Policy Implications from Long-term Studies of Mule Deer and Elk:
A Synthesis of The Starkey Project
2004 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference
Saturday, March 20, 2004
Doubletree Hotel Spokane City Center, Spokane, WA
Scientists of The Starkey Project and associated research programs have conducted intensive
landscape and experimental research on mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, and cattle for >10
years. The Project now has the most voluminous and intensive data sets on ungulates perhaps
ever collected. The initial promise of the Project—to provide new and compelling knowledge
about ungulate response to intensively managed forests and rangelands--has largely been
fulfilled. Over 100 publications have been produced or are in press. Over 500 tours and
presentations have been given. The Project has won regional and national awards for technology
transfer to management. Results are now commonly used across the western United States by
state, private, and federal resource managers.
While the success of the Project is obvious, its success also stands in the way of more effective
management uses--the diversity and volume of research findings make it difficult for managers
to efficiently find and apply results, and for Project scientists to efficiently convey findings to
managers. The volume and diversity of data, and long time periods over which data have been
collected, beg for integration in a nation symposium, and in an associated book, as a means of
gaining additional knowledge not currently evident from individual publications. Consequently,
we will host a one-day session at the 2004 North American Wildlife and Natural Resource
Conference in Spokane WA, with papers to be published as part of the Transactions from the
Conference. Focus of the session and papers would be a synthesis and integration of the first 10
years of results.
The day-long session at the 2004 Conference in Spokane will address a wide array of research
findings for mule deer and elk in a synthetic, integrated manner, with particular emphasis on
policy implications and management uses. The following topics will be addressed:
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Effects of Timber Management and Fuel Loads Reduction
Effects of Roads, Traffic, and Off-road Recreation
Interactions of Elk, Mule Deer, and Cattle
Effects of Elk Bull Age on Breeding Efficiency and Productivity
Effects of Hunting on Non-targeted and Non-harvested Animals
Consideration of Nutrition Demands and Animal Condition for Elk Productivity
Effects of Ungulate Herbivory on Vegetation Development and Ecosystem Processes
Future Research and Management Needs for Mule Deer and Elk
We also plan to make key data from The Starkey Project available on a CD, for distribution at
the session in Spokane. Following is the agenda for our session.
Special Session 6
Saturday, March 20
Spokane Ballroom, Double Tree Hotel
Policy Implications from Long-term Studies of Mule Deer and Elk:
A Synthesis of The Starkey Project
Chair:
Michael J. Wisdom
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station
La Grande
Cochair:
Martin Vavra
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station
La Grande
Morning Session
1.
8:00-8:15 a.m.
The Starkey Project: Long-term Research for Long-term Management Solutions
Thomas Quigley, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station,
Portland, Oregon, and Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific
Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon
2.
8:15-8:25 a.m.
History and Overview of the Starkey Project: Mule Deer and Elk Research for
Management Benefits
Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station,
La Grande, Oregon, Mary M. Rowland, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, and Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande
3.
8:25-8:40 a.m.
The Starkey Database: Spatial-Environmental Relations of North American Elk,
Mule Deer, and Cattle at the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range in
Northeastern Oregon
John G. Kie, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La
Grande, Oregon, Alan A. Ager, USDA Forest Service, Umatilla National Forest,
Pendleton, Oregon, Norman J. Cimon, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Priscilla K. Coe, Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife, La Grande, Mary M. Rowland, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest
Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, and Martin
Vavra, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande,
Oregon
Roads, Traffic, and Off-road Recreation
4.
8:40-8:55 a.m.
Effects of Road Pattern and Density on Elk Distribution: Implications for
Management in Forested Ecosystems
Mary M. Rowland, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La
Grande, Oregon, Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, and Mark A. Penninger, USDA Forest Service,
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, La Grande, Oregon
5.
8:55-9:10 a.m.
Spatial Partitioning of Mule Deer and Elk in Relation to Traffic
Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station,
La Grande, Oregon, Norman J. Cimon, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Edward O. Garton, Department of Fish and
Wildlife Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, and Jack Ward Thomas,
College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula
6.
9:10-9:25 a.m.
Effects of Off-road Recreation on Mule Deer and Elk
Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station,
La Grande, Oregon, Alan A. Ager, USDA Forest Service Umatilla National
Forest, Pendleton, Oregon, Haiganoush K. Preisler, USDA Forest Service, Pacific
Southwest Research Station, Albany, California, Norman J. Cimon, USDA Forest
Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, and Bruce K.
Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Oregon
9:25-9:35 a.m. Questions and Discussion
9:35-10:00 a.m. Break
Elk Productivity
7.
10:00-10:20 a.m.
Issues of Elk Productivity for Research and Management
Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, John G.
Cook, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande, Oregon,
and Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research
Station, La Grande, Oregon
8.
10:20-10:40 a.m.
Effects of Male Age and Female Nutritional Condition on Elk Reproduction
James H. Noyes, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Bruce K.
Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Brian L. Dick,
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon,
and John G. Kie, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La
Grande, Oregon
9.
10:40-11:00 a.m.
Validation of Nutritional Condition Indices in Elk
Rachel C. Cook, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande, Oregon,
John G. Cook, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande, Oregon,
Dennis L. Murray, Departments of Biology and Environmental Resource Studies, Trent
University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Pete Zager, Idaho Department of Fish and
Game, Lewiston, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La
Grande, and Michael W. Gratson, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Lewiston
10.
11:00-11:20 a.m.
Nutrition and Parturition Date Effects on Elk: Potential Implications for Research
and Management
John G. Cook, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande,
Oregon, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande,
Rachel C. Cook, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande,
Oregon, Robert A. Riggs, Boise Building Solutions, La Grande, Oregon, Tim
DelCurto, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Union, Larry D. Bryant,
USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC, and Larry L. Irwin, National Council for
Air and Stream Improvement, Stevensville, Montana
11.
11:20-11:40 a.m.
Effects of Increasing Hunter Density and Vehicular Traffic on Elk and Mule Deer
Energetics and Habitat Use
Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Alan A.
Ager, USDA Forest Service Umatilla National Forest, Pendleton, Oregon, James
H. Noyes, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, and Norman J.
Cimon, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande,
Oregon
11:40-12:00 p.m. Questions and Discussion
12:00-1:15 p.m.
Lunch
Afternoon Session
Habitat Use, Resource Selection and Species Interactions
12.
1:15-1:35 p.m.
Elk and Deer Movement Patterns in Relation to Habitat Use
Alan A. Ager, USDA Forest Service Umatilla National Forest, Pendleton,
Oregon, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande,
John G. Kie, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La
Grande, Oregon, and Haiganoush K. Preisler, USDA Forest Service, Pacific
Southwest Research Station, Albany, California
13.
1:35-1:55 p.m.
Spatial and Temporal Interactions of Elk, Mule Deer, and Cattle
Priscilla K. Coe, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Bruce K.
Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Kelley M.
Stewart, Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, and John G. Kie, USDA Forest
Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon
14.
1:55-2:15 p.m.
Diet Overlap Among Elk, Mule Deer, and Cattle
Scott L. Findholt, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande,
Daalkhaijav Damiran, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Oregon
State University, Union, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife, La Grande, Tim DelCurto, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research
Center, Oregon State University, Union, and John G. Kie, USDA Forest Service,
Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon
15.
2:15-2:35 p.m.
A Management Model to Simulate Forage Utilization by Elk, Mule Deer, and Cattle
on Summer Range
Alan A. Ager, USDA Forest Service Umatilla National Forest, Pendleton,
Oregon, Bruce K. Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande,
Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station,
La Grande, Oregon, and Priscilla K. Coe, Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife, La Grande
2:35-2:45 p.m. Questions and Discussion
2:45-3:05 p.m. Break
Timber Management
16.
3:05-3:20 p.m.
Thermal Cover Needs of Elk: A Test of the Hypothesis and Implications for
Management
John G. Cook, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande,
Oregon, Larry L. Irwin, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement,
Stevensville, Montana, Larry D. Bryant, USDA Forest Service, Washington, D.C.,
Robert A. Riggs, Boise Building Solutions, La Grande, Oregon, and Jack Ward
Thomas, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula
17.
3:20-3:40 p.m.
Responses of Mule Deer and Elk to Intensive Timber Harvest and Associated
Changes in Habitat
Martin Vavra, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La
Grande, Oregon, John G. Cook, National Council for Air and Stream
Improvement, La Grande, Oregon, Alan A. Ager, USDA Forest Service, Umatilla
National Forest, Pendleton, Oregon, Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service,
Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, and Bruce K. Johnson,
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande
3:40-3:50 p.m. Questions and Discussion
Ungulates and Ecosystem Processes
18.
3:50-4:10 p.m.
Policy Implications of Ungulate Herbivory in Managing the West’s ForestDominated Ecosystems
Robert A. Riggs, Boise Building Solutions, La Grande, Oregon, John G. Cook,
National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande, Oregon, and
Larry L. Irwin, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Stevensville,
Montana
19.
4:10-4:30 p.m.
The Role of Ungulate Herbivory and Management on Ecosystem Pattern and
Processes: Future Direction for the Starkey Project
Martin Vavra, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La
Grande, Oregon, Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, John G. Kie, USDA Forest Service,
Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon, John G. Cook,
National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, La Grande, Oregon, and
Robert A. Riggs, Boise Building Solutions, La Grande, Oregon
4:30-4:40 p.m. Questions and Discussion
Summary
20.
4:40 p.m.
Has the Starkey Project Delivered on its Promises?
Jack Ward Thomas, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of
Montana, Missoula, and Michael J. Wisdom, USDA Forest Service, Pacific
Northwest Research Station, La Grande, Oregon