Twenty miles southwest of Big Piney, Wyoming, sits an area of big game habitat identified by the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Habitat Project as needing enhancement because of a lack of young aspen growth and recruitment. The young aspen plant shortage had led to a decrease in undergrowth and overall health. During the 2025 field season, 180 acres of mixed conifer-aspen communities were mechanically treated using a cut and pile technique, supported by RMEF funding. These acres include a 15-acre unit that was treated to create a fuel break to carry out a broadcast burn during the 2026 field season.
An increase in stands containing young aspen will encourage the growth of diverse plant species, contributing to higher cover and productivity. Plant diversity is good for elk health, and the quality of aspen habitat can influence the number of offspring born into a population. Healthy aspen stands provide food, along with cover from predators and the elements. Quality aspen habitat is also attractive to other big game, migratory birds and insects.
This Wyoming Range Mule Deer Habitat Project is a cooperative project between the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) and the Bureau of Land Management-Pinedale Field Office and was developed after public input. Locals requested WGFD to increase coordination with federal agencies to implement habitat treatments as part of the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Initiative.
From 2008 to 2010, habitat assessments were conducted on critical habitat zones to prioritize certain areas for vegetation treatment. In 2012, WGFD proposed approximately 40,000 acres of treatments to the BLM land after National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis to assess the environmental effects before making decisions. Designed to be a landscape-scale project, implementation began in 2014 to stimulate more productive aspen habitat for elk, mule deer and other wildlife across 30,000 acres to date. This phase of the project focused efforts on continued improvement in aspen communities that have progressed away from ideal conditions due to high conifer tree dominance.
For elk and other big game, these are typically the first forested habitats they encounter when moving from winter range. Healthy aspen stands and mixed forests can provide ideal birthing and rearing habitat. With the completion of this phase of the project, the intended purpose is to create a mix of young to mature plant communities across the landscape to promote higher quality forage. This will better meet the seasonal demands of wildlife that utilize the area. RMEF supports boots-on-the-ground projects like this that produce real results in enhancing quality habitat, benefitting elk, mule deer and other big game.