rstir-s, vr`iiiter Homes, awl eftlit, uutt the exi)luhsioll of 1"brest t�erv'w caZnp�rullall" lifts it ie t rriilter rattce. * ntiil+* at.,=1)er titca the toirei�aud Rotitls natti'11i!aTtltttt+ts ;I,.c rtlttiai ,-uintrot *ey0.r �vti' }'ear t'1*pit rt1aCl5 tlrt� IlPtittr r 11a s s raft 'LillrbPe rKnl\ « r- ` fi 4ite tier ialrtl Back eoitlitrv. �°ith uertt crop o reert+n�ttutrl n .. ttry rxali:; of irrest rests niltl fire, tttitl access I t°t)iniii"f' .rom tw y r ' «fitlfietl boort, Etre OW anti ltlt,tto�e" lterl+b� ills i'v Ax l i ci tp � it)� tzt � d of 3.f!M t,t Iife. Tills is uiauifc�nrtlitt� Elie 1!'etleral- titl �*t�st�istt°t1 tr falr•ciz t)f tltt �:�tti`t1I1� C.cs tem «" te;?iZZtti1Z i t al � pr'�''rri�ltChit�ll'r Ctn� The tlatit'i;tt)i , ctt'{ t}k�l"i'lttit'Z"4� � . �tlnri 10111 " Ii il«t. eyli6. a, ittcrnpsetl nrl,rt)1+ria inti . t, RUKx1e to"ztilavlll� of 1'�tirrelrcl C' t Calls itr tate tiilbetvZ"'.ni,set* C11 11t+,I e t ftii 1`etitlg hitt« trtli trt11 tiiirt�y tt ltitr• the rtwtesw `;exp it'c, befar Iistrunt to t x. lenrl�' rtl.t ,t ,� t1.e 1,ril.il iltl het itl the Iti i rr`e`Iwr2+ Tt" u° tZ5 f irl r�+a gtrllctirta n us, tllr�IWO, "ntlt` 1xitttrr Pllnscr tilttlhv�rxulitrttt rt?titts t tlltjs°a rotrtbs Lille. 1u tati;i.1' i« 'I onit• Iaercetit o ;rill br. Inst its �tll:s ruttier ~w .t« 1 « a ee ll ttt rt s .t, Isle °� ► ralIge, itis 01111.iite�tt i►ilC 1*r' tZZ °°ll !9!ilYt*Z'• �t'Ct'st`:Lvltw� of 0*0 t t s17t11i* SLIiZef'Zt)tt.Iw�ett• ili'tltlllltti" tit!' tilirl t !4civ a� til! * Z: t'@ CCywi`�'r l 1a + 1tr1111ii �lt�tt * ,ate t"ttq eleltil artati sect Zlil tltiitit.V,)ing , dtrtC l)ortillt ittr rcnsett� xr;ttl tli BGG 11'untT1 �LCcirt lolt'rlt ,�ail:tttca� 1� 11.tlt,i�`t: C'a�rt Itt.hCki roads to v -wildlife -wildlifepeoplefOr tile put drtrritnrntllt iitt�tlenec� of 1v'tldllte resovirUeS. tli"*livytib' Uecaslolta11y hatiS thrtltt�ll �Kn\AF Miner it{lti llltttltflt� r Oc \'111tcr 1't111k C. N\`ileit tli+`�* tlfl, 1llillitlii i llltl'll'.lt1destroyeC til1111 ll�'n\t4 ll 1r11101,C aern Ilei' toile, 'I'a illililtitirti \\•niter 111 uftell 111111► llUt lrle ttetl all Sttlltlt,itlt"111 1 tU� "t ill 1t1iell 11omU ntlt1�t11ttYx` ; of tilt, VV`llltev rail�e. EtWrt114hi1ietl n, 1tr Tte\\' diride(l iiltel'stale 11i�1t\V'li1 ACe'st. 1'tUlt a iS rrtriltillill. blit its S(III10 111 11111("t'fi� it call tijlt"ll illlflll'(�11114� (Iti1N 1*I• It) ltli'fll �F,tltic 1T,tlt 11111:•Yt1 �. t ' • 11'11 c Of 17ci1\'el', 0.11.7 1111111 :..r1 t"11111111ittt'Cl�lll r(111C11t S11t'l'ilt�tll(Irlitietirgettwn, rtui+gr for the i`rylde:.. 11111rt1' Oi . r+pl(,1'ildtlt 11"rrt 1' !)t 1,(inllrirt It r"i..jrrCsMid its W;Itet is the li►mtllnt^^soar("e lit t'�?at tillll vv�hiiltt}l•iorities (jew-Wpittelrt will ^^111111111^ 111; l rapid i* �l1TilG '1Vltltrt' l'i111�C ]� lneatrCl ill lunfurtunatel�- tl#t" tut, ~ etitie til big, �. \'illlei'i Illld i'ni#1'M)►1 1)i 'xt'1111of� Avater A �el(li 111( ltafoeelTdiliiU��Cl'\cS ti��. tlntlstri ele(l. Ti,e Ilr(ig-r-111i it \1'iitte" a 1111".)°tet 111111 tITA'sr PC (ljert� ell►l 1111V`(1 U11 V�illter lilt eSatlll le of tial , " , 1'ilirl+. 'ill still#hosi`Il llia��l trltt�� cliusbuilt "� llt"'41��11,t4 miles tt►rClcr 111111�G 11twe boll tlmlde b1l'l 11(7141 \v`tlicl1 'live At h'sl4t �� 11('11' VV'.acl` �ltt\eVi1ltllell 11�Uxi�llttnrtt 1V'l�ter _to �a1' i'UW01IU�tit)lr Tl» ll*i11"ye j+lltlllttll, l hilig Of 411ta11 1t'�ei�'rYirti ttCl11T Illlilttir(1 111^4^^ till" ;iltltlll ��rtitrl'tillt'd #lot i r Yt,>`t• m resorv(ttis velli ilnv'r is ttalubinr�l lnsl�rlutl111 Table I Shpty 111111 ill' " v rl, ellse big.intme vVi{tter `1111^1' i ttl'i'.tt("r turn of 11v 11^ ;1;�,(la O noll't1q. Til r 'e ti 4t, Al= ltii'ie oil tlji'et lU Se 1\'illli 111i11(ir atlel rllu be Nvill be atletteti, I , l oil "PlOpill"ilt of tltlilleellt. Ilit1(1 tot` the lllitirated 1Vitit plive11.1Ma fill~ i rot ` y + t:11C p\x(Irsllnlc 1711111, ljQ de(it 1101\1 \Viutt"rilig ill the reservoir site, l'n61r"111� frUlll 10 liet'eetit tion, tllider constructiui:a los ill gt�tut ` 1t'1'l'etlt i'Ur ((hitt*•tailed (lee" 11r(' ihltit t �tifl�l'1 11V1because of plaeelllelilt i`ar tll� to a� I ,�,tt of the lost bourse rt. ttrrr Mill fir (xtrl1lu11 tl rinitritstit)t" tiliv'iroillill"r1t5 111 the 11al 1t,+ ;nilnhle furlrcj Wee, x ettltelitl�' is located ti#1tl oil tilt' (1111V lane f rein lits ~lir pr(ibletil ,ill llitirli il11 lowl1e�? t1 �1111�1rr ortil'c i1�5 re - tile the first" plate,t+titltrtti�r°^�tll�rt'rtslf lall(3t ��ttl'ntl(11,� tilrl ;:nine iiuilntils e�tnlil'i51r(d toil t• t t r silltll\ 111'(1►) tltl"ilt 11111 lltltblts 111111 r ill\'lll\'rd vailllllt (" e;±."ltelld It" ply lui1a►urailn x'.,,.:*rj1n c,,Rrr7l.:.:�,i,.n,•.tt n.'Ca 1',Ifiattrt ;\ \laved tit�I:inniil tiYttntr ]dcllliR�l i tr 4"rkx. i)t�pr ttuout of Mill,P. �,.Yt k I 111ternthrliitalll i'pRe'Pt 'k, ltltll d };gprrihldYlt "5"eahe 1'ral+irl4P alyd rdA,w.n :,, hrealx: (Or r.�ltnldli(itaah pall nuutn4eh)tnt Yd fPY•r•r winter thhctrt lu-4uthim tdal- nt, r Ylilirr+l rrinlrt, $latfail,'lure^. idrlu'. r ., �} t'\111;-•-1.+\ 1�►14Iti(t•lllt({ lai�lrl'Tt`i. N\ JSTPl� ti"1' 1"ittiJi�> u titi'1I�tA'1+1+U l�il".At ► 1)1`11► A�trtsl\t.l.�i \1[ t�►l It lrvtYi: 1� 11)411 L�kllnato 111(1 elA\11. �A1� tWilaalml �--�- 1leuurrhfnitettllrt u,* to t,in.rna ,ir rojuotlui" h"n iroan rierC� Ut #tjlilt of L'a1rYYtVwI0A. _ ilS �Il() _._. iftrr:l 1161 Ut*r Yii.i 1 ii t.�ntt (;rui,Tul1 1,MAI 111r(Nx1 \laic \tnIm OW t tl1 jit thrid Valley fry ('at%len 16.W0 1 A 15111 1F,iltl llr+;r u,1t+l >atrnmlYak A\ )i ite.tatlMl_tlert ,a 2.�r%t ` stall 111,(4X) \Inte J)"r SC G11 IIS Ya s; Penh) (`►ides \CYti(d ttleA P—t 111 lice It(eIYU[U FitMp 16 0liurc Deer iUrer Jthd t y��J 1 tal> .;. 1 lrlu r '-utr \ ultt � i.300 a`lUllhl111ri hlrti+ll #11x1 1,IYrlf1 \ir1# 111�R w,uSia \etr(in 4.17i1 1•.ik • 1"ttutb{trinu� 1 ,:� lcti, ld r_ 11,4t� CY/tia nn tW,,�"`1 t,>trtt (tY$teYtcl o �, °1111+1tae, #it\rt, 'roT.\1. l`: F(th A\ rrtlltle ;vKt'tt e- 11ate11t1 111 Itlttta dlrlalhi�l, (tvinl itnslnSu1r11c�,ttal.e.l11n1in. urea. httai 2\\Ytluiht danrl+rnN`tur� tl\CTtit'111- �litldeuli• �.ieidill it5in� llltril`usltlti" rlttlg('s vv'11111 lllun 1111S,so eo- 1 ' 11rovided• "erts, nut( troll 'PTUblellis are Oven ojeett. } Tor s0111e nti the ldltlip prof toted, lifts )� Iltiiii� 7 Y - 111 for l)\VUislink. lit 'tile "rstse ti£utltelulilui e Cliffs j0 rq�Crta vrltetu t >1 liolll tilllgtll of " i 2 1l.ilrilnle sPeeles yViii lir lltat s n result the,=a� rtwr of lltuitlilg f�ot tl�t' fir At1iltelritili,ki of tilt' tit': alt alltle7illitti'(1 11ri pCt`t'C111t l`l'tltieti(1t1 ill Il(."rt�1r (tti�tlit"ly' i� `Y �' les+li slnct �Vtltllirl. riil'c iil�iicute ,� , v1lit, vv'uttld {"(11iCe'i\tn1)il{ A\�[w tfiYlilitl f 1111(' 1n Yx U /lY lilt~ 1� t`hstilt fcotu coiioluetlntl"tit(\` l't'St'1'\'1111' lll`eljei�t4 t�V2►1d5e�'iltl(l the ranwt ".1111^ impaet of 11111 sit!heai (` i5 last iti 1'l*itll`tiliUll t1#'41t1i� illtiNS illtil(lllteel— all li[1(ile i Clt`l#1tt11(1.�"llel1 the t yitrtlell ` 1;411n11 11111ir(11e111etlts iii tliC 11i1�i`4tlt\�tlix5lt"Eir tlnti iii 111t1�1r 111'�rtaeC 1111[1 tier\'il"PS \1'}Belt the . �,htit#tl ;!u l'l`nj(srt is entlstruetoll, Will, a t1lsi�iiiltlai rl arrws of vVitlti�r ^lull will"itcetro�•rtl 111 necuillndat iestiluntett 11,1011 ^1111^"�' fmal till tlrrtl 111nt T111tct�cst ell iul; ~lir:+ i r5erspit, llliturllt\Vititrr ittllllrvi r ut It 4 ; r (rti f V ttii l ',i�hc 1(1�� of this tl "tit1rV air Will CNll41'. l t r(*iLll'".t' t 1111, floor e(►ittlit;e#tt \,i1,1}teltlt}nt xi t"lt flirtlir+ d(Ir t "1+1'11%iii^ 1 trrs4111� rraillt"ut \+'1111 C+nrdru Viol liltrl ' lilt si rtotts I ( C11100it �rnllUlt lUiltt,� \ \� 1 t\nm eltd ite"r'tceet` t'n1„,+e� 1Pttn 1101*drt (la't,{,h a 1#7 ltwrfun i. 1)recil;j t. t 01,4M%lI%1tvIe 1:8q, 'IF1nilpdtt ltaiilier U1PtrfclP, 11000hhlinFlP1 dreel, 268 T11111TY-;5 MV1.) r'OlATU AA.ERr.tckx )VtLt)r.tFE Cox-r-LItrNcr forehig 1111ituals to winter nil clvernsed raflges or ill lteavn+ snow belts nn i1+11 -01 -facing slopes which are by nature not ideal winter habitat Iior readily subjeet to iniprovetllerit. Tile etrcet of withdrawal of whi!er range from production without conapensaitlry measures can be expected to vary- i .in liolit to discs trolls, depenlding oil the afnnut)t of range affected, number of animals using the rl,nge;, condition of the range, opportunities For rehabilita. tion And establishment ole new rirugne, and extern of Iniaration block - Age. Even where range is now ill evood shape, a bir, reduction of range withotit adertuately providing for thedisplaced animals could moan rapiddeterioration of habitat rind 4k avy loss of animals. This raises t1 question of ]low new winter raugt, is to be provided for that usurped; anti this indeed is it most pttpleriny question. Certainly- it is 'not enongh for the construetion a,, ney to grant Z number of doilatrs for the purchase of additional land and conversion or rehabilitation to winter range -Hien to sit back feelim; that the job is crone, Shrub regctleration at hest is difficult and it long tern's proc"s, even. oil the best sites, to say nothing of ecologically ill-suited sites, And --it seeins imperative that relocated ran -os be adjacent to or as close as possible to those usurped if alley are 'xgtliisg to ser�'e eflir eptly lls alter natives. Every gaiue mauarer Inas observed death doss because of browse shortawe during severe winters in drainage bnttoms and lower slopes while it short distanee up the drainage or side slope shrubs ina)` be only lightly browsed, but under snow tots deep for the rami«. TIM .l VTrR!-; FOR Wt\TER R.A\*CrE it seems obvious from this analysis that: if Ave expect to mailitaill or increase bib ganSc inet'd5, Sf)tltetllllt, must be done to counteract the trend of dwindling winter habitat. Uses of land oiler which wildltand resource Managers have little control will continue to compete efieetively with big Baine for land to provide goods and .srrviees for society and it seems unlikely that existing priorities will greatly ehange. 