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Show Page 10 The Ogden Valley news Volume XXV Issue XXIII January 15, 2020 Utah Wildlife Board Approves Increase Six Local Wildlife Species That to Black Bear Permit Numbers Have AsatheUnique Winter Prep Routine The Utah Wildlife Board - Beaver weather gets colder and Ground Squirrels - Like with bears, ground approved an increase to the number of black bear permits for the 2020 hunting and pursuit seasons during a public meeting held Tuesday, January 7, 2020. Black Bear Permit &Pursuit Proposals - In 2018, the Utah Wildlife Board approved the permit numbers and season structure for bear hunting in Utah for the next three years. However, concerns about large numbers of pursuers and dogs on some hunting units, mule deer population declines, and clarifications about fair chase aspects of hunting bears using dogs prompted a few changes. The Wildlife Board approved the following changes January 7: • Implementing restricted pursuit seasons in the spring for nonresident pursuers on the La Sal, San Juan and Book Cliffs units, with two restricted pursuit permits available for each unit. • Limiting the number of dogs that can be used to pursue or harvest a single bear or mountain lion to 16 dogs. • Retaining the eight-dog limit for all summer pursuit and restricted summer pursuit seasons. • Clarifying that a person may not pursue a single bear or mountain lion in repeated pursuits, where it could render the animal physically unable to escape. Also clarifying that a person must make reasonable efforts to call dogs off of a bear or mountain lion after it has been cornered and held at bay. • Adding a total of 122 hunting permits, with the largest increases on the following units: - Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/South - Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless - Chalk Creek/East Canyon/Morgan-S. Rich - Plateau Boulder • Requiring that a mandatory ethics portion be added to the online Utah Bear Orientation Course. Individuals must complete the course before purchasing or applying for hunting or pursuit permits. • Revisiting the frequency of changes to black bear management. Going forward, any proposed changes to the management of bears will occur on a yearly cycle, rather than the previous three-year recommendation cycle. Other agenda items Along with the recommendations regarding bears, the Wildlife Board also approved a 10-year extension to the state’s current Wolf Management Plan. It was approved in 2005 for a 10-year period, and then a five-year extension was approved in 2015. Gray wolves are currently classified as endangered (except for in a small portion of northeastern Utah where they have been delisted), and as an endangered species, falling under the management of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Utah Wolf Management Plan will only take effect when wolves are delisted statewide. The Wildlife Board also approved an amendment that would allow brine shrimp harvesting companies to more easily transfer their Certificate of Registration, which allows them to harvest brine shrimp from the Great Salt Lake, to another business. You can watch the full meeting on the DNR YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=I7r95y9B6_o Photo courtesy of Sharon Slaughter of Eden. the snow starts to fly, many Utahns make necessary preparations—such as buying snow shovels and digging winter coats and scarves out of storage. Some wildlife species also prep for the winter. Here is a look at some of the unique ways that local animals survive Utah’s snowy months. Hoary Bat - The hoary bat is the largest of the 18 species of bats that live in Utah. They have a distinctive frosty fur and roost in trees. They can be found in wooded areas across the state. Unlike many bats that retreat into hibernation during the winter, most hoary bats migrate to escape the cold temperatures. Although they are generally solitary, hoary bats may travel together in groups during their migration. The bats typically migrate in September and October and then return in April and May. They migrate southward and toward coastal areas. Snowshoe Hare - The snowshoe hare is highly adapted to living in snowy environments. In Utah, it is found mainly in coniferous forests and aspen, alder and willow thickets in high-elevation mountain regions. “As its name suggests, it has extremely large “snowshoe-like” feet to help it escape predators in deep snow,” Kimberly Hersey, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources mammal conservation coordinator, said. “Snowshoe hares also use a camouflage technique to hide from predators like foxes and bobcats during snowy months. During the summer, the snowshoe hare is a brown color, but during the winter, its fur turns white to allow it to blend in with the snowy terrain.” Pikas - American pikas are small grayishbrown mammals that look like a cross between a rabbit and a mouse. They live in high-elevation talus rocky areas, and are commonly seen in the Wasatch, Uinta, Tushar and La Sal Mountains. Rather than hibernating, pikas remain active during the winter. They prepare for the snowy, cold months by stockpiling food during the summer. They gather green vegetation and create “haypiles” of grasses and flowers, which they then store away in rocky areas. A Colorado study estimates that pikas make nearly 13,000 gathering trips to construct their average size of haypile for the winter. They then eat the haypile during the winter and stay active underneath the snow. OGDEN CANYON cont. from page 1 Focus groups, made up of people who live, work, travel, and recreate in Ogden Canyon, were formed to evaluate these concepts and give input. Representatives from local governments and other agencies also participated in evaluating the concepts and gave feedback. Phase I of the Ogden Canyon Transportation Study collected public input through an interactive website which received 408 comments and a public survey that received 941 responses. From the feedback received through these avenues, it was apparent that many people are concerned about the future of Ogden Canyon. UDOT determined that the best way to proceed with Phase II was to involve as many of those stakeholders as possible in brainstorming ideas for transportation solutions and examining impacts of various options. As a result, three focus groups were formed: Active/ Transit, Roadway, and Environmental. These focus groups were made up of canyon residents, recreational users of the canyon, stakeholders (school district, police, fire, Forest Service), and residents of Ogden City and the Upper