Show I Deer equipped with I radios radices neon lights I You are not seeing an apparition ap apparition apparition ap- ap It Is true Some deer I near Mayfield Utah are run run- running i fling ning around with collars equipped equip equip- equipped ped with either miniature radio I transmitters flashing neon lights or both The deer are being intensively followed and observed as part of a research project designed to answer the perplexing question How compatible in Utah are mule deer and converted chained pinyon Juniper ran range that scrub pine and cedar which covers 25 of Utah also called P J T The program Is inthe inthe In Inthe the second year of a three- three year study sponsored mainly by bythe bythe the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife although others such as Utah Fish and Game and Utah State University University University sity are Involved This scrub P-J P Is important winter habitat for mule deer Since 1950 many thousands of ot acres of ot P-J P have been converted converted converted con con- to a grassland type community community com com- usually by chaining In this process a huge ship anchor chain Is dragged beI between between be- be I tween two large crawler tractors tractors tractors trac trac- tors uprooting the trees The area is then seeded by air with a grass-forb-browse grass seed Some projects such as the joint Fish and Game- Game ones which cover nearly acres just south of Mayfield Mayfield Mayfield May- May field have been done specifically specifically specifically specific specific- ally for deer winter forage although by far the great majorIty majority majority major major- ity are for Increased livestock feed teed and watershed protection The ecological effects of ot these on deer Is largely unknown Sound biological cal guidelines for chaining de design design design de- de sign must be formulated which will consider the Interests of Utah's deer hunters and the multitude of deer watchers watchers watchers watch watch- ers and of course the deer Thus considerable emphasis In this study is being placed on direct observation of deer on and adjacent natural P-J P range Besides the radios and lights deer near Mayfield are being tagged with yellow ear streamers and col col- col- col lars Sightings of such deer should be reported to Ted Terrel Terrel Terrel Ter- Ter rel Wildlife Department Utah State University If It by chance a deer carrying a val valuable radio is killed the radio should be returned to the same address The radios radio's battery pack willpower willpower will willpower power It for up to two years with a signal range on flat ground of two to three miles The entire unit of radio transmitter transmitter trans trans- mitter batteries and collar weighs- weighs less than two pounds The deer are are located by a transistor radio receiver with witha a directional antenna This unit weighs about three pounds The neon lights are placed on top of the collar are visible at night for about yards and will flash for nn un to In a year vear on their battery pack Some of ot the specific questions questions questions ques ques- being asked which will hopefully be answered by 1972 are 1 During which months does the heaviest deer use occur oc occur occur oc- oc cur on the 2 What particular aspects of ot the chain chain- ings are most valuable to the deer Ie I.e. what foods slopes conversion methods are most beneficial 3 Over how large an area does a typical deer roam and how deep does it penetrate into the under un under under un- un der various weather and cover conditions The concurrent study of deer use of natural P-J P range ad adjacent adjacent adjacent ad- ad jacent to chained areas should provide Information upon which to evaluate the worth of P-J P as a deer management management management manage manage- ment tool and to formulate guidelines for future P-J P conversion conversion conversion con con- version projects By Ted L. L Terrel Utah Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Utah State University II |