The ecology of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the Sun River area of Montana with special
reference to summer food habits and range movements
by Glenn Lee Erickson
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE in Fish and Wildlife Management
Montana State University
© Copyright by Glenn Lee Erickson (1972)
Abstract:
A study was conducted in the Sun River area of westcentral Montana during summer and winter to
obtain quantitative data on the daily and seasonal movements and range use habits of bighorn sheep.
Vegetation was classified as to seven major habitat types: bunchgrass, old burn, rocky reef,
Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, quaking aspen and lodgepole/aspen. Percent canopy coverages and
frequencies of occurrence of low-growing taxa were determined for five types. Sex and age
composition of the herd was determined from 5,165 observations of the same individuals. Numbers per
100 ewes for rams, lambs and yearlings were 45, 55 and 37 in summer and 27, 40 and 23 in winter,
respectively. Mean group sizes were similar for winter and summer. Group constancy was determined
from the analyses of 326 associations of bighorn sheep. Over 50 percent of the coefficients' of
association were .50 or less, indicating there was no great attraction between any two individuals.
Range use was determined by recording the locations of 3,112 and 1,030 bighorn sheep during winter
and summer, respectively. Use during winter of bunchgrass, rocky reef and old burn habitat types
appeared to be related to availability. Percentage distribution of the observations for these types in
summer was 24, 55 and 17, respectively. South exposures received 84 percent of the use during winter
and 73 percent in summer. The interspersion of rocky terrain with the various habitat types influenced
significantly the use of types and various portions of the range. The percent of bighorn sheep
observations that were within 150 yards of rocky terrain was 66 and 70 for winter and summer,
respectively. The mean" elevation for all observations in winter was 5,045 feet while that in summer
was 6,508 feet.
The winter home range for each of 41 marked bighorn sheep was determined by using the center of
activity and standard diameter.
Pooled standard diameters in each of three wintering areas were 1.48, 1.56 and 1.37 miles. The summer
distribution of bighorn sheep from the three wintering areas was described from relocations of 31
marked animals. Bighorn sheep moved longer distances within home ranges in summer than in winter.
Distances between consecutive relocations averaged .67 and 1.78 miles in winter and summer,
respectively. Summer food habits were determined by examination of 14 feeding sites. Grass and
grass-like plants and forbs together respectively constituted 79, 67 and 94 percent of the summer diet in
old burn, bunchgrass and rocky reef habitat types. The forage class receiving the greatest usage in each
type was also the most abundant. It was recommended that the present hunting district be sub-divided
into four hunting units. In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the require­
ments for an advanced degree at Montana State University, I agree that
the Library■shall make it freely available for inspection.
I further
agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for schol­
arly purposes may be granted by my major professor; or, in his absence
by the Director of Libraries.
It is understood that any copying or
publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed
without my written permission.
Signature
Date
Or
y
/ 9 7X
THE ECOLOGY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP IN THE
SUN RIVER AREA OF MONTANA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE
TO SUMMER FOOD HABITS AND RANGE MOVEMENTS
by
GLENN LEE ERICKSON
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
Fish and Wildlife Management
Head, Major Department
Chairman, Examining CdmmTtt
Graduate Dean
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, Montana
June, 1972
-— ''''Co
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
To the following, among others, the author wishes to express his
sincere appreciation for their contributions to this study; Dr. Don
C . Quimby, Montana State University, who directed the study and aided
in preparation of the manuscript; Drs. Robert L. Eng and Richard J.
Graham, Montana State University, for reviewing the manuscript; Dr. -W.
E. Booth, Montana State University, for aid in identification of plant
species from the study area; Mr. Kenneth Greer, Montana Fish and Game
Department Laboratory Supervisor, for use of the lab facilities; Mr.
Allen Schallenberger, Montana Fish and Game Department, District 4,
for initial project planning and field assistance; Mr. Bert Goodman,
Sun River Game Range Manager, for use of facilities and assistance;
personnel of Augusta District and Teton District, Lewis and Clark
National Forest for use of facilities and cooperation.
The author
was supported by the Montana Fish and Game Department under Federal
Aid Projects W-120-R-2 and W-I2O-R-3 during the study.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
VITA .. . . . . . . . . .
ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT . . .
ill
TABLE OF CONTENTS .,
iv
LIST OF TABLES _ _ _
vi
LIST OF FIGURES ....
ABSTRACT . . . . . .
viii
ix
I
METHODS .........................
4
DESCRIPTION OF AREA .............
6
Vegetation . . . . . . . . .
8
Bunohgrass Type ...
Rooky Reef Type ....
Subalpine Subtype
Alpine Subtype ................................
Old Burn Type ...................................
Beargrass Subtype ..........................
Grass-Forb Subtype ..........
Quaking Aspen Type .................'.............
Lodgepole Fine Type .............................
Lodgepole-Aspen Type ....................
Douglas-fir Type .............................
KO KO KO
INTRODUCTION ............................
12
12
12
12
.14
14
14
14
POPULATION STRUCTURE .......
16
RANGE USE . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summer . . .
22
24
V
>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
MOVEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summer . . . . . . . !. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aberrant Movements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Factors Influencing Movements . . . . . .
27
27
29
• 31
32
FOOD HABITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
33
RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . .
37
APPENDIX . . . . .
38
LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . . .
49
vi
. LIST OF TABLES
Table
1.
.
Page
PERCENT CANOPY COVERAGE, FREQUENCY AND CONSTANCY OF LOWGROWING TAXA IN EACH OF SEVEN HABITAT TYPES OR SUBTYPES
AS DETERMINED BY EXAMINATION OF 40, 2 X 5 DECIMETER
PLOTS AT EACH OF 16 SITES ....... ........................
10
SEX AND AGE COMPOSITION OF. BIGHORN SHEEP AS DETERMINED
FROM 5,165 OBSERVATIONS OF THE SAME INDIVIDUALS ...... .
18
NUMBER PER 100 EWES FOR RAMS, LAMBS AND YEARLINGS IN
THREE MAJOR WINTERING AREAS DURING DECEMBER, 1970.AND
1971 COMBINED ........................... .................
19
MEAN SEASONAL COEFFICIENTS OF ASSOCIATION OF MARKED
BIGHORN SHEEP AND PERCENTAGES IN FIVE FREQUENCY CLASSES
FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY, 1969-MARCH, 1972 ................. .
21
PERCENT OF BIGHORN SHEEP OBSERVED IN EACH OF FOUR
HABITAT TYPES FOR EACH OF FOUR WINTERING AREAS ...........
23
MEAN AND EXTREME ELEVATIONS FOR 3,610 OBSERVATIONS OF ■
BIGHORN SHEEP AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION FOR EACH OF .
FIVE ELEVATION CATEGORIES ....... ......... ... ..........
25
RANGES OF ACTIVITY OF BIGHORN SHEEP ON THREE WINTERING
AREAS, JANUARY-MARCH, 1972 AS INDICATED BY STANDARD
DIAMETERS OF MARKED ANIMALS ........ .....................
28
RANGES OF ACTIVITY OF RAMS AND EWES DURING WINTER AS
INDICATED BY STANDARD DIAMETERS OF MARKED BIGHORN SHEEP ...
29
SUMMER FOOD HABITS OF BIGHORN SHEEP BY HABITAT TYPE
AND MONTH AS DETERMINED FROM THE EXAMINATION OF 14
FEEDING SITES DURING THE SUMMERS OF 1970 AND 1971 .........
34
10. PERCENT CANOPY COVERAGE.AND PERCENT OF BIGHORN SHEEP
DIET FOR THREE FORAGE CLASSES IN EACH OF THREE HABITAT
TYPES (SAMPLE SIZES ARE SHOWN IN TABLES I AND 9)..........
35
11. AGGREGATE PERCENT VOLUME OF PLANT SPECIES IN RUMEN
SAMPLES FROM 12 BIQHORN SHEEP COLLECTED DURING
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 1970 ................ ...................
36
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
O
vii
LIST OF TABLES .
(continued)
Table
12.
13.
Page
TAXA WITH LESS THAN .5 PERCENT CANOPY COVERAGE AND/OR.
FREQUENCIES OF LESS THAN 5 PERCENT ON HABITAT TYPES
AS DETERMINED BY 2 X 5 DECIMETER PLOTS ..................
39
RELOCATIONS, WINTER CENTERS OF ACTIVITY AND WINTER
STANDARD DIAMETERS OF 63 MARKED BIGHORN SHEEP OBSERVED
FROM JANUARY, 1969-MARCH, 1972 (FOR LOCATIONS REFER TO
FIGURES 9, 10, AND 11) ...................... ............
40
viii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure
Page
1.
Map. of study area showing major drainages
.... .
2.
East-west pass connecting two parallel reefs running
in a south to north direction ...........................
3
7
3.
Bunchgrass and Douglas-fIr Habitat Types ................
11
4.
Subalpine Subtype within the Rocky Reef Habitat Type ....
11
5.
Alpine Subtype within the Rocky Reef Habitat Type .......
13
6.
Old Burn Habitat Type .................. ....... .........
13
7.
Bunchgrass.Habitat Type in foreground — Quaking Aspen,
Lodgepole Pine and Lodgepole/Aspen in center —
Douglas-fir in background ...........................
15
Map of study area showing the distribution of bighorn
sheep in winter and summer ..........
17
Map of portion of study area north of Gibson Dam with
one-sixteenth square mile grid for use with Table 13
in showing locations of marked animal relocations ........
46
8.
9.
10. Map of portion of study area south of Gibson Dam with
one-sixteenth square mile grid and sections for use
with Table 13 in showing locations of marked animal
relocations ...............
47
11. Map of portion of study area west of Gibson Dam with
one-sixteenth square mile grid and sections for use
with Table 13 in showing locations of marked animal
relocations ................................
48
ix
ABSTRACT
A study was conducted in the Sun River area of westcentral Mon­
tana during summer and winter to obtain quantitative data on the daily
and seasonal movements and range use habits of bighorn sheep. Vegeta­
tion .was classified as to seven major habitat types: bunchgrass, old
burn, rocky reef, Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, quaking aspen and
lodgepole/aspen. Percent canopy coverages and frequencies of occur­
rence of low-growing taxa were determined, for-five types. Sex and age
composition of the herd was determined from 5,165 observations of the
same individuals. Numbers per 100 ewes for rams, lambs and yearlings
were 45, 55 and 37 in summer and 27, 40 and 23 in winter, respectively.
Mean group sizes were similar for winter and summer. Group constancy
was determined from the analyses of 326 associations of bighorn sheep.
Over 50 percent of the coefficients' of association were .50 or less,
indicating there was no great attraction between any two individuals.
Range use was determined by recording the locations of 3,112 and
1,030 bighorn sheep during winter and summer, respectively. Use dur­
ing winter of bunchgrass, rocky reef and old burn habitat types ap­
peared to be related to availability. Percentage distribution of the
observations for these types in summer was 24, 55 and 17, respective­
ly. South exposures received 84 percent of the use during winter and
73 percent in summer. The interspersion of rocky terrain with the
various habitat types influenced significantly the use of types and
various portions of the range. The percent of bighorn sheep obser­
vations that were within 150 yards of rocky terrain was 66 and 70 for
winter and summer, respectively. The mean" elevation for all observa­
tions in winter was 5,045 feet while that in summer was 6,508 feet.
The winter home range for each of 41 marked bighorn sheep was de­
termined by using the center of activity and standard diameter.
Pooled standard diameters in each of three wintering areas were 1.48,
1.56 and 1.37 miles. The summer distribution of bighorn sheep from
the three wintering areas was described from relocations of 31 marked
animals. Bighorn sheep moved longer distances within home ranges in
summer than in winter. Distances between consecutive relocations
averaged .67 and 1.78 miles in winter and summer, respectively. Sum­
mer food habits were determined by examination of 14 feeding sites.
Grass and grass-like plants and forbs together respectively constitu­
ted 79, 67 and 94 percent of the summer diet in old burn, bunchgrass
and rocky reef habitat typxes. The forage class receiving the great­
est usage in each type was also the most abundant. It was recommended
that the present hunting district be sub-divided into four hunting
units.
