Managing Habitats for White-tailed Deer in the Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains of South Dakota and Wyoming

Managing Habitats for White-tailed Deer in the Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains of South Dakota and Wyoming

Author: Carolyn Hull Sieg

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 24

ISBN-13:

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The white-tailed deer is one of the most studied animals in North America, yet much of the available information has been derived in ecosystems different from the Black Hills. The Black Hills are unique in that the dominant species, ponderosa pine, has excellent regenerative abilities. This attribute, combined with timber management practices and fire suppression efforts in the last century, has allowed pine to expand at the expense of other plant communities. A critical first step in maintaining viable white-tailed deer populations in the Black Hills is identifying key winter ranges. Given that protein and energy are limiting in winter forages in this region, the emphasis of management on these ranges should be to enhance forage quality and quantity. Prescribed burning and timber harvest can be used to enhance the forage base. Grazing systems designed to remove livestock from these key winter ranges before late summer will provide a greater portion of the woody plants for deer use. Research needs focus on understanding how changes in Black Hills community patterns have influenced deer foraging strategies and habitat use, and on the need for ecologically based techniques to maintain consistent forage quality. Addressing these needs in an ecosystem framework will result in habitat for not only deer, but also for a multitude of other animal and plant species.


A Naturalist’s Guide to the Great Plains

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Great Plains

Author: Paul A. Johnsgard

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 1609621263

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This book documents nearly 500 US and Canadian locations where wildlife refuges, nature preserves, and similar properties protect natural sites that lie within the North American Great Plains, from Canada's Prairie Provinces to the Texas-Mexico border. Information on site location, size, biological diversity, and the presence of especially rare or interesting flora and fauna are mentioned, as well as driving directions, mailing addresses, and phone numbers or internet addresses, as available. US federal sites include 11 national grasslands, 13 national parks, 16 national monuments, and more than 70 national wildlife refuges. State properties include nearly 100 state parks and wildlife management areas. Also included are about 60 national and provincial parks, national wildlife areas, and migratory bird sanctuaries in Canada's Prairie Provinces. Many public-access properties owned by counties, towns, and private organizations are also described.


Mountains and Plains

Mountains and Plains

Author: Dennis H. Knight

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2014-01-01

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 0300185928

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Many changessome discouraging, others hopefulhave occurred in the Rocky Mountain region since the first edition of this widely acclaimed book was published. Wildlife habitat has become more fragmented, once-abundant sage grouse are now scarce, and forest fires occur more frequently. At the same time, wolves have been successfully reintroduced, and new approaches to conservation have been adopted. For this updated and expanded Second Edition, the authors provide a highly readable synthesis of research undertaken in the past two decades and address two important questions: How can ecosystems be used so that future generations benefit from them as we have? How can we anticipate and adapt to climate changes while conserving biological diversity?


Grasses of the Great Plains

Grasses of the Great Plains

Author: James Stubbendieck

Publisher: Texas A&M University Press

Published: 2017-02-17

Total Pages: 736

ISBN-13: 1623494788

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A vast swath of prairie situated between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, the North American Great Plains extend across ten states in the United States and three provinces in Canada. The dominant vegetation is grass—both the native species that have long thrived here and the cultivated crops such as corn, wheat, and sorghum that are the result of human agricultural activity. This comprehensive guide, written by three grass specialists, is an invaluable tool for identification of the approximately 450 species of grasses that occur on the Great Plains. In each description, the authors cover distribution, habitat, forage value, and toxicity and include a detailed black-and-white illustration of the grass as well as a range map. Intended as a reference for landowners, rangeland specialists, students, state and federal agency professionals, and nongovernment conservation organizations, Grasses of the Great Plains will serve a wide audience of users involved in and dedicated to grassland management.