13iggame is a recreation resource, blit it currently is not enjoying the expanding onlphasis that outdoor reereation in gonerni enjoys, 0101- when the reereation public is as Nell inform (l of the hig gaols problem its it is of recreation heels, !it general, »vitt priorities for game hfahitat nu ma; enneut receive proportionate empliasis, Then ive can expect more adequato mitigation for thtinaInd rrsourees, 13ut Initigation of clmnages to winter ramrd is successful only t,) the Ntient that Wo cilli rehabilitate and create- new habitat, To date, W111lieal 101ow-horn to ltcentiiplish t1wse tasks is ;inadequate for many 1Styni meat, earrtAM1idtnce, Dick I oro!l, 1`legiontil uemt flio!dfitst. Idabo FM' and Oatn WINTER VAVnF- )L ltrsotfttrra 26f1 it rt The researell effol't 1;s rlowllere ,hells` the Jovel lice led eta accomplish the jot). Additional research, is needed to devd-1•1r now albs better spceies, to tear n alitame about range pe nt, to learn holy to restore depleted ranges stud erste new rango. lt'e )►inxf 'lett,rit, to manipulate and nlattnt;ewinter rainge its a: crop in. diverso elnhroniuental situa- tions, to efieetively coordinate -ante anti li`•estoel grazhir" and to integrute bit; ganne habitat nlanageinent with limber! inanagenlent, We meed to seek out the causes of Wfill(lr 1•all; e depletion and to agi;ressively rllplenielit management pritwip)ley that are already avail- able. l~''inally, wildland manage"tent ant) itliprovenlcllt should be planned by broadly- trained nialiacers ante reflect file steeds of all resotiree ~values, both tangible and intangible, to Meet human needs for the future. LVV*T0,TVA8 011M-) 11311te, J. S"., It. 1l, Fcr;;usnn, and Xt, :\r. Parni'm 1904. 51k leagg-I seta! raters. Sdaho Wildlife Revlon• Nov, -Dec, 1904, Pp. 5•7. ntm(M. U. it It, 1), TAhrr, 11. W. Ho1rAl. and .1 At. Schnitz „1&<. 1tuhnsement of chartBso bruihlnnd,i for game in, the north const rtgron of CatlrnrnA. Calif. Fush and Garro. 38(4), 43'3•484. rirown, harry E. 1954, ilambet rink in Hest=centrsi Co!orado. %eo!ogy 99(2)3 317.337. Fer,tnson. R, W. M. M Furniss, and J V. R;dsele Ynsacts, destractiro to isater'tru�lt 'dtoirtr5 11t+.1 seedy ]n souttiwamorn Idaho. Jour. Econ. Entorre!ogy 363 41 � 43940,Z. Furmm, 3t. Vit., and W. P. Ifarr 1987. rltonomics of dstarasgilmftr chrynneld prufanala on inotrntniu nialtogany In ttlhho. t:nia, of IdAn Agt c. F+tp., Stn. Iles. Ila% No. 73, 24 pp. Gail!*"Range Rehabilitation Con-at.ttee 1903. W01tern Gams Rouge Iles »roh. NVegato .shoe. of state pnme & Fisw Commiss, Vol. Vllt SIL ISO Ire`.!, Rmtph C r1t8B. Sngchrush defellatct autbrtak in northern. California. V.$. 'Portst Service Ret. `ola PSSt' 5. I2 pp. Ito!mi ren, 1-1. V.. and J t', RnW.o 19ata. Intpeovinr soulborn Idaho dmr Winter taucta by artificial te�regotat'lon. Naha Ue, nrtmrnt t t Pith Aad 0aire Willis. hull. Yn, 3, id pp. ltorniay, 1. ls, 3. Itittorhrush in: UJOrnla, V.S. Fcrtst Set ,rlcr, California Forot. & R3nga Fivp, Sta, lies, Vott 34, 12 pp. tre..ktrist D. S1 . and P. D. balks 19A5. winttr browse on the r'erstt` hie game rand to southeastern Ittnho. ane. Wildlife MXL 1V424, 215•:23, IWAAAH. A. h 1456. littlerltiath a"r'irps t!estrvDgtd by euttvormm and w1r.b 'ohaiL, U.S. rore9t. S Iota„ I', I'rrVtce, 1"Aht. 1•`orest K Mango i x ..tt:r, Res, Foto 314. 2 lip. . 19;2. lhwt tnemits of wagern toast%, V,S. Dopf. Agrie. atiie. Publ. NO. 273 irtttisedt 280 rip. tn�nld. 4„ 1. Si iof+!t, and 1). L. Cpenter 1947. ,4 survey of dve-,-r*) u!41,0 deer ranges In tiro vnitad Stnteii. Jour. Irlldl', Nrgl. 11w.). n0•.7', Len I,. Jack snt{0. ttreh!odn3 of h)%Ukt mnnage'"ut tot tleor and elk ,In the northorn forests. V,S. Forost Sttrrta IleseiKrer+ Pasta INT -24, 15 pp. n $luttr o$Y of hittrrbrue!t 14 r'atifotnla. ktol. Ntnna, 36(31 t 307.33:. rlur,lr�i• tt_treniion *{*sotttcen ft+'Rrn' t<`4t.".tnllt'kli+n 1110.. ttnt,tW recrralixii for America, t.S dotertiniont printlnc M-6. Zid Pp. t"nndrntr, A. 1'1-01-1- Joh tomp!etioh ropnt! for game totnea tevtg.tolton ilrtljort SS'•42•nlp. t•tnh $late t)ept. of PWt 4, lipase Pub. \,o, 05,ite 1'. R 1-710+a:tmrnt of .1 rlcuituro i0at1, io %%%ol~rn rahty, 4th Nngr., tntt :gess; 8ettato I)otunittit 1'1`1, 020 pli, - s.* y� # 4j:,. 1i � 1'� - � C � G. x �. .SM"°' c+D. ,�. e "F�n'.��.s�w•'V.F:i�u.1=Ji'• .,. r *.., e�,d✓} �. M.N as.rV.4ii,lt-r�,i,.r•t s< i xs rw K' x Fi use a. REGIONAL TRENDS IN'BUMS' I REPORTED KILLED BY HUNTERS 1950 1S160 1970 q. 20,000 16,000 12,000 8,1300 NORTH COAST 10,000 SOUTH COAST B 6,000 2+000 SOOTHERN 4 CALIFORNIA J 14,000 Y 8,000 N,W; SIDE OF SIERR N 4,000 SiSKI OU MTNS. I L) 10,000 D CD 6,000 8,W SIO OF SIER AS 2000 N.E. SIDEOF SIERRA 4 16,000 SISKIYOU UTN (2,000 P 8,000 4,000 S.E. SIDE OF SIERRAS 5,000 tloco 1950 19%0 1970; Figure 4• TOTAL ACREAGE BURNED 700 IN CALIFORNIA 600 � �n o' 500 X 400 Uj cr 300 200 0 I 1958 162 1966 1970 1974 )0w 9 q I+ guru 1 0 o 4 STATEWIDE DEER TAKE x v: � a ---a ANTLERLESS TAME w PERCENT HUNTER SUCCESS 100` 0—� BUCK TAKE cumin CLn"uj 100 C= w W 75 1- _.c a w 50 -50 a m 25 25 uj M 0 'rr, cc 1930 .1935 6940 1945 1950 19555 1960 1965 1970 I J750 a. frx�ure ?. BUCK KILL TREND IN CALIFORNIA 140 a v / HUNTER 130 x SURVEY �1 ESTIMATE w 0 70 , 120 _ 1 f 1p LJ 60 1 Ivf�' 110Lu cr ►- 50 r+; 100 c r - : d 40 ! ; TAG RETURN i' ',... 90 w C J �.► 30 J J 80 m 20 70 m 1955 1960 1965 1970 1 >�+'� � a.:;f °" .."*iz" " . W°`� +'^'.�' � y,,.y s ,w 33.. , r , `i -�, �. .x'+A+}� t.. � �,c i .. �,i 4 ,G� , ', �, t a k � e ri;r•d ,w, :Y � '� r: `.�'� P21—, t .tea i4.'ti s�,:?L" . �. `sLt'�.��`:Yl►. "'.. i;il.. •, .:P.. 'LY.S�I'�. .�1' "....+4 �3C...S ...... cl.-,artr J.B, 1968: Mule deer management in the state O1' Washington. Proc. %lost. Assoc. States Game and Fish Comm., 48:253-254. A.S. Leopold and R.F. Dasmann. 1951. Ci,0 tornia deer herds, their ranges and management problems. Calif. N ii)t and Game, Bull. No. 6, 136 pp. and J.R. Douglas, 1953. Parasite interrcil4LIOnships of domestic sheep and Columbian black tailed deer. Trans. 18th N. Amer. S-7ildl, Conf. 16.8-188. 1957. The effectiveness of hunting in controlling big-- ahs populations in North. Amer. Trans, N. Amer. Wil,dl. Cosif. 22.,544- 569 1961. Big--game and rodent relationships to forestsand =.f grasslands in North. America. La Torre et la Vie, 2:306-326, H.X. Oh, M.B. Jones, and R.E. Kepner. 1968. A. basic for tie palatability of deer forage plants. Trans. N. Amer, Wildi. and Nat, Res.. Conf., 33:181-182. :•::tcelregorr P1.G. 1964. Analysis of Great Bassin deer declinr - Calif. .Proc. West. Assoc. State Game and Fish Comm., 44:167-1.69, 1968. 1:ajor factors influencing mule door populations -'oral harp*osttrends in California since 1962. Proc. West. Assoc. state Game and Fish Comm., 48:215-21$. ":Veat, J.W. and 1,1,7. Luman. 1964. Oregon's 1962 decline' n mule deer harvest. Proc West. Assoc. State Game and Fish comm., 44:177-180. 1964. Deer harvest fluctuations in, Idaho. Proc., West. Assoc. State Game and Fish Comm— r 44:170-9.72. Negy, J.G„ 11.11. Steinhoff and G.M. Ward, 1964. Effects of essential ails Of sagebrush on deer rump microbial function. J. Wildl. Mgt., 28:785- 790. x y else, G.E., t• iNl, Longhurst, and WiE. Howard, 1976. Predation and the sheop iradustry in California 1972•-74. UniV. Calif. Agr, EXpt. Star Bull.. No. 1878 (in press)* A,E, and RI.Mi Williams. 1968. 'iajor factors influencing mule deer dulation and harvest trends since 1962 -• Idaho, Proc, West. .Assoc. State Gare and Fish comm., 48;232-•236, .bordr E.c'. 19'65. Atitocoloa}' of bitterbrush in California; Ecol. Mono. 35:307-•3344 �swold, DiO, 1970. California's forest industries--prospects for the future. L.5.DiA, Forest Sorv. Resour. 8ull,0 P.N,W, -35, 55 pp. Fusso, J.P. 1963, Major factors influencing mule deet: population and harvest is ot•.ds in Arizona since 1962. Pfoc. West, Assoc. State Game and Fish co.*=, , 4.8-2,09-214. Sar.ufo; t r �7.tt+ 1968. Major factors influencing mu1C doer population and harvost trends in Colok:ado since 1962, Proc. West. Assoc. State Game and Fish Cow!., 48t219-231. iAt-NI t►A '11I:LDLzFE TRANSACTIONS 1976 w 9 3' LITEP-ATLIRE CITED Anderson, F'.Di. r A.N. Halter, G,E. Connoll}• and i•7.Ai. computer simulation study of deer in 1974. A Mendocino Countyut�,l. State Univ. Agr. Expt. Sta., Tech. Bull,. Ca'lifornia. ore; No. 130 7y� + � pp. Bissell, N.D., B. Harris, H. Strang and F. lames. 1955. Tho d.ic3estib liEy Of certain yatu.ral foods eaten by deer in California, C�rlif. S~ ib Game 4,1:57--78. and r E.D. Taber, D.jq. Hodri,ck and l.i•:. Schultz. 3.952. Manage- ment of chamise brushlands for in game the north coanL rogi,on of Cali_ fornia. Calif: T'ish and Game 38:453--484. Connolly, G.E. and iq.tJ. Longhurst. 1975. The effects of ci5 Populations. Univ, Calif. ; ,. on coyote Agr, By pt.Sta. Bull,, 1872r 37 37 pp pp — , and ta, •f. ,anghurst. 1975- Deer producLJoh at the .iopland F IdStati: n. Calif, Agr. 29(6) :8.-9. Corsi, R.M. 1968. Deer and public management. Prpc. 17esi, Assoc. State Game and Fish Comm. 48:255--257, Dasmann, R,F. 1952, Methods for estimating deer populations from kill. data. Calif; Fish and. Gable 38;225-233. Dasmann, W.P., H.A. Hjersman and, D. Gilsonar, 584 either -sex deer hunting season. Calif Fish�and Gar�e�g4r?31'25first and R.f'. Da$mann,. 1963. abundance and scazc,i f ornix deer. Calif: Fish and Game ' in Cali- Corms. 49;4-15. Dixon, R'.0', 1974. BM - B.i.omedical computer prograris. U.C. Press,, Berkeleyr Calif., 773 pp. `reeland, W.,J. and D.H.-7ankoA, 1974, Strategies in herbivor, the role of plant secrrdazy compounds. m Y by mammals: i w 289: Amer.Naturalist ].08 y :269- a G1110 G.B, 1972., Alterations of the in vitro digestibility of as affected by sy8tematie mi:tin or y deer browse NO W --12-R-2 final: job rope. , 892 p}�p}+� pairpd species, Montana PR project Greenley> J.A. and 1•4. Humphreys. 1964. The decline in the 1.962 mule deer' harvest in Nevada. Proc. Crest. 173.176., Assoc. State Game ar,d 'Fish CoMu 44 : 1968, Major factors influencing mule doer harvest tror.ds since 1962. Proc. W00 t, COMM. 48;256.260, Assoc, State GatnepandlFishn and. Hancock, N.V. 1964. Mule Cecr harvest decline in Utah, Proc. West. Assoc. State Came and Fish Comte, 44:181-183. 1568; Major `actors influenc.irg mala doer population and st t. since 1962- Fish Proc, Cti'est, Assoc, State Game and 48, 45 252, r 24yy5, 252. 4,y yF,ish 7Ccm,^i. t�;8 UV.no8, �..A 1•(,L: Roble : Y+ l+tte and 0: ,lulanaer, 196�4Yttifluertce of summer range cbrdition on mu]e deer reproduction In Utah, Prue; West, Assoc, Stato Fish al*d GtM0 ComW', 44,,1.95.199. Cha -NEVA WILDLIFE T�zAySACTIOgS 1916 9 j Y y ` _ A Y r +•�. s .. , .M ••,'.., it N. ;�d'•: � *'� �1'i?'x•..��....� ^ Yy*z,,... SFS,�,y� x.,r...w�'....�: �rii."�.µ�+...}s�'aNd.