Thesis (M.S.)--Northwest Missouri State University, 2006. / The full text of the thesis is included in the pdf file. Title from title screen of full text.pdf file (viewed on January 28, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2005. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (85-92 leaves). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Graduation date: 1999

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2006. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-68). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1988. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The size of elk herds in Eastern Oregon has become a controversial issue. Trade-offs exist between the numbers of elk and domestic livestock on a given area of land, and also between elk and commercial timber harvesting policies. Disputes arise from differing views as to proper use of the natural resource base, specifically, public forested and grazing lands. Economic comparisons between elk and alternative uses of the land are complicated by the non-market nature of the elk resource, as this necessitates using a method to value the resource which may not be familiar to many decision makers. The objectives of this thesis were: (1) to analyze the demand for antlerless elk tags in eastern Oregon and to use the analysis to examine alternative pricing policies for allocating these antlerless tags, (2) to evaluate alternative elk management strategies from an economic perspective, and (3) to optimize societal benefits from the land base over time. Objective (1) was met by using the travel cost method. Results indicate that state hunting revenues would rise substantially if tag prices were increased so as to equilibrate quantities demanded and supplied. Objective (2) was met by using a computer simulation model to ascertain the impacts of harvesting and management policies upon the herd's stability and productivity. The results, placing emphasis on the antlerless animals, indicate that a slight reduction in current herd levels is economically desirable. This result is caused in part by the decreasing returns to scale from the elk herd as measured by total harvest per 1000 summer adult elk. Limitations of these conclusions with respect to bull elk demand are documented. Finally, objective (3) is met by formulating the dynamic relationships between elk, domestic livestock, and timber as a system of dynamic Lagrangian multipliers. This allows optimal inter-temporal allocation of resources by discounting future returns from these resources and equating marginal benefits of present and future use. The decision rules are examined, and economic implications of the multipliers are discussed. Although a theoretical model, some data is discussed, as are directions for future research. / Graduation date: 1983

Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2004. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Clayton B. Marlow. Includes bibliographical references (p. 49-53).

This research was conducted on three study areas on elk winter ranges in Northeast Oregon. One was on the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range and the others were in the same vicinity. Plant appendages, spring and fall defoliation and fall growth of bluebunch wheatgrass were evaluated in terms of quality of nutrient content during September through April of 1986-87 and 1987-88. Four treatments were applied. Plants were clipped to a 2.5 cm and 7.6 cm stubble height in the spring before the boot stage of phenological development; plants were clipped to a 7.6 cm stubble height in the fall after plant maturity in September; plants were not clipped during the year. Percent crude protein, dry matter digestibility (DMD), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and lignin were evaluated monthly. Samples from the four treatments were also analyzed from October to April to determine monthly changes in nutrient contents. Production of growth from all treatments was measured in October and March each year. Leaf material had higher percent crude protein and DMD, with lower percent ADF and lignin than the inflorescence and culm. The third leaf (the youngest plant material) had the highest nutrient value of all appendages. The culm and inflorescence values were not statistically different. Growth following spring defoliation treatments produced higher percent crude protein and DMD (P<.05), with a lower percent ADF and lignin than non-treated plants in both years. This was particularly pronounced during 1986 when precipitation in late summer initiated fall growth. Growth following spring defoliation and bluebunch wheatgrass not defoliated did not produce crude protein or DMD values sufficient to meet minimum dietary maintenance requirements for elk. Fall precipitation adequate to promote fall growth occurred only in 1986. Growth after fall defoliation had the highest percent crude protein and DMD with the lowest ADF and lignin values of all vegetation sampled. However, without 3-5 cm of late summer/early fall rains, fall growth does not occur. This happened in 1987. When growth does occur in fall the quality of the growth exceeds the minimum dietary maintenance requirements for elk. Freezing and thawing of fall growth plant material had minimal effect on forage quality. There were differences (P<.05) between the monthly values for percent crude protein and ADF starting in October and ending in April. However, the percent DMD and lignin from October to April were not different (P<.05). / Graduation date: 1993

Open grassland productivity was measured within adjacent East Kootenay range units to evaluate forage availability and calculate elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) and cattle (Bos taurus) sustainable carrying capacity targets. This research extends rangeland monitoring with an analysis of site differentiation and comparative grazing pressure to 2008 population estimates. Significant productivity differences were found between grass and shrubs for range units (p=0.024 and p<0.0001) and different biogeoclimatic zones (p=0.042 and p<0.0001). Notable grazing pressure distinctions occurred: cattle exceeded the Rampart Mayook carrying capacity, elk exceeded the Pickering Hills carrying capacity, and both species had sustainable populations within the Power Plant range unit. These results provide clear direction for stock management and offer valuable rangeland insight. Furthermore, the study introduces cover-percentage productivity estimation (CPPE), a simple grassland productivity assessment method. Pearson correlation coefficients were significant and high between productivity results and cover estimates, indicating that CPPE will be a useful field tool.