MDF Projects

Garfield Creek State Wildlife Area Habitat Improvement Project

In 1981 the Colorado Division of Wildlife purchased a large piece of some of the finest mule deer habitat in the state. Garfield Creek State Wildlife Area is located south of the town of New Castle. The wildlife area is just less than 13,200 acres set aside for mule deer, elk and a host of other wildlife species.

The wildlife area is comprised of two separate parcels of land. The lower parcel at 5,900 feet in elevation provides winter range for big game animals in sage brush habitat. The higher elevation parcel, known as the Baldy Creek Tract, climbs to over 10,000 feet in elevation and is lush with aspen groves and evergreens. With its vast habitat variety, the Garfield Creek State Wildlife Area is one of a few wildlife areas that can provide year round habitat for deer and elk.

Garfield Creek was purchased with sportsmen’s dollars and it is managed for wildlife with sportsmen in mind. The area is open for hunting through all of the regular big game seasons. To protect wintering big game animals, it is closed to all human activity from Dec. 1 through July 15. This allows deer and elk undisturbed access to quality winter range and fawning and calving grounds. It also keeps the animals undisturbed and off of nearby Interstate 70 and surrounding agricultural lands. Spring turkey hunting is the only exception to the closure. Turkey hunters with a valid license are allowed to enter the State Wildlife Area during the spring turkey season.

As with much of the West, the winter range on Garfield Creek State Wildlife Area has been experiencing some habitat degradation due to pinyon and juniper encroachment and aging stands of sage. Division of Wildlife District Managers and Wildlife Technicians had several projects planned to address the habitat changes, but funding for the projects was difficult to obtain. DOW looked outside the agency for assistance and the Colorado Mule Deer Foundation and the Colorado Wildlife Federation stepped forward to help. In 2006 the organizations financed a major habitat project with contributions of $11,000 each.

The 2006 winter range habitat project had three main goals:

• Push back some of the encroaching pinyon and juniper
• Rejuvenate some of the old growth sage to make it beneficial to mule deer
• Clear the sage in some areas and plant food plots

Lance Armstrong of Enviro Land Management LLC was hired to conduct the project using a piece of machinery known as a hydro-axe. The versatility of the machine allowed for pinyon-juniper clearing, sage mowing, and sage removal with one implement. In the areas that were fairly flat the sage was mowed to the ground in preparation for seeding. Other areas were mowed to 8" to 10" high to promote re-growth of palatable sage. Pinyon and juniper trees were also mowed to the ground leaving only small chips and debris behind the hydro-axe. The re-growth sage and the pinyon-juniper treatment were accomplished in a mosaic pattern. In all, 39 acres of pinyon-juniper were removed and 47.5 acres of sage was treated or removed.

DOW wildlife technicians moved in after the hydro-axe to seed the food plots. Using a range drill, a 60/40 mixture of legumes and grass was planted. The use of the drill allowed planting without soil disturbance. Because the hydro-axe is a rubber tired implement and no tilling was done, the seed mix should be able to get a good start ahead of any invading cheat grass that might move in to compete with more desirable vegetation. The plots were planted late in the fall so that the seeds will germinate in the spring to take full advantage of winter and spring moisture.

Due to the generosity of conservation groups like the Mule Deer Foundation, the crucial winter range of the area is being vastly improved. More sage and pinyon-juniper work will be done in 2007 and some Gambel’s Oak treatment and water development projects will also be undertaken because of sportsmen's organizations. The Colorado Division of Wildlife looks forward to partnering with the Mule Deer Foundation in the years ahead to insure the health and growth of the state of Colorado's mule deer populations.

Colorado Division of Wildlife employees who have participated in carrying out this project include former District Wildlife Manager Perry Will, current District Wildlife Manager Will Spence, and Wildlife Technician Buddy McNeel. These men have dedicated their lives to being stewards for wildlife and they look forward to continuing to work with sportsmen to "Keep Colorado Wild."

Editor's note: Encana Oil and Gas, Inc. also made a $10,000 conservation partnership donation to this project.

The seed mix:
15% small burnet
15% sain foin
25% alfalfa
5% cicer milkvetch

10% slender wheat grass
10% wild rye
10% Siberian wheat grass
10% sheep fescue

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