INTRODUCTION
One of the largest herds of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (,Ovis
eanadensis canadensis Shaw) ranges in the Sun River, Ford Creek and
Deep Creek drainages of the Sun River area of westcentral Montana.
Early history of the herd which now numbers about 700 is given by
Couey (1950).
Hunting of three-quarter curl rams by permit holders was initated in 1953 following a long period of closure dating to 1912.
From
1955 to 1970 the number of permit holders and rams killed per year
ranged from 20 to 60 and 12 to 52, respectively.
Locations of kills
in recent years indicate a high percent were in easily accessible
areas; eg., 42 percent in Hannan Gulch in 1970 (Figure I).
This sug­
gested an unbalanced harvest, but adequate data on the relations, of
various herd segments were unavailable for improving present hunting
unit boundaries.
A full time field study was conducted from June to
September in 1970 and 1971 and from January to March, 1972 to deter­
mine daily and seasonal movements and range use habits of bighorn
sheep from the three major drainages.
December of both years.
Some observations were made in
Emphasis was placed on determining whether
wintering herds remained separate entities throughout the year.
Other
studies, including Morgan (1970), Oldemeyer et al. (1971) and Woolf
et at.
(1970) have considered the movements and distribution of big­
horn sheep in other localities and were of aid in analyzing the data.
Winter food habits have been reported for this area by Couey
Cf
.
-
2
-
(1950) and Schallenberger (1966), but summer food habits have not been
as adequately examined and were thus investigated concurrently with the
movement study.
-3-
MONTANA
GAME
RANGE
SHEEP
SHED
FAIRVIEW
AMTN
LEG EN D
ROAD
RIVERS A CREEKS
FOREST BOUNDARY
WILDERNESS BOUNDARY
STUDY AREA BOUNDARY
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE
Figure I.
PLATEAU
FORD
PLATEAU
Map of study area showing major drainages.
METHODS
Ninety-eight bighorn sheep have been live-trapped", marked and re­
leased during winter and spring in the area since 1967.
Ewes were
marked for individual identification with 3-inch wide neckbands.
Rams
were marked in each ear with orange cattle tags embossed with black
numerals.
Neckbands and ear tags can be observed for distances to I
mile and a few yards, respectively.
Approximately two-thirds of the study area was designated wilder­
ness under the Wilderness Act of 1964.
tor driven and wheeled vehicles.
means of travel.
This restricted the use of mo­
Foot and horseback were the primary
Monthly aerial flights during the summer were of aid
in locating groups of bighorns.
A pack train, was used to establish
base camps from which daily trips could be made into areas occupied by
bighorn sheep.
In winter, effort was made to cover respective drain­
ages as often as practicable as dictated by weather.
Observations
were aided by the use of a variable 6OX spotting scope and 7 x 35 mm
binoculars.
Information recorded at the time of each observation of
bighorn sheep included time of day, temperature, wind velocity, activ­
ity of the animals, whether marked, and classification by sex and age.
Males were classified as to one of five categories based on extent of
curl of horns.
summer.
Females were classified as yearlings or adults in the
The areas occupied were described as to exposure, vegetation
type, elevation, locations to the nearest one-sixteenth square mile,
distance to escape cover, and percent slope as determined by use of an
Abney Level.
Vegetation was classified as to types and subtypes to correlate
plant communities with observed animal use. ■ Plants collected in the
field during the summer of 1970 and identified in the laboratory aided
recognition of plants by species.
0-950) and Booth and Wright (1959).
Botanical nomenclature follows Booth
Quantitative data on coverage and
frequency of occurrence for plants less than I meter in height were
gathered by examination of 40 randomly spaced, 2 x 5
decimeter plots
located along, a line transect in an area considered to be representa­
tive of the type being sampled (Daubenmire 1959).
Characteristics of
trees at transects in forest types were examined by taking three read­
ings with a spherical densiometer at each location to measure percent
canopy coverage, and dbh (diameter at breast height) was recorded for
at least 40 trees.
Information on plant preferences for feeding bighorns was gathered
during both summers by examination of feeding sites (Cole 1956).
An
estimation of one bite was considered to represent one instance of use
for a plant species.
Rumen samples collected by hunters during the
fall of 1970 were examined.
Analysis of data for both feeding site
examinations and rumen analyses followed the aggregate percentage
method of Martin et at. (1946).
DESCRIPTION OF AREA
The 800 square mile study area lies within the Sawtooth Mountain
Range approximately 65 miles west of Great Falls, Montana.
Boundaries
of the study area were Moose Creek, Headquarters' Creek and Teton River
on the north. West Fork of the South Fork of Sun River, Wood Creek,
Ford Creek and Willow Creek on the south, 112°35" longitude on the
east, and the Continental Divide on the west (Figure I).
The Sun River
which flows eastward along the boundary between Teton County to the
north and Lewis and Clark County to the south, constitutes the major
drainage in the area.
Minor drainages include Deep Creek and Ford
Creek to the north and south of Sun River, respectively.
A prominent
feature of the area is Gibson Lake which extends 7 miles in length and
was formed by a large dam completed in 1929 for irrigation.
The topography of the area consists of parallel reefs running
north and south connecting peaks ranging from 7,000-9,000 feet in el­
evation.
Reefs are characterized by abrupt cliffs on the east and 45-
80 percent slopes on the west.
Canyons between the reefs ascend to the
north and south from each drainage forming high east-west passes which
connect the parallel reefs.(Figure 2).
These passes and reefs pro­
vide migration routes for bighorn sheep between widely separated sum­
mer and winter ranges.
According to Deiss (1943) this topography was
formed by the Lewis overthrust which placed Proterozoic and Paleozoic
shales and limestones on top of younger Mesozoic sediments.
Subsequent
glacial action and erosion have formed the present conformation.
”7-
Figure 2.
East-west pass connecting two parallel reefs running in
a south to north direction.
Due to extremes in topography, temperature and precipitation vary
greatly throughout the area at any given time.
An indication of aver­
age conditions for the area was recorded at the U. S. Weather Bureau
Station at Gibson Dam at an elevation of 4,590 feet.
The climatologi­
cal data (U. S. Department of Commerce Weather Bureau 1970) indicate
mean annual precipitation and temperature is 17.5 inches and 41.7 de­
grees, respectively.
January is the coldest month with a mean of 22.7
degrees F while July is the warmest month with a mean of 62.4 degrees F.
Extreme temperatures for the period of study as recorded at each obser-
—8—
vation of bighorn sheep were -30 degrees F in January, 1972 and 90 de­
grees F in August, 1971.
The period of snow cover usually lasts from
November to April of each year.
Above normal snowfall and strong
southwest winds created severe winter conditions during January.and
early February of 1972, while above normal temperatures were recorded
in March, 1972.
Snow depths and water content recorded in early March,
1970-1972 by the Soil Conservation Service for Cabin Creek were 16.6,
29.4, 33.7, and 3.75, 8.9, and 9.0 inches, respectively.
The area extending from the east face of the mountains west to
the Continental Divide is included in the Lewis and Clark National For­
est.
Two-thirds of the area is within the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
The
portion of wilderness between the North and South Forks of the Sun River
and the Continental Divide was designated the Sun River Game Preserve in
1913 to protect the Sun River elk herd.
The area east of the mountains,
excluding the 20,000-acre Sun River Game Range, is either managed
privately or by the Bureau of Land Management.
Vegetation
Seven major, habitat types and four subtypes, were recognized.
Bunch-
grass, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menzies'i-V), rocky reef and old burn were
the most commonly occurring types while quaking aspen (Populus tremuXo-Ides') , lodgepole pine (Pinus oontovta) and lodgepole-aspen were less
commonly found.
Timber types were not as extensively studied as were
others because of the infrequent use by bighorn sheep.
Descriptions are
-9given by Knight (1970) and Picton (1960).
Bunahgrass. - The bunchgrass type occurred most frequently in the
Scattering Springs-Reclamation Flat area. Big George Gulch, Wagner
Basin, east of Castle Reef, along the North Fork of the Sun River, and
in the Ford Creek area (Figure 3).
Scattered open areas or. parks within
stands of timber were also designated bunchgrassi
Bluebunch wheatgrass
(Agropyron spioatum), Idaho fescue (Festuoa idahoens'ts), sedges (JCarex
spp.), and bluegrasses (Poa spp.) had the greatest canopy coverages'
and frequencies of all grasses (Table I).
Dominant forbs included .
yarrow (Jichill&a millefolium), Tallkvetch. (Astragalus miser), virginiana strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and tall buttercup (Ranunculus
aaris).
Shrubs with greatest frequency were common snowberry (Sym-
phorioarpos albus), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and fringed
sagewort (Artemisia frigida), a half-shrub.
Rooky Reef. - This type was characterized by sparsely vegetated
rocky ridges and slopes.
Rock had a coverage of over 50 percent for
both subtypes.
Subalpine Subtype. - This subtype corresponds with the typical
reef described by Schallenberger (1966) (Figure 4). .Bluegrasses and
sedges Were the most common grasses and grass-like plants on the reef
tops, while Idaho fescue occurred commonly on the sides of the reef.
Stonecrop (Sedum stenopetalum) was a commonly occurring forb along with
those mentioned by Schallenberger.
BUNCHGRASS
5 Sites
G R A S S A N D G R A S S -L I KE P L A N T S :
Agropyron epioatvm
A g r o p y r o n app.
CalcanagiroetiB r u b e e o e n e
C a r e x app.
Feetuoa idahoeneie
Feetuca eoabrella
Melioa epeotabilie
P o a app.
Unidentified Grass
ROCKY REEF
Subalpine
Alpine
Subtype
Subtype
I Site
3 Sites
8/24/802
tr/ 1/203
—
12/37/80
11/42/100
3/18/40
tr/tr/40
5/28/60
tr/ 3/20
2/13
tr/ 5
22/73
tr/ 7/33
.5/20/33
11/38/80
tr/ 3
7/28/67
———
OLD BURN
Beargrass
Grass/Forb
Subtype
Subtype
I Site
4 Sites
I
PERCENT CANOPY COVERAGE, FREQUENCY AND CONSTANCY OF LOW-GROWING TAXA IN EACH OF SEVEN HABITAT TYPES OR SUBTYPES
BY EXAMINATION OF 40, 2 X 5 DECIMETER PLOTS AT EACH OF 16 SITES.
6
10
TABLE I.
QUAKING
ASPEN
LODGEPOLE/
ASPEN
I Site
I Site
—— —
2/10/25
14/33
tr/ 3
1/18/50
tr/ 3/25
tr/10
tr/ 3
tr/ 3
tr/ 3/25
.7/ 9/50
tr/ 9/50
23/100
—
___
tr/13/33
44/80
15/36/67
FORBS:
Achillea millefoliwi
Agoeerie glauca
Antenn a r i a roeea
A n droeaae lehmanniana
Aquilegia oaerulea
Arenaria oongeetie
Aetragalue mieer
A e t r a g a l u e spp.
Campanula rotundifolia
Caetilleja miniata
C a e t i l l e j a spp.
