Synopsis:
Working in collaboration with state, federal, and private partners, GRVLT seeks funding for Phase II of its Wildlife-Friendly Fencing Initiative. The second phase of this five-year initiative offers cost-free livestock- and wildlife-friendly fence improvements to interested public and private landowners within a portion of a key mule deer migration route. This corridor, as identified in the Sublette Mule Deer Study (Phase II): Final Report 2007, runs from the Hoback Rim to Big Sandy in Sublette County, Wyoming and links important habitat for mule deer, pronghorn, and other species. Improving fencing is critical to the survival of big game, as they must be able to move freely between seasonal ranges.
Objectives:
Phase II seeks to improve the viability of the mule deer migration route between winter range near Pinedale and summer range in portions of the Salt River, Wyoming, Wind River, Gros Ventre and Snake River ranges. To achieve this goal, the project will:
-
Inventory fences within route;
-
Map each fence’s location;
-
Involve a team of project partners (JIO, WGFD, BLM, etc.) to evaluate which fences most affect mule deer, pronghorn and other big game migration based on objective criteria developed by project partners (including private landowners and public land managers);
-
Modify, reconstruct and/or remove (if appropriate) those fences to facilitate better mule deer and other big game movement within the route between summer and winter range; and
-
Monitor mule deer and other big game migration to evaluate the project’s effectiveness.
Strategies:
To achieve the objectives listed above, GRVLT will:
-
Engage an appropriate contractor through a competitive bidding process to apply the Phase I inventory protocol in the Phase II project area;
-
Contact private landowners and public land managers to (a) determine their interest in, and/or need for, wildlife-friendly fencing and collect that information and (b) obtain the necessary permissions for the teams to conduct the inventory;
-
Schedule and conducting the inventory;
-
Assemble and evaluating the data based on objective criteria developed by project partners;
-
Determine priority fences for modification/reconstruction/removal as appropriate;
-
Engage appropriate contractors to complete the modifications/reconstructions/removals;
-
Complete the necessary modifications/reconstructions/removals;
-
Document and monitoring the modifications/reconstructions/removals to evaluate their effectiveness; and
-
Publicize the project through media and community outreach events.