STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CONSERVATION OF GREATER SAGE ‐GROUSE IN NEVADA

July 31, 2012

  
http://sagebrusheco.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/sagebrusheconvgov/content/Archive/2012-07-31_FinalSage-grouseRecommendationsText.pdf
 
While predator control may not be a long term solution to declines in populations of sage grouse, it has been shown to be an effective tool during the breeding season to gain increased survival through the nesting and early brood life cycle stages (Coates 2012).
 
If you Notice on the Nevada Plan, Predation is Threat number 3.

• 1. Fire and Invasive Species

2. Pinyon-Juniper Encroachment
3. Predation

    
   
Wyoming:
http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Wildlife/pdfs/SG_WGFDFINALPLAN0000653.pdf
 
"As should be expected, predation is and has always been the major cause of sage- grouse mortality. Predation during nesting and early brood-rearing has the greatest influence on sage-grouse populations. Nest predators identified in Wyoming studies include badgers, red foxes, ravens and ground squirrels. In addition, golden eagles, red foxes, ravens, coyotes, various hawks, bobcats, and weasels prey on sage-grouse
throughout the year."
  
Utah:
   http://www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org/PDF/8-Impacts%20of%20Predation....pdf
     
"During brood counts in 1999, prior to expanded predator control, we counted 12 chicks with 44 hens for a chick to hen ratio of 0.27, compared to an average chick to hen ratio of 0.72 for 2000 to 2005, after predator control was implemented (Table 2). We also documented an increase in the overall numbers of chicks and hens flushed during the brood-rearing season.
 
Although red foxes were likely not responsible for the initial reduction in the sage grouse population, our data suggest that red fox predation is a major factor limiting the recovery of the population and, if left uncontrolled, threatens extirpation of this sage-grouse population."
  
   
http://www.utahcbcp.org/files/uploads/color/CoCARM-finalplan.pdf
    
Incidentally, sage-grouse could also have benefited from the high numbers of sheep concentrated in winter areas. Proper sheep grazing in the winter has the effect of rejuvenating sagebrush. As  Sheep numbers declined, sagebrush became decadent to some degree. Although natural cycles may have once occurred in sage-grouse populations, change in the environment since the 1970s has caused a long-term decline. Once a decline in sage-grouse numbers occurred, the increase in predator numbers, especially red fox and ravens, would be more detrimental to the grouse.
 
Conclusions:
 
No empirical evidence is available specifically related to the effects of predation on sage-grouse in the Resource Area. Many of the sage-grouse predators discussed above are known to occur in the Resource Area. USDA-WS does conduct predator control in the area related to livestock Operations, which is likely to influence predator-prey dynamics involving sage-grouse. Under these management conditions, sage-grouse numbers in the Resource Area are increasing or stable and, given current circumstances and management actions, predation by native predators, excluding ravens in some instances, is considered a moderate threat to sage-grouse populations in the area. Predation by nonnative predators, including domestic animals, red foxes, and raccoons, and native (but anthropomorphically inflated) raven populations, is an issue of greater concern when the cumulative effects of increased nonnative predator populations, habitat fragmentation, reduced habitat quality are considered. Nonnative red fox populations have decimated relatively isolated populations of sage-grouse in Strawberry Valley, Utah (Bunnell et al. 2000), and there is some concern that increasing populations of red foxes and raccoons in the Resource Area could have a negative impact on sage-grouse populations
  
    
http://wildlife.utah.gov/uplandgame/sage-grouse/pdf/greater_sage_grouse_plan.pdf
 
Utah’s Final Sage Grouse plan has Predation as Threat number 3.

1. Fire Control, Suppression and Rehabilitation
 2. Invasive Species
 3. Predation
   
      
Then we have Idaho...

IDFG's sage grouse science and studies closely models the same type of radical enviromental pro-predator, habitat only philosophy that has destoyed Idaho's once famous elk herds!  

  
http://www.wildlifebiology.com/Downloads/Article/299/En/6_4_connelly.pdf
  
Although predation was,the most common cause of death for adult sage grouse in Idaho, high annual survival (Connelly et al. 1994) and relatively few deaths over winter suggest that predation had little impact on sage grouse populations.

 
http://idahodocs.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15100coll7/id/2872/rec/4
 
High mortality during the first 3 weeks post hatch appears to be a major factor affecting greater sage-grouse populations. Efforts to increase greater sage-grouse populations should focus on increasing chick survival. Since greater sage-grouse chick survival is linked to cover of grasses and major forbs, efforts should focus on increasing cover of native grasses and forbs. Exotic grasses such as cheatgrass and crested wheatgrass may not provide the protective cover needed by chicks to hide from predators. Loss of native bunchgrass communities may be detrimental to the survival of greater sage-grouse chicks, and protection of these communities should enhance greater sage-grouse populations.
  
   
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/wildlife/sageGrouse/conservPlan.pdf
  
 On the Current Idaho Fish and Game Sage Grouse Plan, Predation is listed dead last out of the 12 causes of mortality.
Note that IDFG peer reviewed, fact based science even has climate change as a bigger killer than predation!
 

1. Wildfire
2. Infrastructure
3. Annual Grassland
4. Livestock Impacts
5. Human Disturbances
6. West Nile Virus
7. Prescribed Fire
8. Perennial Grassland
9. Climate Change
10. Conifer Encroachment
11. Isolated Populations
12. Predation

Gov. Otter Submits Alternate Sage Grouse Plan To Restrict Human Activity on 10 Million Acres of Idaho!..........George Dovel's Outdoorsman
 
      
   Here's another, analogous picture: a courtroom full of lawyers in expensive black three-piece suits in U.S. district court in 2011. Arguments proceed for the plaintiffs: Imagine Western Watersheds project, WildEarth Guardians, or the center for Biological Diversity. The Defendants: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Observing, officials from Bureau of Land managment (BLM), U.S. Forest Service, and God knows who else. Enviromental groups prevail, and FWS, "in an effort to improve the implementation of the Endangered Species Act, agrees to address the needs of more that 250 candidate species over the next six years".
   
Included in the agreement are stipulations to complete reviews of the bistate sage grouse population by 2013 and the greater sage-grouse by 2015. If the sage grouse is listed, it will be in the purview of the FWS to bless every activity that occurs on public lands: Hunting, off-road rallies, camping, trail riding, agriculture, and that new gazebo in your summer home's backyard. Enviromental groups sue the Feds, but it is the people of the West who are punished. What the Natural Resources Conservation service reports is that 40 percent of sage grouse habitat is on private land. The restrictions to activity will still apply. Ravens are serious killers of sage grouse, but they are not the only ones.

As enviromental groups continue to file multiple lawsuits and clog the judicial and land-use management systems with one listing after another, the western way of life faces extinction. And as the black suits leave the courtroom, raucous laughter can be heard!

 
 What a tragedy to learn that some of these Black Suits have been meeting with IDFG staff and leaders to "Assist"  them with finding new funding opportunities! 


If we think Raven's just kill Sage-Grouse we had better think twice!