�..e,�iiFw �aK�° SJ°'d w ; atior„ but costs would probably be prohibitive. Fo'rarjo plantings rof and cross fc oncrJ to conti°cel use on a have to to fenced deer z •i, z! ?ural iasis. T primo vie lands «a*aus,e of the substantial casts involved, it does not app(ar probable that L.,.djetary cons -rail is faced by both, state and federal ageriVie swill permit a•..st. range 11-V'rOvez ent ='" the massive scale needed to produco sigrificaiit x big ot'e:^�etdt in the statewido doer picture. ao us it, tho-,-Ofore, scents •krapriate to consider the potential of private lands twtierc, ie the neces- ir.cor hives are provided, 1andow ors using their own ftxrtdn carr do the k v r.:a�:e a. progra-711 Of this sort practical it is probable thsit: r;bme legisl.a-- t3vo changes will be hL-,essary. Such changes have boon coiyr;idered from to time by the legislature but have never received S-A'Naient public surport to become law. t,axiaowt.ors will need considerable freedom too risefit deer C1r4 hlirVes. 5t them, properly by Will y controlled sport hunting a- a pr aµso reed ade-�uate extet.sion advice to make their efforts swwc:cessfttl. It is doubtful. t' at the Fish and Game Department has suffiC144riL w:tanpataer am of this sort on the scal.o necessary to ave-ilable to devote to a progr produce r;eaningful results considering the eXtent of the poLctitial areas which may be involved. one means which other sta'-e game agencies such as those in Colorado and South Dakota pave EMPInyed to i.ncrea:"e their Wztonsion efficiency is to f'ur.d positions in their universities' coon-oratiVe extension services to assist %1- . wildlife programa. A modest e:. enciiture o this sort for extensiosl wildlife coon inatrlrs can �+L`btluuo a Significant rrtt#ltipl er el00 fcct through. enlssFmei't of the services of extension, staff already On Lhe job ire the counties. . 'edu:^.tio,^, elf dC—er Masse A,ittle�car, Lrye done to restore deer habitat pornanently lost to water 3rcjec4sr subdi.qsior.7 or other land use Changcs• However, losses of Bier the. -selves fror: accidents, road hills aced other mi$cellanoous foxmts rf mortality car: be al[evial'ed Wier, sufficient e:fbrt and aoquate funding, 10 us it seems s scs'ew+�,at incongruous to e+:�+et�d vast s�'ttts Lo prevent these }�irdds Cif lo.=.ses Whop. frcm a biologiCal standpoint thv�oo lo,,ssos, although wasteful, are ser�ting in lieu of hunting to red�,wco roar"sigtci.fic coripeti-- tio'n for foci SuYp'=xes. The w4toteies might he used to mucl, better advantage far habite+t rprove.or stall. better, as a starting point, for a public infortaation program to otiable proper adntrr l of deer numbers through hunt- n hurting is fully harvesting the goer crop., then `forts to radt�ce ether" kinds of losses can increase the numbcr o, available to hunters. Jht this stager fut4s spent to reduce Mortality fro w predators or ever, illegal htait;i.rg ate not nerving the best WPOtes, iiL btlievo that It is pos8ible tr. �. luretUrdt+stom ofaeStatewi'de deer decline but at v; ill talo a subsi�IM ,.:: � established priori" tses ct;up ew with ar3toivate planrax< ,.iar actemti,t and funding to do the dab. CI,t -Np,�'A aro"II,bL:LVE TRAr5AC"rlillts, 1976 B. 3,CS n Deer habitat benefits will accrue as a by-product o£ logglr.rp rtltnost auto- matacally. It is in the reforostatior. and other sy�lvicultkiiAl pr;.lctices that decisions will have to be Trade to favor deer. ,ZMOdifi,�r ti�rrt of then established ,practices in order to favor dee=r would ver}* lits°1jR decrease efficiency of conifer production« It is not logical that t"(-ilvrai. tinber land management agencies should modify their programs to favor, doer url ss it can be demonstrated that the deer , ill be harvis earnesed sts of f irlalk't£oy thioate adequate either' sex hunting p g timbor companies , which produce the Majority Of the logs IV, 1 1tE., s to to, to beco"W1 i4VOlved in deer productio . unless a tvay is found r(A theta to receive ecohomi,c benefits from the deer. 3, Livestock qra� zing_ m,oAitication of grazing 'practices seers to us tO be one (ifrahc fest possi bi:litics for improving deet 'Load supplies. In designing q ` zing systOms tea achieve this objeot;iver two aspects should be considered. �otrtipetition bCttrenra livestock and neer should be t't%niz;tizcd. This Cary txuually be acco"M- plishea through ad_�ustraents the= sstxserioussconflictsowith livestock ti ot use Mr iin3� cal range, areas, Gonerall} California in recent years tend 'to be with Cattle on migratory dert:oathe s in the sierra and .11isl i:you 1•iountiaing and arc treat: Basic. rAr0c type east. The other tea or aspect of livestocl'. grazing is to use it as a tool to pro- ill duce the desired Success,ioz:aJ c1 ar.ges in range Vegetatzoachoi�ar. wi�beenich rh�considerei improve and maintain deer foray,,_ plants. This approach in the past: by some range mana3;Icrs, but thus far has not. Leon put into �l at least an California« practice on a significant sca e There are zany problems associated with a p�togra�;t a,.'- this sort to mate i t ti3Orkable on either pbut sublic or private land. hest results well be achieved by using a combination Of cattle and sheep, �heep especially whor., they, are herded can be coj,trollod better than cattle. If grazing is properly applied to produce she �_cnhjr.ation of grasses, forbs and browse needed.. by doer, this may be detrir:,ez::.al. tothe hest interests of the lave- stock forage supply and even to the livestock themselves - stock all probabil- ompen- ity the livestock involved will be pr;ivat,ely a�YtYed ar.d so . -tie type of of the 'r t` to gain the acceptance cation or subsidy will have to be c_tisoti g stock.,an. LilteWise art. officier.t system of co oto �W:i Y��x wille applied if sheep are to be use:: for this p'ur:pOse Or predation lasses will be prohibitive in many areas. 4 « A."rico lel P_rr►ct'cr where is littl.c chance that pr Ovate lar:doa-ners trl� edmc-et gr't*ulturai crop productaor. to food aver unloss they can roe r . ecor�ot*ac returns from the doer than fzom the crops marketed for Other purpos=es. Howeverk there .is a definite potential, for: greatly enhancing the door carrying' Capacity of, much rangeland by actually planting forage cusps specifically for ever: The 'bo:*t possibilities for this tort of program uneloubtedly lie in t e coast ranges front about 1`•.iondo�cino county st*w`;'�t:4,ro it, resident der.' "drea�. the Objective t.ould be to proVido shall patches of rutriticntsr protein rich gree=. food durxr.g the dry set+1.116Yx r rittYs tKlret, proteir. it-. native zang� plants is dciaciet4t. Some rescarch Will bo reocssary to deter�ine the best adapted atd palatable forage species to plant i n eac'� area considoris soil characteristics, Prot tat.io,,. pat`er"r.s, etc. Ta.O t,lhxc�t r£ter promise are =rave: production. c sudat, and dryland Alf, -"fa- Higher car. be achieved with ce1L- IBA tOxl,bh >'8 TPA1,45acr3��S 1��5 I •aac . _ ..� .. c'., -�, ,. .¢*,..., .t. to y. `�a - ,�.�t ,;-�Y��wf+��.� y Cartrol of deer nure'a�irs orjly practical i --ay to control nurbars is through public lsMAinti. cone ...- �r ,y of l umbers is impossible without taking both sexes. E u4.t ,ty�l intens''Y be controlled and applied to specific maragertent units» be controlled, efforts to improve food supl)�.: ra will be r,y�; tiers cannot =r; witless and money spent for such, purposes will be large y wa-;tocl, Con- fir,„ilir,g deer numbers will no'- reverse many of the long-term successional. «,.tads it, vegetation which are related to e,� tri nsac facts rs suza 0 firm., a 1 ., rg, livestock grazing acd 'v.cather, However, by full, Ueilitia� on cf: .l ez. populations through hur.ttng, roproductiv�e success: will be vastly ,,proved and efficient use Will be made of available forag°o sut' l l ies. 2.gubl information Giver< the present level. of general understandirng of the technival, aspects of a..ee ted by the 'public or the legislature ir'cal�i.f'ornia. &Evr ecology and management, there is little hope that ar, adequate hunting program will be p xhereFore the firstrPr orityr�is ofto upastnt neffortsiby ihelDe'partmont of Fish program for this p p and Game, which obvioumorehgenerousabudgede nghvouldeappea«rrimper-Ative�sicic assistance and vastly 3, ..rp rov rg doer food supralie O A: F., crt ;lie use of contralic i burning has been successfully or+ployed to improve deer rsryc> for mp,n}= years, but it is important to review the costs nuolved. ya6 coy++:piked by 'Theodore AdaMs,CooFerative Extension, u.C. Davis, fram 1 ratur isourcesthatand r orreons � e mostwproductiveith the nMiXedior uchaparral it the Zljd:rt i s;aLe, between Cleo' bake and the Ukiah Va.11ey, the following 'relationsr�ipa following burningtaamatureoer icChaparx l'' rease tom the level of about 20 per ist rray� `, .x1 to about 75 {SistSell ��: a , rzala which e,. ly, ,al Deer hunters take appro �imately 25 percent of the legal bucks avail- able at the start of the season in this part of the. state. Cost 34 Considering average hard cokposition co;;.4s for the area, there are at least 3�1 deer lest- average the range for every buck bagged: Surniliq a square t1ile of this t only about 1»6 bucks, chaparral Ftoulcl increase the bag by l .burning system would burn about iW percent of An ideal lo year rotationa ew h square stile ofcoveparr�ili o�tWaulchle�m�urnutosapprt�xitrat�elyh45oacres 3� pe:.ucrAt ; or escape corsiriilg pre;para,= u.r¢C” per year. currC Cos to of controlled l,iYrn %'`or a Yes at this rc�tG` it t.lc+n costs, Este guards, etc+ fcara�eachbadd`out $or�al bttcl. baggez, if"ither wCuld cost about $563 anrrua,�l} the spy hunting wore applied i,+i0l a 25 percent removal of all deer l�resenLeM08t t.oul drop to $5 per head. for the increase achieved by burr�irtg. c: the chaparral in ,the state Will MOt supp:*rt nearkv as raariy deer its that b twoen La%e and ttondocino Counties, but burnii-m mists would be much the Thetotore, the cost per drier would rise accoxlingly. ies dto ,tie seriously tFlest'Or, wha�het.le�etz��3tese Or �o�erathege�:�er.:�avcr�areYsrrequired ar.c'easa the bag, of doer cr: x �tl bass If Other behofitn CAft be �oci,ca�jturaccess, ettteae�1 it,ta tho or�ua�- t"uit such. as liveatock forage increase, improved acce srhabitathas ed eartnof� _,. ... ' ..>� rn 5 rr�wessior, costs, thea improving doe p TY a7 be CII�SG C ,° ea.