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FY26 Hardware WMA Hay Purchase
Region: Northern
ID: 7629
Project Status: Proposed
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Project Details
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Need for Project
Hardware WMA raises on average 220-250 tons of hay, annually, from the 120 acres that are farmed to feed wintering elk and mitigate winter depredation by elk in Cache Valley. In order to provide more attractive forage for mule deer in the area and better prepare mule deer to survive northern Utah winters, the hay meadows will need to be sprayed and replanted with a selected seed mix. Hay production for the next 2-3 years will be limited, and hay will need to be purchased to meet winter elk feeding needs while reestablishing the meadows with a new crop.
Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.
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Objectives
Purchase 150 tons of hay for the 2025-26 winter to feed wintering elk while the meadows are being reseeded and established to benefit both mule deer and elk.
Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.
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Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?)
Hardware Wildlife Management Area is in the Bear River mountains of Cache Valley at the top of Blacksmith Fork Canyon. Rocky Mountain elk have been wintered on the WMA since 1945 to prevent depredation during the winter in the valley. Following the winter of 2022-2023, it was observed that mule deer which were better prepared for winter had a better chance of surviving. Following staff discussions, it was determined to improve Hardware's meadows to promote mule deer usage to help and prepare local deer populations for winter, as well as provide acceptable hay for elk. While the meadows are being reseeded and established hay for the wintering elk will need to be purchased to augment meadow production.
LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.
TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.
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Relation to Management Plans
Per the 2018-2023 HRWMA Management Plan: Wildlife Goal Objective 1: Decrease elk impacts to landowners in Cache Valley during the life of the plan. Objective 2 Strategy 5: Bait, trap, and hold elk in current facility for annual disease testing, in coordination with the district Wildlife Biologist.
List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.
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Fire/Fuels
N/A
If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.
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Water Quality/Quantity
N/A
Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.
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Compliance
N/A
Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.
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Methods
Purchase quality grass to be delivered to Hardware WMA and stored on-site for the winter.
Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.
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Monitoring
Hardware WMA Manager will verify tonnage and weights upon receipt of the hay.
Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.
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Partners
N/A
List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.
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Future Management
Hardware WMAs hay meadows are being reseeded and established to improve mule deer attraction for feeding and quality hay production for elk. Once the meadows are reestablished regular hay production operations will resume.
Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.
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Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources
The WMA meadows will provide an important feed source for mule deer preparing for the winter and wintering feed to continue mitigating depredation by wintering elk.
Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.
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