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Cattle-Deer Interactions in the Sierra Nevada: A Bioeconomic Approach

1991; University of Arizona; Volume: 44; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/4002407

2162-2728

John B. Loomis, Eric R. Loft, Douglas Updike, John G. Kie,

Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock

Four potential cattle grazing systems on summer range in the Sierra Nevada are compared in terms of deer harvest, number of bunters attracted, and the net economic vaIue of hunting.Research on deer carrying capacity response to different 3-year rest rotation grazing patterns indicates continuous moderate grazing provides 82% of the potential deer carrying capacity.A 2-years-off, l-yearon grazing system provides 94% of potential deer carrying capacity.The increase in carrying capacity associated with grazing 1 year in 3 could increase buck harvest by 200 animals in the Sierra Nevada's hunt zone D5.Change in deer harvest in the previous year is one of the key variables in a model that determines the ottactiveness of hunt zones to California deer hunters.The model predicts that increasing buck harvest by 200 deer in hunt zone DS results in 2,721 more hunters visiting this zone each year.This translates into nearly 11,835 more trips.The net economic value of these additional hunters is determhted based on a simulated market approach.Using the value from the hunter survey, the annual increase in hunting value is S2.3 million.The present value of this change over each lyear rest-rotation cycle is S6.5 million using a 4% discount rate.The incremental benefits of deer hunting gained under the 2-years-off, l-year-on grazing system is greater than the lost net economic value of the forage to the rancher as computed by USDA Economic Research Service.