Rangeland Wildlife

Idaho is home to iconic symbols of rangelands like the Greater sage grouse and pronghorn as well as many other species that call rangelands home or pass through. Rangelands must be managed in a way that recognizes these species’ needs as well as the multiple uses that occur on these lands. Stakeholders identified needs for coordination of additional research emphasizing the social, economic, and ecological interconnections among wildlife and rangeland communities, continued work on communication via education and outreach, and improved collaboration on developing policies and implementing management actions related to rangeland wildlife. 

Project list

Idaho Sage-grouse and Spring Grazing Study

Project Leads: Courtney Conway (IDFWCU), Karen Launchbaugh (UI-CNR), Paul Makela (BLM), Shane Roberts (IDFG), Dave Musil (IDFG) 

Non-target effects of the herbicide Indaziflam on sage-grouse preferred forbs and habitat use, and small mammal populations

Project Leads: Tracey Johnson (UI-CNR), Tim Prather (UI Extension), Kirby Lau* (UI-CNR)

Tree removal in sagebrush habitat: implications for the songbird community – BOSH project

Project Leads: Tracey Johnson (UI-CNR), Aaron Young* (UI-CNR) 

Livestock grazing and chukar habitat: synthesis of impacts and opportunities

Project Leads: Tracey Johnson (UI-CNR), Colter Rowe* (UI-CNR) 

Sage-grouse habitat use and demographic response to landscape dynamics (Owyhee Uplands) 

Project Leads: Tracey Johnson (UI-CNR), Peter Coates (USGS) 

Multi-scale habitat characteristics and cavity nester occupancy: impacts of climate change on owl distribution

Keri Vierling (UI-CNR), Tracey Johnson (UI-CNR), Kassandra Townsend* (UI-CNR)

Publications

Visit the University of Idaho VERSO page for a full list of Rangeland Wildlife publications from Rangeland Center Members

  • Conway, C. J., Tisdale, C. A., Launchbaugh, K. L., Stevens, B. S., Overlie, G. E., Eigenbrode, S. D., Makela, P. D., & Roberts, S. B. (2025). The Grouse and Grazing Project: Effects of cattle grazing on demographic traits of greater sage-grouse (, Ill.). U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. https://doi.org/10.3996/css82003131
  • Wilmer, H., Spiess, J., Clark, P. E., Anderson, M., Burns, A., Crootof, A., Fanok, L., Hruska, T., Mincher, B. J., Miller, R. S., Munger, W., Posbergh, C. J., Wilson, C. S., Winford, E., Windh, J., Strong, N., Eve, M., & Taylor, J. B. (2025). Collaborative Adaptive Management in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: A Rangeland Living Laboratory at the US Sheep Experiment Station. Sustainability, 17(7), . https://doi.org/10.3390/su17073086
  • Wann, G. T., Whipple, A. L., Orning, E. K., McLachlan, M. M., Beck, J. L., Coates, P. S., Conway, C. J., Dinkins, J. B., Johnston, A. N., Hagen, C. A., Makela, P. D., Naugle, D. E., Schroeder, M. A., Sedinger, J. S., Walker, B. L., Williams, P. J., Inman, R. D., & Aldridge, C. L. (2025). Greater sage‐grouse seasonal habitat associations: A review and considerations for interpretation and management applications. The Journal of Wildlife Management, . https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.70022
  • Young, A. C., Katzner, T. E., Shinneman, D. J., & Johnson, T. N. (2023). Implications of tree expansion in shrubland ecosystems for two generalist avian predators. PloS One, 18(6), e0286478–e0286478. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286478
  • Pilliod, D. S., Beck, J. L., Duchardt, C. J., Rachlow, J. L., & Veblen, K. E. (2022). Leveraging Rangeland Monitoring Data for Wildlife: From Concept to Practice. Rangelands, 44(1), 87–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.09.005