This project aims to improve winter range conditions on the Millville-providence WMA (Unit 2) and the Middle Fork WMA (Unit 3). These areas provide critical winter habitat for deer and elk, with winter range being a major limiting factor for both hunt units. The Millville-Providence WMA is bordered on the west by the Logan deer fence, which concentrates the number of animals using this winter range, intensifying the need for healthy winter conditions. Enhancing big game winter range in Cache County is essential due to the effects of development and urbanization throughout the region. The portion of the project focused on Millville-Providence WMA will be focused on the Millville Face. This west-facing slope primarily consists of annual grasses with limited shrub and plant diversity. In the Middle Fork WMA , the lower elevation slopes facing south and southwest have lost many perennial grass and browse species essential for wintering deer and elk. These species have diminished due to wildfires, past spraying activities, an increase in annual and invasive grass species, and drought. Development on crucial big game winter range in the Ogden Valley has significantly reduced available winter habitat, resulting in a concentration of animals on the WMA. The efforts made on these WMAs will complement past projects by expanding and continuing habitat improvements.

The objectives of this project are to revitalize crucial winter ranges that big game species rely on. This will be done by lowering the density of less desirable species, including invasives, while establishing a more diverse shrub, forb and grass community. *Increase the quality and quantity of winter forage for big game species. *Create diversity of plant species and age class structure to improve forage quality and increase resilience of the native shrub community. * Establish test plots using herbicide to combat the bulbous bluegrass that is outcompeting the shrub and forb community.

In the northern region, winter range is the most limiting habitat type for big game species. All of the WMAs in this region have the capacity to have winter range restored or improved on them. Improving nutrition and habitat productivity for wintering wildlife will improve fawn/calf survival and recruitment, and decrease winter loss mortality. Additionally, improving sagebrush steppe habitat by increasing shrub cover and plant diversity will benefit species such as rabbits and upland game birds. This, in turn, will provide advantages to predators that depend on these prey species for food. The benefits of this project will extend beyond big game, contributing to the overall health and resilience of the ecosystem.

Proposed project areas are in crucial mule deer habitat restoration priority areas (Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan) Utah Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan: Habitat Objective 1- Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts Habitat Objective 2- Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range. Utah Statewide Elk Management Plan: Habitat Objective 1: Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock. *Strategy C - Habitat Improvement Deer herd Unit 2 Management Plan Habitat concerns - *Low elevation winter range is the major limiting factor for mule deer populations on the Cache unit. *Additional threats and losses to deer winter range on the Cache unit is the reduction of habitat quality due to the loss of critical browse species. The abundance of weedy annual grass species, and the increase of the introduced, perennial grass, and bulbous bluegrass are likely causes of sagebrush decline. *Sagebrush age structure across the area is generally old and one age class. The lack of regeneration of the stand through establishment of young sagebrush is a concern. Deer Herd Unit 3 Management Plan * Low elevation winter range is the major limiting factor for mule deer populations on the Ogden Unit. Additional threats and losses to deer winter range is the reduction in habitat quality due to the loss of critical browse species. The abundance of weedy annual grass species, and the increase of the exotic, weedy, perennial grass, and bulbous bluegrass are also likely causes of sagebrush decline. * mule deer winter range habitat has decreased in sagebrush density. The lack of regeneration of the stand through establishment of young sagebrush is a concern Millville-Providence WMA Management Direction (Unit 2) Unit 2 Management Plans for Wildlife Species Plan and implement habitat improvements on the WMA to reestablish browse communities for deer. Continue efforts to control non-native annual grasses. Middle Fork WMA Management Directions (Unit 3) Implement habitat improvement projects on south facing slopes below 7,000' to enhance crucial big game winter range habitat. Increase browse density through seeding and seedling transplants.

Annual weeds such as cheatgrass can alter fire cycles by increasing the frequency of fires. Maintaining healthy stands of shrubs and native plants will prevent annual grasses from establishing decreasing fire risk. Additionally, having younger shrubs that are less decadent and dry than older, dying ones can help lower fire severity.

Monoculture stands of bulbous bluegrass absorb a large percentage of the available water. Breaking these stands up with a more diverse plant community by scalping rows along natural contours will reduce overland flow and increase water infiltration. Opening up the canopy and increasing water availability will benefit native understory plants and increase biodiversity. A more diverse plant community will also help prevent unnatural fire regimes caused by cheatgrass and other annual grasses. Reducing this fire risk will, in turn, help to prevent erosion and sedimentation issues that can affect water quality following a burn.

Archeological clearance will be done in house by the DWR.

These objectives will be achieved by using a combination of scalping, seeding, and shrub planting. Seed will be broadcasted behind the scalper followed by containerized seedlings being planted by hand. The goal is to plant 7,500 shrubs between the two project sites. These objectives will be achieved through the help of volunteers/dedicated hunters, sportsman groups, paid seasonal employees, and a hired contractor. Test plots will be established on Middle Fork WMA and treated with herbicide using drone application to begin a long term treatment combating bulbus bluegrass on the WMA.

Photo points will be established to monitor plant seedling success as well as shrub counts on selected rows. Project locations are also monitored by DWR staff doing big game classifications and surveys.

Project implementation will be completed with the help of volunteer dedicated hunters and local sportsman groups.

The project locations are on Wildlife Management Areas that are protected for the benefit of wildlife. There is no risk of development and the benefits this project provides to the ecosystem will be preserved. Project sites will be rested from grazing for at least two growing seasons to allow treated areas to become established. Once the plants become established grazing will be used strategically in early spring and summer to help alleviate grass competition with the shrub communities. Future projects and plantings will occur until we have achieved the desired range conditions. Our wildlife management areas have published habitat management plans that list goals and objectives for the properties.

This project will help improve diversity and quality of essential browse species on critical winter ranges throughout the northern region. Improving these winter range habitats will make them more valuable and desirable to wildlife. This will increase the value of these properties for hunting big game, upland game, and wildlife viewing opportunities.