Wildlife Specialist report

Issues identified during scoping related to terrestrial wildlife species
Motorized Routes
The proposed motorized routes specifically the type, extent, level of use and location of
motorized routes may lead to resource, recreation, social and economic impacts.
Motorized Dispersed Recreation
Motorized dispersed camping within proposed designated corridors and areas may lead to
resource, recreation, social and economic impacts.
Motorized Big Game Retrieval
The proposed motorized big game retrieval (MBGR) may lead to resource, recreation,
social and economic impacts.
Area
The proposed designated area specifically for OHV activities may lead to resource,
recreation, social and economic impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
Ungulates
Table 9: Ungulate species selected to be analyzed and rationale for selection
Species Analyzed Rationale For Selection
Elk Game species identified as species of concern during scoping
Pronghorn Game species identified as species of concern during scoping
Bighorn sheep Forest Service Sensitive Species
The Arizona Game and Fish Department document that research related to road effects
on ungulates did not begin until the 1970’s (Gagnon et al., 2007). Gagnon et al. (2007),
literature review concentrated on traffic levels or road type effects on ungulates. Of the
53 sources reviewed 47% of the papers suggested deer were affected by traffic/road type,
84% elk, 80% bighorn sheep, and 100% pronghorn (Gagnon et al., 2007). Their findings
suggest that wild ungulates do not always respond to the same level.
As described in the analysis factor section, motorized and recreation effects to ungulates
can be grouped into two analysis factors:
1. A greater potential for harvest or direct effects, and/or
2. Disturbance or indirect effects, avoiding or changing behavior in the area adjacent
to where these type activities are occurring.
Increases in ungulate harvest are associated with increased access. Rowland et al. (2005)
states that elk vulnerability to harvest increases as open road density increases. This
statement is supported by the literature (Unsworth et al. 1993, Gratson and Whitman
2000, and Hayes et al. 2002). Diefenbach et al. (2005) reported that deer hunters are
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