Range relationships of elk and livestock in the Crow Creek drainage, Elkhorn Mountains, Montana
by David Ray Stevens
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 David Ray Stevens (1965)
Abstract:
A study of range relationships between elk and livestock was made in 1963-1964 on 100,000 acres of
Crow Greek drainage, Elkhorn Mountains, Montana. The objective was to obtain quantitative data on
food habits, forage utilization, and distribution of elk, cattle, and sheep on spring and summer ranges.
The history of livestock and elk on the area was reviewed. A physiographic and vegetation description
of the study area was made. Three vegetation zones were described; Fescue-Wheatgrass, Douglas-fir,
and Spruce-Fir. Range use by elk was determined during 257 ground observation trips recording 3,125
elk and 15 aerial observation trips recording 1,814 elk. The Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone received almost
100 percent of the elk use from January through March and about 90 percent of the use in April and
May. Each zone received considerable use in June and the Spruce-Fir Zone received most of the use in
July and August. Cattle and sheep distribution on each grazing allotment was discussed. Elk food
habits were determined by examination of 94 feeding sites and analyses of the contents of eight elk
rumens. The results were tabulated by season and vegetation zone. The spring diet consisted of 77
percent grasses and 23 percent forbs while the summer diet consisted of 76 percent forbs and only 16
percent grasses. Data from fall rumen samples indicated a progressive shift to grasses during the
period. Cattle food habits were determined by examination of 69 feeding sites which showed that
grasses formed most of the diet on each vegetation zone. For all zones grasses made up 75 percent and
forbs 24 percent of the summer diet. Sheep food habits were determined from the examination of 28
feeding sites which indicated forbs formed most of the summer diet. The percentage of forbs in the diet
decreased as the intensity of grazing increased. The forage species most preferred by sheep were
indicated. Forage utilization, studied by agronomy cages, exclosures, utilization transects, and ocular
estimates, indicated several areas were used to a "heavy" degree. These were considered areas of
possible competition for forage among the grazing animals. In the Spruce-Fir and Douglas-fir Zones,
grazed in spring, summer, and fall by elk and summer and fall by cattle, interspecific competition was
not considered significant during the study period. In the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone, grazed in spring,
fall, and winter by elk and summer and fall by cattle, competition was not considered serious, but the
data indicated a potential for conflict on elk winter range areas. Cattle intraspecific competition existed
to some degree in each zone. A potential for competition was indicated between sheep and elk, but the
degree which existed on the study area was not considered excessive. Intraspecific sheep competition
was heavy in some preferred grazing areas. Intraspecific elk competition was not found significant on
any part of the study area at the present time. RANGE RELATIONSHIPS OF ELK AND LIVESTOCK
IN THE GROW GREEK DRAINAGE,
ELKHGRN MOUNTAINS, MONTANA
by
V-/
DAVID RAY STEVENS
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
Approved:
Head/ Major Db^artment
ovx_
Chairman, Examining Committee
[!Dean, Graduate Division
MONTANA STATE COLLEGE
Bozeman, Montana
ill.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
To the following, among others, the author wishes to express
appreciation for their contributions to this study:
Dr, Don G, Quimby,
Montana -State College, who directed the study and. ajlded in preparation of
the manuscript 5 Dr. Robert L. Eng, Montana Fish and Game Department, for
project planning? Er. Leroy Ellig, Mr. Joe Egan, and other personnel of
District Three, Montana Fish and Game Department, for field assistance and
cooperation? Mr. Kenneth Greer, Montana Fish and Game Department, for
assistance and use of facilities in analysis of rumen samples?
Mr. John Antonich, District Ranger, and all personnel of Townsend District,
■
Helena National Forest, for field assistance and cooperation?
Dr. John H. Rumely, Montana State College, for field assistance and aid in
vegetation analysis? Dr, W. E. Booth, Montana State College, for aid in
verification of plant specimens? Er, Charles Eustace, Montana Fish and Game
Department, for field assistance? my wife, Marilyn, for field assistance,
patience, and encouragement.
The writer was supported by the Montana Fish
and Game Department under Federal Aid Projects W-98-R-4 and W-98-R-5, the
D1. S. Forest Service, and the National Science Foundation during the study.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
VITA . . . , ........
.
Page
ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT . . . .
.
Iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
.
iv
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ABSTRACT . . . . . ...
.
ix
INTRODUCTION . . .....
.
I
LIST OF TABLES . . . .
0 *
H S T OF FIGURES
e
. . .
1
«
e ' '•
•
0
PHYSIOGRAPHY OF STUDY AREA
3
VEGETATION OF' STUDY AREA
9
Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone . , . ...
Fescue-Wheatgrass Type .
. .
Sagebrush-Fescue Type . . . .
Juniper-Fescue Type
. . . . .
Aspen-Willow T y p e ..........
Bouglas-fir Zone. . . . . . . . .
Douglas-fir Type . . . . . . .
LocLgepole pine Type . . . . . .
Aspen-Willow Type
........ ,.
Grass-Forb Park Type . . . . .
Engelmann-Spruce - Alpine Fir Zone
Spruce-Fir Type. . . . . . . .
Isdgepole pine Type ..... . .
Aspen-Willow Type
. . . . . .
Grass-Forb Park Type . . . . . .
DISTRIBUTION AND RANGE USE ........
Elk
Cattle
Sheep 0
9
10
10
12
12
12
12
15
15
15
16
16
18
18
18
...............
20
20
26
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30
T
TABLE OF GOHTEHTS
(continued)
Page
32
F0©D HABITS
Eik. . . . .
