This presentation provides an overview of the grazing utilization in 2011 on Puget Sound Energy lands in Kittitas County as part of the Wild Horse Coordinated Resource Management partnership.

1. Grazing utilization on North Wild
Horse 2011
Tip Hudson, WSU Extension rangeland & livestock
Hudson
management

2. Typical utilization
sampling site.

3. Utilization
transects are
located within
the “zone of
the “zone of
accessibility”
(for cattle),
roughly within a
half mile of
water and on
light to
moderate
moderate
slopes; sites are
placed within
bluebunch
wheatgrass
communities.

4. Grazing “patch”, with
utilization only inside
this 3m diameter area.

5. This is the extent of the
impact area near this
p g
spring.

6. This is facing the other
direction from the
trough.

7. Much of the area
exhibits little evidence
of any utilization.

8. Typical utilization

10. Typical utilization on a
grazed plant.

11. Frequently there is little
utilization off the trail.

12. WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
PSE North Wild Horse grazing use 2011
North Wild
Horse
Utilization % based on utilization gauge
NWH 1 22.00
NWH 2
NWH 2 35.00
35 00
NWH 3 25.00
NWH 4 6.00
NWH 5 24.00
NWH 6 33.00
NWH 7
NWH 7 8.00
8 00
NWH 8 6.00
NWH 9 18.00
NWH 10 13.00
NWH 11 9.00
NWH 12
NWH 12 16.00
NWH 13 22.56
NWH 14 17.04
NWH 15 24.00
NWH 16 33.00
NWH 17 36.16
NWH 18 32.16
NWH 19 31.88
NWH 20 15.44
AVERAGE 21.36

13. The heaviest use was in
a very narrow band
(<10m) along these
riparian zones.
riparian zones

15. One area of concern;
just below (East of)
Pines restoration area.

16. This site likely receives
elk use prior to cattle
,
turn‐in, but with hot‐
season use each year it
may be necessary to
consider rehabilitation
measures.
measures

17. These small headcuts
are more worrisome
than the cut banks, ,
which are likely a
legacy effect of
historical overuse.

19. I will monitor this site for
wildlife use prior to
cattle turnout in 2012.
The headcut may require
The headcut may require
a mechanical fix.