Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy Public Engagement Report S U M M A R Y P R E S E N T A T I O N T O C O L O R A D O P A R K S A N D W I L D L I F E C O M M I S S I O N P R E S E N T E D BY T H E K E Y S T O N E C E N T E R J U L Y 1 1, 2 0 1 4
Purpose Bring together Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Sportsman, conservation groups, outfitters, landowners, biologists, wildlife managers, elected officials and other state and federal agencies, and other interested citizens 2 To discuss experiences, recommendations and concerns related to declining mule deer populations on Colorado s West Slope
Methodology Seven public meetings throughout the state during the Spring of 2014 Loveland, Durango, Pueblo, Gunnison, Eagle, Grand Junction, and Craig Recruited and advertised to key contacts Identified key contacts and organizations for targeted email recruitment. Placed press releases and meeting announcements in local newspapers and online meeting boards.
Methodology Plenary session Presentation by the local Regional Manager Comment and question/answer period Breakout session Participants broke into small groups to discuss ten specific management concerns pre-determined by CPW Polling activity & Final Question, Answer, & Comment Participants answered three questions related to the management concerns
Summary of breakout sessions Barriers to migration Competition with elk Declining habitat quality Disease Doe harvest & hunting demands Habitat loss Highway mortality Predation Recreational impacts Weather Other
Barriers to Migration Experiences Increased development causing fragmentation of land Management strategies Addressing quantity and quality of fencing Constructing crossing structures Coordinating with other wildlife management organizations Concerns and barriers Demands and pressures resulting from human population growth Costs and lack of funding Lack of interagency coordination and communication
Competition With Elk Experiences Increased number of elk on both summer and winter range Opposing beliefs concerning whether or not there is competition between mule deer and elk Management strategies Getting elk populations down to objective Using species-specific management techniques for mule deer habitat and elk habitat Concerns and barriers Lack of adequate habitat to support both mule deer and elk Elk s status as a money-maker Lack of funding
Declining Habitat Quality Experiences Statewide drought Weeds and invasive plants replacing nutritious forage Fire suppression and lack of burning Management strategies Increasing habitat preservation, restoration, and treatment Building partnerships with other land management agencies Concerns and barriers Lack of public support and funding Difficulty of coordinating with other agencies
Disease Experiences Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (bluetongue) Ticks, locoweed, and beetle kill trees CWD less of a concern now than in the past Management strategies Improving monitoring, testing, and record keeping Administering mass vaccines Culling sick deer, and adjusting tag numbers Increasing public education Concerns and barriers Costs and lack of funding Lack of public education
Habitat Loss Experiences Land fragmentation Loss of trees and forage Fire suppression Management strategies Implementing conservation efforts Acting cooperatively with other agencies and private landowners Concerns and barriers Lack of agency coordination and communication Politics and lack of funding Groups who want to develop or use critical habitat Time between treatment and recovery is long
Highway Mortality Experiences Reports of both decreased highway mortality, due to mule deer population declines, and increased highway mortality on certain highways Higher mortality in winter Management strategies Building tunnels, overpasses, and wildlife crossings Strategically placing crossing signs and lowering speed limits Educating the public Concerns and barriers Lack of enforcement of speed limits Lack of funding Need for greater agency coordination
Hunting Demands and Doe Harvest Experiences Doe harvest affects multiple generations Low doe populations contributing to mule deer population decline More tags are needed in some areas Management strategies Limiting doe tags Modifying hunting policies Concerns and barriers Politics and lack of funding Lack of education High demand for deer hunting
Predation Experiences Diverse and divergent perspectives concerning impact of predation Seeing more coyotes, lions and bears Management strategies Instituting a bounty system Expanding hunting seasons and increasing quotas Educating public on predation Concerns and barriers Public perception of predator control Costs and politics
