Response of bighorn sheep to clear-cut logging and prescribed burning

Prescribed burning and timber harvesting have been used to restore and main tain Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) ranges. Intensive study of a bighorn sheep herd in northeastern Utah indicated a need for range im provements. To evaluate the effectiveness of clear-cut logging and prescrib ed burning, we documented sheep responses to these treatments. Although big horn sheep exhibited strong fidelity to pre-treatment areas (P>0.05), they significantly altered use patterns to include logged and burned areas (P<0. 001). Treated habitats experienced 148% increases in bighorn sheep activity , whereas use in untreated areas declined by 45%. Bighorn sheep responded m ore favorably to logged units than to burned areas. We conclude that carefu lly planned clear-cut logging and range burning may be effective to enhance and expand bighorn sheep populations.