Winter is critical period for wildlife By Robert Fuller Soli Conservation Service Many Basin residents may have noticed large concentrations of' pheasants and ducks throughout the Basin farmland. Heavy snow falls and extreme cold temperatures, both up north and locally, have played an important role in wildlife exhibiting such behavior. Winter survival for these species depends on the availability of food, protective vegetative cover and open bodies of water for resting waterfowl. The Uintah Basin affords such critical habitat elements for these animals. Most of the ducks observed winter long were residents of states north of Utah. When cold weather froze most lakes, rivers and ponds and heavy snow hindered their ability to forage for food, these birds were forced south. Locally, open water and available food from corn and grain stubble and nurse crop hay fulfilled their survival requirements. Pheasants concentrated wherever food could be found. Heavy snow in the Basin limited foraging in many areas so the birds were forced into hay stacks and fields where hay was being distributed for livestock. Usually this hay contained grain from a nurse crop. Stands of tall wheat (a strong standing winter cover crop), Russian olive and cattail-bulbrush stands afforded both food and protective cover when nothing else was available. Now, with the coming of spring, it appears that most wildlife have left these winter haunts. Melting snow and ice has increased available food, cover and resting sites. The importance of available winter habitat decreases, but let's not lose sight of its importance during the coming warm months. Next winter their value will be just as great. Remember winter wildlife this fall when you decide to plow a corn or grain field, burn a stand of cattails or rip out a fence row of Russian olives. A strip of corn or grain stubble, a few Russian olives or a stand of tall wheat may make the difference to the survival of many animals within the Basin.