Cireium folioeum
tr/tr/20
3/ 4/20
Pritillaria pudioa
G alium boreale
Gentiana oalyooea
Geranium vieeoeeieeimum
Hedyearum eulphureecene
Lithophragma parviflora
Lithoepermum ruderale
Lupinue eerioeue
4/38
4/13
Seneoio eubnudue
Sieymbrium altieeimum
Solidago oanadeneie
Solidago mieeourieneie
tr/ 3
tr/ 1/20
tr/11/20
tr/ 3/40
7/24/40
tr/ 4/20
1/17/60
tr/ 3
tr/ 7/33
tr/ 3/33
tr/ 5/33
7/17/33
tr/ 2/33
tr/ 3
.8/13/33
.6/13
2/18
3/30
tr/ 3
tr/ 3/20
tr/ 1/20
tr/ 3/25
tr/ 5
2/21/75
.9/ 3/25
6/48/50
7/78
11/65
2/38
.9/10
tr/ 5
.6/13
6/35
I/ 8
3/28
I/ 5
10/48
3/15
2/10/50
.8/ 2/20
tr/ 4/25
7/36/100
5/33
1/11/50
2/16/33
tr/ 7/33
tr/ 3/40
5/24/40
tr/ 5
tr/ 4/20
2/35
1/15/50
tr/ 8/25
.9/ 3
tr/10
8/10
tr/ 9/33
tr/ 3
tr/ 6/50
.9/ 2/33
tr/ 4/20
.8/8
2/ 8/40
1/18
.8/ 5
Unidentified Forb
tr/ 3/40
tr/ 5
tr/ 1/20
2/19/60
tr/ 2/20
tr/ 4/20
2/18/40
28/40
2/10/33
tr/tr/33
1/20/100
4/30
17/38
3/43
I/ 5/50
tr/ 5/25
.5/55
.5/20
8/25
2/ 9/25
tr/10
1/18
tr/ 5
—
.9/10
tr/ 5/50
1/23/75
3/ 5/25
10/15
I/ 8
tr/ 3/33
.9/13
tr/ 5
1/13/50
4/50
6/10
6/ 7/33
.8/ 5
.5/ 1/20
3/ 4/20
3/ 8
.5/ 8
—
1/13/40
Litter
6/15
2/13/25
tr/ 3/33
.7/ 7/33
tr/ 5/20
Unidentified Shrub
1/18
tr/ 3
19/ 8/25
1/16/50
2/19/25
2/13
Viola adunca
Viola nuttallii
Xe r o p h y l l i m tenax
Shepherdia oanadeneie
Spiraea betulifolia
S y m p h o rioarpoe albue
tr/ 4/25
tr/ 3/25
2/34/50
tr/ 3/25
9/18/25
tr/10/50
tr/ 1/25
.6/ 7/33
1/11/60
tr/ 5/20
Solidago rigida
S o l i d a g o spp.
Taraxicum officinale
SHRUBS:
Acer glabrum
A r c to e t a p h y Ioe u v a - u r e i
Artemieia frigida
A r temieia ludoviaiana
A r t e m i e i a app.
Berberie repene
Juniperue horieontalie
Phyllodooe empetriformie
Populue tremuloidee
Potentilla frutiooea
Prunue virginiana
R i b e e app.
3/43
.8/ 5
2/ 7/40
Monocot
Myoeotie eylvatioa
Oxyria dtgyna
O x y t r o p i e app.
Pedioularie contorta
Phlox puloinata
P o t e n t i l l a app.
Ranunaulue aerie
R a n u n o u l u e app.
Sedum roeeum
Sed um etenopetalum
8/56/100
tr/15
.9/10
tr/ 8
Compositae
Delphinium bioolor
Douglaeia montana
D r y a e drunwnondii
Erigeron h w n l u e
E r i g e r o n app.
Eriogonum umbellatum
Fragaria virginiana
3/10/33
tr/ 9/33
1/13/33
2/13/33
24/33/33
1/14/33
4/18
—
——
—
2/15
—
7/18/40
4/11/40
I/ 8
25/64/100
5/22/60
15/52/80
8/40
14/35
8/83
16/68
58/98
16/65
12/48/100
55/73/100
tr/ 2/33
4/ 5/25
—
3/ 5
3/10
3/ 5/25
3/ 5/50
2/ 3/25
tr/ 5/25
4/18/25
30/71/100
25/68/100
10/36/100
—
—
4/15
28/35
.8/10
.8/ 5
12/65
—
2/10
tr/ 3
46/100
4/90
I
I
II
^Includes those taxa with a <:anopy coverage of .5 percent or greater or a frequency of 5 percent or greater in at least one type or
subtype. Others are listed in Appendix.
2Canopy coverage (percent of area covered)/average frequency (percent occurrence among plota)/conatancy
3tr - Trace; a value leas than .5 percent.
-11-
Figure 3.
Bunchgrass and Douglas-fir Habitat Types.
Figure 4.
Subalpine Subtype within the Rocky Reef Habitat Type.
-12-
Alplhe Subtype.. - This subtype occurred in areas at or above timberline throughout the study area (Figure 5).
Due to the late melt of snow
in these areas, many depressions remain moist late in the summer creating
conditions favorable for lush stands of sedges and bluegrasses.
Dominant
forbs include milkvetch, yarrow, drummond dryas (J)Tyas drirnnond-ti) and
mountain sorrel (OxyT-La d-Lgyna). A common low-growing shrub was purple
mountain heath (PhyLLodooe empetrifoTmis).
Old Burn. - Large portions of the study area were burned in 1889,
1910, and/or 1919 (Figure 6).
A ffew of these burns on moist, east-facing
slopes have started to restock with Douglas-fIr and/or lodgepole pine.
The majority of burns, however, are still without regeneration of timber.
Beargrass Subtype. - This subtype corresponds with that of Knight
(1970).
Sedge was the only commonly occurring grass-like plant.
Bear-
grass (XeTophyllnm tenax) was,the dominant forb.with silky lupine (Lup-Lnus seTloeus) and milkvetch (Astragalus spp.) also common.
Shrubby
cinquefoil JPotent-Llla frut-Lcosa) and rose (Rosa spp.) were common shrubs.
. Grass-Forb Subtype. - This subtype differed from the Beargrass Subtype in that grasses were more prevalent.
Bluebunch wheatgrass, sedges
and bluegrasses had the highest canopy coverages and frequencies of all
grasses.
Prevalent forbs were yarrow, elk thistle (C-Lrs-Lim folio sum) ,
bedstraw (Galium boreale), buttercup (Ranunculus spp.) and common dande­
lion (Taraxioum offioinale).
Shrubs included Rocky Mountain maple (Acer
-13-
Figure 5.
Alpine Subtype within the Rocky Reef Habitat Type.
Figure 6.
Old Burn Habitat Type.
-14-
glabrum), rose, currant (Bibes spp.) and Canadian buffaloberry
(Shepherdia canadensis).
Quaking Aspen, - Quaking aspen stands occurred in moist areas
throughout the study area (Figure 7).
Many of the stands had deterio­
rated into a scattered stand resulting in a greater occurrence of bluegrasses in the understory than described by Schallenberger (1966).
mdan canopy coverage of three stands was 73.1 percent.
The
Mean dbh for 40
trees was 5.44 inches.
Lodgepote Fine. - This type occurred throughout the study area as
a serai stage often located in old restocked burns (Figure 7).
story species were reported by Schallenberger (1966).
a mean canopy coverage of 78.4 percent.
Under­
Three stands had
Mean dbh for 40 trees was 6.9
inches.
Lodgepole-Aspen. - This type occurred mainly in areas which were
previously burned (Figure 7).
Stands range from those dominated by as­
pen to those dominated by lodgepole pine.
Ptibescens) dominated the understory.
Pinegrass.(.Calamagrostis
Common forbs included virginiana
strawberry and cinquefoil {Fotentilla spp.).
Douglas-fiv. - Douglas-fir stands dominated the north-facing slopes
in the study area (Figure 3).
The scattered stands of Douglas-fir east
of the mountains had an understory characteristic of the vegetation compo
sition of the bunchgrass type.
Those stands in the remaining portion of
the study area were more dense and were like that described by Knight
-15-
(1970) and Plcton (1960).
Figure 7.
Bunchgrass Habitat Type in foreground — Quaking Aspen,
Lodgepole Pine and Lodgepole/Aspen in center — Douglasfir in background.
POPULATION STRUCTURE
A total population of 700 bighorn sheep was estimated for the study
area from 5,165 observations of the same individuals.
Estimated popu­
lations for the eight wintering areas were as follows: 230 —
west of Gibson Dam; 159 —
Creek; 105 —
Sun River east of Gibson Dam; 101 —
Ford Creek; 10 —
Pretty Prairie; and 28 —
Sun River
Red Hill; 40 —
Deep
Fairview Plateau; 27 —
Ear Mountain (Figure 8).
Sex and age composition is given in Table 2.
Horn measurements
taken during winter for 50 trapped bighorn males indicated an overlap
in the curl circumference for age classes I year and over.
The range
of curl circumference for yearling, 2- and 3-year classes was 7.2-17.4,
12.4-24.8 and 18.0-27.0 inches, respectively.
Two animals from the 2-
year class were within the range of yearling males.
classified as zero to one-quarter curl.
ling ratios for the winter
The latter were
This overlap could bias year­
period.Data for summer are lacking.
ling and adult ewes could be differentiated only in summer.
Year­
The number
of yearlings per 100 ewes during December-March was calculated by as­
suming an equal number of male and female yearlings occurred in the
population.
The number of lambs per 100 adult ewes for the period
January-March, 1972 is the same asthat of Schallenberger (1966)
the same area.
The numberof rams
for
per 100 ewes for the period Januafy-
March, 1972 may be low because of the decreased opportunity for obser­
vations of ram only groups.
Rams were usually found in areas less
accessible because of the rugged terrain and deep snow.
-17-
SCAL E
GAME
\^E9 B L ---
n\
RANGE
LEG EN D
I
ROAD
-----------------RIVERS A CREEKS
FOREST BOUNDARY
------------------WILDERNESS BOUNDARY ------------------STUDY AREA B O U N D A R Y ------------------CONTINENTAL D I V I D E ------------------WINTER CENTERS OF AC TIVITY A
SUMMER RELOCATIONS
A
WINTER C O NCENTRATIO N AR EAS
Figure 8.
•
O
♦
A
C "* -)
Map of study area showing the distribution of bighorn sheep
in winter and summer.
table
2.
SEX AND AGE COMPOSITION OF BIGHORN SHEEP AS DETERMINED FROM 5,165 OBSERVATIONS OF THE SAME INDIVIDUALS.
Month
and
Year
__________________ Males
1/4-1/2
1/2-3/4
0-1/41
Curl
Curl
Curl
Sample
Size
3/4+
Curl
Full
Curl
Adult
Female
Yearling
Female
Lambs
Unidentified
Number Per 100 Ewes
Rams
Lambs
Yearlings
june-September:
1970 & 1971
1,030
.
84
.
68
45
24
3
422
73
232
79
45
55
37
—
243
10
40
53
4O1
2
673
71
27
40
232
December:
1970 & 1971
1,017
92
66
41
18
0
547
3,118
192
179
109
26
I
1,867
January-March:
1972
1 Yearling Males.
2 Assuming a 50:50 ratio of yearling males to yearling females.
00
1
-19-
The herd segment that winters west of Gibson Dam on the Sun River
lives under conditions of deep snow.
This restricts activity to the
south and southwest slopes of the reefs for a longer period of time
than is typical of the other herd segments.
also a factor.
Competition with elk is
The number per 100 ewes for rams, lambs and yearlings
is much lower for this segment than two others wintering in the study
area (Table 3).
This may indicate a deterioration in range conditions
and an overabundant population in that area despite removals by
transplanting of 121 bighorn sheep since 1967.
TABLE 3.
HUMBER PER 100 EWES FOR RAMS, LAMBS AND YEARLINGS IN THREE
MAJOR WINTERING AREAS DURING DECEMBER, 1970 AND 1971,
COMBINED.I
Location
Rams
Lambs
Yearlings2
Sample
Size
Sun River— East of Dam
44
69
61
360
Sun River— West of Dam
38
46
32
434
Ford Creek
49
65
41
193
1The December census consisted of unduplicated observations during
each of the years.
2Assuming a 50:50 ratio of yearling males to yearling females.
Mean group sizes for the period June-September
1970 and 1971 for
ram, ewe, yearling, ram-ewe-lamb, ram-ewe, and ewe-lamb groups were 3.9,
2.0, 1.8, 16.5, 7.1 and 6.1, respectively.
Comparable mean group sizes
A
-20-
for the period January-March, 1972 were 2.1, 2.7, -,21.8, 4.9 and 8.1,
respectively.
These data indicate a retention of similar group sizes
for each category for both winter and summer, despite concentration
on a smaller area during winter.
This may also indicate many of the
same individuals occurred together at the time of each observation.
By analyses of repeated observations of marked bighorn sheep the de­
gree of association between any two animals was calculated using the
method described by Cole (1949) and Knight (1970).
A value of 1.00
indicated a perfect association for any two bighorn sheep.
Mean val­
ues for all coefficients of association gave the probability of two
animals once associated being associated again during each seasonal
period.
