Nevada Mule Deer Summit

[jims]

I just listened to the first part of the Nevada Mule Deer Summit podcast. There's lots of great information on the podcast! I would invite everyone interested in the future of mule deer to give it a listen!

Here's the link:

Nevada Mule Deer Summit 2023 - Rokslide

Robby Denning hosts Toby Boudreau of the Idaho Fish & Game. Toby recently attended the Nevada mule deer summit. Listen in for a summit recap.

www.rokslide.com

I was particularly excited to hear about the current cheatgrass and wildfire work being conducted in Nevada and neighboring Idaho. This runs from around the 14 to 23 minute marks in the podcast. It's great that states across the West are aware of the negative impacts of cheatgrass to mule deer, mule deer habitat, and other wildlife...... and trying to do something to improve this negative trend.

Boise State, University of Idaho, University of Wyoming, and Utah State currently have some great cheatgrass research projects being conducted. A professor at Boise State was actually the keynote speaker at this spring's Western Society of Weed Science meeting in Boise. He spoke about the history, concern, and work being conducted in that area. It's pretty sad to see what years of cheatgrass invasion plus frequent and intense wildfires have done in some of those areas. If you are a land manager, it definitely pays to be pro-active when it comes to cheatgrass!

Around 80% of the range management related talks at this year's WSWS conference was based around cheatgrass and wildfires. There is currently a lot of interest and research being conducted across the Western US. South Dakota, Eastern Nebraska, and Eastern Kansas are also chiming in. We continue to monitor long-term cheatgrass control here in Colorado. The oldest cheatgrass treatments we are monitoring are now 5 to 7 years old and still look amazing! With this year's great moisture, the forb and shrub browse growth where we've controlled cheatgrass is looking the best it's looked for years!

What is really exciting is that the strategies and benefits for long-term cheatgrass control are slowly but surely becoming more evident across the Western US as the benefits are realized and this research is completed. The results from these long-term projects will slowly but surely be published in the literature for land managers to use. Ultimately this will benefit mule deer and other wildlife.

 

[Homer]

....and chemical salesmen

 

[mevertsen]

We're doing a cheatgrass project and pj project in two areas where I am part of the local mule deer committee. (Units 152 and 154). Here in NV.

We have done one small spring project and have been able to secure funding for more projects.

Lots of good work in areas around the state with local ideas to try something different other than throwing jello at the wall.

It will take several years of projects, but we know just letting things be certainly is not the answer.

The biggest problem we see in our area unfortunately is horses. So we are focusing on areas with few or no feral horses for habitat work.

 

[jims]

I can understand how horses would complicate things.

There often are several factors to deal with so it may take time to figure out strategies that work best in your particular area. Sometimes just one input will dramatically help but there may not be just one solution that works every time and in every situation.

Here's another example of a complication that was resolved: One of our more recent projects was spraying around 1,000 acres of cheatgrass on critical mule deer and elk habitat. The elk (in particular) have hammered that area year-round for so many years that it is taking longer than usual for the area to recover, even with cheatgrass gone. We started a cow-only, extended elk season which lasts from October through January. The combination of cheatgrass control plus the extended cow season has really helped reduce elk grazing/browsing pressure and allowed that area to recover. It took both to work! With this year's moisture it looks fantastic, and the elk season hasn't even started yet.

With that said, I've been super impressed with what I've seen in our area by just getting rid of cheatgrass. There are remnant native species just waiting for the light switch to be turned on by controlling cheatgrass.

Homer, if I was doing it for $ I certainly would have quit my blue-collar job about 30+ years ago and I certainly would have retired by now! There's something to be said for seeing a spotted muley fawn born right in front of you in an area you've worked your butt off trying to restore! It's great to see positive results that benefit wildlife! I could really care less about negative remarks when I see all the benefits of controlling cheatgrass. I'm doing my best to spread the word!

Homer and anyone else interested, I live and work on the Front Range in Colorado. Send me a PM when you are in the area and I'd be glad to take you out and show you some impressive winter ranges that have been restored! You should see the number and size of the fawns that make it through the winters! I've had game cameras set out monitoring deer, elk, small mammals, birds, and other wildlife the past 2+ years. It's always like Christmas when viewing the photos. I never know what new species is going to suddenly show up.

 

[drevolver4]

It's encouraging to see proactive efforts in Nevada, Idaho, and beyond to combat cheatgrass and wildfires, benefiting mule deer and their habitat. The extensive research and growing awareness across the Western US promise positive long-term outcomes for land managers and wildlife.