ABSTRACT
Abstract .................................................................................................................. 129 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 130 Southeastern Oregon .............................................................................................. 131 Sage-Grouse and the Disconnect between Management and Research ................. 131 Livestock Grazing and Sage-Grouse ...................................................................... 132 Feral Horses and Burros ......................................................................................... 136 Politics versus Science ........................................................................................... 137 Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 138 References .............................................................................................................. 139
grazing, especially on public lands where the vast majority of sage-grouse habitat remains, is at least qualitatively, a major driver in the downturn of sage-grouse populations and habitat. Curiously, however, many research investigations, along with a major contemporary monograph on sage-grouse biology, ecology, and conservation, have failed to make a direct and quantitative link between livestock grazing on public lands and the decline in sage-grouse numbers. In this chapter, I explore some of the possible reasons for this disconnect that I base on more than šfty years of observing sage-grouse populations, as well as their leks, and their habitat.