Over 50 percent of the coefficients calculated were .50 or
less for each seasonal period, indicating there was no great attrac­
tion between any two individuals (Table 4).
The relatively high mean
coefficient of association for the summer of 1971 is partly due to
the infrequent observations of marked bighorn sheep for that period.
That is, marked bighorns observed only once gave a perfect coeffi­
cient of 1.00.if observed with another marked bighorn observed only
once.
The mean coefficient of association for the entire period was
.25 which indicated perfect associations observed during any one
season do not necessarily occur during the next, or following season.
The lack of group constancy as concerns specific individuals
does not preclude management of discrete wintering herds.
When sev-
-21-
eral groups of bighorns were observed in the san*e drainage, each was
recorded as a separate group. The bighorn sheep herd segments in the
separate wintering areas remained separate during the winter.
Only 4
of the 84 marked bighorn sheep that were observed during the winters
of 1969-1972 were known to have switched wintering areas.
TABLE 4.
MEAN SEASONAL COEFFICIENTS OF ASSOCIATION OF MARKED BIGHORN
SHEEP AND PERCENTAGES IN FIVE FREQUENCY CLASSES FOR THE
PERIOD JANUARY, 1969-MARCH, 1972.
Mean
Coefficient
Season
■ of
Association
Number
of
Associations
0.00.25
Frequency Classes
0.26- 0.51 0.760.50
0.75 0.99 1.00
Summer, 1971
.56
54
5
56
20
0
19
Winter, 1972
.40
145
32
43
14
5
6
January , 1969March, 1972
.25
326
63
34
3
Itr => Trace; a value less than 1.00 percent.
tr1
tr
RANGE USE
Winter
The bighorn sheep in four of the eight wintering areas were
studied extensively from January-March,. 1972.
Observed use of the
bunchgrass, rocky reef and old burn habitat types appeared to be re­
lated to the availability of each type in each wintering area.
Bunch-
grass and old burn were the most prevalent types in the Sun River area
east of Gibson Dam and they received the greatest observed use (Table
5).
The bunchgrass and old burn types west of Gibson Dam were unavail­
able during January and February because of deep crusted snow.
This
restricted most use to the rocky reef type.
Bunchgrass was the most
common habitat type in the Ford Creek area.
Eighty-seven percent of
the observed use in the Ford Creek area occurred in the bunchgrass
type.
The old burn habitat type received the greatest observed use
in the Deep Creek area.
Deep Creek had large areas of the bunchgrass
type but they were covered by snow most of the winter.
This restricted
bighorn sheep to a high plateau located between the north and south,
forks near the east face of the mountains.
tensive areas of the old burn habitat type.
The high plateau had ex­
Timber types were not
extensively used in the wintering areas studied.
The 2 percent use
of Douglas-fIr in the Sun River area east of Gibson Dam was in the
scattered stands which had an understory characteristics of the
bunchgrass type.
The interspersion of rocky terrain with the various habitat types
-23-
influenced significantly the use of types and various portions of the
range.
During winter, 66 percent of the observed bighorn sheep were
either occupying or within 150 yards of rocky terrain.
were observed at distances further than 750 yards.
Only 12 percent
Oldemeyer et aZ-.
(1971) reported 86 percent of the bighorn sheep he observed were either
occupying or within 100 yards of rocky terrain.
TABLE 5.
PERCENT OF BIGHORN SHEEP OBSERVED IN EACH OF FOUR HABITAT
TYPES FOR EACH OF FOUR WINTERING AREAS.
Wintering
Area
Bunchgrass
Rocky
Reef
Old
Burn
Sun River— East
of Dam
39
24
35
Sun River— West
of Dam
27
67
6
Ford Creek
87
13
Deep Creek
24
—
Douglas-fir
2
Sample
Size,
2,107
—
538
—
——
378
76
——
89
South exposures received 71, 82, and 95 percent of the observed
use during January, February and March, respectively.
This use is prob­
ably related to snow conditions since south-facing slopes are the first
to bare after a snowfall.
Elevations in the wintering areas ranged from 4,400-7,000 feet above
sea level.
The mean elevation for all observations during the winter was
5,045 feet.
The percent use of elevations ranging from 4,100-5,000 feet
-24-
decreased from January-March (Table 6).
elevations of 5,100-6,000 feet.
Percent use Increased for
A tendency to follow the snow line to
higher slopes before the spring "green-up" was reported by Smith
(1954).
Summer
Percentage distribution of 1,030 observations of bighorn sheep
from June-September was 55, 24, and 17 for rocky reef, bunchgrass and
old burn habitat types, respectively.
During June, 1970 and 1971 the
rocky reef type received 80 and 78 percent of the observed use,respec­
tively.
This was influenced by the use of cliff areas by ewes and
newborn lambs.
The importance of the rocky reef type during the summer was also
reflected in the distribution of bighorn sheep with reference to rocky
escape terrain.
Seventy percent of the bighorn sheep observed during
the summer of 1971 were either occupying or within 150 yards of rocky
terrain.
The dependence on south-facing slopes during winter was also ap­
parent during summer.
served use.
South exposures received 73 percent of the ob­
The shift to north-facing slopes in late summer and autumn
as reported by Smith (1954) was not noted.
Mean elevation of all summer observations was 6,508 feet.
six percent of the observed use was above 7,000 feet (Table 6).
SixtyThis
TABLE 6.
Period
June
July
August
September
JuneSeptember
January
February
March
JanuaryMarch
MEAN AND EXTREME ELEVATIONS.FOR 3,610 OBSERVATIONS OF BIGHORN SHEEP AND PERCENT
DISTRIBUTION FOR EACH OF FIVE ELEVATION CATEGORIES.
Mean and Extreme
Elevations
in Feet
Sample
Size
Range in Elevation in Feet
4,100-- 5,100- 6,100- 7 ,1005,000
6,000
7,000
8 ,000
6,234(5,000-8,000)
7,222(5,600-8,500)
6,719(4,800-8,200)
5,857(4,800-8,000)
69
267
77
88
14
tr1
13
40
44
3
27
6
10
I
9
46
6,508(4,800-8,500)
4,860(4,400-7,000)
4,969(4,400-6,200)
5,305(4,400-7,000)
501
672
1,155
893
11
. 74
62
29 .
12
24
38
54
11
2
tr
17
5,045(4,400-7,000) .
2,720
54
. 40
6
= Trace; a value less than I percent.
Above
8,000
32
82
40
8
— —
55
11
—
14
11
—
—
—26—
corresponds with the-expected shift to higher elevation in summer by
a migrating population.
MOVEMENTS
Winter
The movements of marked bighorn sheep on three major winter ranges
were extensively studied from January-March, 1972.
Deep crusted snow,
the result of above normal snowfall and below zero temperatures during
January and February, restricted the bighorn sheep of each wintering
area to the higher plateaus and south-facing slopes.
Consequently the
following may be more characteristic of movements of bighorn sheep
during a severe winter.
The extent of the winter home range for each marked bighorn sheep
was determined by using the center of activity.
The relocations of
each were plotted on a map with a superimposed grid system.
The geo­
graphical center of activity was then determined by using the method
described by Hayne (1949).
The standard diameter as defined by White
(1964) for each animal was calculated using the formula: SD = J ED2/N
where D equals twice the distance from the center of activity to each
relocation and N equals the number of relocations (Harrison 1958).
The standard diameter is the diameter of a circle which has the centen
of activity as its center and contains 68.26 percent of the relocations
of, the marked animal (White 1964).
Standard diameters were calculated only for those 41 marked big­
horn sheep that were observed three or more times during the winter
period (Table 7).
The geographical locations of all observations of
marked bighorn sheep are listed in the Appendix (Table 13).
The cen­
-28-
ters.of activity for each wintering area indicate the distribution of
each bighorn sheep herd segment (Figure 8).
The comparatively low val­
ue for the pooled standard diameter for the Ford Creek area is probably
due to the small sample size.
Pooled standard diameters for elk in
each of five wintering areas of the same study area were 3.15, 1.41,
2.85, 1.68 and 2.26 miles, respectively (Knight 1970).
These data
indicate bighorn sheep have a smaller winter home range than elk in
the same area.
This is possibly related at least in part, to the re­
luctance of bighorns to venture far from rocky terrain as discussed
earlier.
TABLE 7.
RANGES OF ACTIVITY OF BIGHORN SHEEP ON THREE WINTERING AREAS
JANUARY-MARCH, 1972 AS INDICATED BY STANDARD DIAMETERS OF
MARKED ANIMALS;
Pooled
Standard
Diameter
In Miles
Sample
Size
Number
of •
Relocations
Range of
Individual
Standard
Diameters
Sun River— East
of Dam
1.48
11
118
.78-2.41
Sun River— West
of Dam
1.56
25
91
.65-2.44
Ford Creek
1.37
5
.26
.88-1.73
Wintering
Area
Standard diameters for ewes and rams are summarized in Table 8.
Although the sample size for rams is small, there is an indication
—29“
that rams may have a smaller winter home range than ewes.
Ram groups
usually occupy areas of more rugged terrain and deeper snow than do
groups of ewes during the winter.
These conditions could conceivably
restrict their movements to a smaller area.
Movements of bighorn sheep within winter home ranges were usually
less than I mile.
The distances between consecutive relocations of 41
marked bighorn sheep ranged from 0-3 miles and averaged .67 miles.
Movements within winter ranges of Idaho average 1.59 miles for ewes
and 2.25 miles for rams (Morgan 1970).
TABLE 8.
Sex
RANGES OF ACTIVITY OF RAMS AND EWES DURING WINTER AS
INDICATED BY STANDARD DIAMETERS OF MARKED BIGHORN SHEEP.
Mean
Standard Diameter
in Miles
Sample
Size
Range of
Individual
Standard Diameters
Rams
.92
4
.65-1.21
Ewes
1.42
37
.56-2.44
Summer
The summer relocations of 31 bighorn sheep marked in one or the
other of the three wintering areas are shown in Figure 8.
The reloca­
tions indicate the distribution of each of the three winter herd seg­
ments in summer.
The extent of movements between winter and summer,
ranges was determined by measuring the distance between the last and
-30-
first observation of an individual for winter and summer, respectively.
Twenty-one observations of marked bighorn sheep movements between win­
ter and summer ranges averaged 6.44 miles and ranged from 2.13-8.63
miles.
These distances are much shorter than the 25-40 miles reported
for bighorn sheep in Idaho by Smith (1954).
The reef located between Big George and Scattering Springs Gul­
ches provided the major summer range for the herd segment wintering in
the Sun River area west of Gibson Dam. . This reef extended 14 miles
northward from Gibson Lake connecting Arsenic Mountain and Rocky Moun­
tain (Figure I).
Bighorn sheep marked in the Sun River area west of
Gibson Dam were observed primarily on this reef near the heads of
Cabin Creek and Big George Gulch (Figure 8).
One ear-tagged ram pre­
sumably marked in one of the Sun River wintering areas was observed
as far north as the head of Biggs Creek.
Relocations of two marked
ewes indicate a portion of the herd segment west of Gibson Dam summers
in the preserve near the heads of Glenn Creek, Bear Creek and No Name
Gulch.
Both ewes were marked at a trap located in Reclamation Flat
and observed in that area throughout the winter of 1972.
This indi­
cates this group may concentrate most of its activity during winter
near Sheep Reef and Reclamation Flat.
Bighorn sheep marked in the Sun River area east of Gibson Dam
were generally observed on Castle Reef and near the head of Hannan
Gulch most of the summer (Figure 8).
Ewe S-3746 was observed twice
-31-
in July and once in August near the head of. Cabin Creek during the
summer of 1971.
This indicates mixing of the two herd segments win­
tering in the Sun River area west and east of Gibson Dam probably
occurs in summer.
Bighorn sheep were observed on Red Hill, Ford Creek Plateau,
Fairview Plateau and Fairview Mountain during early summer, 1970.
)
As the summer progressed they were,observed moving northwest along
a reef which connects Sheep Shed Mountain and Allan Mountain (Fig­
ure I).
Relocations of 11 marked bighorn sheep during the summer of
1971 indicate those sheep were a portion of the Ford Creek herd
segment (Figure 8).
