North Kaibab meeting?

[Red Rabbit]

How did the meeting between G&F, USFS and ADA go over the weekend up on the North Kaibab? What observations, suggestions and conclusions were made?

[coueshunter]

Doug, send me an email at environmentalfiltration@msn.com and I will forward to you the email outlining what happened. I know most involved were happy with the meeting............Allen......

[Red Rabbit]

Thanks Allen. em on the way. Did you make it up there?

 

Doug

[coueshunter]

Doug, I wasnt able to go but sure appreciated Mark Bool sending out a summary (that I forwarded to you a few seconds ago) about the meeting. I believe Amanda went and probably can give a great summary of where we are headed.......I sent Ben out a copy and I think I have the actual study from the firm ADA hired: Logan Simpson that I will fax to you and Ben. Just email me your fax number.......AT.........

[DesertBull]

I wasn't aware that Logan Simpson did that kind of work. That's interesting. I work with them on occasion on construction projects.

[Benbrown]

Thanks, Allen! I appreciate your prompt reply.

 

Ben

[CouesWhitetail]

The Kaibab meeting was very productive. There were attendees from the ADA, the AGFD, the AGFD commission, and the USFS. We toured the winter range of the deer herd and discussed the concerns AGFD has with overbrowsing of cliff rose by the deer on their winter range. The deer seem to be constricted to one area and are heavily using portions of the winter range while other areas are hardly browsed. Some ideas to solve this problem and spread the deer out were to create more water sources in surrounding areas that are reliable. And to do a series of habitat improvement projects including reseeding some native grasses and browse species.

 

It was a good meeting and AGFD has demonstrated absolute committment to improving the habitat and deer herd on the Kaibab. They will be implementing a research project as well as an ambitious habitat improvement plan (along with the USFS). The ADA will be providing assistance throughout this process. AGFD is going to set up a working group which will include interested parties to provide input on how to move forward. AGFD is committed to making sure the ADA plays a prominent role in this process.

 

To read more details about the trip, please visit the ADA website.

 

You can also read more background about this issue on the ADA site and find out what the ADA has done to help.

 

Amanda

[DesertBull]

What is the ADA's position regarding the doe hunts in unit 12?

[CouesWhitetail]

The ADA would like to see the Kaibab deer herd grow and provide more hunting opportunities. We lobbied the commission to reduce the number of doe tags in unit 12 back at the April commission meeting. You can read more about that in the article that discusses the history of the kaibab issue on the ADA website.

 

The ADA feels the Kaibab can support a larger deer herd. The AGFD is concerned about the cliff rose being hit too hard by the wintering deer herd. So AGFD is managing the herd with the idea of limiting it's growth (although they said this year they expect a 7% increase in the population, even with the doe harvest). AGFD is concerned about protecting the long-term viability of the winter range.

 

It seems likely that the deer congregate on a certain part of the winter range due to climatic factors and reliable water sources. They walk right through some great deer habitat to reach the area where they spend the winter. Some of that area is probably not able to be utilized due to snowfall in most years. However, there is some hope that we can expand the winter range used by adding more water sources. There is a large scale habitat improvement plan that aims to provide water sources (reliable ones that don't malfunction or dry up) ever 1.5 miles.

 

There is a design of water catchment that uses gravity to feed the water from an above ground tank to a underground wildlife water with a small trough for them to access. Those water catchments don't have the problem of malfunctioning float valves that causes a lot of headaches with maintenance. There are some of these newly designed catchments out there and we got to look at one on the trip. Neat design and well used by wildlife.

 

Amanda

[couesdiehard]

Sounds productive. Did the meeting have a pretty positive tone?

couesdiehard

[az4life]

Thanks for the update Amanda. How about the cost of those new design water catchments compared to other units? Possibilty for other areas? Curious What areas were toured?

[CouesWhitetail]

We toured the winter range off the west side of the plateau. You can read where we went at that link I gave earlier to the ADA site. We went through the Bridger fire area and to a few tanks. Horse Springs, Slide and Table Rock if I remember right.

 

I believe the cost on that water development was $30,000. I think it compares favorably to other catchments and has less maintenance cost.

 

I attached a picture of the catchment. The sheet metal catches water and it flows down to the water tank at the far end of the picture. Then a trough is located so that the height of it is the same height as the tank. That way when the tank has water, the pressure equalizes by the water flowing up to the trough. It's a bit hard to see the slope and angles in the photo, but trough is about 1/2 way between the metal and the tank. It's fenced with metal pipe fencing to exclude cattle.

 

Couesdiehard, yes the meeting had a very positive tone. The day started out a bit contentious but by the afternoon and following morning it had become more productive and positive. It really helped to have some high ranking AGFD people there who could offer real help in terms of money and manpower to get things moving.

 

Amanda

[couesdiehard]

Amanda,

Thanks for the update. It looks a good product but it does look kind of attractive to vandals. I have seen so many storage tanks and troughs shot up and supply lines broken off, etc. On the bright side the components seem pretty simple to repair.

Glad it was a positive meeting. I still have hope for the 12 and 13 units deer herd.

Thanks again.

Lee