Wheat Creek Meadows Wildlife Habitat Area (WCM) is a 1600 acre wildlife habitat area acquired by the BLM through a land exchange in 1988. It lies 15 miles north of Kemmerer, Wyoming on the south end of the Wyoming Range. The property has two perennial streams, Wheat and West Willow Creeks. The main goal for WCM was to provide protection of wildlife habitat and wetlands with special emphasis on maximizing the potential for wildlife species production and diversity. The area provides habitat for many Special Status Species including the sage grouse, white-faced ibis, sage sparrow, sage thrasher, loggerhead shrike, Brewer’s sparrow, pygmy rabbit; and possibly even the Idaho pocket gopher, yellow-billed cuckoo, northern leopard frog, great basin spadefoot, boreal toad, and spotted frog. Most of WCM was fenced in 1993 and 1994 except for about 1.5 miles along the north property boundary. The goal was to exclude livestock to maximize the quantity and quality of the forage for wildlife. A wetland enhancement project was constructed in 1998 to improve habitat for many different species of wildlife. Partners involved in project design and funding included DU, IWJV, WFW, and the NFWF. A total of $332,279 was spent to construct 32 acres of wetlands for wildlife. The main part of the project was the creation of seven approximately two-acre ponds on Wheat and Willow Creeks, and one eleven-acre brood pond on Willow Creek. Every year cattle trespass into the WCM area, most likely through the fenceless area on the north side. However, the current fencing is now 14 years old and is in bad need of repair, which may also contribute to the problem. The goal of this project is to hire a fencing contractor to complete the 1.5 miles of fence, and fix the necessary portions on the rest of the approximately 8 miles of fence.
2008 Update: This project involved building an exclosure fence around approximately 1,600 acres (JA) to provide protection of wildlife habitat and wetlands with special emphasis on maximizing the potential for wildlife species production and diversity. The area provides habitat for many Special Status Species including the sage grouse, white-faced ibis, sage sparrow, sage thrasher, loggerhead shrike, Brewer’s sparrow, pygmy rabbit; and possibly even the Idaho pocket gopher, yellow-billed cuckoo, northern leopard frog, great basin spadefoot, boreal toad, and spotted frog. Fencing the area also protects a wetland enhancement project constructed in 1998 to improve habitat for many different species of wildlife.
2009 Update: The wildlife habitat area was fenced in 1993 except for 1.5 miles along the north property boundary; this portion of the fence was never completed. The fence was built to exclude livestock to maximize the quantity and quality of the forage for wildlife on 1600 acres of important wildlife habitat. The goal of this project is to hire a fencing contractor to complete the 1.5 miles of fence, and fix the necessary portions of the aging 8 miles of fence.
