Commonly Hunted Big Game

Transcription

1 Trail Creek Fire Salvage Project Commonly Hunted Big Game Introduction Ungulates, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk, are Management Indicator Species (MIS) for commonly hunted big game species on the Flathead National Forest (USDA Forest Service 1986). At the Forest level, meeting the habitat needs for white-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk indicate that the habitat needs for other commonly hunted big game species, such as moose, would also be met. White-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk are all widespread species with high population numbers across the Flathead National Forest and state of Montana, so population viability is not a concern (Flathead National Forest Evaluation and Compliance with NFMA Requirements to Provide for Diversity of Animal Communities (Project File Exhibit Rg-1)). The state of Montana manages these species to provide populations that are high enough to sustain hunting. Analysis Area The analysis of direct, indirect, and cumulative effects on commonly hunted big game winter habitat is evaluated in the Horse Ridge/Spotted Bear Mountain big game winter range area. The Trail Creek Fire burned in the northeast portion of the Horse Ridge/Spotted Bear Mountain big game winter range area. The winter range analysis unit boundary includes Flathead National Forest (FNF) Plan Management Area (MA) 13 and MA13a designations for elk winter habitat and was based on elk research studies conducted in the Spotted Bear River project area. Research by Simmons (1974) indicated that there are two elk herds within the analysis area; 1) elk that use the Horse Ridge and Spotted Bear Mountain areas in winter (and move up the Spotted Bear River drainage in the spring) and 2) elk that winter in the Dry Park/Crossover area (on both sides of the South Fork River) and move up the Twin Creek drainage or move across the South Fork to higher elevations in the spring. The Trail Creek Wildfire burned portions of the Spotted Bear Mountain/Horse Ridge elk analysis unit and did not affect the Dry Park/Crossover winter range area. The 11,604 acre Spotted Bear Mountain/Horse Ridge elk analysis unit is used for the assessment of effects on ungulate winter habitat. Higher elevations in the analysis area provide summer/fall transitional habitat for elk and deer. For the non-winter habitat, effects are being evaluated in an area approximating 50,020 acres. This area is comprised of the sub-watersheds of the Spotted Bear River containing the transitional and winter areas used by the big game in the area.. The area is large enough to provide for year-round habitat of white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. The area is also large enough to be representative of the effects of fire, natural tree mortality, timber harvest, and roads across the landscape but not so large as to dilute the effects of the alternatives (Project File Rb-8). Temporal Bounds The length of time for the analysis of displacement effects to big game is 2 years, the length of project activities. The analysis of effects of this project on big game habitat for hiding cover is approximately 20 years, enough time for the ingrowth of trees after the fire and salvage and years for development of snow intercept/thermal cover. 3-85

