Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative (2024)

Project Need

Need For Project:

DWR needs to better understand movements and migration routes of big game and other species in Utah. The project is starting with an emphasis on big game, and has expanded to include sandhill cranes, wild turkey, waterfowl, cougars, bear, and other species.

Objectives:

The objectives of the initiative are to radio-collar animals to determine survival rates, home ranges, habitat use, body condition, and migration routes. This information will serve as a foundation for future habitat restoration projects, working with UDOT and land management agencies to protect migration routes, and communicate with the public on the movements of wildlife in Utah.The following projects are being considered for this funding cycle:Wasatch Unit - Mule DeerThe Heber Valley in the Wasatch Unit is experiencing significant growth in recent years. Little is known about mule deer using the Heber Valley and what areas are most important for winter range. This project will allow us to identify mule deer migration corridors in this area and provide us with data that can potentially help reduce impacts of development on mule deer. Pahvant and Beaver Unit - Mule DeerThis proposal is for a helicopter capture project to deploy GPS collars on mule deer on the Fillmore, Pahvant and Beaver units. It is believed that there is significant emigration and immigration occurring on multiple areas of the unit, especially the southern end of the unit near I-70. Interstate 70 is a fairly permeable barrier due to multiple large crossing structures, but we currently don't have any GPS data informing us about movement across that barrier. This project will allow us to map migration corridors for mule deer on the Pahvant range, document migrations between the Pahvant and Beaver unit, and understand how mule deer use the Baker Canyon and I-70 crossings.Anthro Unit - Mule Deer, PronghornThe West Tavaputs has sparse collar data for project planning. The proposed Uintah Basin Railway will have impacts on multiple wildlife species, if it occurs. This project will give us a working knowledge of migration corridors prior to the implementation of the railway, and will help us to evaluate impacts on wildlife populations in the area. In addition, documenting migration around Highway 40 will help us to prioritize wildlife crossing installations in the future and map migration corridors.Southwest Desert mule deer Very little is know about the movement patterns of mule deer in the southwest desert. This project will begin the process of mapping movements across this unit. North Slope mule deer-We have conducted some captures on the North Slope primarily in the summer. There are still unknown movements of deer on the West Daggett and Three Corners units. This capture will fill in the remaining movement gaps. ElkThis year we will capture elk on Anthro, Cache, East Canyon, and Box Elder units. Significant immigration/emigration events are occurring each year, but little is known about what units elk are coming from or going to each year. This project will help us better identify where and when elk are moving between units, and how hunting pressure is influencing elk movements. Moose - Moose are moving into the Raft River and Grouse Creek mountain ranges, but little is know about them. This project will help provide information on their movements and survival rates. Migration Initiative Program CostsThis budget supports the Migration Initiative technician position, which provides critical work for Initiative, include cleaning and entering collar data in databases, automating processes, mapmaking, data analysis, and completing other important requests. It also supports data fees and other costs that occur throughout the year.

Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):

Units across Utah

Relation To Management Plan:

The mule deer management plan calls for better information on migration routes. The elk management plan calls for more information about elk movements to help meeting population objectives and reduce elk-vehicle collisions. Other management plans request better information on movements and habitat use of big game animals. Additionally, the Utah Action Plan for Secretarial Order 3362 calls for more information about movements of big game animals in five priority areas of Utah (Paunsaugunt Unit, Zion Unit, Eagle Mountain Area, I-80/84 Corridor, and US-6 corridor).

Fire / Fuels:

N/A

Water Quality/Quantity:

N/A

Compliance:

N/A

Methods:

Wildlife are being captured throughout the state at different times of the year. Each animal is fitted with an unique tracking device that collects data at various intervals. The data is being stored in Wildlife Tracker for viewing and to be used for management actions.

Monitoring:

DWR employees and partners will conduct monitoring of animals. Animals will be monitored using GPS collars.

Partners:

We are building partnerships with everyone that has an interest in wildlife in Utah. We are meeting stakeholders to introduce them to the Initiative and ask for the support. To date we have established partnerships 20+ entities to complete wildlife movement projects.

Future Management:

Our hope is that this information improves management and shapes the way we view wildlife in Utah. We want to show how animals are using the landscape and protect critical habitat that animals use.

Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources:

N/A

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