Recreational Impacts Experiences Increased year-round recreation Use of land for recreation impacts mule deer habitat Management strategies Increasing public awareness and education Instituting seasonal closures of recreational areas Enforcing laws more strictly Instituting a requirement that a license would be mandatory to do other recreational activities, similar to a hunting or fishing license Concerns and barriers Lack of funding, lack of interagency coordination, and difficulties of enforcement Strong public demand for land for recreational use Public s lack of awareness concerning the negative impacts on wildlife that recreation can have
Weather Experiences Several years of extreme weather, including harsh winters (particularly, 2007-2008) and severe droughts Unpredictable Management strategies Improving winter habitat quality and increasing winter habitat quantity Using feeding and nutritional supplements during harsh winters Concerns and barriers Difficult to control weather Inadequate winter habitats Costs and lack of funding Lack of management flexibility
Other Experiences Competition with feral horses Poaching Decrease in other food sources for predators Management strategies Using the knowledge of CPW biologists to inform decision making Increasing fines and punishment for poaching Concerns and barriers Lenient judges limit the effectiveness of increased fines and punishments
Summary of polling activities T O P T H R E E M A N A G E M E N T C O N C E R N S C O N T R I B U T I N G T O M U L E D E E R P O P U L A T I O N D E C L I N E M A N A G E M E N T C O N C E R N S C P W M A N A G E R S C A N M O S T E F F E C T I V E L Y A D D R E S S M A N A G E M E N T C O N C E R N S C P W M A N A G E R S C A N L E A S T E F F E C T I V E L Y A D D R E S S
Top three management concerns contributing to mule deer population decline Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy Summit Public Meetings Weighted Average Polling Results Top Management Concerns Contributing to Mule Deer Population Decline Weighted Average of all Responses, All Locations Predation 20% Declining Habitat Quality 17% Habitat Loss 15% Weather 12% Recreational Impacts 9% Doe Harvest & Hunting Demands 8% Highway Mortality 7% Barriers to Migration 5% Competition with Elk 4% Disease 4%
Management concerns CPW managers can most effectively address Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy Summit Public Meetings Weighted Average Polling Results Top Management Concerns CPW Can Most Effectively Address Through the Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy Weighted Average of all Responses, All Locations Predation 25% Doe Harvest & Hunting Demands 20% Declining Habitat Quality 14% Recreational Impacts 11% Habitat Loss 9% Competition with Elk 7% Disease 5% Highway Mortality 5% Barriers to Migration 3% Weather 1%
Management concerns CPW managers can least effectively address Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy Summit Public Meetings Weighted Average Polling Results Management Concerns CPW Can Least Effectively Address Through the Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy Weighted Average of all Responses, All Locations Weather 31% Disease 16% Habitat Loss 11% Highway Mortality 11% Barriers to Migration 9% Competition with Elk 8% Recreational Impacts 7% Declining Habitat Quality 4% Predation 2% Doe Harvest & Hunting Demands 1%
Cross-cutting themes and next steps
Cross-cutting themes Interconnectivity of management concerns Barriers to migration, recreational impacts, and highway mortality Predation and habitat loss Weather, habitat loss, declining habitat quality, and disease Ability of CPW to address management concerns Predation and habitat quality top concerns that CPW can most effectively address Weather and habitat loss among most important management concerns but most difficult for CPW to address Doe harvest and hunting demand a concern that CPW can most effectively address but not top management concerns
Cross-cutting themes Barriers of funding, policy and politics, education, and jurisdiction Many suggested management strategies are costly and/or infeasible for various reasons Challenges in implementing management strategies on private lands or lands managed by other public agencies Coordination of Colorado Parks and Wildlife with other agencies and organizations Many management strategies will require interagency coordination to succeed Suggested agencies include CDOT, USFS, and the BLM
Cross-cutting themes continued Requests for additional information and education The public needs more information on the current state of mule deer, management concerns, and the impacts of management strategies Public involvement in the mule deer strategy process Participants expressed appreciation for opportunity to provide input Participants also emphasized that scientific evidence should inform CPW s Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy
Next steps CPW will draft the Colorado West Slope Mule Deer Strategy, available to the public in August 2014 CPW in coordination with Keystone will convene a public, state-wide summit on August 9 th to discuss and garner input on the draft strategy The strategy will go to the CPW Commission to be approved, and after approval will be incorporated into management processes that affect mule deer in Colorado