2 Condon Mountain Fire Salvage Project Information Sources/Methodology Classification of habitat characteristics for habitat modeling and analysis used a combination of data sources. These include pre-fire project area field visits, post-fire walk-through surveys, pre-fire and post-fire Common Stand Exam data, existing GIS data layers and vegetation burn severity data, roads data, pre-fire and post-fire aerial photography, and Northern Region Vegetation Mapping Project (R1-VMP) data. Also see the Forest Vegetation section of Chapter 3 and Project File Exhibits Rg-9. Affected Environment/Existing Condition Population Jessy Coltrane, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist, observed 124 elk during her April 2016 survey flight of the Dry Parks/Spotted Bear River/Spotted Bear Mountain Winter Range areas with a calf:cow ratio of 19 calves per 100 cows. While the recorded calf:cow ratio is relatively low, it is slightly higher than the last few years (Project File Exhibit Rb-2). White-tailed deer sightings are common and their numbers are thought to be stable. Hunting data from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (MDFWP) for shows that White-tailed deer harvest in HD 140 has ranged from a high of 124 in 2010 to a low of 88 in Elk and mule deer numbers are much lower but are also believed to be stable. Mule deer harvest ranged from a high of 45 in 2012 to a low of 20 in 2010/11. Elk harvest has ranged from a high of 121 in 2010 to a low of 13 in For more information, see Exhibit Rb-5. Habitat The big game analysis areas provide year-round habitat for elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and moose on lands that are managed entirely by the U.S. Forest Service. Habitat needs for big game include cover (classified as hiding or thermal), forage, and security (Witmer et al. 1998). Riparian areas are also important on a seasonal basis. There has been little change in the amount of human activity in the form of residential development, timber harvest, road construction, recreational use (including hunting), grazing, or agriculture. Forest disturbance such as fire or timber harvest typically removes big game cover and reverts forest succession to an earlier stage often creating foraging areas for big game. Most ungulate species select for newly created forest openings such as clearcuts or wildfire disturbance (Patton et al. 1976; Rempel et al. 1997; Fisher and Wilkinson 2005). Recently disturbed forest areas produce shrubs and grasses otherwise shaded out by mature forest canopy (Fisher and Wilkinson 2005). As these foraging areas go through succession and become reforested, they again begin to provide cover; first hiding and then thermal cover. Where cover exceeds forage by a wide margin, removal of cover may enhance deer and elk habitat by increasing edge, diversity, and forage (Simmons 1974, Project File Exhibit Rb-5). Winter habitat Elk and mule deer use habitat across a range of elevations in winter, depending upon weather conditions. They may feed on shrubs on open south or west-facing slopes when the snow is not too deep, but feed beneath a timber canopy under heavier snow conditions (Vore et al. 2007). Whitetailed deer generally remain at low elevations during the winter, where they seek out a mature conifer overstory and a relatively thick understory of small trees and shrubs. Thermal cover is described as the ability of a forested stand to intercept snow and provide winter protection from wind. The FNF Plan defines thermal cover as stands of trees at with an average of 60 feet tall with at least 70 percent canopy closure. Mature stands of Douglas-fir/ponderosa pine with younger trees 3-86

3 Trail Creek Fire Salvage Project in the understory are particularly favored by white-tailed deer in winter. The full crowns of mature trees provide snow interception, while the younger trees provide a wind break, hiding cover, as well as accessible tree needles and arboreal lichens for food (Vore et al. 2007). Natural disturbances such as fire or major insect infestations, as well as man-caused disturbances including timber harvest and road construction, change the amount and distribution of cover or forage as well as habitat security. MA 13 Winter Range Designated in the FNF Plan (1986) These lands are to be managed with an emphasis on providing cover and forage areas suitable for deer/elk winter habitat. The management standard for winter range areas (MA 13) is to maintain thermal cover on at least 30 percent of the designated winter range area. Most of the trees in the thermal cover areas that existed prior to the fire in this winter range (MA 13) are dead and no longer intercept snow. Prior to the Trail Creek wildfire, 43 percent of the winter range area provided habitat which met the definition of winter thermal cover, 27 percent of the area provided forage, and the remainder provided cover that does not meet the thermal cover definition, but provides hiding cover (Table 3-34, Exhibits Rb-3 and Rb-8). The Trail Creek wildfire burned about 2,345 acres of the Horse Ridge/Spotted Bear Mountain MA13 and 13A elk winter range area. The wildfire burned about 1,158 acres of the existing thermal cover and about 1,187 acres of other cover, creating about 2,345 acres of forage. A portion of the winter range on the south side of the Spotted Bear River did not burn. Post-fire, thermal cover is now at 3,862 acres or 33 percent of the MA13 area, still above the forest plan standard of 30 percent for MA13/13a. Within the winter range area, about 782 acres burned with low severity, about 859 acres burned with moderate severity, and about 704 acres burned with high severity (BARC). Where the wildfire burned with low-intensity, burning is expected to promote germination of most native shrub species and increase forage for ungulate species. High-intensity burning is expected to promote germination of redstem ceanothus, which needs hot temperatures to cause germination of seed that may stay dormant in the soil for hundreds of years. Not much forage was available during the first winter following the burn, but would begin to recover. The Horse Ridge/Spotted Bear Mountain Winter Range area has been closed to public over-snow vehicle use for many years from December 1 to May 15 to provide mule deer and elk undisturbed use of winter range. Table Post-Wildfire Thermal Cover (Exhibit Rb-3 & Rb-8). Elk Winter Range Unit Total Elk Winter Range (MA13/13A) (acres) Pre-burn Thermal Cover Post-burn Thermal Cover Horse Ridge/Spotted Bear Mountain 11,604 5,020 (43%) 3,862 (33%) Year-Round Habitat This area also provides deer/elk summer/transitional habitat in the upper elevations. Habitat favored by elk during the summer and fall months includes moist upper-elevation basins with particular forest habitat types, as well as meadows and riparian areas. These areas are heavily used during calving as well as during the fall rut. Calving locations change from year to year depending upon weather and snow melt conditions. In fall, elk often remain at higher elevations 3-87

