News from the Kaibab research project

 by Amanda Moors and Jim deVos

The Arizona Deer Association (ADA) has long questioned the reliability of cliffrose data as an  indicator of population density on the Kaibab winter range.  For years the Arizona Deer Association has gone before the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and requested a reduction in doe harvest to allow the Kaibab herd to increase, but the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) had expressed concerns that the herd needed to be reduced based on cliffrose data.  Tiring of years of the same argument, the ADA sought a more proactive approach to this annual conflict with AGFD.  In 2004, the Arizona Deer Association hired an environmental consulting firm (Logan Simpson Design) to evaluate the cliffrose data.  Based on this analysis, Logan Simpson Design concluded that the clip twig data on cliffrose simply was not substantial enough to justify recommending 1,500 doe tags for the fall 2004 hunt.  A presentation of that analysis was given before the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and the permit numbers were reduced to 500.   

In 2005, the ADA hosted a meeting on the Kaibab with AGFD personnel, members of the Game and Fish Commission, interested sportsmen, and federal agencies to try and reach consensus on an approach to use the best science possible to manage this important mule deer herd.  Out of this meeting, we came to an agreement on a research project that would answer many questions about the Kaibab deer herd.  One of these questions was the reliability of cliffrose data to determine an appropriate management strategy for mule deer harvest.  The three-year study is ending and preliminary analysis indicates that the cliffrose data are not reliable as a measure of population density and therefore, the AGFD has recommended that the Commission not use cliffrose data to formulate harvest numbers on the Kaibab.  A press release from AGFD stated that, “Although the final analyses have yet to be completed, one thing is clear: The cliffrose monitoring is not adequate to detect effects of mule deer abundance on winter range.”   The full press release can be found on the AGFD website: http://www.azgfd.gov/artman/publish/article_1101.shtml 

The membership of the Arizona Deer Association applauds the AGFD for being quick to utilize the data from this research and we look forward to working closely with the Department and Commission in using the new science to manage this unique mule deer herd.   

The Arizona Deer Association looks forward to seeing the final report on the research project in June.  The ADA has currently hired a team of biologists (led by Jim deVos) to review the data and help us understand the research results.  We will keep members informed as more information becomes available. 

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