Forage availability and nutritional carrying capacity for cervids following prescribed fire and herbicide applications in young mixed-hardwood forest stands in the Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee

I evaluated the influence of timber harvest combined with prescribed fire and/or herbicide in young mixed-hardwood forest on forage availability and nutritional carrying capacity (NCC) for elk (Cervus elaphus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (WMA), July-August, 2013-15. I combined land cover data, forest management data, field management data, and forage availability data to model summer elk forage availability across the WMA. I compared forage availability, NCC (animal days/ha) using 12 and 14% crude protein (CP) nutritional constraints, and vegetation composition among 6 young forest treatments, reclaimed surface mines (MINE), and closed-canopy mature forest (MATFOR). Forage availability (kg/ha) in MATFOR and MINE was less than forage availability in all young forest treatments. Less forage was available in young forest stands that were treated with both fire and herbicide than forage availability in other young forest treatments. NCC estimates at the 12 and 14% CP constraint were greater in all young forest treatments and MINE than in MATFOR. Herbaceous species coverage in MINE and young forest treated with a combination of fire and herbicide was greater than all other young forest treatments and MATFOR, which did not differ. Woody species coverage was greater in MATFOR and untreated young forest than in all other young forest treatments and MINE. Woody species coverage was reduced most in young forest stands treated with both fire and herbicide and in MINE. Closed-canopy forest produced less summer elk forage (147 kg/ha) than all other land cover types across the WMA, but accounted for the largest percentage of land cover within 6 generated summer elk use-area buffers (69-94%) and across the WMA (80%). Young forest produced the most summer elk forage (1,116 kg/ha, 4,879,152 kg total) and outperformed the impact of wildlife openings (742 kg/ha, 215,024 kg total). My results indicate periodic prescribed fire will maintain increased forage availability and NCC for elk and deer in young mixed-hardwood forest stands across the eastern United States and converting closed-canopy forest to young forest through timber harvest is the most efficient method for increasing summer elk forage availability on the North Cumberland WMA