�ii7 �atL zi "X�l t1'Cl,t3l,it'P: MNSACY`10S 1876 6 composition counts. Although productivity varies in di'ffer'ent parts of tljw) state usually averaging below 150 fawns per ,100 does in re idotiL herds ant! over 150 in migratory herds, if an average of 150 is applied stat:efeide, approximately 65 percent do not appear in the fall counts. Through the winter, until the spring counts are made, approximately 8 por�!ent more cif the number of :fawns born the year before disappr-at. EVOP though those Ar not precise figures, they give an indication of the magnitude of fawn. losses alone. By comoarison, Well nourished door herds should be 'bringing over 60 percent of the fat -ins born through their first winter to give sprir,r counts of 90-100 per 100 does instead of the 30-40 per hundreO does not; commonly counted thrc;ughout the state. Field surveys of deer carcasses reveal that causes of death. Or Many deer four:d on the range cannot be attributed to predation, acclidv(xnts or disease, but r-ecropsies do show a high percentage with signs of chror;:io malnutr tion+ Noonatal losses are very difficult to docur.ent from field d;lt4`i on fawn. car»- casrses recovered, but enough ,studies ox this problelt harm boon carried out under controlled conditions so that we feel confident of our conelusitns in this regai:d, Published reports and out own experience lead us to the conclusion that after the neonatal losses are finished in the first few hours or clays of the fawn's lives, additional losses throughout the rest or lho year among deer dying fro:i natural causes will also be predominantly ar-won$ fawns usually 60 to 80 percent of the losses during this period are fawns and the rest older animals. " OVERAtt RELATIONSHIP OF MORTALITY TO TRE DVF"R MCT,1NE tw`e can see little evidence that, With the exception of autri tional:ly related tortal ty, :other types of mortality have had significant positive correlations'with the deer decline. Rather all forms of morwi.ty> collo tively have very likely tended to retard and nXtend the dccl;ne; In our estimation the priaary cause ;for the reduction of deer numbex8 in Califor°- -ria has been the declt.1rig quantity and quality of food available to them., neer themselves, through intraspec. fic competition and oor-Sequent depletion of their ow ,n focd resources, hay~, contribute+d significantly to the decline. Mortality in general has worked to reduce the level of int'aspecific comps- tition from year to year; but mortality has not been corsis"-ntly of suffi- eient m,gnitutle 4o hold deer below the carrying capacity of their food t supply for- any length of time, The result, therefarc, leas been to maintain � virtually contiruouA pressute on the most palatable forage planus giving theri little opportunity to rejuvonate; If mortality had been evert lower over the years, greater pressure Would have been put o the range plants and the decline- in carrying capacity and in deer nuilbers would have been more abrupt. without a drastic revttsal of some of the habitat trrer".ds tow in progress we do not bolie e that the downward trend in deer numbersa.s anywhere Ticar btattom it trill very likely continue and tray even accelerate in some parts of the state. MSCITORA'[ION 01, DEER NUMBERS if our corcl,tsio, Is Correct that the californi.a door decline has been caused primarily b,Y a diminishing food supply aO socoLdnrilr; from loss of hahitat., there it follows that in order for door to ihcr'easo these trends will have to he roversod, in many respewcts it will bo impossible to reverse of tl;e- ch4ngr.s which have taken 'plies, but giwfon adequate furidi,nq sfinme kir:de, cf reater:ation. areThe possibilities wotiLiih we think car. bo cost fruitful are stiminarizetl belch.: w t CAt-tlVA tll.t=11 TP.AN(ShOTIONS 1976 8� a a 77 ;77 AV 1 AN,.; r,Lates, but statistics indicate that buck hunting success is usually cora.- sidorably higher elsewhere than the 10-20 percent level achieved by our hunters: survey by Longhurst (1957) of the effectiveness of hunting in controlling big --game throughout North America showed that the only states which felt t?iat they were controlling mule deer numbers by hunting were taking loth. sexes of deer, Of the: 14 states with significant mule deer populations, 8 considered that they were having at least partial, success in controlling numbers, and they estimated that they were taking an average of 23 i-r-rc;entx of their herds annually. various estimates have been made of the percentage of California dcyr taken by hunters (Longhurst: et al.., 1951; Anderson et al., 1974; Connolly and t,onghurst, 1975; Dasmann, 1952) None of these reports indicate k3.1 i�+ of over 7 percent. Dasmann (1952); showed that with hunting mature bu­%o only, as has been the 'general practice here for many years, the maximum k311 that can be sustained is 9.5 percent. it is doubtful that we are tPPMAching this level. Even if the hunter survey which shows an average kill of slightly over twice the reported kill is correct, the kill is aLill'far short of the 20-25 percent it takes to actually control ntulnbers. This is especially true in view of the Very small percentage Of anterl'tst deer taken through the years, The only significant kill of anLjerless doer s was in 1956 when. a general but .:short (3 days) either sex season was held at the end of the regular buck season. Although considerable numbers of ant lerloss deer were killed at that time, (18,Os1 from 34 counties) the bulk of them were taken frcm a few areas in the northern part of the state. in subsequent years there was to evidekce from kill figures that this hunt curved to control, overall numbers of deer (Dasmann ct al., 1950. There is a good possibility, however, that the high fatdn ratios Counted during sevt,ral subsequent years from some of the areas where the at,ter'less kill y, -q; hoavi.est may have resulted from reducing forage com. petitlola on those ranges crippling loss, those deer shot during regular open season but not recovered. by hunters, has been variously estimated to range between 20 and 25 percont of the reported k3. By any tic3sure a situRble ntMbOr of deer are it volved . the amount of illegal kiltinq of deer which has occurred in the state through the years is generally an unknoian quantity, Setae observe=s beliei'e that the nunber taken annually may approach the reported kill but no good'. documontatiOn has been published. persons familiar 1c.Ith the r ::s4'ory of d»cr and deer hutting in California do generally agree, hot -;over, that there were two 'periods in the past when illegal hunting did e�:ercise signiiica.nt control of deer nur bers-. One was during the market huntint3 trays toward th.e tr,d of the 1000's and early 19 :,'s and the other was dtitr.1r.thehe depressiOrk period of the late 1920's and early 80's, hxlling duringdepression was b al during the market y acooants hot as intensive and widespread a5 hur.t3 ng period, Both of these periods were well before the present -decline oor,,sjenced in the late 1950 s and early 1960's . Fie conclude, therefor, that hunting mNrtality did not hay►e a direct dbrrelaw iLjon vlth the deer decline F. 1�Sorta]it "elated to ttutribi_Lm m all it»dication8 deer mortality relit#:d it one way or r�tnathcr to a Wade'- quaLe nuts bion is the largest category of .lasses tWeoratal losses of At.jr acationnofthe theht 5nitudr ofthis thiskind lbzr, cztn beg90ti n621 ie�drb? * cotr:ard ng�the rr ir,di hgmhc,� s of fawns born to those found to be ,still alive during fall herd CAL -;NEVA WI bl,IPP, TRANSA'CTIO.FS 1.916 S� Predation '"here is little doubt that predators take Substantial numbors of doe State. For purposes of this this inveStigat4on r in the the various carnivores 1.;,hich the important pOinL. is whether herds below the carry' Prey Upon deer take a h ranges and whLt.her prodatiot, carrying capacity of their r, sufficit'lit 'lumber to Old increased or became more affective during the years of the d0OX dacl-' The relative effectiveness cf deer predators in Californiane. Longhurst et al. (1951) t,Ij, la was rated by Lh the coyote ranked first by vrtuf,% Of its num- bers in lkh_es7Ei�te. Mountain ljors Individually take more door than coyot but their numbers are relatively low on much of the deer rango, as, Figure 12 illustrates, the number of coyotes taken by Fish and jqjjdl1f, Service animal damage control 'Personnel in California between 1937 and 1975. AS indicated byStick (1574) the Lake by federal personnel ranging from about 6 to nearly 12,000 per year is Only a fraction of the tot",11 estimated to be taken per year by county trappers (2000) and sport huliter"'I (80,000) (SWick) 1974)4 Even with -his rate of removal, it is doubtful Whether COYOte numbers *40ro und er effective control over the deer range state OxOePt in local areas. Conn y and tonghurst (1575) haVQ 8,hOWn that It is necessary to rer,;Ove at 1 .01, 0 Of the east 75 percent of a coyote population annual- ly to maintain a Sustained decline ir the breeding populations. .,,,VL ,ft at this rate of removal it t-:ould to t.: over So years to achieve axt-OrMi nation. Since 1972 Won the Presidbential control rae,hods h -an On predacides teas initiated, coyote ave been, restricted and the take by county and federal per- sonnel has dr.n dropped scel,hat, Many Observers believe that there has boon a general increase �n cOti�Ote nut1bt. In. recent Years but this has not been fully Substantiated fur the state as a Whole. At beat control is only effective in limited arorts Where intensive -Elsewhere fosupply,operations are concentrated,. the Od y typically =InlY rodents and rabbits, seems to be primary limiting factor. .L The 17110ratOlium on killing t-ountairi limns in Californiabegan I Only 35 Were te;�oxt� a a 972 and I Zed taker, by hunters in the 1971-72 season, ,hap. half the number killed it, previous ttVIOUS years, which Was less creased sOMeWhat since 19"T2, NO doubt lions have in - doubled. it "-'U'- it is improbabl that numbers have even before rosLrils significant to rote that the door popu latiOrk decline started � ctiong on the taking 04 these two major deer predators were put into effect. Ill Some areas luncortrolled have not d1scovere-, evildot"Cl-- tha""ake a corta'n number Of dttl'# but again We & i. hifiCantlY over the years. t tie rate Of dOV Prodatton has changOd Sig - B. llunt"C$l -T.et al Lr__ei_188911 As withour donsideratici,, of relationships boL-W door declineo ue 00h predation and the are c0r',1z"t,ed here with atcOlctatod the d0Clin tf'm tluOstiOn Of Whether hunting has �o or re�atdtd it. it must be Ccrisidorcd", as a type Of Predation that impitiges, on the To eval"aLe hunting it, its proper Population dYna:tics Of door fiords along With other mortality factors, For purposes OT- this an tia 11 alysi8 We 00nfiniod our evaluation Or- hunting This Is the time tqh to the peric8 frc:n*1947 Or were building ttward their gta,.,,0�4jdo po4ko on deer hetdt el -it POiako ar.d dur,ir.9, the doolir durg the yea ,e as rs of their appar- Re-'tronco to t, -e take t, far as it has progresstd to date. California hut.." door in the state (f' Burr 1) lfidiea�es In thia vfr�' Successful through tho years. space :-,,Ot J�ornitt detailed comparison with other western CAL-14MIA 11"DLIFE 7PVUNSACTt0N'.1; 1976 0 LIM 21 for these losses have at best only provided partial recti,ficati,on.. 4` Water transmission structures such as ditches and canals as woll as roads at,d freeways have all increased in extent through the years. 