Bark Beetle-Affected Forests Provide Elk Only a Marginal Refuge from Hunters |
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Authors: | Bryan G Lamont Matthew J Kauffman Jerod A Merkle Tony W Mong Matthew M Hayes Kevin L Monteith |
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Institution: | 1. Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Department 3166, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071 USA;2. U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Department 3166, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071 USA;3. Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Department 3166, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071 USA;4. Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 2820 Highway 120, Cody, WY, 82414 USA;5. Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 804 East Fremont, Laramie, WY, 82072 USA |
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Abstract: | For nearly 2 decades, the forests of the Rocky Mountains in the United States experienced a bark-beetle (Dendoctronus ponderosae) epidemic. The number of dead and falling trees from this epidemic likely will affect how elk (Cervus canadensis) and hunters use the forest and their interactions. Downed trees potentially create a component of refuge habitat that could affect the effectiveness of hunting to regulate abundance of growing elk populations. We evaluated how forests affected by bark beetles in south-central Wyoming, USA, influenced resource selection of 50 female elk and 374 hunters in 2012–2016, and interactions between elk and hunters. We employed global positioning system (GPS) technology on elk and hunters, and developed a satellite-derived land classification specifically depicting beetle-affected forests. We tested the predictions that elk would increase use of beetle-killed areas from summer to the hunting season, and that hunters would avoid beetle-killed areas regardless of elk use. Elk increased use of beetle-killed areas during hunting seasons as did hunters during the archery season; however, during the rifle season, hunters avoided beetle-killed areas. Nevertheless, during the rifle season, areas of beetle-kill with a high probability of elk occurrence dampened the aversion hunters had towards beetle-killed areas. Therefore, in contrast to our expectations, forests that have been altered by the bark-beetle epidemic may only function marginally as a refuge for elk. Our study area was at the beginning of the tree-fall phase (i.e., ~3–7 yr after peak infestation) of the bark-beetle epidemic; thus, future research efforts should focus on how a continued increase in downed trees will influence interactions between elk and hunters. At current levels of tree fall, however, beetle-kill should not limit the ability of managers to regulate elk herds through harvest. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. |
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Keywords: | bark-beetle epidemic Cervus canadensis forest disturbance land cover classification resource selection function Wyoming |
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