Upland game hunting areas that are easily accessible and close to population centers are limited. To recruit, retain and reactivate hunters within Utah areas need to be available within a reasonable distance to population centers to provide accessible hunting opportunities. In many areas division properties are available, but may not have the needed habitat components to support populations of pheasant and quail or hold released pheasants for hunts. Adding shrub rows to increase habitat complexity, provide hiding cover, and provide forage will potentially allow quail populations to persist, provide huntable hiding cover for pheasants and retain mourning dove later into the hunting season. Improved woody cover will improve hunt quality and retain released pheasants on the property so that they can be harvested. Addition of diversity to food plots will provide a variety of food types for a variety of species using the WMA. The mix of forage types will also insure a certain amount of availability in the event of one of the forage elements fails that year. Plants will also be utilized that provide cover as well as forage benefits. The need to add heavy cover in the form of woody vegetation is greatly needed on this WMA. Bud Phelps has historically been dominated by a vegetative regime consisting of a near monoculture of Garrison Foxtail. Measures to diversify the vegetation have been underway for a few years and this project is a component of that shift. Creating food plots that directly enhance the nutritional needs of the upland species present will boost the population while the overall shift in increasing vegetative diversity is underway. Taller food bearing species (i.e., corn, sorghum) also provide overhead cover.

The objective of this project is to improve the quality and quantity of upland game bird habitat for quail and other species with the ultimate goal of increasing public hunting opportunity in areas close to population centers. Specifically, to establish shrub plantings that would provide cover and forage for California Quail and pheasant. Shrub rows will also provide hiding cover for released pheasants to improve retention on public properties and increase harvest rates of pen-reared pheasants. Create up to 20 acres of food plots by planting row crops of corn and sorghum to augment the previous seedings of alfalfa, clover and Triticale. Augment woody vegetative shelterbelts, increase the forage available to all stages of game bird life histories and provide adequate cover from predators. Build upon previous habitat improvements at the WMA. Additional fencing will be constructed to enhance grazing flexibility and better delineate property boundaries.

The diversity for good production of upland game birds is not present and as such the property is not achieving the potential for the purposes of which it was obtained. License dollars were used to obtain the property and as such, an attempt should be made to provide an adequate experience for visitors. Inaction will result in a continued trend toward lack of diversity on the WMA. Lack of suitable vegetative structure limits use and value of the property. Specifically adding shrub rows will provide both hiding cover for predator avoidance and thermal cover. Grass plantings will provide nesting and further hiding cover. Small grain planting will provide food and additional hiding cover. Without improvements this property will not be suitable habitat for targeted upland game species.

Western Quail Management Plan: - Increase plant diversity in early successional habitats. - Maintain or Increase availability of dense escape and roosting cover. - Manage stands of brush species for diversity of structure, seral stage and optimal edge effect National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan: - Increase small grain acreage and other beneficial pheasant habitat. The Wildlife Section's specific plans for this WMA have not been articulated and as such this is being left rather generic. Suffice it to say that by enhancing habitat for game bird species we will be catering to an important constituency goal. Increasing the diversity of habitat elements will undoubtedly benefit a vast array of nonsport species.

n/a

n/a

In house cultural resources review and clearance.

Replant bare root plants in areas of previous mortality. Insure adequate irrigation to those areas (improvements in irrigation infrastructure have been made). Continue food plot planting as part of a grazing fee program. Begin bunch grass and forb planting to improve nest and brood habitat. Secure (continue) in-kind partnerships with Cache Pheasants Forever chapter and grazing lessee to provide in-kind labor to till and plant row crops. Repair, replace, and construct fencing as needed.

Periodic visual observation of new habitat, changes in vegetative diversity and food plot usage.

Cache Valley Pheasants Forever

Increase woody cover. Grazing as needed to insure vegetative diversity. Cattle exclusion from upland game shelter belts.

Grazing will continue on the majority of the WMA to assist in reducing the percentage of perennial grasses in the cover assemblage.

01/13/2020

06/24/2020

2020

Coordinate with Pheasants Forever Chapter representatives and grazing lessee to prepare seedbed and plant food plots. Discuss with grazing lessee the fencing project. Container stock (from South Cache High School) propagation failed and by the time this was known, commercial sources were not available. Food plot (approximately 5 acres) was planted by the grazing lessee and consisted of donated seed from Cache Valley Pheasants Forever Chapter. The seed mix was Pheasants Forever 'Blizzard Buster' mix consisting of mainly sorghum, sunflower, and some cereal grains. I'm not sure of the exact mix as they have different mixes under the same name for different climate zones.

The food plot went in without issue as planned. The fence, however, was postponed due to a conflict with adjacent land needing additional grazing rest. PacifiCorp (neighbor) was completing a survey for Ute's Lady Tresses and the lessee requested an additional month of pasture access on Bud Phelps. Discussions with regional habitat personnel led to the conclusion that additional grazing pressure may knock the Garrison foxtail back a bit quicker so the proposal was granted. Additional shrub planting was abandoned as the shrubs given to the high school for growing failed and none were available.

Attempt the additional pasture fence and evaluate the added grazing for effectiveness. Continue to irrigate pastures as allowed in summer to insure cover for late season birds.