by Nick Howell, Utah BLM Office
Could harvest of world record wildlife be the beginning of the “Good Old Days” in Southern Utah?
It is no secret to any sportsman reading this article that the quality of trophy big game harvested in Utah has seen a dramatic increase in recent years. Just last year the world record elk and numerous other record book animals have been featured in this and other publications. We have all heard the old timers tell the stories of the “good old days”, but the good old days are just beginning. Utah is leading all western states in acres of habitat and vegetation treatments completed annually, specifically in the southern region. This is the direct result of an effective partnership known as the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI). In southern Utah, this partnership combines the funding, equipment, and expertise of land management agencies, state wildlife managers, and sportsmen’s organizations towards a common goal.
In Utah’s Southern Region, the lands that provide critical winter range for big game species are also the lands adjacent to communities referred to by fire officials as the wildland urban interface. This brings yet another set of partners to the table with funding and capabilities focused on vegetation, habitat, or fuels management. The terminology varies depending on who you talk to, but it is essentially all the same thing. When landscape scale projects are planned with all of the partners interests represented; sportsmen, wildlife and the communities all win.
In recent years, increasing urban development and large wildfires have reduced available winter range. As a result, humans and wildlife are sharing habitat which requires careful management to reduce the risks to both. Communities need to be protected from risks associated with wildfire and wildlife need the remaining habitat to sustain population levels during critical winter months. Additionally, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fire managers and biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) have effectively worked together to plan and implement landscape level vegetation management projects throughout southern Utah.
Beginning in 2002, this partnership had a goal of treating over 500,000 acres by year 2010. To date, that goal has been exceeded with many more projects planned over the next several years. The extensive habitat improvements play a major role in increasing the number and quality of trophy animals, which also increases opportunities available to sportsmen. Cooperation and funding provided by sportsmen’s groups are an integral element to the success of the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative.
This fall while pursuing big game in southern Utah, sportsmen will encounter areas that have recently been treated with various tools to improve habitat. Sportsmen in Richfield may notice dixie harrow treatments designed to enhance sagebrush habitat. In the Beaver area, the dixie harrow treatments are bordered by “bullhog” and prescribed fire areas designed to restore sagebrush habitats that have been lost to the encroachment of invasive pinyon and juniper. Lands east of Kanab have experienced these treatments as well as seeding and chaining sage brush habitat to restore understory vegetation and stimulate new sagebrush plants on these ranges.
From Cedar City west to Enterprise, these same type of treatments spread across the landscape providing improved winter range conditions for big game. These treatments then follow the Santa Clara River back toward St. George. Anywhere that the landscape has been impacted by wildfire in recent years, extensive seeding and chaining to cover the seed and begin the process of restoring habitat has been completed. Vast tracts of land west of St. George, and more recently, the Milford Flat Fire are showing the results of several years of partnership efforts.
The sporting public should expect to enjoy the benefits and increased opportunities provided by the efforts and investments of Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative for many years to come. With the continued support of the partners and the sportsmen through the donations of funds and public support, the good old days of big game hunting in southern Utah can be enjoyed by not only those currently experiencing the benefits, but future generations of sportsmen and wildlife enthusiasts.
Note from the editor:
We would like to thank Nick Howell and the Utah BLM office for providing us and our readers with information on what Utah is doing to enhance our outdoor opportunities. It sure is nice to see our tax dollars at work!
