The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale Field Office (PFO) continues to plan and implement a number of wildlife habitat improvement projects and winter range protection measures with increasing emphasis on mule deer habitat enhancement in 2012 and beyond.
Currently, 500,000 acres of big game winter ranges are closed to all motorized travel annually from Jan. 1 to April 30. These closures have been in effect since 2008 and protect elk, moose, pronghorn, and mule deer from disruptive human activities which, during the difficult winter months, can increase the mortality rate for these animals.
The PFO plans to conduct an approved 300 acre spike treatment for crucial mule deer winter range south of LaBarge in the fall of 2012. This aerially applied pelleted herbicide treatment will reduce the amount of mountain big sagebrush in the project area by 50 percent over a period of one to five years. This treatment will increase forage variety, quantity and quality and improve the big sagebrush and mountain shrub age-class structure. The resultant vegetative diversity will benefit wildlife and livestock and improve winter and transitional habitat for mule deer.
Currently, 500,000 acres of big game winter ranges are closed to all motorized travel annually from Jan. 1 to April 30. These closures have been in effect since 2008 and protect elk, moose, pronghorn, and mule deer from disruptive human activities which, during the difficult winter months, can increase the mortality rate for these animals.
The PFO plans to conduct an approved 300 acre spike treatment for crucial mule deer winter range south of LaBarge in the fall of 2012. This aerially applied pelleted herbicide treatment will reduce the amount of mountain big sagebrush in the project area by 50 percent over a period of one to five years. This treatment will increase forage variety, quantity and quality and improve the big sagebrush and mountain shrub age-class structure. The resultant vegetative diversity will benefit wildlife and livestock and improve winter and transitional habitat for mule deer.
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