Research looks at relocation as a management strategy for mitigating bird depredation Kristen Amicarelle, a graduate research assistant at Colorado State University (CSU)-Pueblo, spent a year and a half working with producers across Wyoming to study the effectiveness of relocating golden eagles as a management strategy for mitigating sheep depredation. On Dec. 4, 2023, during the Wyoming Stock Growers Association Winter Roundup Convention and Trade Show, Amicarelle presented her research to those in attendance. Finding a solution for rising depredation To begin, Amicarelle noted sheep depredation by golden eagles has been increasingly reported by Wyoming producers over the last decade and has only continued to rise in recent years. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service, over $700,000 in herd damages were caused by eagles in 2022, and Amicarelle explained many experts suspect depredation has increased because of modern challenges eagles face, including lack of prey due to habitat fragmentation and human development. “We also know there is a substantial nonmigratory breeding population of golden eagles in Wyoming, so that could be a contributing factor as well,” she stated. “Golden eagles are not only federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, they also have their own policy – the Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940,” she continued. “Relocation management strategies have recently been brought back into the spotlight because they may be the only means to offset sheep depredation in the state.” Amicarelle explained her project set out to modernize research conducted by Robert Phillips of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in the late 1980s, in which 14 adult golden eagles were relocated, 12 of which returned to their former territories in a short 11 to 14 days. Through their own research, the CSU team hoped to understand golden eagle movement, particularly after relocation, predicting age and how distance of relocation would impact return rates. “Golden eagles reach breeding maturity around four to five years of age, and they return to the same place they breed every year,” Amicarelle said. “Adults are likely to return in a short amount of time, whereas younger birds haven’t established their
breeding territories yet so data to find areas with conthey are not likely to return centrated densities of jack to the ranch. Instead, they rabbits, cottontails, prairie will exhibit more explor- dogs and Wyoming ground atory behavior.” squirrels – common prey Studying the effectiveness species of golden eagles of relocation – as well as eagle nesting Before Amicarelle sites. could put her boots on the “I wanted to conground to test these theo- sider bird-to-bird conflict, ries, she wanted to under- human conflict and the stand golden eagle habitat available opportunities for to ensure relocation sites a bird to adjust to their reloprovided ample resources cation – would they be able and opportunities for the to hunt, perch and rest?” birds to thrive. she asked. “I also wanted She began by using the to consider distance from Wyoming National Diver- other sheep operations, oil sityColyer Database and U.S. FWS Please see BIRDS4:15 on page Herefords CA_2024.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/23 PM B6 Page 1
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12:30 P.M. MST ~ AT THE RANCH, BRUNEAU, IDAHO
~ OFFERING 250 BULLS & 45 FEMALES ~
Horned Hereford, Polled Hereford & Angus | Two-Year-Olds, Senior Yearlings and Yearlings
C CUDA BELL 3010
LOT 6
LOT 17
LOT 55
AHA 44471065
AHA 44471102
AHA 44471172
CED 12.2 BW -1.7 WW 63 YW 97 MM 44 REA 0.85 MARB 0.49 CHB 180
CED 5.6 BW 2.7 WW 65 YW 101 MM 32 REA 0.74 MARB 0.49 CHB 173
CED 5.7 BW 4.3 WW 62 YW 102 MM 26 REA 0.88 MARB 0.19 CHB 144
C GUARDIAN 3049 ET
C CJC 4264 ADVANCE 3125 ET
A sure fire heifer bull and a 57 pound actual with a great calving ease figure. He also excels with elite marbling, ribeye and $CHB combined with plenty of growth. We sold his sire to ABS and his dam is a first calf heifer by the young performance giant Belle Heir.
This is a perfect blend of genetics with the power and performance of Guardian and the moderate maternal young donor 0119. All of the indicators lead you to believe this young sire has everything a cattlemen is searching for. Top shelf carcass genetics and maternal quality with the color and pigment.
This will be the lead off bull in our 2024 Denver pen. He already has a win under his belt as he was named the 2023 Champion Horned Bull in Reno. He has the look and color pattern of a herd bull with so much power and performance. His mother 4264 is also the mother of herd sire Belle Heir, Real Deal, and grandmother of Guardian.
LOT 45
LOT 20
LOT 80
AHA 44471156
AHA 44471109
AHA 44475885
CED 6.9 BW 1.1 WW 64 YW 95 MM 35 REA 0.68 MARB 0.54 CHB 147
CED 0.4 BW 4.1 WW 73 YW 106 MM 40 REA 0.79 MARB 0.29 CHB 136
CED 8 BW 0.3 WW 62 YW 96 MM 37 REA 0.84 MARB 0.12 CHB 150
C CUDA VALIDATE 3108
C GUARDIAN 3056
C REIGN MAKER 3210 ET
This is one that we have been excited about all summer and he continues to impress. These Barracuda bulls are incredible but this sire is double bred for IMF being out of a Validated daughter who is a trait leader for carcass quality. He puts this together with low birth high calving ease indicators and has the pigment and look.
Here is a Denver pen bull with as much real muscle and shape as any. Dark red color with loads of pigment and one of the first Guardian sons to sell. This will be one of the top horned bull calves for sale this season.
We are very excited about this one and feel he has the opportunity to be as good as any we have produced. His donor dam 1311 has produced over 1.6 million dollars in progeny and is also the mother of Arlo who was the top selling bull and lead off bull in our Denver pen. He truly has it all with elite phenotype and EPD’s that offer calving ease, performance, maternal and carcass all in one.
LOT 75
LOT 137
LOT 139
AHA 44471236
AAA 20686554
AAA 20686557
BW 0.6 WW 81 YW 141 SC 1.26 CEM 12 MILK 29 $W 82 $F 91 $G 82 $B 173 $C 314
BW -0.3 WW 76 YW 135 SC 0.98 CEM 16 MILK 38 $W 95 $F 88 $G 99 $B 173 $C 319
C 0195 0061 3195 ET
CED -1.3 BW 4.8 WW 76 YW 115 MM 36 REA 0.47 MARB 0.23 CHB 118
This Denver pen bull offers some outcross genetics and still has some of our most elite donors in his pedigree. He is a bold ribbed, easy fleshing sire that looks like he will pass on maternal and carcass traits.
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C RESILIENT 3020 ET
This is the ideal combination of power and performance with carcass traits and maternal values. He has all the muscle and bone you could hope for in a bull who has a 1.22 Marbling and well over a 300 $C. He is an ET calf from our strongest cow families.
C 0069 WHITEWATER 3023 ET
This ET bull calf and his full brothers have been standouts all summer and fall. His combination of calving ease and performance with phenotype and carcass traits place him in elite company. Over a 1.00 for both Marbling and REA and over a 300 $C but still the kind you enjoy to look at.
Guy, Sherry and Katie Colyer, 208.845.2313 Kyle, 208.250.3924 • Guy cell: 208.599.0340 email: guy@hereford.com • Fax: 208.845.2314
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