Generally, bighorn sheep moved longer distances within summer
home ranges than within winter home ranges.
Distances between con­
secutive relocations of 21 marked bighorn sheep ranged from 0-6.88
miles and averaged 1.78 miles.
These data also indicate that summer
home ranges were larger than winter home ranges..
Larger home ranges
in summer were also reported by Morgan (1970).
Aberrant Movements
Three rams and one ewe marked at Scattering Springs in the Sun
River area west of Gibson Dam switched to the wintering area east of
Gibson Dam in the following winter.
the Appendix (Table 13).
Relocations are summarized in
It was shown earlier that at least a por­
-32-
tion of the two winter herd segments use the same summer range.
The
lack of group constancy previously mentioned indicates these bighorn
sheep could have switched to a group on the summer range which normally
migrates to the Sun River area east of Gibson Dam.
Spencer (1943) re­
ported that rams generally move from one group of ewes to another in
search of ewes in estrus during the breeding season.
Therefore, it
is also conceivable that the three rams could have followed a group
of ewes to the Sun River area east of Gibson Dam.
Factors Influencing Movements
Weather conditions had a major influence on movements of bighorn
sheep between winter and summer ranges.
inches of snow fell in the study area.
On September 11, 1970, 4
On September 14, seven groups
comprising 68 bighorn sheep were observed in Scattering Springs Gulch,
where previously only 15 had been observed during the summer. By Sep­
tember 16 the snow had disappeared and only 15 bighorn sheep were ob­
served in the gulch. .Rapid movement by bighorn sheep to their winter
ranges following the first fall snowstorm was also reported by Smith
(1954).
FOOD HABITS
Plant preferences of bighorn sheep were studied during June to
September of 1970 and 1971.
Percent of monthly and seasonal diet for
plant species at feeding sites in each of three habitat types is shown
in Table 9.
Grass and grass-like plants and forbs together constitu­
ted 79, 67 and 94 percent of the summer diet in old burn, bunchgrass
and rocky reef habitat types, respectively.
The fofage class re­
ceiving the greatest usage in each type was'also the most abundant as
measured by canopy coverage (Table 10).
Important grasses and grass­
like plants were bluegrasses, bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue.
Forbs such as milkvetch, tall buttercup and white pointloco (Oxytropi-s
seriaea) were commonly used.
rocky reef type only.
Mountain sorrel was heavily used in the
The high use of shrubs in the bunchgrass type
was influenced by an increase in use of shrubs as the summer pro­
gressed.
Shrubs comprised 0, 42, and 51 percent of the diet in the
bunchgrass type for July, August, and September, respectively.
Smith
(1954) reported an increased use of shrubs by bighorn sheep in fall.
All of the feeding sites in the old burn type were in the grass/
forb subtype.
This indicated the grass/forb subtype may be used more
extensively during feeding than the beargrass subtype.
Contents of rumen samples from 12 hunter-killed, male bighorn
sheep indicate grasses constitute a major portion of the fall diet
(Table 11).
Asters (,Aster spp.) and arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamor-
rhiza sagittate,), both forbs, and fringed sagewort, a half-shrub,
TABLE 9.
SUMMER FOOD HABITS OF BIGHORN SHEEP BY HABITAT TYPE AND MONTH AS DETERMINED FROM THE EXAMINATION OF 14 FEEDING SITES DURING THE
SUMMERS OF 1970 AND 1971.
July
2 Sites
185
BUNCHGRASS
August
September
4 Sites
I Site
569
122
4/50
5/50
29/50
10/75
8/25
2/50
OLD BURN
July
I Site
1312
Iaxa1
August
I Site
135
September
3 Sites
269
—
—
19/673
Seasonal
Average
535
ROCKY REEF
Seasonal
Average
876
2 Sites
179
GRASS AND GRASS-LIKE PLANTS:
Agropyron spioatum
Carex spp.
Festuca idahoensis
Festuca seabrella
Melica spectabilis
Poa spp.
Total Grass and Grass-Like
FORBS:
Achillea millefolium
Aqoseris glauca
Allium spp.
Apocynum androsaemifolium
Arenaria eongestis
Astragalus miser
Astragalus spp.
Campanula rotundifolia
Castilleja miniata
Cirsium foliosum
—
—
Unidentified Forb
Total Forbs
SHRUBS:
Acer g labrum
Phyllodoee empetriformis
Potentilla frutieosa
Prunus virginiana
Ribes spp.
Rosa spp.
Shepherdia canadensis
Symphoricarpos albus
Total
Shrubs
27/100
3/100
14/75
4/25
10/33
1/33
tr/171*
16/75
34/100
45/100
4/100
5/100
5/100
10/100
——
——
16/100
—
—
1/33
2/33
2/44
1/50
38/100
6/25
20/67
10/56
77/100
26/100
2/33
—
5/33
.8/11
—
2/50
—
—
—
8/100
8/50
16/100
.5/17
6/25
6/25
13/100
6/42
2/8
1/50
—
31/50
28/100
57/100
2/33
1/33
29/78
tr/11
.6/33
5/33
2/33
2/11
2/44
2/100
3/100
15/50
6/50
1/50
Compositae
Epildbium angustifolium
Erigeron humilus
Fragaria virginiana
Galium boreale
Geranium viscossissimum
Hedysarum sulphurescens
Lupinus sericeus
Oxyria digyna
Oxytropis seriaea
Pedicularis contorta
Potentilla spp.
Ranunculus acris
Ranunculus spp.
Solidago missouriensis
Solidago rigida
Taraxicum officinale
Viola adunca
6/22
4/100
tr/17
I
3/25
.8/33
2/100
5/100
5/100
—
—
—
—
—
——
—
—
—
—
—
21/33
—
2/33
2/33
7/11
—
16/100
14/100
10/67
2/33
4/100
3/33
3/44
5/100
3/50
—
—
1/25
—
—
—
4/50
tr/25
2/50
—
—
__
—
—
—
2/100
—
__
1/25
1/33
3/67
8/100
99/100
tr/11
3/56
54/100
69/100
2/33
.7/11
tr/8
.8/17
—
—
2/58
—
—
—
46/50
—
.7/17
—
—
tr/8
4/50
53/100
CO
1/8
1/17
5/50
.6/25
24/100
33/75
15/100
22/92
13/25
18/100
10/42
4/50
9/25
16/25
32/100
.8/100
12/50
3/8
16/42
42/75
51/100
41/58
2/25
78/100
2/50
4/50
37/100
11/67
13/33
2/100
37/100
2/100
26/67
12/33
4/22
4/11
.7/33
21/89
—
6/50
IIncludes those taxa which constitute .5 percent or more of the diet in at least one month in at least one of the three types. Taxa with
lower usage values were as follows: Phleum pratense (grass) and Rriogonum umbellatum (forb), both occurring in the bunchgrass type only;
and Artemisia frigida and Artemisia ludoviciana (half-shrubs), both occurring in the old burn type only.
2Total number of instances of use.
3Percent of monthly or seasonal diet/frequency (percent occurrence among sites).
4 tr - trace; a value less than .5 percent.
-35-
were the only other commonly used items.. Schallenberger (1966) re­
ported heavy use of grasses'in fall for bighorn sheep in the same
area.
The low use of forbs in the fall contrasts sharply with that
of summer.
This may be due to the drying of forbs in late summer and
fall.
TABLE 10.
Forage
Class
PERCENT CANOPY COVERAGE AND PERCENT OF BIGHORN SHEEP DIET
FOR THREE FORAGE CLASSES IN EACH OF THREE HABITAT TYPES.
(SAMPLE SIZES ARE SHOWN IN TABLES I AND 9).
OLD BURN
BUNCHGRASS
Percent Percent Percent Percent
Canopy
of
Canopy
of
Coverage
Diet
Coverage
Diet
Grass and
3.7
Grass-like Plants
10
41.0
45
Forbs
65.9
69
32.8
22
Shrubs
20.0
21
19.5
41
.
ROCKY REEF '
Percent Percent
of
Canopy
Coverage Diet
39.5
16
64.6
78
39.4
6
-36-
TABLE 11.
AGGREGATE PERCENT VOLUME OF PLANT SPECIES IN RUMEN SAMPLES
FROM 12 BIGHORN SHEEP COLLECTED DURING OCTOBER-NOVEMBER,
1970.
Taxa1
Gramineae
Astev spp.
Balsamovvhisa sagittata
Unidentified Forbs
Total Forbs
Avtemisia fvigida
Unidentified Shrubs
Total Shrubs
Percent
■ Volume
92.6
1.7
.6
.8
..
3.1
1.8
.6
2.4
1Taxa with individual values of less than .5 percent volume were as
follows: Forbs — Aohi-Ilea millefolium, Compositae, Evigevon spp.,
Eviogonum ovalifolium, Eviogonum umbellatum, Mevtensia spp., 'Penstemon evianthevus and Sedum stenopetalumi shrubs and trees — Aoev
glabvum, Bevbevis vepens, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Saxifragaceae and
Symphovioavpos albus.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
At present all of the Sun River study area, except that portion
in the preserve, is included in Hunting District 42.
an unbalanced harvest as previously indicated.
This results in
Data on movements indi
cate establishment of four hunting units within the district to obtain
a better distribution of harvest among the herd segments.
Three hunt­
ing units should correspond with the annual distribution of the fol­
lowing herd segments: Sun River east of Gibson Dam, Sun River west of
Gibson Dam and Ford Creek (Figure 8).
The summer distribution of big­
horns that winter in Deep Creek, was not determined, but none of the
bighorn sheep marked in the other areas were observed in Deep Creek
during winter.
This suggests the Deep Creek animals constitute a
separate herd segment justifying a separate hunting unit.
If in the future the opening date for hunting remains on or near
September 15, the two Sun River herd segments may have to be included
in a single hunting unit.
Not all bighorn sheep had left summer range
by this date during my study,
As indicated previously, mixing of the
two herd segments occurred in summer which precludes establishment of
a hunting unit boundary separating one from the other.
APPENDIX
TABLE 12.
TAXA WITH LESS THAN .5 PERCENT CANOPY COVERAGE AND/OR FREQUENCIES "OF LESS THAN 5
PERCENT ON HABITAT TYPES AS DETERMINED BY 2 X 5 DECIMETER PLOTS.
BUNCHGRASS
Taxa
5 Sites
ROCKY REEF.
Subalpine
Alpine
Subtype
Subtype
I Site
3 Sites
OLD BURN
Beargrass Grass/Forb
'Subtype
Subtype
I Site
4 Sites
QUAKING
ASPEN
I Site
Grass and Grass-Like Plants:
Bromus marginatus
Koeleria oristata
Phleim alipinum ■
Phleum pratense
Trisetum spioatum
_
■-
X
X
-
X
-
X
X
X
X
-
- .
X
X
-
-
-
X
-
-
X
X
■-
X
-
_
X
-
Forbs:
Apooynum androsaemifolium
Arnioa alpina
Arnioa oordifolia
Collinsia parviflora
Cruciferae
Epilobium alpinim
Epilobium angustifolium
Erigeron rydbergii
Eriogonum spp.
■ Geranium rioharsonii
Geum triflorum
Gypsophila panioulata
Liatris punotata
Taraxioum laevigatum
Vioia amerioana
Zygadenus venenosus
X
-
—
X
X
X
—
X
X
X
X
X.
X
-
X
-
-
X
X
-•
T
—
-
-
-
-
Shrubs:
Pseudotsuga menzesii
40
TABLE 13.
BCLOCATUMBt VIWTEa CUtTEM OF ACTIVITY AWD WIWTEB STAJTOAlC OIAMETEM OF 63 KAB M O BICWOtW SWEEF OBSEtVED FBOM JAWUABY. IMB-HUtCW. IBM.
(FOB LOCATlOWB BtFEB TO FICUtZI B. 10 AMD 11).
