12/04/2022
Do Wild Grazers Prefer Recent Burns?
Pyric Herbivory: Instinctual foraging driven by high-quality regrowth after recent fire.
- Shifts use by wildlife and livestock.
- Provides rest to unburned areas and waterways.
- Creates habitat variability for other wildlife.
White-tailed Deer
In burned areas, roundhead lespedeza was grazed and purple prairie clover was preferred while both were avoided in unburned areas. Percent of plants grazed was higher in burned areas than unburned (Nisi et al. 2015).
Elk
Up to 1 year after fire, elk use days on burned areas increased by an average of 94 while elk use days on unburned areas decreased by an average of 69. (van D**e & Darragh 2007)
Mule Deer
Selected for prescribed burns in almost all seasons with greater selection for more recent burns (