110 one degree r another they have all restricted or prevented normal deer riovomerta o f,,r, djng patterns. Where such structures have been effective Y 7rs iers to casonal movoments of migratory deer herds, many more animals can be ,tt`£ected than where resident deer populations are involved,. DEER 11ORTALITY FACTORS i C!1a?_q s in mortality Frc-ni the standpoint of the general decline of deer number, in alto state it is obvious that mortality from many causes must have exrrooded reproduction: COM r►ents on some of the major mortality factors follow. A. Fri hwa and railroad kill 'rho proliferation of the highway network and the conversion of many high- ways to freeways an the last 30 yei .s has greatly increatse(l deer mortality from collisions with vehicles in many parts of the state. decent estimates by T. mmnsfiel.d of the California Department of Transportation (personal ee).munication) indicate that conservatively at least 20,000 deer are being },;lledannually On our roadways. ,Not many new railroads have been co,,,tructed during this period in deer �ialiitat so that train mortality has probably not increased significantly aril at the most is only a fraction of the highway kill. 8. Other accidents nQor succumb to a great variety of accidents in varying numbers. One of ttae,most common causes of loss of this kind is entahgle.nent in livestock-, fences. One survey run for nearly 20 years at the Hoplatd Field Station o tttL Ctniversity of California indicated an average of one deer lost annually per 8 miles of fence. Deer density is high in this are: averaging nearly 100 per square mile 50 that fence mortality rates would be lw er where deer are loss numerous. At any rate fences must account for several thousand deer per year statewide. It general losses of deer to other miscellaneous causes 'have probably not ircxeatea sufficiently to count as a major factor in the overall decline. C. Diseases and parasites_ There is no firm ovidence to indicate that loss rates of deer f. -cm diseases or parasite, have hc;:eased sigr.ificar.tly compared, to years ,hors dee= popu- latiores were increasirg in the state. beer are a£flictcd by a great variety of parasites z.:,d disca8cs in tIalifornia, but relatively few cause riajor losses (Longhu;rst et al. 1551; LOnghurst and Douglasx tiC�ofrOt periodically kills large numbers of deer in the coast ranges west of the Contra! Halley and lung, stomach and ih'tostirral. worms, account for siyoradic losses. Such diseases and parasites operate OA a clonsity depend rt basis, ho�.�ever, aAd Outbreaks are usually related to situations where Korhave become overabundant and exceeded the carrying capacity of the`., o ranges. Severity of effects of these diseases and parasites is closely tied to the rrutritiorial status of deer with well fed anina'ls having much. butter resistance. CAL -OVA WITDVIVE TkAI+5ACTIONS 1576 85 their own habitat and In, consequence their decline in numbers, LOCAL, FACTORS I. Chan e: in Land Use and O nershin The supplement to the "California neer Flan" detailing "The Deer: Situation in. California - 19751" gives a concise account cx ,uost of the, rotors whic), have operated locally to decrease the auali ty of deer habitat. Among these, charges in lard c;,nership and use ranks high in importance. much, good deer habita faa.=er1y in large ownerships devote(I tact livrstock Crr t Libel- production -were divided .for sero. -td home and recreations 1, subdivi- sions d%:ring the 1960's and early 1970's. in these divided areas brush lands, which forme-rly were burned periodically to improve livestock or doter rat,_yet a^:e to longer r.anagod in this Cray undor the stew land use objec- t v,"5 . Such changes have addezi to the decline in quality of -deer habitat but the e.ffccts have been local. given though changes in o„{:ershi:t) have taken place, most of the subdivisions have .. of yet been built upon and in moat: Cases beer still warder and food among scattered he"acs which have been erected. hunting hags ,been. largely curtailed in these arca s however.. Although sizeable areas of deer habitat have been involved, the leer declines in those regions were usually already underway before the effects of land subdivision becamo manifest. Conversior, of bru.s.hlards to grassland for livestock range improvement has reduced tate deer carrµ i ;g capacity, on mmAy thousands of acres in the coastal part of the state and in. the foothills on ,-' o c- st side of the Central Vallev. F ewevtr, this program was largely ,t : d to controlled burr"i-g (Figuio s) and has declined drastically since the early 195t1's. Even though deer do not readily food on many of the grasses planted on those converted brush lards, forbs, including SOMe of the planted and many Of the weedy species, ^rovide valuable forage in such areas. Likewise many o£ the brush fields involved were r..atere and denso before conversion. atd were nit ideal decd habitat,. The net effects o£ these cover type con- versions is., there`cre, n—*Lvcd in respect to deer, 2. Forest tiara crena .satt ces Production of mark4 t'a> %e f-Ot,os't ;products ,primarily front .C:onifers hao increased in volume An, -ffi,ci.enc}E since tr'orld i'er TI (Figure, 7) . Aat:hough. logging is ote of -,he primary im,:.Lue nces that: have improvod corttlitions for doer in the state, intet,sifiod syllvicvltural, practicer-, designect to ma. - raze ton , 46er prc6u=titn or. a m000culLural basis are ofton detrimoftt;al to dCOr. Detrirter,tal uractaco,�- xnclvyde certain aLpocts, cr brush conversion invaly- itg nocharical ar.6, cht ictal :roans to conifer plantations; re,".tial of hard;- r:oo+dt, especiall • dales, to favor conifers, and slats d3tposal by medhanic ally pilirg aril Lnurning follccAtq loggit*q or AIldfirog to facilitate plantitta cotifors, 3, Rostri dt_io nf Deer movements or roodItr Latus+. res Water Intour.drorits, 6t'Volot5td largely ;since the, 1950's have, inundated many thousands of a=rts of good deer habitat and in itiany" seises have rootricted foor nigra`icn cr .t,`6:1ng p tur:r,s" It. sj..tuaticrt:s wh.ero key winter ranges oe miar a'i`..cry xrdr .ave been florid€d, k05' c carryirg capacity hag af=fected doer Esse turf such harrier areas. Mit.iga.tior, measures to compensat e 8 4 a .� .... �"+ .. .. .. tie � _a ..�R:..�,...u'Y��:._,��+?.a�t3;'"da�.,'��.i.m�'.�bs• '" t-, itat carrying capacity mostly in parts of southern, California and the c ,as Lal counties fron Late and Mendocino southward o=ndcr.t anr the aagricultaxraal �. st 50 years. tots m many thousands of door must have become clop_ crops -,cause deer caused serious economic losses, more and more crop I ar;..i �r. fences: deer nrun.lntioiek,c�oYtthe inewne gY'apeoars4 The pas£artedof ein theor �1�1CNiztd Y.�Yo .:;:calcr^dt�. greatly e; th'? �Tery high values J. .volved, many thousands of acres have noire` t�arta o.:cod e£fe; txvoly and dear carrying capacity in the affected coaau i la.:k.tt;At s.,rira��arily free 'tend"^ino south through montorey, must have been a�- tiall'y lowered. �*EsY Irtras ecific Competition respects, as has often been stated, deer are their own },carA onemies. t'w':`en a deer population exceeds the carrying capacity of its range, remaining food plan t;tras;taeoifiC cctpattion for the. plant usually increases td a critical level. Competition among deer in a given area is alrtOst in- ,.Variably greater than between deter and livestock or other big Mame snecies. .xl deer fro. localized ,area lee di f rentlarra}sY the sofefordtplints and rassarc3 err ether big gameanimals overly with. deer is only partial. Deer thorexore cora x°ale their dieter} p pete with each other to a greater extent than: with other unVul Ates. "von a free c ho'Ce deer tend to select the most palatable plants which are usually also the plants that are most digestible and have ar, adequate .."tri- .n ext cott.tent (Lorghurst et al., 1968) . With rvchoice ila species ax the ;,':: aL palatable plants are exhausted and lower choice plant species are are forced to rely on plants of such eatrer+e conditions deer p' a" quality i.:1at starvation ensues. Deer are Beldam deprive" Of sufficient {, a chs, but when intraspecif is compoLi tion is soy>ere, .ore to kil_ 'heir stoma -raer,t content or contain ere r are forced to eat plants that are last in n.n. 'Fec o"'dary compounds which are toxic either to the deer t}~oMselves ar their ru to r. micro.°es (Vreeland and Ja.nzon, 1-979 .. Disruption Of the normal rate C4 to of microbial =e �'ntation in a doer's rumen, as a result of being . iYtgost plants with inordinately high levels ax these bactericidal secondary c1lerafotals, prciuces insidious effects that cats _ange front lowered forage digestibility to Outright starvatiOn. overstoc::xrg o deer ranges is manifested by abnormally high rates. of loss of deer, particularly fawns and old e,nsmals. Ovulation rates, especially nes- those of yenergyyearling does decline, and when does are gresttvesdtouriensure walt3.oYir r.c1n' f3ti`r.s are born with lnsttffics crn� early survxval. ;ill of these syrtptorts of overstocking have been glaringly apparent on Cali f ornix deer ravages thraug►�out most of the state for many years (Lor:ghurst, of a1., 1951). ` notary respites as when Fran time to time. deer receive tem filio or logging niay produce a local abundance of ford, b t with tht,- tate aryaf rri+rt3uctiot,, that deer possess, excess u.etuscd toad Supp at best. the lrn�,. ter.t result of chronic Over ox deer ranges is a solectsve z,=. oval of the preferred forage plants. As a. rule, such adverse cu.;au7atit�e i -pacts of deer are felt ].oast on grass and are only slightly tapp�arer.t or, carr _ iY� 40rb% , but in the case of bi dws�: Species they are widespread and CL,tta ti t,s. n chaparral and rtYtountain 10ru�h rage. browse st ands, can be rcY „ �.onati d ly °fire and sometimes lay loggingt.d, out on th^. dry Great Dasira er rat es, once b�rtatwse strands are doplchezeacactcdn5bw litttleedoubt that04 q odcer avajlable, recovery is very slow. tY,e:, selavts haV0 beer. responsi.F. le for a major share o£ t he depletia; n of CAL--EVPWILDLIFE Tp,,lN8ACT10N5 1976 8 5 As noted earlier the deer decline during the 1960's and 70's has been a phenomenon co..Mor. to a number of western state 4. Ina nuttkiex of these states logging and fire have not played a significant part,, it, altering deer range capacities. fioa.ever, the pattern of early livestock build up in the late 1800's and