4 Condon Mountain Fire Salvage Project until forced down to lower elevations by snow and severe weather. Mule deer may have similar seasonal habitat and elevation preferences. The Trail Creek Fire, combined with past harvest activities and natural disturbances, created a mosaic of stand structures across the landscape. There is full light reaching the forest floor that provides a suitable environment for seedling establishment and high plant diversity (see the Vegetation section of this chapter). The project areas has little human development, but has high levels of recreation use in summer and fall. As elk move up the Spotted Bear River drainage from winter habitat to summer habitats, grasses, forbs, and low shrubs would soon be abundant on mid-elevation slopes used as spring and fall habitat as a result of the Trail Creek wildfire. Elk have been documented to be displaced by motorized and non-motorized activity (Naylor et al. 2009) and to avoid open roads (Christensen et al. 1993; McCorquodale 2013). Open roads can displace elk from nearby environments and serve as hunter access increasing elk, deer, and moose vulnerability to harvest (Hillis et al. 1991; Christensen et al. 1993; Rempel et al. 1997). During the fall hunting season, elk seek contiguous hiding cover patches over 250 acres in size, and more than one-half mile from open roads (Hillis et al. 1991). Hillis recommended that, for a stable or increasing population, and for opportunities to maintain or harvest large bull elk, at least 30 percent of an elk herd unit should be in hunting season security areas. Local characteristics such as elevation, topography, and the location of access roads need to be accounted for when deciding if security is provided throughout the hunting season (Hillis et al. 1991). Hunting season security areas were well-distributed prior to the wildfire, encompassing approximately 30,500 acres, or 61 percent of the big game analysis area creating a high level of habitat security for elk (Exhibit Rb-1). Occasional patches of open habitat were interspersed with cover. Hunting season security for elk has been reduce by about 10,000 acres due to loss of cover in portions of the wildfire area more than a half mile from open roads, but it would still exceed 30 percent of the project area. Moist sites are also an important characteristic of elk habitat. Numerous seeps and springs are well distributed across the big game analysis area meeting the definition of elk moist sites as defined by the Forest Plan and Lyon et al. (1985). ). There are about 129 acres that appear to match most elements of these special habitats within the big game analysis area and 18 acres within the fire area (Exhibit Rb-7). Some of these sites within the fire area were burned over and cover is limited adjacent to them. Environmental Consequences The management indicators for deer, elk, and other big game species include: Effects on winter habitat MA13 including thermal cover, hiding cover, and displacement effects on year-long habitat including hiding cover, motorized use on elk security, and moist sites. Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1(No Action Alternative) No salvage harvest or temporary road construction would occur, so there would be no direct or indirect effects on big game or their habitat. Most of the Trail Creek Fire burned at a high intensity and no longer provides snow intercept/thermal cover. Burned trees in densely wooded areas of the burn would still provide hiding cover for another 10 to 15 years, before eventually 3-88