Hep Coordinates
Teg
Trep
Locetlon
of Original
Relocation
Caetle Beef
B/30/6B
1/22/70
5/ 4/70
$/ »/70
12/21/70
3/ 6/71
3/11/71
3/12/71
!Cl
12/20/71
I/ 7/72
1/11/72
1/26/72
2/ 1/72
2/ 2/72
2/ 4/72
2/ 4/72
2/ 7/72
2/13/72
2/11/72
2/24/72
3/ 6/72
3/ B/72
3/ B/72
3/13/72
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Caetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Heed Hennen
Caetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Caatle Beef
Caetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Caetle
Ceetle
Ceetle
Ceetle
Ceetle
Wegner
Beef
Beef
Beef
Reef
Beef
Beeln
Wegner Ieeln
Wegner Beele
of Activity
—
AF-2
A -3
A -3
A -I
A -I
M -2
AJ-2
AI-2
Al-2
A -J
A -J
A -3
AJ-2
A -3
A -3
A -3
AJ-2
AH-2
AI-2
AH-2
AC-2
AI-2
#57
#38
#38
#38
#38
#33
#38
#18
#38
#3»
#64
#43
#60
#63
#60
#40
#41
#56
#36
#57
#53
#37
1.25
.23
.23
.23
.23
5.75
.23
.50
.50
.25
1.38
1.13
.38
1.13
.38
.38
.63
.68
.73
.38
.88
.63
i;2
°:5S
:!!
.:S
Ce#tle BA
A-3 #SB
1/22/70
4/ B/70
3/ 9/70
B/ 4/70
12/ 2/70
12/21/70
3/11/71
I/ 7/72
1/27/72
1/31/72
2/14/72
2/15/72
2/11/72
2/24/72
2/23/72
3/ 3/72
3/ 6/72
3/14/72
Wegner Beete
Ceatle Beef
M -2 #30
U -2 #52
AF-2 #57
B/30/69
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Wegner Ieeln
Caetle Beef
Caetle Reef
Ceetle Beef
Caatle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Castle Beef
Castle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Heed Hannan
1/22/70
4/16/70
5/ 4/70
12/21/70
1/12/71
7/14/71
7/13/71
•/ 8/71
12/20/71
I/ 7/72
l/ia/72
2/ 1/72
2/14/72
I/ B/72
3/ 9/72
1/13/72
Ceetle Beef
Castle Beef
Castle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Vagner Beeln
Cabin Creek
Cabin Creak
Cabin Creek
Ceetle Reef
W«|ner Benin
Caatle Reel
Caetle Reel
Weiner Benin
Uniner Benin
We|ner Bealn
Wagner Benin
A -I
AI-2
A -J
Al-2
A -3
A -J
AJ-2
A -J
AJ-2
I -3
I -3
B -I
#51
#31
#56
#42
#59
#60
#61
#38
#61
#39
#60
#39
AF-2
A -3
I -2
C -2
J -2
A -3
AC-2
Al-2
All-2
AM-2
AM-2
All-2
A -I
#37
#53
#36
#16
#33
#39
#37
#58
#37
#36
#37
#38
#36
Al-2
A -I
M -2
AJ-2
Al-2
AJ-2
Al-2
A -J
A -I
A -J
All-2
AC-2
A -I
#60
#1R
#33
#38
#58
#60
#62
#64
#67
#63
#36
#55
#56
AF-2
A -3
A -J
A -J
A -J
Al-2
Al-2
AJ-2
AH-2
All-2
AH-2
AC-2
#3B
#5«
#5H
#3B
#59
#38
#3B
#60
#36
#37
#37
#53
3.00
2.75
1»
M
I:S
8.38
1.43
1.38
.11
I .00
.30
.73
1.00
73
1.43
:%
:%
.73
.73
.25
.23
138
7.88
.30
.43
8.It
1.23
.63
::
.23
.30
1.00
Castle Bet-I
4/14/70
5/ 9/70
12/21/70
3/11/71
a/ a/7i
12/20/71
I/ 7/72
1/27/72
1/31/72
2/ 1/72
2/ 2/72
2/ 4/72
2/14/72
3/ 9/72
3/15/72
4/13/69
B/30/69
1/22/70
4/ 9/70
4/14/70
3/ 4/70
3/ 9/70
12/21/70
I/ 4/71
1/11/71
3/13/71
12/20/71
I/ 7/72
l/ia/72
2/ 4/72
2/14/72
2/24/72
I/ 9/72
I/ 9/72
Ceetle Re,I
Castle Reel
Cnetle Ret I
Ceatle Keel
Ceetle Reef
Head Hennnn
Caetle Heel
Caatle Reel
Ceetle Beei
Castle Heel
Castle Reel
Ceetle Kerf
Wagner
Wegner
Wagner
Castle
Ieeln
Bealn
Banin
Reel
Heed Hennun
Castle Reef
Castle Beef
Cnetla Reel
Ceetle Beef
Ceatle Reel
Castle Beef
Ceetle Reel
Centle Keel
Ceetle Reel
Caetle Reel
Caetle KeH
Ceatle Keel
Caatle Kerl
Wegner Benin
Wegner Benin
Wegner Benin
Wegner Benin
.30
.23
3.75
.23
.30
.IH
1.00
1.38
2.11
I.IJ
.»*
1.25
.61
.73
5.73
.63
:E
I::
1.25
0.00
0.00
.23
.61
0.00
.50
I.Il
.25
41
TABU! 11.
(C0WT1 W E D ) .
Hep Coordlnetee
Trap
T-S
Se*
1-317*
CE-76
Female
Nerked
3/1»/*»
Em h U
4/13/M
Ceetle Beef
1/22/70
»/ 9/70
12/21/70
I/ 6/71
3/11/71
3/13/71
12/20/71
1/11/72
1/26/72
2/ */72
2/ 7/72
2/14/72
2/15/72
2/11/72
3/ */72
I/ */71
12/20/71
1/26/72
I/ */72
2/16/72
2/15/72
2/1N/72
3/ 3/71
3/ »/72
3/15/72
Caetle Beef
Ceecle Beef
Caetle Beef
Ceetle Reef
Uegner Baein
AF-2
A -3
A -3
A -3
A -3
Al-2
A -3
AJ-2
A -3
A -3
A -3
AJ-X
a -3
AM-2
A -3
A -3
AJ-2
A -3
A -3
AJ-2
B -3
AC-2
U / 2/70
Uesiwr Beetn
AN-2 #55
1/12/71
I/ */71
1/11/71
I/ 12/71
I/ 7/72
1/11/72
1/27/72
2/ 1/72
»-37«l
4/16/70
Caetle Reef
A-) #3*
3/
I/
I/
5/
*/72
*/72
»/72
*/70
*/ */70
I/ */71
12/20/71
I/ */72
I/ »/72
•-3777
*/16/70
Caetle
Caetle
Caetle
Caetle
Ceatla
Ceetle
Ceatle
Caetle
Beef
Beef
Beef
Beef
Beef
Reef
Beef
Beet
taetU
e
Ceetle
Ceetle
Caetle
Ceetle
Caatla
Beef
Beef
Beef
Beef
Beef
Ceetle
Ceetle
Ceetle
Ceetle
Ceetle
Ceetle
:
I
I
1.13
Wagner Been
AI-2 #36
AC-2 #57
AC-2 #33
Wegner Baein
Ceetle Beef
—
Wegner Beeln
Wagner Ieeln
AC-2 #57
AC-2 #53
AC-2 #37
1.00
1.23
1.00
:»
Wegner Raeln
1/1/73
Wegner Iaain
.30
Wegner Ieeln
AC-2 #33
AC-2 #37
1.23
I/ */72
I/ */72
I/ »/72
Wegner Ieeln
Wegner Iaeln
AC-2 #33
AC-2 #37
1.23
1.00
I/ */72
Wegner Ieeln
AC-ZfSS
1.23
Srattering
2/21/**
E i 1J1I
*/!*/*»
Scetterlne
Sprinse
Reel. Flet
Caetle Beef
A-J #3»
Ceetle Reef
A-J #3»
fc-etlerlna
Caetla
Ceetle
Wegner
Wagner
Caetle
Beef
Beef
Beeln
Bee n
Beef
KveMrrIne
2/2W/72
1/10/72
AN-2 #57
1.21
AN-2 #37
1.03
A -I #1#
2.17
AJ-2 #17
I.*4
1.00
.50
Beet. S p rli
E.!: JlS
ri“
IZ
A -I
AC-2
AN-2
Al-2
AN-2
AM-2
A -I
AJ-2
IJI
#23
#31
#21»
#29
#2»
#31
#11
Svetterlna
1/20/70
12/ 2/70
12/19/70
*/20/71
*/2*/7l
12/1#/71
2/ B/72
2/21/72
1/10/72
1/12/72
12/IB/7I
W
::
I/ #/72
I/ */72
I/ */72
3/ 2/72
AI-2 #5*
.23
.75
1.00
1.23
—
Wegner Beeln
Ceetle Reef
Ceetle Beef
A-J #59
1.30
1.25
.25
.50
.73
1.00
1.25
.73
I/ 7/72
AJ-2 #51
i!is
AN-2 #5*
#59
#3#
#37
#57
#53
#11
3/ 2/72
1/21/ to
a
.30
I
A -J
AI-Z
AN-2
AC-2
AC-2
AI-2
Ceetle Benf
A-J #3*
A/I6/A1
:Si
U
:S
o 'o o
Uesner Benin
Reel.
Beet. Springe
Keef
Flat
» liver
Reel. Flat
Berl. Flei
Scet. Sprlege
Beet. Springe
Fenele
1M
M
6.13
1.00
.23
1.23
1.25
1.00
*/21/69
1/20/70
1/20/70
1/22/70
•-1727
#31
#3#
#3*
#3#
#59
#38
#5*
#60
#60
#3#
#60
#3*
#60
#3*
#59
#5*
#60
#39
#60
#61
#59
#55
#30
#3#
#59
#37
#53
#3*
Ceetle Beef
A-) #$♦
ef Activity
AJ-2 #3#
M -2
AC-2
A -J
AC-2
AC-2
AC-2
*/16/70
1/26/6«
1U 1M l E *
IZ
Beef
Beef
Reef
Beef
Beef
Beef
Ceetle Beef
Ceetle Beef
Caatle Beef
3/ 2/72
of Original
Capture
In Hllee
Dete
Beleceted
Bla ceorse
lee* AJ-2 m
Inge AJ-2 #J*
ZI
13
iI
q
I
23#
.25
1.30
!ill
:::
Big CenraeI
I
Rla Ceorarr
SveltrrlnaI
AJ-2
AJ-2
AJ-2
AJ-2
#40
#40
#40
#33
.:S
2.00
2.00
2.00
.23
—
r
Rla (im-rar
A -I #40
2.00
1.73
—42—
TAM-e IS .
(COOTIHUtD).
from Ilta^
from Hte
of
r:;:r
.,eS;;:..,
—
AJ-2 #36
DSamatar
Map Coordlnatee
<>Pt«e
ter
1*0
127
1*1
Cl-*2
lea
female
female
female
female
Merked
3/21/70
3/21/70
3/21/70
3/21/70
Loterl
Scattering
Icatterlng
Iprtnge
A-3 132
Icetterlng
leatiering
ZVm*
1*4
female
3/11/70
!catering
A?) #32
ISO
ISS
IS2
female
hale
Male
3/21/70
3/21/70
3/21/70
Icetterlng
Spring*
A-3 132
Kettering
Springs
A-S #S2
Kettering
H g Ceerge
0 -S #41
2.31
1/11/70
12/ 2/70
12/11/70
I/ 2/71
4/20/71
A/21/71
1/10/71
12/11/7)
2/21/72
3/10/72
S/12/72
I/1A/70
M e l . flet
Kat Iprlnga
H g Caerga
•cat. Springe
H g Ceerge
•cat. Iprlnga
Icat. Iprtnga
Kat Springs
H l Ceorge
H g Caerge
H g George
Kettering
AC-2
AX-2
AX-2
A -J
A -J
A -S
A -J
AJ-I
f -I
AJ-2
AJ-2
AX-2
#30
#31
ISl
#31
#31
#32
#31
#13
#42
#40
#40
#33
1.00
.so
1.75
.13
1.75
0.00
.11
.»