the subsequent shift from sheep to cattle hao been common to all .of these states. It is logical to expect that livestock effects on the long -tern successional trends in range vegetation have also been present in these other states. In fact the livestock grazit,ti pattern is one of the few comon denotiinators Which are evident throogho"t'< the Wast which may have profoundly influenced deer range trends. lIeatheE As a result of analyzing both the simple correlation coefficients between buck kill arra weather as well as the multiple regressiontt in various rogions, certain broad patterns emerge ('able 2) . meart r )mthly tempera- tures in October, November and December are positively cora"eldted with the Wick harvest 1 to 3 years' later. Increased precipitation in December and january is correlated with decreased buck take 1 to 3 yearn later. Sgjtelt treated together the weather variables show strong correlation with future buck ;arvosts in the coastal area and the east side of the Sierra and Siski}Fou 1�ounta ns --north (r2=average 0.64) and. less correlation with future buck kills west of the sier4a. and Siskiyou Mountains (r2 averages 0.52). Least correlation is found in.the northeast corner of California (r2 averag«s c.41) . The real magnitude of the effects of weather is diffi- cult to de�,arminew however, because correlation and regro,sion procedures of this sort overestimate the real correlation with the independei.t vari-- ables (t•:eather) 'when other independent variables such as fire, logging and livestock grazing are left out of the egtatiorsw we are currently working to enlarge tl-e analysis and include these vari- ables szrtultaneotssl}. Also t to Fthus far e have only examined the relation- ships of fire and weather to buck kill but ire hope to investigate the Effects ort fawn production and survival, as uell.. Agriculture At this tir~e we donot have detailed data on agricultural trends which :may have affected deer, but a few observations are possiblt�, The late 1800's was the wirle of greatest cultivated acreage in California whon much of the foothills arcu d the central Valley produced drylan.d grain crops. A sizer, able prOPtttiOn Of this land was vargi'ral for cropping and cultivation declin-d markedly by the mid -1930's. who major influences which served to prcivice favorable conditions for deer in California dur iftS the late 1800's have boet, shown tc be livestock graz- ing logging and fire, 1gricaltural development should be added to this list and collectivell, they produced sufficient improvemor.t in clot+r range carrying capaci ty so that nultbors migh ; hate peaked totward the end of the century had not uncontrolled market and hide hunting reduced the herds to 10%4 levels in large portions of the state (Lon:rhurst et alit 1551) ,. Beginninq about 1916, grazangr logging, and wildfire cam: under ncreL hg control b�jt ?-;e c,*ange-, f.n range plant Succession had been triggered to set the site sc for co,,tirued door increase. $otter entforcer*ont of hunting toga- latjohS'dur1.-.5 this period augruntod the buildup of door herds. By th.e late 1920's and early 1g30's der r ,numbers bega,l to oxc:edr tcntural foot'' sup ),lies; They then turned increasingly to palatable agricultural crops, such as orchards, vineyards and irrigated pastures (True, 1.932). Door depondo .ce uron agriculture, primarily to supply ntitr tious, protein rich forage duriftq the dry sumier months has boon an ir.purltant aspect 'be C 1L-NEG,r't IaLMLIFE TW*1ACl'TONS 1976 8 2 'i i�:1 44 zks ?'m+h i u"p.]G. at""r,:,*'c R Ali r k' fir' xy .r* .r.sxts � ap ✓r �� s'�, ,.r �•.. v,ci.d F '�, -��F'"•L_�W�iw,i"a..Cry.��..L.�'".r.- Yay4i�,. t ��'�s: ��� �".,+«x •�.. 4- � �i.�f;,~:�.a :.'ar�:�.�•d Of sagebrush for tlee> is srlty4+c�ci. 14 na-, a lso been shoo n that. digeat p bi li tY `3 , ].t 3{a Ccgtk?I7 ir«. t3 mi --ed die.. corr'taining mere digestikale bzo�se such �s '>"ter brush (Fill,. 1972) which s ane ok the successional specie, r4110�.� *d t f li' este• }, i^�pactS. This synergistic benefS t would there}�`� tY�)r�w titter ire o- the larist+�r.e stands of �giruslg�lts9rr;ln Ea uEiIiZe much r r �,e � prcvit e a Favorable di -t ( gY plant c t•r sr,a.tt�r 5 tc alone does nog �� ? 1955) v- use is essential oil corttairs secondary F et ich j.hibi't rumon function. n Ypi :ei of the „a -,"az b���eLatGntah a? n ainirgvasto�favaza�lersuocess orcaelands �l i io3aU y :; :eet3. Car doer n initIZ.- rg �, - �, to ye. the pattern trhich has developed Cita mar+y 4. ext , boa liar. catb3e, snoop or horses can con;pUcate shay asvelond Cin a`r rrtttge forme, �hxs se,.,.Ys g S4r�C, r cat Ba ,iit a..d high rzourtain r4rges (Ttreller and Monroe, reunda if maitr- r,•,adows in the vooxablexsYuccessio"nalrsj which eseagespec tithYiight livestgood ock ucac, Cha` n be aanel jr,, a f lies on critical. Great Basir) dcOt win- . ,- Browse Supp in late sunrt� t z' before docinatea wa..� overuse. t catEle and sheep lei ranges Cof California, ar, alsa be depleted by ri ratory deer hcrd.s a - for t'he er. in ri a s it is on Great Basin ranges and in the high -mountains, h Both cattle and sheep conrirated to the initial productionvopGutheta ihas l Hahsevcr, over Elie e. w of vegetation favorable to ager. ,articularly Stages -ltbough cattle numbers haNwe inereased, btcra a maa^?tec reduction of livestocl. use of Galifornaa Tait � r 0,.+ public la as (kigures 1Q, 11) • asEures at low �,%;, s has litter. Primarily or private ranges and improved p and have largely r Sheep, conversely" :ave �1cc1�«red drastically peer eweva aCiras. lve�,;r elirtiztatea frt:r~++ : ublic range land's c�+hicl't are also occupiocl Y�y e�.cep 'e;r a fey all.otneltus ir.• tha Great Basin range typo - ,,y result oL unfavprabl.e decline in steep ru�r":�e s islarge. , but incz�eaoet? pzeda T uis� Bras w c Eb b2:0-4Ucticn as t ^Cnc,:'ic facto -s zej a. edrt Darr b coy''etes ar d daps in retier."t oras3tiftsfratsheereto�cattle'ehaslbeen �a y )s,6) + .hc s nesse et al . , :Y, �n +ales which have experi erred deer decliztes ri� ( est sed c;,rx%on to r st a lite key, e� s. far ww ,e of the rest .,pot tart factors which har'ir as a :a xs ee �� Y.�, ail ry. ar aci t y on deer ranges. "Phos -, + `t� r."1 rr5c+-tion+ of carrying cap } recciirea er ar'rabiy little atteliti ar. day GWAC r`.ar,agers concern,,----' with r �' 1glts w,g deer i Opu'lati�r a ,. L J. ai.acussibt� of sheep and cattle relationships sr -ace docs no, cexr�i� a nQin�s reed ��h�sEh� eta deer rare o trends a , this tar`.o, but a few r.,w�,� e than cattle d r,.Ourtairi ran;os sheep prOhA-"ly da a be4, �. Sasha a.+ sorbs and brows a spocios which are Gr c� t the sc.cc.essir3r.t1 gzasses u j ;r, rtiair.4air�r"+g btt such ranges sheep are usually itemore to ;heir use Y;ecessa,:y to dtor• .z e3 cattle wf^ichr loft more tr, their t;:.Yt of karges is gran+s torn co;tp' r , raping halaits sp, ndir11 a15o Much of �leyx�ces to d to ke' Y~:ore sedentary .n their +� user time alc�*,g strs315r car+y tan bbttoids aYt�d ar )adeseShot thansdo cattle and R° a„ti � , her ct�ur L-tY and sEe� er p ivon area ok ve�s::°:itit. yY C`..tet ci ..� re�u;,. �.�M y '-.Ai iaual afti alz arut usual) Irlvolvea csrt a 9 o a lesser , cause rscre i�� �, tor.A. to ho r.ore uniform a, -.d t,.,idesp ` r doer T s earl . .. range, Shoo-* e�.,.cc«._ , Fle r,.ay have also a.ffettOa othe x • �L Fiat sheep to cat..= degree this s.,� i L e ,d ranges J:t>y'P+cal"Orn.i.a. the .i i , it 3.s possible to cot -,c )udc t`aat Caw hese x t�c1r.8 ii .' 'belie'se the : yY to public, ges.eral ce for ut,favQrat�l.o suet;e.��iora w 1 Y,e in livostd % use oYi much doth zaiY�)ea esp�cxall the basis + r atoAz as 1^€e11 as on *s•tatia;w.s %i�'+:�ye�'�'r, or, sot"e door titiinttring f eattl' use il3y wy L d:s�a hc�T� !} a.�Lii..c.'dY�4 xc�1:.JS� t7,�i�7i eriG� Y iikrlhl t� C`C,`."Mat , n,w t t.. '-e bosst vra^+ 'uct on CJ door t7 :aC� . r f, i v« A �f Ct`':1t1�y #7, A! on localized areas before that time. Dasriiann and Drsmanii (1903) havti shown how logging in the Douglas fir and redwood fufests of Humboldt Co kility" served to increase the deer population. Amax muri benofl tri frori 1099ing in terra of in.creasee deer forage supplies usually occur facto 10-20 ye,'irs later depending upon the tiriber type, precipitation 1OV4•1 r ct.c. It is therefore clear that the boom in :logging which started Ili th-, late 1930`s in all probabilit-Y contributed significantly to the peal, iri door numbors In the 50''s and 60's However, even though logging has beer, car,tinuOd =0t a high level since the early 50's, deer numbers declined, Some observers feel that th riore intensified reforestatiOn practices which have boon increasingly applieO in recent years particularly oil public lands ,have tended to depress the relrn;wth of deer forage specion, following 109 - ging. This may be true on .he lards where such practicer are auplied but col:l^_ctively they are only applied to a relatively small portion 01the deer rar.ge it the state, Furthermore as nhown in Figure a considerably more logs have beer, pro:5uced on priVatc lards than on pu'c.,l c lards and as yet rrc have not obtained sufficient data to evalaate the relative effects or, door forage by reforesta�ion practicr- on private ver to public lards: Livestocc. I. orderto put the effects which l..vestoc} have caused on doer habitat in. california into their proper perspective it is r,ecessa,ry t ««Teign theca against t}�' other significant forces which have been at work. Pith the stock which were to tho r`oas-alhareasaOf centralzandlsouthern California,pmajo l tr�dd O= f � e�Ceexception,o tions O= cattle, sheep and horses di», not reach this state until h latter part of the last century (rigurc 9) , The impact of livestock ori climax vegetaticrrr particularly tttive perennia. grasses and forks cot pled with :he introduction of many e;zat c annual plants served to create what is now known as the California arru,l range type which dominate* moat of our coastal grasslands as well as, the uncultiVaterd gra8sla,-4s or the central valley and 'Loothills on the west side of the S?erra and Siskiyou rouP..taIr� �:hair.s, Co.