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Show Presnall:' Survey of Deer Situation in Zion Canyon, Utah 1938] A precise reconnaissance is impossible in the presentstate of edge concerning palatability of forage to deer. 109 imperfect knowl The effects of overstocking were studied entirely from field observations; additional studies of body weights and stomach analysis would have been de sirable, but facilities for making them were inadequate. A weakened condi tion of the deer has already been indicated in the high death losses during the winter of 1936-37. Also, in the summer of 1937 several deaths in parturition In November of 1937, at a season when deer are normally at were noted. their best. it was observed that all of the fawns were thin and scrubby, none of the does were in more than fair condition. and only a few of the bucks in none were well fattened. On nearly every day during of 1937 visitors commented unfavorably on the condition of the deer; many even thought that the Zion Canyon deer were of a different species than those on surrounding plateaus. were the good flesh; summer Range conditions in 1937 were equally serious, although seldom noticed by the park visitors, since the great maj ority of people seem to be amazingly blind to range deterioration. A few specific examples quoted from a report made by the writer in September, 1937. will serve-to illustrate how nearly the range has approached a critical condition. itA pronounced deer line exists on all trees on the river bottoms with the exception of box elders. which are not relished. The coni fers, junipers, and pinyon pines on the talus slopes have not been browsed as yet. Although deer will occasionally take a bite from either of them on the very best range. they never, in this section, browse them noticeably except on a starvation range. The most palatable kinds of brush such as Atriples Coleosanthus, and antelope brush, have in some cases been killed by browsing; wild grape vines are very heavily browsed but are seldom killed except when young; and nearly all of the less palatable kinds of brush are browsed to 'some extent. There are two kinds, manzanita and arrow weed, which in this region are seldom browsed except on overstocked range; it is significant that they are noticeably eaten back in some parts of Zion Canyon. Another significant fact is that box elder is the only tree species that has been able to reproduce during the past year." , It is obvious that if such conditions were allowed to continue, the ground would soon be depleted to the point where erosion would again be accelerated, as it was in the early days. In a national park where erosion has been brought about by unnatural factors, control may become a necessity, in that too rapid erosion deranges the entire biotic complex of the wilderness which it is desirable to l?reserve. Such a derangement is to be especially guarded against in Zion Canyon because it is in an arid region where the stability of natural conditions is easily upset and recovery is slow. Damage to the aesthetic values of the park is evident in that overgrazing by deer has adversely affected the wild flower display. This is a condition that has occurred in deer concentration areas in other parks, focusing atten tion upon the relative aesthetic values of the several components of the wilderness picture. The Park Service recognizes the deficiency of any man agement policy which results in animal life, plant life, or scenery becoming unnaturally dominant. The park policy can be expressed by a picture such as thousands have seen from a road or trail in anyone of a dozen parks r ra background of glorious mountain scenery; in the foreground a flower-dotted meadow; and at one side a few deer. tense and alert. watching a coyote trotting through the distant trees. The need for a more perfect presentation of such a picture and all that it signifies is the motive behind such surveys cover |
