Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great Plains
ABSTRACT Across North America, incentive programs have assisted landholders with the construction of fences, often considered “wildlife friendly,” to assist in grazing management, which has resulted in a proliferation of fencing on the landscape. Many suggested “wildlife‐friendly” fence modification...
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Wiley
2020-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1067 |
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| author | Paul F. Jones Andrew F. Jakes Amanda M. MacDonald Jason A. Hanlon Daniel R. Eacker Brian H. Martin Mark Hebblewhite |
| author_facet | Paul F. Jones Andrew F. Jakes Amanda M. MacDonald Jason A. Hanlon Daniel R. Eacker Brian H. Martin Mark Hebblewhite |
| author_sort | Paul F. Jones |
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| description | ABSTRACT Across North America, incentive programs have assisted landholders with the construction of fences, often considered “wildlife friendly,” to assist in grazing management, which has resulted in a proliferation of fencing on the landscape. Many suggested “wildlife‐friendly” fence modifications have not been evaluated for their effectiveness on the targeted species or evaluated to assess consequences for nontarget species. We evaluated the effects of 2 modifications aimed to increase fence visibility (sage‐grouse [SAGR] reflectors and white polyvinyl chloride [PVC]) on the fence‐crossing behavior of 3 sympatric ungulates in the Northern Great Plains. We used trail cameras from 2016 to 2018 to capture images of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and white‐tailed deer (O. virginianus) at sites before and after fence sections were modified and compared crossing success by the 3 ungulates with that achieved at unchanged control sites. We used generalized linear modeling and a time‐to‐event approach to test the effect of fence modifications on ungulate crossing behavior. Our results showed that both SAGR reflectors and white PVC pipe did not impede fence‐crossing behaviors for either pronghorn or deer, nor was there a time lag in use of sites observed after modifications were deployed. Though we did not alter the height of the bottom wire, there was enough variability in bottom wire height between sites that our results indicate a greater probability of successful crossing by all 3 ungulates as bottom wire height increased. We recommend implementation of both SAGR reflectors and white PVC pipe because our results demonstrate no substantial unintended consequences on the crossing behavior of pronghorn and deer. © 2020 The Authors. Wildlife Society Bulletin published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-540ba9e69ee74804ae5bc4675afb0a4b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-540ba9e69ee74804ae5bc4675afb0a4b2025-08-20T02:36:22ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402020-03-0144113014110.1002/wsb.1067Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great PlainsPaul F. Jones0Andrew F. Jakes1Amanda M. MacDonald2Jason A. Hanlon3Daniel R. Eacker4Brian H. Martin5Mark Hebblewhite6Alberta Conservation Association 817 4th Avenue S #400 Lethbridge AB T1J 0P3 CanadaWildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USAAlberta Conservation Association 817 4th Avenue S #400 Lethbridge AB T1J 0P3 CanadaThe Nature Conservancy Matador Ranch 4883 Ranch Road Dodson MT 59524 USAWildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USAThe Nature Conservancy 32 S Ewing, Suite 215 Helena MT 59601 USAWildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USAABSTRACT Across North America, incentive programs have assisted landholders with the construction of fences, often considered “wildlife friendly,” to assist in grazing management, which has resulted in a proliferation of fencing on the landscape. Many suggested “wildlife‐friendly” fence modifications have not been evaluated for their effectiveness on the targeted species or evaluated to assess consequences for nontarget species. We evaluated the effects of 2 modifications aimed to increase fence visibility (sage‐grouse [SAGR] reflectors and white polyvinyl chloride [PVC]) on the fence‐crossing behavior of 3 sympatric ungulates in the Northern Great Plains. We used trail cameras from 2016 to 2018 to capture images of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and white‐tailed deer (O. virginianus) at sites before and after fence sections were modified and compared crossing success by the 3 ungulates with that achieved at unchanged control sites. We used generalized linear modeling and a time‐to‐event approach to test the effect of fence modifications on ungulate crossing behavior. Our results showed that both SAGR reflectors and white PVC pipe did not impede fence‐crossing behaviors for either pronghorn or deer, nor was there a time lag in use of sites observed after modifications were deployed. Though we did not alter the height of the bottom wire, there was enough variability in bottom wire height between sites that our results indicate a greater probability of successful crossing by all 3 ungulates as bottom wire height increased. We recommend implementation of both SAGR reflectors and white PVC pipe because our results demonstrate no substantial unintended consequences on the crossing behavior of pronghorn and deer. © 2020 The Authors. Wildlife Society Bulletin published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1067Antilocapra americanafence modificationmule deerNorthern Great PlainsOdocoileus hemionusOdocoileus virginianus |
| spellingShingle | Paul F. Jones Andrew F. Jakes Amanda M. MacDonald Jason A. Hanlon Daniel R. Eacker Brian H. Martin Mark Hebblewhite Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great Plains Wildlife Society Bulletin Antilocapra americana fence modification mule deer Northern Great Plains Odocoileus hemionus Odocoileus virginianus |
| title | Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great Plains |
| title_full | Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great Plains |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great Plains |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great Plains |
| title_short | Evaluating Responses by Sympatric Ungulates to Fence Modifications Across the Northern Great Plains |
| title_sort | evaluating responses by sympatric ungulates to fence modifications across the northern great plains |
| topic | Antilocapra americana fence modification mule deer Northern Great Plains Odocoileus hemionus Odocoileus virginianus |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1067 |
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