Court reinstates road ban in national forests

[robescc]

More of my thoughts. I think it is bs to think that the lack of clearcuts affect the population of deer and elk.  The reason people think this is because the are not as easy to spot from the road.  Get out of your truck and walk your fat ass up the hill and you will see more game than you think.

I call BS on that point of view.

[280ackley]

I am not sure if you guys are lost or its just me.   

It's you.  The Forest Service manages the National Forests.  And yes new clearcuts affect deer and elk populations for the better.

[280ackley]

The article is about the national forests which are parks.
Just my 

National Parks are parks, National Forests are forests that are mandated by Congress to be managed for "Multiple Use".  However I can see how one can be confused, National Forests are managed now more like parks.

[whacker1]

I am not sure if you guys are lost or its just me.  

It's you.  The Forest Service manages the National Forests.  And yes new clearcuts affect deer and elk populations for the better.

Agreed - clear cuts and thinning provide way more feed than stands of timber.  

Part of the reason the Mt. St. Helens herd is having issues is that all of the timbers in the blast zone is the same age.  28 years to date after replanting.  The area needs to be thinned and some modest clear cuts would provide more of the feed need to sustain the herd through the entire year.

[robescc]

I was wrong about the forest service and national forest.  I am an idiot.
I don't think I am wrong on the clearcuts to help population.  The Forest service is also fixing roads.  I can name a dozen that was fixed this summer alone.

[luvtohnt]

http://www.clemson.edu/extfor/timber_production/fortp19.htm
http://orforests.com/assets/flow/forests/habitat_cycle.htm
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr494.pdf

Some info on clear cutting, and how it relates to wildlife habitat. If done properly it is a great tool. The problem in today's modern world is everyone is out to maximize profits. With that said the recent clear cutting I have seen is done so horribly that they actually degrade the habitat. 

Brandon

[Houndhunter]

clear cuts = more feed, if you acutually hunt you would know that. its common sense, i dont need some science and info to tell me that. i wish they would still burn the cuts like they used to after they logged, but thats bad for the enviroment

[Buckhunter24]

I was wrong about the forest service and national forest.  I am an idiot.
I don't think I am wrong on the clearcuts to help population.  The Forest service is also fixing roads.  I can name a dozen that was fixed this summer alone.

Im pretty sure that early succession plant/tree species provide much more browse for deer/elk. Limiting the amount of food limits the population bottom line. Since we suppress fire so heavily we need logging for healthy forests. Forest service land is almost all late succession stands of timber that dont provide browse because of fire suppression/lack of logging. The problem is the USFS is too big and too set in their ways to listen to reason.

Anyone know if there is any plan to fix the FS road off the end of Pleasant Valley? I think its FS 41...

[Buckhunter24]

clear cuts = more feed, if you acutually hunt you would know that. its common sense, i dont need some science and info to tell me that. i wish they would still burn the cuts like they used to after they logged, but thats bad for the enviroment

Haha yah I spent the last 2 springs and falls broadcast burning over in Idaho. The elk love to come in after it cools and roll around and lick the ash... not sure why. But apparently WA decided that its bad for the environment

[whacker1]

my understanding is that the elk lick the ash and soot for salt.

[logger]

The f.s. does't have to go back to what they did in the hey day , but for *censored*s sake do something to justify there job. Somebody can't remember who did a study to find out what happened to all the elk in the gifford pinchot around packwood and ashford 1.7 mill and 3 years later no logging = no animals for the most part anyways. And they won't fix pleasant valley rd. the *censored*s don't have a reason to go up there so they won't fix it unless the want to study why the bull prick jumped the heifer shaft then they will fix it.

[bonkellekter]

Some info on clear cutting, and how it relates to wildlife habitat. If done properly it is a great tool. The problem in today's modern world is everyone is out to maximize profits. With that said the recent clear cutting I have seen is done so horribly that they actually degrade the habitat. 

Brandon

There has got to be a balance - we need roadless habitat - we need timber and roads to harvest the timber. I like the Idea of re-claimed roads, this allows for timber harvesting which helps to poduce necessary types of vegetation to sustain the elk population. Both old growth and new growth offer necessities for good elk/deer habitat. It is one of those things that cannot afford to be over-controlled or under-controlled. As a hunter I need large areas of roadless land to get away from the crowd and really hunt. But a large area of land that cannot sustain a healthy population is basically worthless.

[Houndhunter]

But a large area of land that cannot sustain a healthy population is basically worthless.

and thats what sucks, thats why i wish they would do some heli cuts still; no roads, no people, and lots of animals

[Special T]

But that would make too much sense hound hunter!

[280ackley]

Way too much sense.  They would rather be a black hole for tax dollars insted of not needing any or very little from he tax payers.