Bull Elk Survival 



None of the alternatives would change the legal hunting access in 

 these drainages. Alternative A has no actions, in Alternatives B & 

 C access control remains with the private landowners as it currently 

 is and in Alternative D the new road would be locked and hunters 

 would be required to walk-in, as they are required to do now. 



Under Alternative D, the new road from French Creek may promote some 

 additional walk-in access by the public in Sections 14 & 23. The 

 largest harvest area. Unit 1, would be located 1.9 new road miles 

 from the access point. Only a limited percentage of hunters are 

 likely to hike this far. Harvest Units 2 through 6 are located a 

 considerable distance farther in and are not likely to be accessed 

 by hunters on foot . 



The proposed harvest units cover 181 acres in Alternative B and 197 

 acres in Alternatives C & D. These acreages represent 7.6% and 8.3% 

 respectively of the forested state lands in these drainages. The 

 harvests would affect 0.2 to 0.3 percent of the area south of 

 Highway 434, or 0.1% of Hunting District 423. Potential elk 

 security cover would remain unharvested on approximately 85% of the 

 state land in the Gladstone and French Creek analysis area. 



Considering the legal hunting access, the physical limitations of 

 access, the preponderance of cover in these drainages and the 

 existing hunting regulations, it is anticipated the proposed harvest 

 will only slightly reduce the vulnerability of bull elk in this 

 hunting district. 



Noxious Weeds 



Under Alternative A, noxious weed control would remain the 

 responsibility of the private landowners and the state's surface 

 grazing leasee. If an action alternative is selected, then the 

 state would assume portions of this weed control responsibility. 

 The primary area of concern would be to chemically treat weeds along 

 the existing roads which would be used, to limit the potential for 

 those spot infestations to spread to new areas. Existing 

 infestations in any area of new construction would also be treated 

 chemically, prior to construction. 



Off road equipment would be pressure washed prior to delivery to the 

 site. Some of this equipment would do road work in areas of 

 existing infestations. When work was completed in those areas, the 

 machine would be hosed off to remove plant material, seeds and soil 

 which could be carrying seed, prior to moving the machine to a weed 

 free portion of the project area. 



Monitoring and chemical treatment of any new or persisting 

 infestations in the harvest areas and along the roads would take 

 place each year that the project is active, and for at least two 

 years after completion. Chemical applications would be done by 

 licensed applicators, in accordance with the labeled instructions. 



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