It is well to try and journey ones road and to fight with the air.Man must die! At worst he can die a little sooner." (H Ryder Haggard)
Lots of info out there if you're willing to look:
http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/vi...=usupress_pubs
skip to chapter six for a level-headed summary of the relationship between mule deer and livestock. I have academic library privileges, so if anybody would like me to dig up the citations that the author draws on, I'm happy to do that.
Austin's discussion of the relationship between mule deer and elk, and mule deer and whitetail deer, later in the same chapter, are also worth reading, since those discussions come up periodically too.
Last edited by Ryo; 09-30-2017 at 08:49 AM.
Gcreek, Yes, he describes a few scenarios where grazing is removed. The result differ based on a few factors according to the author. This passage outlines one of the more interesting scenarios: (take notes that pdfs do not like to be copy-pasted - lots of typos - better to refer to the original)
"On areas protected from livestock grazing, the in uence of deerbrowsing on plant community changes is also observable. For example,in one of the earliest grazing research experiments, range professor ArtSmith at Utah State University compared adjacent ranges at the lower elevation of the mountain brush zone used by mule deer during winter innorthern Utah (Smith 1949). One range was heavily grazed by livestockin spring and summer, while the second had been protected from live-stock during the previous 11 years. Perennial forbs and grasses were moreabundant on the range protected from livestock, but shrubs, primarilybig sagebrush, were much less abundant due to heavy deer browsing. etrend of decreasing shrubs on the range protected from livestock grazingcontinued through 1982 (Austin and Urness 199, and as observed in2000 the range protected from livestock grazing was devoid of all shrubs.In about 60 years a highly productive deer winter range was reduced toone of very limited value for big game simply because of the lack of live-stock grazing. Research in Colorado and other states reported similarresults (Riodan 1970; omas 1970; McKean and Bartmann 1971). " p.65-66
Last edited by Ryo; 09-30-2017 at 10:37 AM.
Quite the thread....
I don't have time to write a book on wildlife politics, but if and when I ever do I guarantee some smug faces today won't be smiling.
There's a lot of make believe being portrayed to the public under the pretense of bettering wildlife.
I learned a long time ago that bullshit doesn't buy whiskey.
A few very manipulative people have gained themselves a following and with the backing of the sheep these manipulators are on a mission to carry through with either personal or career agendas using a delivery message vessel that was designed for another cause.
This statement is directed at more than one organization.
I will leave it at that for now.
Interesting study Ryo, unless my intellectual level is too low to absorb this information I would jump to the conclusion that with a complete shut down of livestock grazing on ungulate winter range the area eventually loses its value to winter ungulates.
If this is true some conservation groups better take a look at what they are doing.
Some fence removal might very well be warranted.
Last edited by bearvalley; 09-30-2017 at 12:22 PM.
Effects also depend on ecosystem/grassland type. Some of the grasslands didn't evolve with heavy grazing pressure which can have an effect right through to soil quality over time. Others are held at succession stages which eliminate the production of shrubs.
Not sure if you have access to gov DB as well. Don Gayton one of the best grassland ecologists in BC, used to work @ FORREX. If you do check monitoring plots and exclosures by both range and habitat ecologists for more BC based primary data. There have also been cases of overgrazing (per land use man plan) by elk (EK trench review by FPB).
Generally speaking the litt says, just like everything else, moderation is the key. Using science to direct land use practices continues to be the best outlet, but sometimes decision-based evidence making is the preferred choice when evidence gets in the way of beliefs.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Mandela