Elk Habitat Selection and Winter Range Vegetation Management in Northwest Montana

Abstract

We detennined winter and spring habitat selection of a small (-100) resident elk ( Cervus elaphus) herd from 1988 to 1998 including 3 years before to 6 years after timber harvest and/or prescribed bums. Sixty-nine elk were fitted with radio transmitters to document elk response to these habitat treatments. The study area was located on Firefighter Mountain along the west shore of Hungry Horse Reservoir in northwestern Montana. Treatments included burning 66 ha of shrubs in eight natural openings and removing coniferous overstory on 251 ha in 48 logging units. We detected no difference pre- to post-treatment in elk selection for the treatment area from within their seasonal home range. Habitat treatments did not influence elk habitat selection. However, snow negatively affected their selection for the treatment area, which suggested forest canopy cover was important to elk in this study area. Thus, opening the forest canopy to increase winter forage production seemingly did not benefit elk. Managers should use caution when managing forests to create forage openings on winter ranges with high snowfall.