+parative digestibility studies have shown that many of the introduced annual, grasses are more digestible by, deer than the native perm nials (Longhurst et al., 196S) and meny of the introduced fobs are readilyutili ed as ,'ell.. The result of this developmont of the California annual ran;L, type produced a Significant iirprravc.iert i n the carrying capacity for deer It is interestir , to observe that thi, atnual type rare is man r,taiti ed its most-�rcd,uctivv successioY,al statle for drier through car,tir.v+ d IivestOck grazi.rg, When livestock use a,s curtailed or nithdraWnt deer usL of sucb. grasslands decrc aces because *she result lrg tjerwd is tcwad deri;r<aatce by Leics palatable anw-,41 species or bac} ,.o native ger-Ania.ls if rerciant pla:i rs reri zi n for a seed sOurce, early In thehighsrtandsacfst,a eve ak• eey r,dlforbssreducingothordto successional or. fr as stag+�s :,sic:t were also store favoral- e to cler;r, Fire and �.o�ests �Il�itir�t ma;or par* in the Moun' aint- by c.Pol"ing up dlimax coni 4 . . t"eer ru;a;.icsr.s which had Previously boon confin(Nd to lGW0`r ele'%anions to expar,6 up 7 rd ar,d tr,);e advar.tage of the changes drought by lic:estec, arc the. alpirc c+: ssl.a.n, �l,orighur t t 1: j 1951) ors xa.rgeu east of the Sierra aY.d Siskiyou �ioutttains, in the Z:reat l�,asi'n y }. �+, ,y y �{ { {. yy�. .t,yy jW� �i y r 1PS4's were the rar.rle t to# ottrly o the and Shap iti;pacts starting ting ZrA 4i,9 prairarV itflucr.oe which rtdaCed the donsytk cf native pi.>a`onrial grassas` This anlowcd th?e establi.s,t Cam brow'seedl3Y.gs of suycrsaioYaal %rowqeI . spccits which deter could uti lino to bot.ter advantage t.h,an the dc--�t ;an' lea species which formerly existed of, these ranges 5a�iekr;rsh ar,d aSsceWia (vale, 1975) CAL—NT i 4N WILDLIPL TMNSACTION9 1975 a0 ,; ,nif icalitly, Figure 5. The decline of acreacle in controlled burns is e„t,ecialiv significat.t, fable 3 gives t'he correlation between the amount of acr,ev burned, by cover type as well .as control burned and burned by all wildfire,1, with buck. kill in the various :biotic regions. The lag periods aff0ctiny the buck kill. were also evaluated from l -G years after the fares ecr relative significance (Table 1) ,Ali Cif the sirlple correlations between fire and buck kill are p!3itivd $o tm- , if fire sizes and frequencies increaser more buc}:s will be taken. C; t vt?ed burns see. to be especially irportar>t in this regard and cor- lei, -4,t ons are consistel.tly significant for each region examined. Burns in ,j, u h and the total zciLeago burned by wildfires in general followed in cr tertf importance as shown by the frequency of significant correlations. Fire data shows high predictive value for anticipating kill mites in the ,,rztth coasts and of intermediate value in the north coast and west side ;xras, south. Also in the northeast there is good predictive value for :.'.t, 2nd year folk,ting fire. Ilowever, in the _remaining rogiorts there is low or no predictive value. As in the case of weather analyses, these cor- relauions and associated predictive values must be interpreted with caution because correlaticn does not newkes5arily i:tply causality, probably ,,he major cause of they decrease in wildfires is better .fire con- trol in spite of he definite trend totqar'd store, Cire starts. With the advent of an effective force of aerial tanners which were first used in "1958 and increased to the present farce of 35 operated by the U.S. Forest fiervica and State Di.�*isiOn of FO estr�•, fewer wildfires spread over sXgnifa rant acreages in recent years. Because of the kna,In Fositive benefits of fires, to increased deer fool sup- dies in most cwrertypes; it sees safe to conclude that decreased acreage of controlled burns and Wildfires in caliiorhia has contributed to the decline of deer nu�lbexs. The exception to the general relationship of bomfits to deer mood supplins r;esultir,g frcm fires is in the Great Barin ra,:.ge type found east of the Sierras and Sis):iycu =.ouUntajns ti For that covertypo the door 'brouse plants such a: bitterbrushr curl: -leaf mahogany and sagebrush are kMcd out by fire i., contrast to the chaparral species found in Other parts of the state Which are adapted to fare and reseed or resprc�4 following a burs-. it is therefore purtlirg to note that there are significant positive cep ell ions bett�een buck kill and fire in the not, ,a ..art part of the state (Table 3) Ore possible bxtljar.'at.ion for this apparently inconsistent. relation,"Ship is that the Great. Basin browse spe »ios which are damaged by fixe are #round, mostly at lower elevatiott-s or, deer winter ranges whereas more of th,s bratti}se srecies found in the tit ber t,,,pe typical O'the higher elevation summor :^argos are better ad ptef: to fare, Therefore if most fire data for this area are 'front hither elevation bntlrns, the Positive correlations found in this analysis tray be logical. Additionally thore is the Vossibilit:y tha` fires at higher elevations may improve thosupply of fOtb8 which av c.ribi- tal coateponont-s of debt diets in thcsp areas in spring and summer x buck kill data it is dif"icult to distinguish bettreen tato relative effects of increases in deer f�+od supplies resulting tram tire and t'te bornefits dorivti fro: iizpro�reri hinter accost and greater viSibility of det't tAther douse brush or fibber stat.da art burned, Furthot- analysis will be naso-Aed to quantify thesoy efforts. Los .i n� liven though log: =rg in r,zlafornia did not increrts)o dramatically I til atter 4.Orld tjar Ix (p igure 7) , it did produce positive improvemet;t in dpor ranges Cr\Lt;Vrl ttitLt%,1i" ;r":rAC"1`If?>S 1576 7g using an approach analogous to that used for fire, the reli,Lionuhi`pti of buck, kill to weather were also investigated. For each deer mana"<1j'qltt. %itIlL a U.S. Weather Bureau station V:as chosen which best reprosent:t"11 t eat• ftt"n+graphic region, where the unit was located. Monthly temperature and °:e t nfta l l data were compiled as follat,rs ?joact temperatures and total preeijol tiol,Ifill; date a- last spring freeze and first fall freeze; and cualalative.� 14r vipilaation during the spring and fall. Using 1, 2 anal 3 year lag periaae)ia, simple cox- relation coefficients wore determined beLwoor, those WCathci: veal istt�lt;; and buck kill data (2'aklle 4) ,Add4tionally a stepwise multiple was. pe`rfor;r.ed + O measure the percent of variance in buck. kill erl,ltii r,ed by these variab? rzs tngothor. RF,su:,Ts AND OISCUSSIt]N Because of the cor.rplexity of the data evaluated, both resu'ltt and discus cion are covered together for each in' lu:ence considered. T'., ebi of the 'poten- tial influences Maas evaluated in respect to its probable f-ffrle-t upon buck kill which in turn is basically dept: der;t upon the reprodlw! lye success of the various deer herds in the: state. Linforttinately, howc-✓ ,Vr the usab] e data or. `awn survival. was limited to a shorter span of ye+ato fro -J, 1957 on- ward and was highly variable in torms of annual sampling Uld'nrmity for riany deer n nagement units, It this time therefore only sa dew general cor- relations with deer herd compositiox, data are included. Fron the pattern of deer kill statcWide it is O ident tbat� deed numbers probably peaked between about 1954 and 1959. HoWo` er, the t;tIbsc==went decline thereafter was by no means uniform in all :parts Or the states Figure 3 shows the pattern of decline in each. of the biotic regions. In addition to the timing of the decline, the relative magnitude,- differs by region^. apparently 'large'ly in response to the basic c~arryat;g capat:ity and consegaetat nu;Iber of dear inhabiting each region. The e£fecL8 cl the vari- out influences which may have contributed to the decline art- treated separately here eyed though it is 'ec0911izecl that there may he important synergistic relationships. auzir,4 19+5 the California ppparcrtert of F'$h and Game pro cared a dxa`t :report e€;titled "Ca.lilortia moor Marn5otrent Plan, !Jardh 15 1575" a:;d a supplement "The Doer Situation in California, April 11., 19 5." in these reports they ;sorts,arized mast of -ht essential ; actors eoncerned vait�, the rise and €all of door numbers in California lIe wish merely to add some of our thoughts for crij)hasis and to su=ari.ze some of our more dotalled analysts esti certain relationships. OE!4t%LAL FACTORS (1) Fire It is evident that there have becra some significant chanties in the fire atterr, duri,r.g the perisac: studioe_ From the ta.` deers the Porti-- nent poi is should logically l,e rwnccr of fi.t`eq pox yeas: ar.ci the acreage burned. Howtever, the distribution of fires 3s also of major a~afiortanee and at, o:titat~e of this relationship cart be dotorrr.ined by CO.1cula.ting the avtr4go sizes of fires. it is also usoful to consider the proportion of total acreage b=06 by the few largest flr Z, th0sc exco-eding 300 acres= Cher, fire data froni thz. ':,S. Forest Service (USFt) , the Burtiau of Land t,taaragcr-crt. (BI,M) , and tate Califorr.iv, p,3visic,n of Forwstry (COP) are com- bined, Figure 9, it is ovi.dort thew although thr acrotgo burned a:nua'llj in Califortria has fl,uctciatoa wid-01Y aver the years, the gereral trend has been dot:ri.ard ,in total, acres burrErtd, . kowiso, because of the ircreased numbers ,af fire starts in recent years tato average sx.zo of fires hos de teased " C1T-xNtVA WILDLIVE TRANSACTloNo 1976 79 221, M s Z, Citanges ire the cyur�:cars and size, o£ fire oti wilytrnclr i:n khe ,tate. 2.Changes in the araour.r of raziQgest land on publ3ceand private a^anteltridrr. 3. Changes in Iiv C.L-c?: g µ, Ch�inges in weathc' patterns:, 5. Changes in agricolLurcarryactices- ity for deer on raW101and,s G, Changes in ro `j deer themselvOti resultins frcrr: ch'G.or.ic awerstockir.g by e the -� addition t0 the above t�L areas oftheirhabitathich ain the stal'P��4Lha�rerare >rA-luencing deer over large areas 'rhe most significant of there ihOludc: a carsidcrable r:.utrrber of factors which may bo of importazaettl on a more yv,ea�.ized or restricted basis. 1, Char-Ics in otirnership of rangelands ,-r forest praperi:i ctt wi Lh conse- quent shkits to Viand use abjeracticeswhich by federal orvsctrt�e agencies 2. Charg�as it. forest managemtrr�t p' anti p iVat�e ti:a e ding o es. Char:gcs i ,• aver fee3ir>g or movement patterns as Gonnetidt�yt�cc€� of 3, nct deveZapm wat.r IPra7 - .entsi road construction, eta., CWLNTGt:<C It, DEER itORTALITY FACTORS F 1. Changes in deer and rortalit ailroadyfiilltors: A.. Hig yr.ay B. other accidents. C. biseascs and parasites: Predation. E. Hunting --legal and illegal. Martali:tY related to nutr3 tion. an atter-pt to dvto'�ine the relative state n ©n oticce Of tregian hese ta�` is in some Jr. to dividy the s simila a- c,.ces it w1�s necessary on vegetation types of habi.ta+ cases subregions based Pr 1r.,arily ears primarily by For these puposes tho biotic regions' ase The data considered had been collected over the Y Various state and fciet'al agencies. with their r ass��iatexies i`hin~thc3e�regibns wsted in ,jerc firevdata�Werrcavailatale Only those e0dr,tin twore includ_d• Ir•, the .case c►f c�r^ather :data certain air those regions ti•tere :uti:her divided ir=t:ra subre�#iorrs restrict�:d to groups of deer' management tst,its with closely ielat*d biotic characteristic (`fable 2) year or two o Foy:. those tvaluatic .s data were e�amir.e�d r:�a11 for t,.e years Erato 1947 to Ott t;arlci tear I't period although for certain 1974, itcl�xd:.g ~os� of ,he pa. }cir:ds of data a uch 1011g`er' span of years was covered. In some cases, hoot i statistics ere riot yet. available for the last; f this ever, period ` biotic. r.