Manipulation of Grazing to Improve or Maintain Wildlife Habitat

Abstract

Most rangelands by necessity must be managed for multiple use. Research is increasingly showing that dual use of rangeland by livestock and wildlife is often compatible when livestock grazing is carefully managed and wildlife needs are considered. Specialized grazing systems show potential for amelioration of negative impacts of livestock grazing on wildlife habitat. WILDL. SOC. BULL. 10:204-2 10 Increases in both livestock and wildlife proWILD UNGULATES duction will be necessary on both public and Grazing systems can be used to minimize private rangeland in coming years because of livestock grazing impacts on wild ungulates. rapid human population growth (Cook 1979, In some cases, livestock grazing can be used Council for Agricultural Science and Techto improve wild ungulate habitat. nology 1974). Therefore, wildlife and range Skovlin et al. (1968, 1976) found mule deer managers must fully understand the impacts (Odocoileus hemionus) and elk (Cervus elaof different livestock grazing methods on phus) in Oregon preferred deferred-rotation wildlife. cattle grazing to season-long grazing because A compromise must be reached on most the former provided elk and mule deer with public ranges between production of wildlife pastures free from cattle disturbance. Komand livestock. Currently most public agencies berec (1976) reported similar findings with are directed by law to manage their land for mule deer in Montana. Reardon et al. (1978) multiple use. This challenges both range and found that a 7-pasture, rapid-rotation grazing wildlife managers to develop livestock grazing system supported higher white-tailed deer (0. methods that will result in optimal production virginianus) densities than continuous or of these commodities. Our objective is to dis4-pasture deferred-rotation grazing systems in cuss how grazing can be manipulated to Texas. They concluded that deer prefer to stay improve wildlife habitat and to promote comin periodically deferred pastures and the more patibility between livestock and wildlife. frequent the deferment, the higher the preference for the system. ~ e r r i l c e t al. (i957) ' Journal Article 920, Agricultural Experiment Stareported white-tailed deer made greater use tion, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM deferred-rotation pastures than those grazed 88003. continuously at higher rates.