5 Trail Creek Fire Salvage Project falling down, creating down woody debris. In approximately 6 years deciduous shrubs would start to pioneer the burn area, then small trees would start to become established in years and would begin to provide hiding cover. With natural processes, this alternative could take longer to grow into cover especially in areas where the fire burned so hot there is limited seed source as there would be no tree/shrub planting. Alternatives 2 and 3 Direct and Indirect Effects Winter Habitat With Alternatives 2 and 3, there are proposed vegetation treatments in deer/elk winter range (MA 13) (Table 3-35 & 3-36). Alternative 2 proposes salvage activity on approximately 869 acres or 7 percent of the Spotted Bear Mountain/Horse Ridge elk analysis unit (MA 13/13A). Alternative 3 proposes to treat approximately 625 acres or 5% of designated MA 13. Table Unit Treatments under Alternative 2 within Deer/Elk Winter Range (MA 13). Unit Number Alt. 2 Acres Logging Method Management Area Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor 13/15E Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor Tractor 13/15E Tractor Tractor 13 TOTAL ACRES

6 Condon Mountain Fire Salvage Project Table Unit Treatments under Alternative 3 within Deer/Elk Winter Range (MA 13). Unit Number Acres Logging Method Management Area Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground Ground 13 and 15E Ground Ground 13 Total Acres 834 Under all the action alternatives, tree canopy closure no longer provides winter thermal cover or adequate snow interception. Arboreal lichens would decrease due to the lower humidity levels in a more open canopy. Shrubs would begin to provide winter forage in a period of about 10 years as harvested stands go through succession. Planting in various units would promote future thermal and hiding cover. All action alternatives would maintain at least 30 percent winter thermal cover on MA 13 lands (currently at 33 percent, Exhibits Rb-3 and Rb-8). None of the proposed activities in MA 13 would occur in stands providing thermal cover. It would then take years or more for harvest areas to go through succession and return to a thermal cover condition within the fire area; depending upon site conditions. Year-Round Habitat In Alternative 2, approximately 49 acres and in Alternative 3, approximately 45 acres of salvage harvest would occur in areas of low to moderate fire severity where tree boles, downed wood, and limited amounts of remaining live vegetation provide marginal quality hiding cover for ungulates (Exhibit Rb-3). This low-quality cover would be removed with salvage activity. Fire- 3-90

7 Trail Creek Fire Salvage Project killed trees would be removed in an additional 1,303 acres in Alternative 2 and 789 acres in Alternative 3 where moderate to high intensity fire already negated cover values. The proposed salvage in either alternative would reduce hiding cover by less than 0.2 percent of the existing post-fire cover in year-round big game habitat (Exhibit Rb-3). Planting within some salvage units could help recruit young trees to provide hiding cover over the next 20 years. Under both Alternatives, hazard trees would be removed from open roads and trails for public safety. Since this would be done in areas that already do not provide cover, it would not have an effect on big game. Habitat Security Human and mechanical activity may displace big game from the areas surrounding proposed salvage units, road and culvert work, haul routes, tree and shrub planting, and other activities. Alternative 2 proposes to build 0.8 miles of new temporary road and 4.5 miles of temporary road on historic road templates. It would also use approximately 6.1 miles of existing restricted road (gated or bermed) for project activities and 7.9 miles of new system road (built on historic templates) that would be put into storage following harvest. Alternative 3 proposes to build 0.3 miles of new temporary road and 1.3 mi of temporary road on historic road templates. It would also use approximately 4.3 miles of existing restricted road and 3.3 miles of new system road (built on historic templates) for project activities that would be put into storage following harvest. For analysis of open road and total road densities during and post project activities see the grizzly bear analysis. Restricted roads used for project activities would remain closed to the public. At completion of project activities, temporary roads would be rehabilitated and 7.9 miles in Alternative 2 and 3.3 miles in Alternative 3 of historic road would be added to the road system and treated to meet the reclaimed road definition. At completion, these roads would be impassable to motorized vehicles and result of the treatment would have the same on-the-ground effect as a historic road template, but would have a road number and be part of the system road database. Displacement during the summer months would likely have negligible effects under both alternatives to big game as forage is most plentiful during the summer months and would be best distributed throughout the analysis area and ungulates are not similarly distributed. Due to soils concerns, proposed salvage harvest would need to occur in winter. Harvest and log hauling activity would create human disturbance which would affect areas of elk winter range which were previously closed to motorized use or had a low level of human activity (Exhibit Rb- 9). In winter, displacement or disturbance due to increased noise of chainsaws, machinery, and human activity levels which are not normally present may occur in and around salvage harvest areas. The proposed salvage units under alternatives 2 and 3 currently provide low quality winter habitat because cover and forage were consumed by the wildfire and have not yet had time to recover. Therefore, big game animals are not likely to spend much time in the salvage harvest area and are more likely to spend time in portions of their winter habitat that were not burned. As a result, potential effects of disturbance or displacement during the winter months would be small with a greater level of displacement occurring in Alternative 2 due to the larger number of acres and therefore time in the area Disturbance or displacement may also occur due to log hauling, which would extend from salvage harvest units to areas outside the project area. However, there would be no log hauling or 3-91

