Ring Mountain Water Development Project

Persistence and Perseverance allows Laramie’s Snowy Range Chapter to complete a habitat improvement project in their neck of the woods

By Ed Elliott, Jan. 2008

Sometimes seeing a project through to completion takes time. This all started in the summer of 2005 when Ed Elliott was talking to a Wyoming Game and Fish officer, Bill Hailey, about finding a project near Laramie, Wyo., in which the Snowy Range Chapter could allocate its Chapter Rewards.

After explaining to Bill Hailey how the Chapter Rewards Program works for local chapters, Bill indicated he could possibly have a great project that would really help mule deer on Ring Mountain. Bill explained there was a water source that ran all year long but had not been kept up for several years. The area cattle had used and damaged the area’s water source. The project Bill Hailey was proposing was a water development project that would provide mule deer in the area with a permanent water source if the chapter volunteers were interested. The chapter agreed and decided to pursue this project by taking a look.

A meeting was then set with Bill Hailey (Wyoming Game and Fish), Rick Straw (Wyoming Game and Fish Biologist), and Ed Elliott (MDF Snowy Range Chairman). The three traveled to the proposed project site and to see what Bill had in mind. Bill then invited Ed to meet with Rick to further discuss the project and the funds available to complete the work.

Rick Straw also thought others should get involved. The group had grown from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to include BLM and USFS representatives as well as MDF Regional Director, Bob Meulengracht. After several meetings, the group was finally able to visit the site in the summer of 2006. All agreed this would be a good project to benefit mule deer, and a plan was devised to move forward.

Early in the spring of 2007, Rick Straw and a representative of the Conservation District took the "buck by the horns” (so to speak) and went to the project site with a back hoe. The main pond was dug down and out. The spring pipe was rerouted to allow the main pond to have water and was routed down the side hill to a holding tank (a tractor tire) provided by the conservation district, so the cattle would also have ready access to water. They were also able to dig another small pond so as the water tank over flows the water can be held as another water source for the area wildlife.

Volunteers of MDF’s Snowy Range Chapter then took over and built a buck and pole fence around both ponds to allow mule deer access to the water but keep area cattle out. To allow mule deer access, a single rail was placed on one area of the fence to allow mule deer and other wildlife easy access to the water source area. This will also keep cattle out of the area so mule deer will have an area for fawning. After the fences were complete, the USFS provided the Chapter with a mixture of seeds. All work sites were seeded to ensure the growth of native forbs and grasses the following spring. Ed Elliott checked the area several times over the summer and fall for evidence of mule deer use and to make sure cattle were not able to enter. Wow! What a difference this has made.

This was a great project to be able to fund and help put together. It gave Snowy Range Chapter members a great sense of accomplishment and pride upon its completion. Snowy Range Chapter members who helped included Ed Elliott, Bill Nielson, Warren Loendorf, Clark Guenther, Bill Curran, Rhonda Huffsmith, Lance Novak, Dillon Elliott, Leah Elliott and Kenny Haefele.

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