The Henefer Echo WMA has lost it's browse component in large areas due to historical fires and grazing practices. The WMA needs additional fences to create the ability to manage grazing better to focus on giving the browse species a competitive advantage. Along with better grazing the scalper will be used to plant bitterbrush and sagebrush.

To create an additional pasture that will provide for better grazing management and establish sagebrush and bitterbrush with the scalper.

The risks are that the seed from scalping will fail.

Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan: Statewide goal A, Strategy r.Properly manage elk populations to minimize competition with mule deer on crucial mule deer range. Habitat Management Goal B: Habitat Objective 1. Maintain elk habitat throughout the state by identifying and protecting existing crucial elk habitat and mitigating for losses due to human impacts. Strategies A. and B. Habitat Objective 2:Improve the quality and quantity of forage and cover on 250,000 acres of elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and upper elevation elk winter range by the end of this plan. Strategies c, d e, h. and j. Statewide Management Plan for Mule Deer: Habitat Goal and Habitat Objective 1, Strategies a, and b. Habitat Objective 2 and strategies, B, C, D, E, F and H. Deer Herd #4 Unit Management Plan Habitat -- Winter range condition is the major limiting factor on the Morgan-South Rich unit. Range condition ranges from Poor to Good depending on where you are on the unit.. Limiting factors could include habitat loss and degradation, increasing numbers of elk utilizing what was once reserved for mule deer winter range, and reduced browse by competition from introduced weedy species. Excessive habitat utilization will be addressed by antlerless harvests. Habitat Concerns - Loss of browse species on winter range to annual grasses. The following are some of the areas that have been targeted for habitat projects within the unit over the next three to four years. * Henefer/Echo WMA winter range rehabilitation and enhancements Elk Herd #4 Management Plan Unit Management Goals Habitat Maintain and improve current acreages of summer and winter range (298,309 acres summer range, 246,532 acres winter range) through conservation easements and habitat projects. Much of the winter range is privately owned could be at risk of being sold and developed. Strive to improve 500 acres/year of winter habitat on public and/or private property for deer and elk winter range. Work with private landowners on proper grazing techniques to enhance wildlife habitat STRATEGIES FOR REMOVING BARRIERS AND REACHING UNIT MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES Habitat Actions to Remove Habitat Barriers Develop a plan to rehabilitate 500 acres of Henefer-Echo WMA property; targeting old fires that are dominated with annual grasses. Continue to work on acquiring conservation easements to protect remaining habitat. Continue to work with private landowners and the Quality Resource Management group on habitat projects and range improvement methods. DWR Henefer Echo WMA Management Plan Improve winter range habitat for deer and elk Use best management practices to untilize grazing as a tool for beneficial habitat manipulation.

There will be a slight reduction to fuel loads by concentrated livestock to smaller areas.

None

157 acres have been previously cleared along with another 200 that will be done by DWR.

The fence will be constructed through a contractor that is awarded through the state bid system. Fence will be a 4 wire let down that conforms to wildlife standards. The scalping will be done with the northern regions D5 dozer operated by regional staff.

"cages" of T-posts and hog panels will be used to create control groups to monitor plant establishment and loss to grazing. Fence will be monitored and maintained as needed. Photos will be established at cage locations and uploaded to the database in future years.

Coordination with grazers to ensure the project area is rested and that new pastures fit into both grazing plans for DWR and grazer.

Monitor the success of the plantings. Have the grazer maintain and "put up" / " let down" fence during fall and spring. Additional pastures will be created along with water sources where they are needed. Cages of hog panels and T-posts will be places along the scalps to protect some of the seedlings. Similar 15' areas will be marked with just T posts to help us determine if there is loss of seedlings to deer and elk.

This will provide a benefit in created more of a rest rotation grazing system within the WMA.

07/11/2017

06/30/2018

2018

This project was designed to re-establish browse species that are critical to wintering mule deer and allow us to still reap the benefits of livestock grazing in nearby areas by constructing an additional fence in the area. We used Kolob Mountain Construction to build the let down fence. The purpose of this fence is to give us the ability to manage grazing and protecting the planted species. We can now still graze around the planted bitterbrush but not have sheep camp out on them. Then the NRO's D5 Caterpillar scalper was used to plant the bitterbrush, sagebrush and other forb species. The dozer was heavily modified by GBRC to plant bitterbrush, sagebrush, kochia and other forbs. The fence was a let down fence with several wire gates so we can have the ability to protect the seedlings from sheep and cattle, allow deer and elk to move through in the winter and the gates let hunters travel through without feeling the need to cut the fence which has been a problem in other areas of the WMA. Planting with the scalper was very successful and a new experience when using the 2014 D5 compared to the 1959 D4 we have used previously. The new machine allowed us to go to more areas and do so safely and effectively. The dozer was run by the habitat section from the NRO. Ron and Jesse from GBRC did an amazing job of fabbing the scalping and broadcasting parts of the dozer up.

Monson from the Salt Lake office performed the arc clearance for both and fence and the planting area. One artifact was found. The fence was constructed in June and July and Kolob Mountain was a great company to work with. There ended up being a few more braces needed compared to my estimate so we had to do a change order to the contract and add some additional funds but the fence was built where we needed it and will serve its purpose of allowing us to control the grazing. The scalping lasted through the fall, we waited until after the general season deer hunt so as to not disturb hunters in one of the few public land areas in the unit (4,5,6). Also to reduce rodent depredation on seeds and prevent early germination from planting in to warm of weather. There were a few issues with the scalper throughout the process. One of the corn planters, that are used to dribble bitterbrush seed down the drop tube and into the dirt fell off and got run over. Once that was repaired we were able to plant again. The depth bars behind the blade (that serve to create a trough in the dirt for the bitterbrush seeds) bent and had to be replaced. One of the broadcasters got crushed by a tree, this was simply driver error. Most of these were user error and overall I couldn't be happier with how the project went. We placed cages to prevent all grazing on the bitterbrush in a couple of the area's to determine how much loss there is to deer and elk grazing. These cages will be monitored for the next 2 years.

Monitor planting success of the bitterbrush and other species. Monitor the cages and control areas to see what survival rates are. Continue to develop the scalper to make it as effective as possible. Keep using it to plant bitterbrush and sagebrush wherever we can. 3 of the scalping rows have been watered throughout the summer to see if there is a discernible difference in the survival and growth rate. If there proves to be a noticeable benefit of watering we will explore options to water at a larger scale in the future.