Valley. Each group met separately twice and then had a third meeting with all three groups. The focus groups helped develop a vision of Ogden Canyon, set priorities, and screen options for roadway improvements and trails. Recommendations Roadway Focus Group - Recommendations After learning of impacts to the mountain and river, the Roadway Group eliminated 40 and 45 mph design speed options throughout the canyon. They determined that one design speed in the canyon was not practicable, but making spot improvements to curves for safety was necessary. The group prioritized spot improvements, including preferred design speeds, after environmental impacts were presented: 1) Curves through the Narrows (35 mph design speed) 2) Curves near the Alaskan Inn and Hermitage Neighborhood (35 mph design speed) 3) Curves near Valhalla and Wildwood (30 mph design speed) Widening the shoulder on both sides of the road to accommodate motorist and bicyclist safety was the highest recommendation in all three areas. Active Transportation/Transit Focus Group - Recommendations This group reviewed and rated seven trail concepts for location, trail type, and trail uses. They determined that both a shared use path (hikers, walkers, and family biking) and wider shoulders on the roadway (serious cyclists) were needed to accommodate users. Environmental Focus Group - Recommendations The Environmental Group reviewed recommendations from the Active Transportation/Transit and Roadway Groups and how they affected the environment (impacts to mountainside, river, visual, private squirrels commonly hibernate each winter. They are only active for a few months each year, and during that time, they must gain a lot of weight in order to survive the winter. The total hibernation period can last up to 10 months, but it varies by age and sex, with juvenile males typically only hibernating four to five months each year. Each animal hibernates alone. Ground squirrels are true hibernators, meaning that they are almost impossible to wake up during hibernation. Their body temperature drops to just above freezing, and their heart rate drops to less than 10 beats per minute. Their body metabolizes the fat reserves that they built up while eating during their active season. Mountainsnails - Mountainsnails are native snails found throughout Utah. When the temperature begins to cool (typically in October), mountainsnails burrow into the soil or leaf fragments or they crawl deep into rock piles to help protect themselves from the cold. They then create an epiphragm, a temporary mucus sealant on their shell opening, which prevents them from drying out. “It is important for snails to maintain their moisture levels or they will die,” DWR native aquatic biologist Kate Holcomb said. Mountainsnails typically become active again once the weather begins to warm and the snow starts melting, typically in April. “Searching for mountainsnails and other native terrestrial snails is like treasure hunting,” Holcomb said. “Sometimes you can find piles of empty mountainsnail shells, but it’s much harder to find them alive. If you do happen to find a mountainsnail with an epiphragm, return the snail to where you found it. Sometimes they will attach to rocks or logs during their hibernation, so if you find one that is stuck to a rock, please do not pull it off.” Deer - While they are some of the more commonly seen wildlife around Utah, deer actually have quite a unique winter preparation routine. Deer spend the spring, summer and fall eating and building up fat reserves that help provide energy to get them through the snowy winter months. While they don’t hibernate, deer often migrate to lower elevations with less snow to find feed, and they grow thick coats to stay warm. Deer also reduce their activity during the winter to help conserve energy, which is why it is crucial for people and their dogs to not chase or harass deer during the winter and early spring. Note: Photos courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. property, etc.). Their conclusions in both categories are as follows: Shared Use Trail 1) Supports a trail system 2) Not important to connect trails to neighborhoods 3) Important to connect trails to scenic features in the canyon 4) Important to connect any new trails to existing trail system Roadway 1) Speed is not critical – preferred shoulder improvements only and no change to current Design Speed Final Recommendations - The final recommendations presented at the open house were based on information gathered from Phase I, engineering analysis, meetings with agencies and residents, and recommendations from the focus groups in Phase II. The recommendations were presented in three categories: design speed, roadway, and shared use trail. Next Steps - The next steps that UDOT and Weber County would need to take were presented at the public open house. UDOT Roadway - UDOT is responsible for any future roadway improvements. UDOT will use the study’s recommendations to prioritize projects for funding approval by the Transportation Commission. Each improvement will require an environmental approval. Maintenance and safety projects will be prioritized first. Upcoming Projects - UDOT has upcoming projects in Ogden Canyon. One project will flatten a curve and widen the road in The Narrows (as recommended in the Phase I Study). The other project will replace the bridge at Grey Cliff and perform minor rehabilitation on the two bridges located at the top and bottom of the canyon—which has already started with the bridge near the Grey Cliff on hold to determine impacts to surrounding buildings. According to a recent report, $33 million has been budgeted for the reconstruction projects through the lower part of the canyon. Weber County Shared Use Trail - Weber County is the lead agency on any future trail in the canyon. The County will assess this Study’s final report and determine any future funding, phasing, and timing of a trail system. The Ogden Canyon Transportation Use Study team has met with Pineview Water, Bureau of Reclamation, and PacifiCorp/Rocky Mountain Power and has received conditional approval to study a trail on their corridor. Further coordination will need to occur with these agencies, residents, and Weber County. Further Analysis - Items that were not fully developed but warrant further analysis include access management, zoning and land use, property boundaries, parking, and corridor preservation. To view the entire study, visit <https:// w w w. u d o t . u t a h . g o v / p r o j e c t p a g e s / f?p=250:2010:::NO::P2010_EPM_PROJ_ XREF_NO,P2010_PROJECT_TYPE_IND_ FLAG:10372,A> |