Lets Talk about Road Acces

[Ourea]

Some more data to chew on.....

Mule deer and access
Behaviour changes What it shows
Habitat selection by mule deer during migration: effects of landscape structure and natural-gas development, (Lendrum et al 2012)
Animals move faster through areas of roads, select habitat away from disturbance
Winter habitat selection of mule deer before and during development of a natural gas field (Sawyer et al, 2006)
Reduced/altered habitat use by mule deer out to 3km from site of disturbance
Migrating Mule Deer: Effects of Anthropogenic ally Altered Landscapes (Lendrum et al, 2013)
Development alters movement rate during migration, implications on arrival times, departure times, birthing areas, locomotion cost
Elk and access
Behavioural changes What it shows
Distribution of Mule Deer and Elk in Relation to Roads (Gregory, 1979)

Avoid areas of high road density and high traffic volume. Effect of Forest Roads and Habitat Use by Roosevelt Elk (Witmer 1985) Avoidance of 250, on either side of paved roads, 125m from forestry spur roads and no avoidance of roads closed to motor vehicles. Thresholds in landscape connectivity and mortality risks in response to growing road networks (Frair et al, 200 As road density increases elk avoid usage of habitat and increased displacement of elk occurs as they potentially seek more secure habitat. Effects of Roads on Elk: Implications for Management in Forested Ecosystmes (Rowland et al, 2005)

Avoid 250m on either side of a road, animals lived in smaller herds to avoid detection, more tolerate of disturbance when appropriate cover is available.
Why stress matters
Research Literature What it shows Condition, Survival, and Cause- Specific Mortality of Adult Female Mule Deer in North-Central New Mexico(Bender et al, 2007)
Mule deer with high fat and body condition scores had higher winter survival rates
Effect of Enhanced Nutrition on Mule Deer Population Rate of Change (Bishop et al, 2009)
Increased nutritional quality did not increase pregnancy but did increase winter survival and neonate survival. Relations between nutritional condition and survival of North American elk Cervus elaphus (Bender et al, 2006)
Showed increased risk of non-human caused mortality with reduced body fat and increased muscle metabolized.
Species have road density thresholds
Species Road density Literature
Large ungulates
0.6 km/km2 (apparent threshold value for naturally functioning landscape)

Ecological effects of roads: towards three summary indices an overview for north America. (Foreman et al, 1997) Moose 0.2-0.4 km/km2 apparent

threshold of moose in summer and winter respectively

Functional responses, seasonal variation and thresholds in behavioural responses of moose to road density (Hawthorne et al, 2013) Elk 1.0-1.5 km/km2 increased

habitat avoidance and emigration of elk seeking secure habitat

Thresholds in landscape connectivity and mortality risks in response to growing road networks (Frairs et al, 200 Elk 1.9 km/km2 (Density

Standard for habitat effectiveness
Wolves and access
Behavioral responses of wolves to roads: scale-dependent ambivalence (Zimmermann et al, 2014)
Wolves use roads to travel 2x as fast. Develop cryptic behaviour to utilize roads without increased visibility
How linear features alter predator movement and the functional response (McKenzie et al, 2012)

Wolves select for travel on seismic lines, increased rate of travel, increase encounter rate. Prey are at higher vulnerability when in areas of high density Caribou encounters with wolves increase near roads and trails: a time- to-event approach (Whittington et al, 2011)

Risk of encounter greater around trails
Movement responses by wolves to industrial linear features and their effect on woodland Caribou in Northeastern Alberta. (Latham et al, 2011)
Concluded seismic lines increase wolf predation risk for caribou resulting in avoidance behaviour of caribou Faster and farther: wolf movement on linear features and implications of hunting behaviour (Dickie et al, 2016)
Wolves move up to 3x faster, farther, higher search rate associated with linear features.

[Ourea]

[Island Idiots]

stay on your island please

Sorry to disappoint. I live in the Koots!

[Ourea]

[Bugle M In]

My right to access the bush is no different than anyone else's. I would use a road to get there, and no I would not leave that road. I would hunt as near as I can and enjoy the area just like anyone else. To remove access to the bush by disabling side roads would remove my ability to access the back woods. It would however, provide access to those that can hike in.
This is discriminatory. My access will be removed, but others will still have the ability to access where I cannot go.

If you really want to limit access, then do it to everyone. Deactivate the roads, and POST the area NO TRESSPASSING.
Then we can all hunt the area your closures left me in. You can walk up and down the main roads and I will drive my ORV.
I am sure the wildlife will recover quickly if we all make the same sacrifices in the name of wildlife.

I understand you.
Believe me, I do.
My dad has quite a bit of disability going on, and I see his frustration, and it hurts me to see him like that.
Yes, he is 80, but has the heart of 25 year old avid hunter.
I too, am facing some serious disabilities that will limit my experience too, on foot.

But, I think in the end (maybe not for us, and our age..i don't know where you are in that stage of the game),
that given time, and if we take other steps to improve habitat, that making these changes to road access might in fact
make the hunting experience better, because I believe it might actually create more game again, or, should I say,
allow game to come back.
And to a point where maybe we see them standing on the side of the road where we can drive.
Ripping up the roads stops everyone.
IF you want to bush wack, then have at it.
But, I think you and I also have to come to the realization, like my dad is, there is a time where some things are beyond
our physical limits, due to age and the body falling apart.

If you find a cure for that one...let me know, as I could use some of that help.

[Jordan f.]

I'm with you Bugle!

Road density needs restrictions. Dig em up, plant trees on em, turn em back into nature.


Island Idiots, you would still have roads to drive. Just a few less. Unfortunately, it's desperately needed in some areas that have gotten out of control.

[Onesock]

I also agree on road deactivation not just closure.

[Jordan f.]

Is there any data showing the effects of "replanted trees" on deactivated roads, and wolf numbers/success?

[Keta1969]

I'm all in favor of nuking side roads and I don't feel it discriminates against anyone. I'm 65 and definitely don't hike into places I did when I was younger and it doesn't bother me that some still do. I try to stay reasonably fit and still enjoy my time in the bush but time waits for no one. As we age there's lots of things we don't do as much as we did when we were young. Personally I think no atv's period should be in the alpine or moose meadows or any sensitive lands and the only way to stop it is to nuke the roads and set stiff fines for unauthorized trail building. Now to Island Idiots, I mean really if the roads hadn't been built would you be lobbying for someone to build them. They were built for a purpose(not hunting or sightseeing) and they should be nuked after that purpose has been full filled

[Island Idiots]

For the record I am not against managing access. Restrictions should be in place where they are required. Road right of way and habitat go hand in hand. Spraying to control plant growth is nonsense. Where road density surpasses a certain limit or impacts wildlife road closures may be required.

There has to be an accepted volume of road access that allows reasonable access for all. Seasonal, and altitude restrictions may also be effective.

I don't need to access the alpine to hunt. But that doesn't mean I still don't get brought to tears every time I get close. I am worried soon the only access I will get is if I pay for a helicopter ride to some ritzy lodge for the rich and famous. You cannot imagine the sense of freedom I experience to head out alone into my favorite valley and drive up my favorite side road negotiating some bad terrain and finally getting to my favorite spot so I can be alone with my thoughts and the most beautiful country any one has ever seen.
This Spring I will do exactly that, and it will take me an hour and a half from my driveway. I am not ready to give that up.