•tieiions ars a county by Fire rol1ltio3•ships to deer pciraulatians axr the Cali x performing s'�mpie correlation and multiple Co,L.:ty basis 'dere anal Cid } e1 coVer� It Eire data furnished by egressior► aralisos cf fire ar,d buck kill, yt" ftrnia Eivision of Farestr} was used to determine effects 'Were oiththd to burned and %y cortro33.ar���enand Eure�ill o�iLandr lanagbmene data t, Were with those ttre: the U -S Fear'est S� rc- the the effecus of total wildfires in thr selected caunti.es. e ca 53"tple carrelaticn cu�ehe bucrttdill) fo�rthatlzeg ondfort�t:henPotiOd 1549 turned b resior, ar.. the �u� the determinations from through 1973., r hes« co arttin lafithe tiroscletttsingEd for l to 6 year lag periods xol10t .F.s they fire these 6 Year lass+ a Stepwis►} mul.tr3,ii a regression. *eras pet arltt�:d (Dtkorlr 197,1) to rind tho percent of variance in buck 'kill (X2) exp]rt3nable by (Table 3) CAL -N ;Vjj �h`z:I,DLIFZ T RA,1"4Sr?CTIONS 1976 17 CAL -NEVA I11I.0LIVE 'iMNSAC"MONS 1976 7 6 or 95 percent with the tag returns. Therefore, even thowjh neither method w of assessing deer kill may be entirely accurate, their hlqj degree of cor- relation indicates consistency. Since both methods shoe onnentially the, same pattern of Vtatewide decline in deer kill, there Is d 9000 probability that ars actual decline in deer numbers has taken place. For that :mahter, the decline of deer has by no means 'becr� confInod to Cali- fornia, but seems to have been a general phenonenoii in a number of western states. By 1964 a number of states recognized that Rocky Mountain mule to decline (macgregor, , .1964) R-CAlifornia; doer pcpulations had started (Mohler, 1964) -Idaho; (mcKean and ?,tunan, 1960-Oregoi ; (Orti#c"xily and Humphreys, 1964)-Nevaca; ynd (Hai,cock, 1.964) -Utah. By 7.9611 even more documenting the decline (Russo, 1965) --Ari onix; (Macgregox states were 1961B) -Nevada; (Nielson and jjil7.i.ams, 1968) -Idaho; 1968) -New Moxico; (Stein, 1968) -Oregon; (Lauchhart, 1968)-washingtOM (Corsi, 19&8) - t•:}•o;nirg; and (ilancock 3968) -Utah, This paper dealing with the possible factors responsible. 1"t,yr the decline of door. populations in California is a progress report and a Diore detailed and comprehensive roport is in preparation for later publica.lAtin. Since a nun,,- ber of California deer populatiins move seasonally to ra;,tjon in Oregon and .:ertain inferences drG wig from o71r data would apply 'pp7 to parts of those states as well. We wish to acknowledge the gonerous assistance from the California Depart- for mach of the statistical data on deer as Ment of Fish and Game providing as funding for a substantial portion of the computer study of the Well relationships of Weather ai d. fire to trends -n deer numbera-. Earl, Cummiftgc Vitgning the computer evaluations. as especially" helpful in de3i The U.S, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management dnd the ralifornia LDivi- information on background statistics on tion of Forestry furnished valuable fire, livestock grazing, and logging, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service kindly furnished information on control of coyotes. additionally we appreciate the information given us by Terry Mansfield, of deer road California Department of Transportation, on his estimate Street and Ted Adams, Cooperative Zxtension, U.C, Davis, Y kills4 ,lames kindly supplied data on supplemental plantings of Sudan grass and alfalfa and brush burning. L,_ ..cam. The decline in deer numbers in C&Ij. ornia. was documented primarily froze the _ Figure trend, in deer kill, Figure 1, in comparison with the hunter survey, for the decline a number o: face 2 In order to determine possible reaYo„s considered which might have either changed tho carrying capacity tors t+,,ere of deer habitat or operated directly cn the deer themselves to influence their.mortality rate. It is well accepted that dear belorigi g to the genus 0(1r�preCOileus thrive best dom(Loa,g- inate on rangelands where Su 11 3tagos of vegetation 1561).. Young brush with a i,ti: tore Of glasses and forbs appears to hurst, be ideal door hpbitat Mature bf'uSh. clihta%; forest With little undercover and fe;' opcnir,gsz and climax c grassland without WOOdy plants normally, $up�- the normal successional trend port few door, A number of factors may upset toward unfavorable conditions for door. The first three Of vcaetati.on anong the various influences listed below have tho greatost potential in California to affect jcjtge areas of door rar:ge in terms of successional trends in vegetation. T!- influences which have the patontial to affect deer habitat on a. larr;o scale ate listed below. CAL -NEVA I11I.0LIVE 'iMNSAC"MONS 1976 7 6 ;Y s evaluated i nclUd ��t; rola, it;tportance of tate major mortality factors was evaluated i tMos, Prada-- zr.4l high ay and railroad tills, a��ddefxec4sontso zofainadses eaua�e ctttt t`� tion. tiota� legal and illegal. nuntis�g, to be T*os4,E associated w t;t rtutr tiona3 deyiriet:cie Were accauntoford!I large numhor'a- ,.,aunt although other loss factors collectively cf deer. upon reg*erring the dowCt trend in postoration of deer nur'bers will depend the factclxc which produce the successional stages of vegetation atdtfutwdshwil cicer rewire. art dging these unless controldOf rdear 211 onumbers through hunting can be be n largely `t. program is imperative to convince achi£ved. r%n Adequate public information .p g to tale public and the 1egi.slature as the need to change the hunting program ©die of full harvest of both rsthe useof zof controlled livest. Controlled #ogle grazinga� tion, of reforestation practices, .,icul'tural planting of deer forage supplctents all have potential for ag a..d t.prov rg deer fond orotttanpowerltosrestobrezdoerf habitat state ponfthc necessaryes ,,:ill have the funds scale and private laird owners should, be encouraged through o"iritcamic inccn tivcs to des the job ori their own lands. ttrtil ward:able hunting program is operating i efforts tc control deer gill serve little purpose except to intensify the leerier from other causes level of intraspecific competition for food. int and, The decline of deer in California has by no means reached ito Old po we predict that it will continue if ;strong t,,ensures are not t.akon Lc it - t a11ev1ate I14 RODCCT ON ,j;ae, decline in deer (odoc leus honi�onus) numbers apd consequent lihunting ssut:e success in California i n recent years his led to fir.. easing p Vic~° action by state and federal agencies concerned Kith deur car public 1ar•d „anagesaent in the :tope of reversing the trend- vastSuggestions chaparra�ranclni� the deer situation. have rGrSed from bursting re�.tong lit�estacls from ptblic lands to controlling cayCttes to reduce predatior. a! the tgh there have been no co apre}Yensi ;rd censuses Of deer in California, a variety oL ,,fferent kinds of avidence attests to tl'�e i.tct that there has A reduction in ntifi�owever, t?ae tttagftitudo of the roduc� actually been,uber5• ,r differed in various areas. For. wion as wr.cll as the timing has appar� .et :tic.aple a comparison i,� the deer tact returns Eo*' noxthcoast blacktnil Moue- p from t,ountain (o. tt, henion°a ) and nyo mule ties dc.. arod with data J. the Sierras indicates dcei (o. 'it. ircyoen�is) counties oE' tho Sxerrastdccurrod from 1960-1961- whereas that the Major decline eas- it, whe northccasta counties the blaclx;tail decline ilei r+Crt start Ain 3. 1968 and continued throu91114 197'1- umber .9 f'1 1,ctually this ytatl to One wc'f sthe son dbhaso�rCtvitiear doer athd r ken �9'stUcli!:c�ct yetri ant p�arisor, to, the num) -y b4 . . desce of the oaticrZr3ftrend succcsslttldeer huntag erskdo nottYmail�initheir deer k,.t�t unknown d Game as required by ,,. � mar re�,cart faxzts to the pep artttthnt of Fish and questionnaire naireis more to tiro pt:rdcstt of the `hunters b �:l times the number . re reliable deer kill information. ori the , 1. ut.ter' auestiorn afire s*uraey indicator a buc4 111 oThe results of this cru bucks �:e ortod taken acco3;di.ng to tag returns too are subject to speculation as to their accuracy, 'Itlest>ionti-%ir4,w ttr�'GY y ave a coo fidi�ti:.t r CSO: rel.atibn hat it is of interest to rote that they h Ci:,� �y 'ri t;sial ,Ir PA"JS;r CI`I014g 1975 75 THE CALIF019NIA DEER DECLINE POSSIBILITIES FOR RESTORATION 11. ld. Longhuoffr br�1versity California Davis, California IE. Oi Garton t► ``°vzr— 4•y o � i'oxnia Davis, California H. F. Hedy Unver;;ity of California Berkeley, California r• L-. Connolly tJrsivcrsit" of California Davis. CallAcOrnial r`,i.sta-act. the factors syhich Of dta r nt�` tiers in have Contributed most t° Primarily � l; n i hili farnia Ythich started about the apparent decline .moire, logging, andsh ng food i�pzg and lass b 196��are thought to be pristir� likrostock grazirg starting habita,. The influences o vege,�a to on on forests and girt relatively Y a its the late 180Qss altorcd Y yew door, tr7ggCrin golands Uhlch ori deer could use. g 9rbsrth of ' taail�> supported succossional EO 1i plants which Changes in the patterna of ghto; to cattle ors burn" :tr, of doer food r.anrelnr.ds .have a`Xlgcohg and gra2inq plus a atle OZ do�z c�aty plants, 2"hose c?,contributed to shift from terns Which have apparent lower ng the produc- + C uta laic ; boon c3,�CCCA:lt �3n1 o by tinfa>�or Of an adequate hunt na prog ly augr�rntod the led to °vcrstoc}•od ruraos s�r`rere rig'�Ogram to decline. itac forago. utilize d Conte i:7portar. ly,y �t.he'decs Q tl "evero intraspecific c err nffoctivr lv has y 'sa exiMted fcir titan �'• .o+eti tion for cwtraer -�i . their ... �` Fears, beer have contributed�ist P arcz use °bJectivcs, sylviculturaXge condition. hi,hways arta' water projects have ali Xslaved a Chingos in land :ani tat, practiaoa, a:d CCnstructicn of part in the loss of doer I'd ��+so. iproSOAt a6dross - L%S. aarct wildlife Scrvire, iw�t't F'alis, C"r"4�',-:3�'G�A �•;1'?..LY�Ir� '3'BAbJ'Se`iCR'lt�ti�` 1,976 74 E T