8 Condon Mountain Fire Salvage Project harvest in the Spotted Bear Mountain portion of the winter range. Elk are more likely to spend time in this portion of their winter habitat area because high quality food and cover is available. Similarly, although log truck traffic would pass through the Dry Park winter habitat area to the north, there is high quality forage and cover well upslope from the road. In addition, wintering elk are often less sensitive to vehicles passing through on a single road (as is the case here) than to people stopping, skiing or snowmobiling throughout their habitat. Winter public motorized access would not be increased above the existing condition and in fact under both alternatives, about 33 miles of roads normally open to the public would be closed during log hauling and harvest operations, so recreation disturbance would not increase. Moist Sites In a few instances in Alternatives 2 and 3, mapped timber salvage units would lie adjacent or close to mapped riparian landtypes that could function as elk moist sites (Project File Exhibit Rb-7). This includes about 13 acres in Alternative 2 and 3 acres in Alternative 3. All wetlands and buffers around them would be excluded from timber salvage units during layout and equipment would be excluded from these buffers in other units. Activities can displace elk from these sites as well as remove vegetation that may provide hiding cover near moist sites, but outside RHCAs. Alternatives 2 and 3 Cumulative Effects In the past, ungulate populations undoubtedly fluctuated between mild winter years and hard winter years, with higher levels of mortality in hard winter years due to starvation and increased susceptibility to predation. Wildfires would continue to be actively suppressed on NFS lands (see fire and fuels section). It could take about years or longer for stands of dense winter cover to develop within this wildfire area. Access management through Amendment 19 has benefited big game security through road closures across the Forest (USDA Forest Service 2014). Project activities in both Alternatives 2 and 3 would occur within MA13 winter range. Restricted roads used for proposed activities would remain closed to the public and public access would not be increased above the existing condition. Some individuals may be displaced by project activities such as road construction, maintenance and reclamation during the fall and may become more susceptible to hunter harvest during hunting season. Hiding cover is distributed throughout the analysis area and is abundant south of the main road open during hunting season. Past harvest has occurred on about 1,925 acres in the big game year-round area. Past and ongoing vegetation management activities include overstory removal, commercial thinning, understory thinning, precommercial thinning, planting, broadcast and pile burning, and regeneration harvest. See Project File Exhibit Rb-6, Cumulative Effects Worksheet for more information. Reasonably foreseeable actions that may affect cover and forage include the Spotted Bear River Project. The Spotted Bear River Project was partially implemented at the time of the Trail Creek fire. The Spotted Bear River Project includes 159 harvest acres under contract and 339 acres to be harvested in future timber sale(s): Total hiding cover would be reduced by 200 acres in the big game year-round area and 297 acres (2 percent) of snow intercept/thermal cover would be removed in the Horse Ridge/Spotted Bear winter range area. Timber harvest could occur during the fall hunting season. The majority of harvest would occur in areas that are within a half mile of open roads, but units #71, 75, 76, and 77 are on gated roads in the Spotted Bear Mountain area. Roads would be kept closed to the public during harvest operations, so hunting 3-92

