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Show Mule Deer Symposium Attempted To Determine Drop in Deer Herds A two-day symposium on the "Mule Deer Decline in the West" was held recently at Utah State University. The event was sponsored bv the Utah State University. College of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Alumni Association. The symposium presented 17 speakers representing Utah, Idaho. Wyoming. Nevada, Ne-vada, Colorado and Montana. The speakers were from fields of study and management intimately associated with wildlife resources. Colleges, state wildlife management agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided the lecturers. In addition, Daniel A. Poole, president of the Wildlife Management Institute Insti-tute (WMI), Washington. D.C. was the highlight speaker at the symposium banquet. Mule deer populations in the western states in historical perspective and the applicant applica-nt .a. iftw a. a. lions of previous and current study were discussed. The topics covered a variety of influential criteria dealing with the decline and future of the mule deer. Many Factors in Decline In the introduction to the conference. John E. Phelps, director. Utah State Division of Wildlife Resources, indicated that the decline in recent years has been caused by many factors, including poor weather wea-ther conditions, high antler-less antler-less harvest, predation and habitat loss. Habitat loss was singled out as being, perhaps, the most critical area of future concern. Other speakers discussed in detail the specific cause and effect relationship between deer and livestock grazing, range management and utilization, utili-zation, interspecific competition competi-tion between game animals, nutrition requirements, productivity, pro-ductivity, political and biological biolog-ical management, predation V by both cougar and coyote, disease and mortality by other causes.- . i In general, the symposium X reflected the feelings, of Y involved agencies and person- nel in terms of the need for a more specific data and scien-W scien-W tific research. Although a great deal of learning has K taken place in recent years, T the need for additional knowl-9 knowl-9 edge upon which to base future management and land- use planning was viewed as immediately necessary. President - WMI K In his dinner remarks, f Daniel A. Poole, indicated that jr management of deer herds has been. is. and always will be a k complex project. Many ecosy- stems are involved and deer are only a part of an interrelated system. They are, therefore, subject to the eventual outcome out-come of every change that occurs in that system, according accord-ing to Poole. He also said that many changes in habitat have taken olace both currently and historically. Poole's directives, as the head of the Wildlife Management Manage-ment institute, were for more cooperation between management manage-ment agencies and the carefully, care-fully, scientifically governed application of existing knowledge. knowl-edge. He emphasized that wildlife managers must continue contin-ue to work with the knowledge they now have, bui continue to seek new inpul. Poole pointed oui that the Wildlife Management Institute Insti-tute is a small, nonprofit organization, and, as such, often serves best when it acts as a catalyst to other organizations. organiza-tions. The Institute recommended recom-mended that the management agencies and learning institutions institu-tions of the Western States conduct a follow-up symposium sympos-ium on the declining mule deer with the WMI extending any and all assistance possible. ' The purpose of the second symposium would be to produce a publication that included input from all levels of interest, research and concern. The effort would seek to divide the Western States into comparable habitat units, determine what knowledge is available and what knowledge is needed, what duplication of study and research exists and, finally, to develop a "shopping list" of specific research needs. Poole concluded his remarks by indicating the urgent need for citizens lo become aware of and involved wiih current legislative matters concerning wildlife and ils future. He specifically referred to two current bills: The Randolph-Brown Randolph-Brown bill and the Humphrey-Johnson Humphrey-Johnson bill. |