1.71
12/11/70
4/20/71
S/17/71
1/10/71
■ -3
C -I
A -3
A -3
D -J
I -3
AJ-2
A -J
#40
#17
#31
#31
#41
#41
#40
#32
a.ec
1.31
.33
.13
2.31
2.25
3/12/72
1/14/70
H g Caere*
Kat Spring*
Kat Spring*
Kat Springs
H g Cnotge
H g Ceorga
H g George
Kettering
1/16/70
12/11/70
1/10/71
12/20/71
2/ 1/72
3/10/72
3/11/72
Kat Iprlnga
H g George
Ket Springe
H g George
Keel, flat
•cat. Springe
Kat Springe
AM-2
AX 2
A -3
C -3
AG-3
A -I
AJ-2
#13
#39
#31
131
#27
#33
#33
.75
1.75
.11
1.30
I.M
.as
.25
4/21/71
1/22/70
1/14/70
12/11/70
4/20/71
I/ 1/71
12/20/71
3/11/72
3/12/72
4/21/70
C -3
Kat^Sprlnge Al-2
Al-2
A -3
K -2
Cabin Crrek
C -S
Kat Springe A -3
Scat. Springe AJ-2
Kettering
*.J»
2.00
2.00
.63
Scattering
I.J3
#39
#33
#39
#39
*35
*39
#33
#31
1.75
1.7$
62)
1.75
1.7$
s.oo
5.00
s . as
*.75
Hannan r.ulch
Hnrwelglen
Caetle Meaf
female
S/21/70
Kettering
1/11/70
Mrlafd
1/22/70
12/ 2/70
12/11/70
12/11/71
12/20/71
2/ */77
IPS
IH
CK-37
220
female
female
Iernele
female
12/20/70
12/20/7»
12/20/7»
12/20/70
270
female
17/7»/7»
I
:ii
__
1.1%
1:3
S
.23
I -I #3A
Mlg Iienrgr
—
RvalIerIhK
4/21/71
S/ M/71
12/11/71
1/17/72
2/ 1/72
I / 10/72
Rial. Spr Iiigit
l/IS/71
4/29/71
S/17/71
4/2S/7I
4/10/71
I/ 1/71
12/11/71
1/19/72
3/11/72
I/1 S/71
Si a I . S p r i n g e
V e t . Springe
4/21/71
12/19/71
1/17/72
!:%
3.50
Nrelterlng
S i altering
AJ-2 #35
N -2 1 17
V a l . Kpiliiga
H g CeurgiK a i . Kpr Iiign
«-i*iu
—
C -3 #19
H g Genige
Hral. Svi In I A - S #11
H g CwurKr
Kat . Sprln
,11
1.75
.7%
.SO
.11
A -I #12
—
iiii
%
li-vI. M m
.73
Il . N p l I l l g N
I t . Kpi In *"
Nlg Ueurpv
Kallrrlng
.13
K a i . Springe
K e l . Springe
All-2
AJ-2
AH-2
AM-Z
I
«29
111
#29
IZN
I
2.'»0
.11
I.U
I
0.00
—
I
I
Al-2
MI-2 #29
AC-: »27
.75
1.00
.73
1.00
*
I
I
I
I!(M)
.11
-IN
. IN
I 1:3
K a rl. M m
Kai. Spring#
Vet. Sprlnga
V a l . Springe
Kal . Mprlnga
K m . Spi lug*
M
i:S
i:!2
2:3
::3
‘:U
I*
I.
—
Cabin Cnek
4/21/71
11/19/71
1/17/72
1/17/72
2/ 1/72
3/11/72
1/16/71
I
AC-2 I
12/11/71
7/10/72
1/10/77
I/I 1/77
I/ 2/71
Scattering
i:S
•H
Wagner Bualn
Katlerlng
Kettering
—
1.7»
S.7S
3 75
S S
6.23
A-StIS*
IAS
I
0.00
■25
Cabin Creek
Srat. Springe AJ-2 #33
AJ-2 #40
12/20/71
1/16/72
1/24/72
1/27/72
2/ 3/72
3/ 1/71
1/10/70
.10
Kettering
I/ 1/71
12/11/71
3/10/72
3/12/72
1/13/70
12/11/70
12/21/71
I/ 7/72
1/27/72
2/24/72
S/ 1/70
1:3
;3
1.93
•43
T A B U 13.
(COWTIWUEU).
T H
Dete
Belocetetl
1/14/71
%3%32
12/20/70
12/11/71
1/17/72
Scetterlns
A 3 #32
*/ 1/71
12/19/71
1/17/72
1/17/72
1/22/72
2/10/72
3/10/72
X M t n
Ssrlnge
A-3 #32
I
M
m
3/11/72
1/15/71
1IS
Beclemetlonriet AM-2 #29
1.13
■•cl. riel
led . Flet
Bed. Flet
Sheeg Beef
Scetterlng
AM-2 #29
AM-2 #29
AM-2 #29
AC-2 #27
A -I #32
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.25
0.00
Reel. Flet
Sherg Seef
NF Sun Slvwr
Reel. Flet
Scet. Sgrlnge
S e . Springe
Sent. Springe
Beet. Springe
AH-2
2 -2
AM-2
AM-2
AJ-2
A -I
AJ-2
AJ-2
1.00
#29
#29
#29
#29
#31
#11
#11
#11
1.11
1.00
.18
.11
.IS
SeetterlH
—
1/17/72
1/20/72
1/21/72
2/ 1/72
2/10/72
1/10/72
3/11/72
9/10/71
BedTriet
AM-2 #29
91
NF Sun River
•cel. Springe
Sent. Springe
Seet. Springe
Scel. Springe
Bed. Flet
AM-2 #28
A -I #11
A -I #11
AJ-2 #11
AJ-2 #31
AC-2 #29
1.13
Bin Ceorge
Cebln Creek
C -I #19
H -2 #15
12/20/71
I/ 9/71
—
Cebln Creek
K -2 #35
AM-2 #29
1.13
2/29/72
1/10/72
3/11/72
3/12/72
9/ 9/71
Ilg Cenrge
Big Cetirge
Scni . Springe
Sent. Springe
Cehln Creek
U -I #41
I -I #17
A -I # »
AJ-2 #11
J -J «i)
I.IB
J9
9.50
%'x;
12/70/71
1/10/72
Big Ourgv
Bern. Springe
C -I #19
A -I #13
1-73
.25
Cehln Creek
Il -2 #11
4 BS
A O *#32
9/ 9/71
12/20/71
2/29/72
3/10/72
1/11/72
7/14/71
Cehln Creek
Big Cenrgr
Bin Ceornr
Big Ceorgv
Beel . Springe
Ceblm Creek
K -2
C -I
K -I
I -I
AI-2
H 2
#15
«19
#41
#17
#31
#13
4.11
1.75
2.30
1.25
.11
1.09
• i
1:S
1.34
.25
:»
.:S
—
9/ 9/71
12/20/71
7/14/71
Cebln Creek
Btg George
Cehln Creek
H -2 #35
C -I #39
H 2 #33
7.00
1.75
4 SB
9/ 9/71
12/20/71
2/29/72
1/10/72
Cebln Creek
Big George
Slg George
Bin Georg*
Bin George
Cehln Creek
B 2
c -I
AJvl
AI-2
AJ-2
K -2
4.11
1.75
2.00
2.00
2.00
6.25
*/30/71
*
Seetterlng
9/ 9/71
5.75
5.50
4.25
6.50
6.30
Rerlent Inn
9/14/70
U lJ ttIlQ
Sini . springe
S- .iitvrlng
AI-2 #11
A - I #17
12/19/71
1/10/7/
1/11/7/
S-Ui. Springe
Nt ol. Springe
S- Ol . Springe
NI Nun Mlwvr
AI-2 #11
A -I #11
Al-/ #11
SI..I' Nvvl
Siim MillIn
Cli un Crvvk
Slivvp Kvvl
NF Sun Klwr
AC-J #21AF-2 #75
AC-2 * 2
All-2 #/4
AI-2 #/M
4.61
12/19/70
4/29/M
Mvi I . F ln l
K- Oi . Springe
All-2 #11
— -
.Mt
9/ 1/71
12/19/71
1/17/72
1/11/77
1/22/70
12/19/70
12/20/70
3/9/71
M-- I. Flnl
Mt" I. Flel
Mvt l. Flet
M v I. Flnl
Snn Nut Iv
Mt- I. Fi ll
Knil . Sprlngn
Mvi I. Flnt
AIW
All-2
All-2
All-2
All-2 #11
A -I #12
All-2 #2*
1/10/72
1/11/72
3/12/72
2/ M/72
3/11/72
7/20/71
Stni. Springe
Mt 'I. Springe
Svnl. Springe
Still . Springe
Krnt. Spring.
Slivvp Shed
a - I #11
AI-2 #11
AJ-2 #31
C -I #14
AJ-2 #31
All-1 #19
2/17/72
Ford Cr. Pint. I 2ON, K 9V
Met Iemetlnn
1/72/70
AH-2#2»et
T l*M^rs#*H
MKk Sec. 12
—
—
A -I #13
2.14
A -I #33
.:S
.75
\M
—
M J J IItt
Iuiiwn Crwk
—
—
l:n
*•« Ieeet Inn
9/ 2/71
1/17/77
""""
3«<e« 3
""""
IliiI
IliIi
I/ 7/72
2/ 1/72
2/14/77
2/14/72
#13
#19
#40
#40
#40
#35
—
.73
...
Sgrlnge "*
Sgrlnge
A-I #32
wIHtM U M * *
2 4#
MT Sun Blvrr
7/14/71
..c T I m i .,
—
—
9/ 9/71
ScetterlH
•sir
r H
9/10/71
Sgrlnge
A-I #32
rl-ml
“
4/29/71
*
Seetterleg
Oletence
Free Site
of
Belocetloe
Ii
Orelnege
end/or
Th
...
7.50
—
A.l-2#19
I
...
.
:5
_
:»
AF-Z #27
— .
5.61
#29 " 11.00
#11
.IN
#79
#2N
AI-2 #11
I'm
-H
—
...
4.75
—
•44
TABLE 13.
(COIiriWED).
Tag
Sex
R-0074
Female
Marked
2/10/71
Trap
Location
Date
Relocated
2/14/71
Ford Creek
T 19«. R 9V.
NKk Sec. 12
5/ 7/71
6/22/71
12/21/71
1/10/72
2/29/72
3/ 8/72
3/13/72
3/14/72
3/15/72
2/10/71
R-0069
3/20/71
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9V
NEk Sec. 12
4/21/71
7/ 7/71
7/19/71
12/21/71
1/10/72
2/29/72
3/ S/72
Femele
2/10/71
Ford Creek
T 19N, * 9W
NEk Sec. 12
3/14/72
3/15/72
Ford Creek
4/21/71
Ford Creek
5/ 7/71
12/21/71
Ford Creek
Ford Creek
1/10/72
Ford Creek
3/13/72
3/14/72
3/15/72
4/21/71
7/ 7/71
7/19/71
2/17/72
Ford Creek
T 19N, R9W.
NEk Sec. 12
4/21/71
6/18/71
6/22/71
2/10/71
Ford Creek
T 19N, I 9W,
NEk Sec. 12
.25
Ford Creek
3/ 1/72
2/10/71
.63
Ford Creek
Ford Creek
2/29/72
Ford Creek
T 19N, I 9V,
NEk Sec. 12
T 19N, R 9W,
NVA Sec. 12
T 19N, R 9V,
NEk Sec. 12
Falrvlev Mtn. T 2ON, R 9V.