9 Trail Creek Fire Salvage Project season access would not increase. Similarly, because these four harvest units are more than half mile from an open road they would reduce security cover on a total of about 90 acres. Because timber harvest units are small and are close to past harvest units, they do not affect larger blocks of cover that would continue to be available post-harvest. Harvest would not occur from April 1- June 30, helping to maintain security around moist sites. Spotted Bear River would have no winter activities and therefore not cause additional disturbance. Based on field review, stand and GIS data, thermal and hiding cover is still well distributed throughout the cumulative effects area, previous activities have creating openings and stimulated vegetation growth to increase forage for ungulates. Roads would remain closed to the public during and after operations, providing security. No harvest activity would occur across the remaining 20,136 to 20,656 acres of the Trail Creek Fire area. Snag densities would remain high throughout the fire area and cumulative effects area. Succession of grasses, forbs, and shrubs would occur across the fire area and forest vegetation would return over time. No adverse cumulative effects are expected. These areas were previously burned within the project area and no longer provide thermal or hiding cover. Regulatory Framework and Consistency The Forest Plan has identified white-tailed deer, elk, and mule deer as commonly hunted big game management indicator species (MIS) that use general forest habitat. Conditions favorable to these species would also benefit other big game species found within the project area, such as moose, black bears, and mountain lions, which are considered under the umbrella of MIS evaluation. Federal laws, policy and direction applicable to management indicator species such as elk include the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) as well as the Forest Service Manual The NFMA requires that Forest plans preserve and enhance the diversity of plant and animal communities and that Forests manage for maintenance of viable populations of existing native and desired non-native vertebrate species. Amendment 21 to the LRMP establishes a Forest-wide goal to provide appropriate habitat and access to maintain desired hunting, fishing, and viewing opportunities, in coordination with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. MDFWP includes habitat goal recommendations in their big game management plans, specifically the Montana Statewide Elk Management Plan (MDFWP 2004). It is acknowledged in this plan that past wildfires have improved habitat conditions for elk. Forest Plan Amendment 21 has an objective to provide sufficient habitat to contribute towards meeting the objectives of MDFWP s management plans. The state elk plan notes elk numbers are currently lower than in past decades and states forest succession in the absence of wildfires is likely the predominant factor influencing this decline. In the last decade, aerial surveys indicate relatively stable populations. The Forest Plan Amendment 21 objective to provide sufficient habitat to contribute toward meeting the objectives of MDFWP s management plans is met by all action alternatives (MDFWP 2004, Exhibit Rb-4). Moist sites are also identified as an important characteristic of elk habitat and management considerations have been outlined in the Forest Plan (pages II-22 and 23). These apply to all management areas, in accordance with recommendations from the Coordinating Elk and Timber Management, Final Report of the Cooperative Elk-Logging Study, , January 1985 (Forest Plan Appendix DD). 3-93

10 Condon Mountain Fire Salvage Project Goals, objectives, and standards in the Forest Plan, specific to managing white-tailed deer, elk, and mule deer have been followed in the preparation and analysis of alternatives for the project, as described above. A multi-scale evaluation of NFMA requirements to provide a diversity of plant and animal communities on the Flathead National Forest (Project File Exhibit Rg-01) concluded that species viability would be maintained across the Flathead National Forest. It stated that: 1) big game habitat is quite diverse and widespread across the forest, 2) the populations are managed primarily through hunting regulations adopted by the state of Montana, and 3) big game habitat is conserved through forest management standards associated with access and riparian management; habitat improvement projects; and coordination with and technical assistance from MTFWP biologists. Cumulatively, the proposed Trail Creek Salvage Project complies with the Flathead Forest Plan. Therefore, while other factors such as climate change, predation, hunting, vehicle collisions, private land timber harvest/development, as well as other activities outside of Forest Service control may impact big game species or their habitat, this project would not result in a trend toward federal listing or reduced viability for the population or species. 3-94