February 27, 2014 (801) 538-4737
Gather shed antlers the right way
See hundreds of swans
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Antler Gathering the Wrong Way Hurts Bucks and Bulls
Harassment and habitat damage hurts Utah’s herds
Vernal – Utah’s Antler Gathering Ethics course started as a way to reduce wildlife harassment and habitat damage caused by those gathering shed antlers.
(Shed antlers are antlers that fall off the heads of deer, elk and moose in the winter. The animals shed their antlers as part of their annual lifecycle. In the spring, they grow new antlers.)
The mandatory online course, available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/shedantler, started in 2009. The number of people who have completed the course and participated in shed antler gathering has grown. Unfortunately, recent actions by some who gather shed antlers is still a concern.
"We've seen signs and heard complaints about shed hunters chasing deer and elk cross-country in hopes the running will cause the animals’ antlers to fall off early," says Randy Scheetz, conservation officer with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. "It's about the worst thing they could do to these bucks and bulls."
Harassment: a question of life or death
Spring is a critical time for deer, elk and other wildlife. To survive Utah’s winters, deer and elk burn fat reserves to supplement a lack of nutritious food. If an animal runs out of fat reserves before warm weather brings green vegetation, it will probably die.
Animals save energy in winter by resting and staying close to feeding areas. If the animals must move to escape a threat, such as a shed gatherer or a dog, they’re forced to deplete their fat reserves needlessly.
This waste of precious energy could be the difference between life and death.
Habitat damage: off-road vehicles hurt habitat
Utah and other western states are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of vehicles traveling off-road, especially four-wheel all-terrain vehicles and side-by-side ATVs. Some of these drivers are causing major habitat damage through their actions.
To protect the habitat, land management agencies have placed restrictions on off-road travel. Almost all of the agencies have adopted a “closed unless posted open” policy for public lands. In northeastern Utah, for example, the Bureau of Land Management designates lands as open, limited or closed:
· Open lands don’t have any restrictions.
· On limited lands, vehicles must stay on existing roads and trails. These roads and trails are marked on BLM maps and by signs.
· On closed lands, no vehicle use is allowed. Remember, if a sign does not indicate an area is open to vehicle use, it’s closed.
In addition to the land designations, the BLM, the DWR, Tread Lightly!, the U.S. Forest Service, the Utah Scholl and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, and Utah State Parks have joined forces to ensure off-highway vehicle riding happens responsibly and safely in Utah. More information about the state’s “Ride On Utah” campaign is available at www.treadlightly.org/programs/ride-on/ride-on-utah.
"Shed hunters and other visitors need to act responsibly," Scheetz says. "Otherwise, they’re going to kill animals and damage the habitat of the deer and elk they claim to love."
Contact: Randy Scheetz, DWR Conservation Officer, 435-781-9453 or Ron Stewart, DWR Northeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager, 435-790-0207
Salt Creek WMA hosts free viewing even See Hundreds of Tundra Swans
Corinne -- Seeing and hearing just one tundra swan is enough to take your breath away.
Imagine seeing and hearing hundreds of them.
You can at Tundra Swan Day.
Tundra Swan Day – March 15
On March 15, the Division of Wildlife Resources will host Utah’s annual Tundra Swan Day. Admission is free. The event will be held at the Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area west of Corinne.
Phil Douglass, regional conservation outreach manager with the DWR, says viewing will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Spotting scopes will be available, so you can get a close look at the swans,” Douglass says. “If you have your own binoculars or a spotting scope, though, please bring it.”
In addition to enjoying the spring weather, you’ll enjoy a thrilling viewing experience. “Just seeing and hearing these birds is worth the trip,” he says, “but knowledgeable and friendly people from the DWR and Wasatch Audubon will also be available to answer any questions you have. And, if you have a scout group that needs to talk to a conservation officer, this is the perfect place to do If you have questions about Tundra Swan Day, call the DWR’s Northern Region office at 801-476-2740. You can also get a free fact sheet about tundra swans at www.wildlife.utah.gov/publications/pdf/tundra_swan.pdf.
To reach the Salt Creek WMA, exit Interstate 15 at Exit 365, and travel west on state Route 83 through Corinne. Stay on Route 83 until you get to 6800 West (Iowa String). Travel north on 6800 W. to 6800 N. Travel west on 6800 N. until you reach the Salt Creek WMA/Compton’s Knoll Watchable Wildlife site.
Seeing swans on your own
If you can’t attend the March 15 event, you can still see swans. When the swan migration peaks in mid-March, as many as 35,000 swans will be in Utah.
Douglass says the Salt Creek WMA is one of the best places in Utah to get a close look at swans. While you can see hundreds of swans while driving on the 12-mile auto tour loop at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge west of Brigham City, swans will usually be closer to you at Salt Creek.
“Randy Berger, the manager at Salt Creek, has also done a great job creating a viewing pavilion that will shelter you from the wind,” he says.
Contact: Phil Douglass, DWR Northern Region Conservation Outreach Manager, 801-510-1406 or 801-476-2740