SEk Sec. 16
Ford Creek
T 19N, I 9V,
NEkNtft Sec. I
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9V,
SVANEk Sec. I
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9V
SVANVA Sec. 12
Ford Creek
T 19N, R9V
NEk Sec. I
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9W
SVANEk, Sec. I
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9W
SEkNtft Sec. I
T 19N, R 9W
Ford Creek
SEkNEk Sec. I
T 19N, R 9V,
Ford Creek
SVANVA Sec. 12
T 20«, R 9V,
Ford Creek
SVA Sec. 6
Sheep Shed
AD-3 #38
Felrvlev Piet.T 2ON, I 9V,
NEk Sec. 21
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9W
NEk Sec. 10
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9V,
SVANEk Sec. I
Ford Creek
T 19N, R 9V
SVANVA Sec. 12
Ford Creek
T 19N, r 9W,
NEk Sec. I
7/ 7/71
7/19/71
7/20/71
4/21/71
5/ 7/71
9/ 4/71
1/24/72
2/23/72
Dletence
From Site
of Orlglmel
Capture
In Mllea
Ford Creek
3/13/72
2/23/72
2/10/71
Drainage
and/or
Map Coordlnatea
of
Relocation
T 19N, R 9V
SVANEk Sec. I
T 19N, R 9V,
SVANEk Sec. I
T 19N, R 9V,
SVANEk Sec. I
T 2ON, RSV,
Sec. 6
T 19N, R9V,
NEk Sec. 10
T 19N, R9V,
SVANEk Sec. I
T 19N, R 9V,
Ford Creek
NEk Sec. 11
T 19N, R 9V,
Ford Creek
SEkNEk Sec. 11
T 19N, R 9V,
Ford Creek
SVANVA Sec. 12
T 19N, R 9V,
Ford Creek
SVkNEk Sec. 10
T 19N, R 9V,
Ford Creek
NKkNEk Sec. 11
T 19«, R 9V.
Ford Creek
NVA Sec. 11
T 20N, R SV,
Ford Creek
SVA Sec. 6
AD-3
Sheep Shed
—
- #38
-Falrvlev Flat.T 2ON, R 9W,
SVA Sec. 21
Ford Cr. Plat.T 20N, R 9W,
NVA Sac. 27
Ford Creek
T 20N, R 8W,
SVA Sec. 6
Vlllov Creek T 20N, R 9W,
NEk Sec. 21
Falrvlev Mtn. T 20N, R 9V,
SE*,
SEkt Sec. 16
AD-3 #38
Sheep Shad
AD-3 #39
Sheep Shad
AD-3 #39
Sheep Shed
T 2ON, R SM,
Ford Creek
SVA Sec. 6
Ford Creek
AE-3 #39
Sheep Shed
T 19N, R SM,
Ford Creek
NVASVA Sec. 6
T 19N, R 9V.
Ford Creek
SEk Sec. 3
Dletance
From Site
of Laat
Relocation
In Milee
__
5.25
.88
4.50
.75
.13
.75
1.13
.88
1.38
.75
.13
.75
.13
.75
0.00
.75
.13
1.00
8.63
4.86
8.63
3.88
2.13
4.00
.75
2.13
.75
1.13
.88
1.25
.75
.13
.75
.25
.75
0.00
2.13
.75
2.13
1.13
1.38
1.13
1.38
8
2.25
1.38
1.00
1.13
1.63
.63
.25
8.63
4.00
3.86
.25
4.68
4.88
5.25
.50
8.63
8.50
8.50
3.50
.25
8.50
.38
T 19«, R 9V,
, M ® 1 s«t. I
.88
T 19«, R 9V
StftNVA Sec. I
1.63
T 19N, R 9V
NEkNEk See 11
.25
6.63
5.00
Standard
Diameter
of
Vinter Area
In Mllee
.50
5.25
.75
Location
of
Vlmter
Canter
of Activity
0.00
8.50
2.38
45
TABLE 13.
(CONTINUED).
Drainage
Dietance
Distance
From
Map
Teg
Number
R - 0064
Sex
Coordinates
Trap
of
Location
Relocation
Ford Creek
T 1 9N, R 9 U
N E k S ec.
12
4/21/71
Ford Creek
5/
Ford Creek
Ford
Creek
T
In Ml l e e
19N,
T
Ford Creek
T
19N.
NEk
T
12
Sec.
19N,
SWkNEk
Sec.
R 9W,
6/18/71
Willow Creek
6/22/71
N E k Sec.
F a l r v l e w M t n . T 2 ON, R
7/7/71
Falrview
7/19/71
Sheep
7/20/71
Sheep
Ford
20N,
NVkSEk
Sec.
T
R
2O N ,
»-00«5
T
Creek
19N,
NEk
12
Shed
AE-3
138
Shed
AD-3
#39
Creek
T
19N,
1/10/72
Ford Creek
NEkSEk
T 19N,
4/21/71
Ford
Creek
T
5/
Ford
Creek
R
19N.
Sec.
7/71
7/7/71
Feirvlew Plat.T
7/19/71
Fairvlew Plat.T
2/
Ford
.50
1.50
8.50
9U,
Sec. I
R 9W,
R
S ec.
2 ON,
R
R
19N,
Creek
Creek
T
Ford
Creek
NEkNEk
T 19N,
4/21/71
Ford Creek
5/
7/19/71
Ford Creek
Sh e e p Shed
7/20/71
Sheep
Shed
9/
Sheep
Shed
19N,
19N,
2/17/72
Ford
Cr.
1.00
1.13
1.63
2/10/71
Ford
T
Creek
4/21/71
Ford
1 9 N , R 9V ,
NEk
S e c . . 12
T
2 ON,
SWk
12/21/71
1/10/72
8.63
9W
2/10/71
R - 00 45
2/10/71
Ford Creek
Ford
S E k Sec.
T 19N. R
T
19N,
NEk
Ford
T
Sheep
Sec.
2/14/71
Ford
Creek
T
SEkNWk
Sec.
4/21/71
Ford
Creek
T
R
Ford Creek
T
9W,
12
.25
—
3.13
—
2.13
2.25
.75
2.00
I
8.50
19N,
1/10/72
Ford Creek
9/ 4/ 7 1
Sheep
R
9W.
Creek
T 19N, R 9W,
NEk Sec. 12
Shed
—— —
T
19N, R
.63
9W,
2.13
2.13
12
19N,
R
3
T
9W,
19N,
R
#39
9W,
NEkSVAt S e c .
0.00
SE k Sec.
AE-3
.63
12
9W,
SVAtNEk S e c .
Ford
3.88
#39
19N,
Sec.
2/10/71
7.63
12
Creek
12/21/71
R -0 0 3 8
.25
.75
I
3
9W,
7/20/71
AD-3
—
.38
8.38
R 9W,
S ec.
19N, R
NEk
Shed
—
6
T 1 9 N , R 9W,
SVAtNEk S e c .
R -0 03 5
—
27
R 8W,
Sec.
—
8.50
Ford Creek
Creek
.25
6
SVAtNEk S e c .
P l a t . T 20N, R 9 W
Creek
.63
11
#38
19N, R
1.10
11
10
R8W,
NVAt S e c .
R -0 05 4
9V,
3
A D - 3 #39
A E - 3 #39
T
R
11
9W,
R 9W
SVAt S e c .
Creek
.25
R 9W,
Sec.
Ford
1.13
S e c . 11
R 9W,
T
3/15/72
19N,
11
.63
Ford
3/14/72
5.13
2.25
3/13/72
19N,
.88
1.13
.25
R
19N,
5.63
1.25
Sec.
T
Ford
T
2.13
SEkNEk
Ford Creek
1/10/72
1.88
1.13
3/ 8 / 7 2
AE-3
1.88
17
R 9W
Ford
4/71
8.13
6.25
9W,
2/29/72
7/71
.38
.38
.63
9W,
N E k Sec. 11
T 19N, R 9W,
T
2.50
8.50
S E k NVA1 S e c .
T
9W,
12
—
11
R 9W,
NVAt S e c .
19N,
-—
.50
6.25
Creek
Creek
—
5.25
SVAtNEk S e c .
NEk
—
21
12
20N,
SEk
T
—
.75
4.50
21
9W,
S E k N E k Sec.
Ford Creek
Area
In M l l e a
I
NKkSVAt S e c . 2 0
T 1 9 N , R 9U.
1/72
2/23/72
2/10/71
—
5.00
NEkSVAt S e c .
R-0069
of
Winter
of A c t i v i t y
2.13
S E k S e c . 16
P l a t . T 2 0 N , R 9W,
NEkSVAt S e c . 17
R 9V.
Sec.
In Mi l e e
9W,
NEkSVAt Sec.
Ford
Standard
of
Winter
10
T
W i l l o w Creek
12/21/71
2/10/71
.75
R 9W.
5/26/71
R 9V.
Sec.
R 9W,
19N, R 9 W ,
NEk
1/10/72
2/10/71
Location
Site
Laat
Sec. I
7/71
12/21/71
R-0047
of
Relocation
Date
Harked
2/10/71
of Original
.75
1.88
I
8.83
— -
—
1.73
2
—46—
I
^20 _
Figure 9.
??
*0
45___ 60___ 66
60
6 5 _______ 70_______7 8 ______ 8 0
Map of portion of study area north of Gibson Dam with onesixteenth square mile grid for use with Table 13 in showing
locations of marked animal relocations.
-47-
Figure 10.
Map of portion of study area south of Gibson Dam with onesixteenth square mile grid and sections for use with Table
13 in showing locations of marked animal relocations.
—48—
Rta W
Figure 11.
RllW
Map of portion of study area west of Gibson Dam with onesixteenth square mile grid and sections for use with Table
13 in showing locations of marked animal relocations.
LITERATURE CITED
Booth, W. E. 1950. Flora of Montana, Part I — Conifers and Mpnocots.
Research Foundation, Montana State College, Bozeman. 232 pp.
_____ and J . C. Wright. 1959.. Flora of Montana, Part II —
dons. Montana State College, Bozeman. 305 pp.
Dicotyle­
Cole, L. C. 1949. The measurement of interspecific association.
Ecology. 30(4):411-424.
Cole, G. F. 1956. The pronghorn antelope — Its range use and food
habits in central Montana with special reference to alfalfa. Mon­
tana Fish and Game Department and Montana Agricultural Experiment
Station. Tech. Bull. No. 516. 63 pp.
Couey, F. M. 1950. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep of Montana. Fed. Aid
in Wildl. Rest. Proji. I-R, Bull. 2, Montana Fish and Game Comm.
90 pp.
Daubenmire, R. 1959. A canopy-coverage method of vegetational analy­
sis. Northwest Science. 33(1)?43-64.
Deiss, C. F. 1943. Structure of central part of Sawtooth Range, Mon­
tana. Geol. Soc. Bull. 54:1123-1167.
Harrison, J. L. 1958. Range of movement of some Malayan rats.
Mammal. 39(2):190-206.
Hayne, D. W. 1949.
30(1):1-18.
Calculation of size of home range.
Knight, R. R. 1970. The Sun River elk herd.
Publ. by the Wildlife Society. 66 pp.
J.
J. Mammal.
Wildl. Mono. No. 23.
Martin,'A. C., R. H. Gensch, and C. P. Brown. 1946. Alternative meth­
ods in upland game bird food analysis. J . Wildl. Mgmt. 10(1):
8-12.
Morgan, J i K. 1970. Ecology of the Morgan Creek and East Fork of the
Salmon River bighorn sheep herds and management of bighorn sheep
in Idaho. Idaho Fish and Game Department Compl. Rept. Project
W-142-R-1. 155pp.
Oldemeyer, J. L., W. J. Barmore and D. L. Gilbert. 1971. Winter ecol­
ogy of bighorn sheep in Yellowstone National Park. J. Wildl. Mgmt
35 (2):257-269).
-50-
Picton, H. D.
Montana.
1960. Migration patterns of the Sun River elk herd,
J. Wildl. Mgmt.. 24(3):279-290.
Schallenberger, A. D. 1966. Food habits, range use and interspecific
relationships of bighorn sheep in the Sun River area, westcentral
Montana. Unpubl. thesis (M. S.) Montana State University,
Bozeman. . 44 pp.
Smith, D. R. 1954. The bighorn sheep in Idaho — its status, life
history and management. Idaho Fish and Game Department, .Wildi.
Bull. No. I. 154 pp.
Spencer, C. C. 1943. Notes on the life history of Rocky Mountain big­
horn sheep in Tarryall Mountains of Colorado. J. Mamm. 24(1):
1-11.
U. S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau. 1970. Montana monthly
summary. U. S. Gov't. Printing Office, Washington, D. C.
White, J. E. 1964.
71(2):369-373.
An index of the range of activity.
.
Am. Midi. Nat.
Woolf, A., T. O'Shea, D. L. Gilbert. 1970. Movements and behavior of
bighorn sheep on summer ranges in Yellowstone National Park. J.
Wildl. Mgmt. 34(2):446-450.
1
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