RESPONSES OF MULE DEER AND ELK TO INTENSIVE TIMBER HARVEST... ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN HABITAT Martin Vavra

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RESPONSES OF MULE DEER AND ELK TO INTENSIVE TIMBER HARVEST AND

ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN HABITAT

Martin Vavra

Team Leader, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station

1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande OR, 97850 Phone (541-962-6561) Fax (541-962-6504), email mvavra@fs.fed.us

,

John G. Cook

Project Leader, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement

1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 97850 Phone (541-962-6536) Fax (541-962-6504), email cookjg@eou.edu

,

Alan A. Ager

Operations Research Analyst, USDA Forest Service Umatilla National Forest

2517 Hailey Ave., Pendleton, OR 97850 phone, (541-278-3740) fax (541-278-37370), email aager@fs.fed.us

,

Michael J. Wisdom

Research Wildlife Biologist, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station

1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 97850 Phone (541-962-6532) Fax (541-962-6504), email mwisdom@fs.fed.us

, and

Bruce K. Johnson

Project Leader, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 97850, phone (541-962-6556) fax (541-962-6504), email johnsobd@eou.edu

Forested habitats for mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) and elk ( Cervus elaphus ) in western

North America have changed substantially in response to intensive timber harvest during the latter half of the 20 th

century. Few studies, however, have definitively researched the effects of intensive timber management on deer and elk habitats and populations in an experimental manner. Despite this shortcoming, much has been learned about the short- and long-term effects of timber management in relation to deer and elk requirements. In this paper, we summarize this knowledge, with emphasis on results from an experimental study of intensive timber harvest conducted as part of The Starkey Project.

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