Vegetation Stagnation in Three-Phase Big Game Exclosures

Abstract

The allocation of range forage for deer and livestock is an important range management problem. Utilization of the three-phase exclosure technique for such evaluations is complicated by the response of plants to nonuse. Protection from browsing can cause "stagnation" to occur as early as the second year after the exclosure is established. Nonuse of bitterbush resulted in an average reduction in production of 70%. Temporary exclosures moved each year are required for accurately determining annual forage production.