Show A t y Y s' s w. w 90 THE REFEREE signals two points paints for Uintah's Jr Tripp top Tripp Keith American Fork 6 to 1 I I. I for first place In the pound division at the Region 6 Tourney last week Utah wildlife faces drought conditions Drought will have a definite effect on Utah's wildlife populations Whether the effect is Is good or bad depends depends' largely upon the amount of water received in the state between now and the first part of the summer according to Utah Wildlife Resources officials In general all species of wildlife have benefited from the mild winter weather suffering less from the typical adverse winter effects than usual Normal amounts of spring and early summer moisture could yield normal production and survival Breeding populations of various upland game species should be somewhat larger than normal due to the mild winter thus creating a potentially higher than average than average reproduction reproduction reproduction success in the spring Forage both browse and grasH responds grasses responds s to sprin ol r. r J T Typically fat supplies and stored food are used up by early spring and new sources of energy are needed badly The rich succulent succulent suc sue forbs and newly grown grasses of March April and May lay provide that nutrition Without sufficient water many seeds fail to germinate resulting in a decrease of annual annual annual an an- nual grasses and forbs and established perennials The net result is a decreased amount of food for wildlife It is this process of forage production that holds the answer to how Utah's wildlife will come through the drought If dry weather continues through the spring and into the summer months the recruitment of young animals into wildlife populations could be seriously reduced Rig lUg Game Thus far the dry winter months have been beneficial to Utah's big game populations The lack of snow has allowed elk and deer to remain scattered scattered scattered scat scat- throughout their ranges utilizing the additional acres of forage and eliminating the over usage sometimes associated with winter habitat With soil moisture at its present low level it appears that more than a normal amount of rainfall in the spring may be necessary to sustain this years year's fawn deer-fawn crop Deer are dependent on grasses and forbs to provide a high percentage of their diet during the spring and early summer months much more so than during the Ule rest of the year In addition forbs orbs are utilized heavily during the time when does are nursing fawns Succulent Succulent Suc Suc- forbs orbs are also used in the weaning process of fawns and this tr transition to herbaceous food is difficult if dry weather reduces succulence and inhibits forb production This is particularly par par- true of herds in desert areas During two consecutive dry years 1971 and deer 1972 fawn production was observed to drop by about 15 percent Sharp ShaP declines in antelope production have also been noted during abnormally dry years If dry weather persists into the summer range damage could result Research has shown that 60 to 75 percent of a current years year's growth on a single browse plant can be used by animals without permanent damage to the plants plant's vigor With drought little growth will result on browse on winter ranges It is possible that animals could eat all of tl the e plants plant's current growth and even evena evena a portion of the previous years year's growth Plant conditions and the subsequent availability of or food could be damaged for several years affecting herd conditions adversely As big game game animals are quite mobile and use relatively little drinking water that aspect of the drought appears tobe to tobe tobe be of little effect on big game herds However the condition could contribute to the animals concentrating on summer sumpter ranges which would possibly have effects on local food sources Again desert herds would be more subject to this condition Upland Game Substantial winter mortality of upland game animals is normally expected The mild winter weather to date has enabled increased survival and thus larger parent populations of most species than would have occurred given normal winter weather Whether or not this will result in larger populations this fall depends primarily on weather conditions between now and the end of the breeding season and their impact on reproduction Not all species are affected inthe in inthe inthe the same way by various weather conditions For example relatively cool wet wH spring weather that stimulates maximum growth of annual aMual grasses and forbs orbs will usually stimulate increased production of or Gambel quail Contrarily those same conditions conditions con con- may curtail pheasant production Extreme weather conditions whether cold and wet or hot and dry are generally not beneficial to any species Fair weather such as is currently prevailing over the state often initiates earlier earlier- than normal breeding For example Division have already observed strutting sage grouse in some areas This UM is about two weeks earlier than has been recorded in any recent year Early breeding can be hazardous for game birds if late spring snow storms occur This has frequently been the case inthe in inthe inthe the past animals will react to the drought as will the game animals mentioned above Mild weather has been favorable to this point Continued dry weather will have adverse effects ultimately affecting reproduction negatively if sufficient moisture is not received in late winter and early spring scrim R Raptors pt rs have found higher higher- usual than-usual numbers of prey species available due to the lack of snow and high winter sur sur- viv vival J. J Terrestrial species have not been faced with extended dormant periods in b which they could not obtain food Lack of moisture will probably bring about depressed numbers of all herbivores mice prairie dogs and squirrels etc and some reptiles Lowered production of fruits and nuts caused by drought will adversely affect squirrels The effect of a year one-year drought on most species will not be as apparent as with larger animals Most of these species have a large reproductive potential and are capable of recuperating much more rapidly than other categories of animals They areat are areat areat at a disadvantage e however in that they are less mobile than the larger animals and are not capable of making major geographical shifts in coping with environmental conditions |