anticipated in disturbance and 

 potential mortality due to 

 hunting. 



• Direct and Indirect l^ects of miction 

 . Ilternative B on Elk Securlti/ 



Under this action alternative, 

 security cover would be reduced in 

 the near-term. As regeneration 

 advances, hiding and security 

 cover would be greater than 

 current conditions. Reclosing the 

 roads used for harvesting would 

 return hunter accessibility to 

 previous levels. The retention of 

 pockets of cover and structure 

 within the proposed units would 

 further contribute to elk and deer 

 security. 



Cumulative Effects 



• Cumnlntice Effect* ofJVo-^lctlon .llternatlce 

 ,1on Elk Security 



Under this alternative, no changes 

 are anticipated in elk security 

 cover. Over time, habitats within 

 the proposed project area would 

 become denser, offering greater 

 security, which would benefit elk 

 and deer that spend portions of 

 hunting season in the vicinity of 

 the proposed project area. Future 

 harvesting in Stillwater State 

 Forest would not be expected to 

 improve elk security. Recently 

 harvested stands within the 

 proposed project area would likely 

 provide additional security 

 habitat in 10 to 20 years. 



• Cumulative Effects of Action Alternative B on 

 Elk Security 



Under this alternative, negligible 

 impacts to big game survival are 

 anticipated. A reduction in 

 hiding and security cover caused 

 by the proposed harvest will be 

 additive to the harvesting that 

 has occurred recently within 

 Stillwater State Forest and could 

 occur in the future on Stillwater 

 State Forest and adjacent 

 ownerships. Hiding cover is being 

 reduced by approximately 2,201 

 acres with the Good/Long/Boyle, 



(1,025 acres), Taylor South (491 

 acres) , and Chicken/Werner (684 

 acres) timber sale projects. 

 Hunter access to Stillwater State 

 Forest is relatively unlimited 

 with many open roads and 

 considerable foot access along 

 trails and closed roads. Closing 

 the roads that were opened during 

 harvesting activities and 

 returning human disturbance to 

 preharvest levels would compensate 

 for some of the reduced elk 

 security caused by the harvesting. 

 Recently harvested stands and the 

 proposed stands on the State 

 parcel would likely provide blocks 

 of security habitat in 10 to 20 

 years . 



Mitigations for Consideration 



• Retain patches of dense vegetation 

 when possible to provide security 

 cover. 



• Reclose roads and skid trails 

 opened with the proposed 

 activities to reduce the potential 

 for disturbance from unauthorized 

 motor vehicle traffic. 



• Reduce views into harvest units by 

 using a combination of topography, 

 group retention, and roadside- 

 vegetation buffers. 



• Retain corridors connecting 

 forested habitats to aide 

 movement . 



Page E-26 



Dog/Meadow Timber Sale Project Draft EA 



