Certainly. Many of these species, including the burrowing owl, the Richardson's ground squirrel, or the common pest we call a gopher, prefer grazed-off land so they can see predators coming—issues like that. They certainly don't survive in ungrazed conditions where the grass is tall; they don't feel comfortable there. When you look at elk and deer, for instance, they prefer conditioned ranges that have been grazed and will have lush, green grass this time of year, and have a nice carry-over for the wintertime that isn't old and decadent—four or five years' worth of old grass that isn't nutritious and useful to them. They prefer our winter and spring pastures, and get along quite well in hayfields as well. Ungulates are smart and very adaptive animals. As far and elk and deer go, they go to where the best available and most succulent grazing is. They will follow the cattle around. That's where they are going to be.
On May 17th, 2012. See this statement in context.