Wildfire damage to the usual winter feeding grounds for mule deer and elk has prompted a project to improve and create new range habitat. “Mule deer and elk are often found in locations such as Diamond Fork and Sheep Creek in the winter, escaping higher snowpack and in search of accessible forage,” shares the announcement. “Both Diamond Fork and Sheep Creek have experienced wildfires in the past decade, leaving some areas devoid of key winter forage such as sagebrush and bitterbrush. With funding from the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, UDWR alongside Forest Service personnel can be found in these two areas scalping, seeding, and planting sagebrush seedlings. Initially these actions may be visible on the landscape, but over time they will appear more natural and provide habitat for big game in the wintertime.” These efforts will not only help wildlife during winter months but they keep them away from major transportation routes as they search for food.
