Management of Wild Ungulate Habitat in the Western United States and Canada: A Review

Abstract

Conservation, use, and development of adequate habitat are probably the most important factors in wild ungulate management. As the various demands on the habitat heighten, pressure on this dwindling resource will increase. To maintain viable wild ungulate populations with high sustainable yields for the future enjoyment and use, habitat management will have to be intensified. This review discusses rehabilitation of wild ungulate habitat, modification of range and forest practices, better use of existing habitat, and manipulation of numbers and distributions of wild ungulates. The amounts and kinds of habitat needed to maintain wild ungulate populations require more long-term research and better application of existing knowledge. Determination of the requirements for a given species will demand a much better understanding of how animals select and use habitat.