Spring . . ;.v
. ..
Summer- .■ .
. ■. •.
Vegetation Zones , .
Eumen Analyses.
Gattle . . . . . . . . .
Sheep . . . . . . . ...
»
e
4.
0
e
4
e
9
e
4
»
6
6 e
e
0
0
0
FORAGE UTILIZATION
4&
Elk and Gattle;.,.. . .
; . ... • e e o e o o o o e o o e o e o o
Tizer Cattle Allotment
.; 0 * 0 0 0 # 0 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
*
North Grow Cattle.Allotment .O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
South Grow Cattle Allotment 0 0 4 O O O O O - O O 0 O # O O O O
Elk and Sheep . . . . ; . :. . -. 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
RANGE RELATIONSHIPS.
APPENDIX. .'...............
48
51
53
54
56
58
Elk and Cattle . .
. . . . ....
. , . . . . . . , . .
Elk and Sheep ................................ . . . . . . . . .
LITERATURE CITED
32
35
35
36
37
39
43
...
. . •...............
. , . . ... .. . ... . . . , . . . ... . . . . . .
58
62
65
66
vi
LIST GF TABLES
Table
I.
II.
Page
CONSTANCY, CANOPY COVERAGE, AND FREQUENCY OF TAXA IN THE '
VEGETATION ON NINETEEN GRASSLAND AND PARK STANDS AS DETER­
MINED BY TWENTY.2 X 5 DECIMETER .PLOTS ALONG A PACED
TRANSECT'ON EACH STAND . . . . . .......... . . . . . . . .
7
PERCENT OF ELK OBSERVED ON EACH VEGETATION TYPE BY MONTH AS
■ RECORDED BY AERIAL AND GROUND OBSERVATION TRIPS IN 1963 AND
21
III.
ELK OBSERVED IN JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER BY NEEK I N '
C
0-0
O
0.0
0-0
O
0 - 0 . 0
O
1963 AND 1964. . . . . . . .
O
IV. STOCKING ON THE NORTH CROW CATTLE ALLOTMENT UNDER THE REST' ROTATION GRAZING SYSTEM IN 1963 AND. 1964 . . . . . . . . . . . .
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
26
28
SCHEDULE OF SHEEP USE ON EACH CAMP UNIT OF THE WIISON GREEK
SHEEP ALLOTMENT IN 1963 AND 1964 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
31
ELK FOOD HABITS AS DETERMINED BY EXAMINATION OF 94 ELK
FEEDING.SITES IN 1963 AND.1964 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
33
ELK FOOD HABITS AS DETERMINED FROM THE COMPOSITION OF RUMEN
SAMPLES,FROM.EIGHT ELK COLLECTED IN 1963 AND 1964 . . . . . .
38
CATTLE FOOD PREFERENCES AS DETERMINED FROM EXAMINATION OF 69
FEEDING.SITES. IN 1963 AND 1964 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40
SHEEP FOOD HABITS AS DETERMINED FROM. EXAMINATION OF 28
FEEDING SITES: DURING 1963 AND 1964 ........ . . . ...........
44
PERCENT FORAGE UTILIZATION IN 1964 ON KEY AREAS OF THE TIZER
CATTLE ALLOTMENT. AS,DETERMINED BY AGRONOMY CAGES . . . . . . . .
52
PERCENT FORAGE UTILIZATION BY WEIGHT ON WILSON GREEK SHEEP
ALLOTMENT AS DETERMINED.BY CLIPPED, PLOTS ALONG ELEVEN ,
.
TRANSECTS IN 1963. .
. . . . .
57
vii
LIST QF FIGURES
Figure
Page
S
1.
Map of the Grow Creek Study A r e a ..................... ..
2.
Fescue-Wheatgrass Type in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone Near
Muddy Lake,Greek o e o e o * # ^ * * * * * * * * * * * * * # *
TI
Sagebrush-Fescue Type in the Feseue-Wheatgrass Zone South of
Eagle Banger Station ................
11
Juniper-Fescue Type in the Feseue-Wheatgrass Zone. Near
Roberts Greek o ,6 » e e o o o o » 6 o e » o o o o » o e o o ®
13
Aspen-Willow Type in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone on
Jenkins Gulch o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o e o o ® ® ®
13
Grass-Forb Park Type (Sagebrush-Fescue Subtype) in the
Douglas-fir Zone. with.the Douglas-fir Type in the Background
in the Vicinity of Eureka Greek . . . . . . . . . . ........
14
Douglas-fir Zone Showing the Grass-Forb Park Type (FescueWheat grass Subtype) Intermixed with .the Douglas-fir .Type
at the Head of Slim. Sam Greek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14'
GraSs-Forb Park Type (Bluegrass-Timothy Subtype)s Foreground,
and Spruce-Fir Type, Background, in the Spruce-Fir .Zone at
the Head of . PricHy Pear Greek
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
Spruce-Fir Zone Showing the Grass-Forb Park Type (FescueSedge Subtype), Aspen-Willow Type,.and Lodgepole Pine Type
in Background..on Wilson Greek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
IQ,
Map of Study Area Showing Elk Winter and Summer Ranges . . .
23
11.
Map of Study Area, Showing Cattle and Sheep Allotments
...
27
12.
The Large Size Agronomy Cage in Place on a BluegrassTimothy Subtype Near Tizer Ranger Station . . . . . . . . . .
49
"Jump-over" Exclosure in Bluegrass-Timothy Subtype Southwest
of Tizer Ranger Station on the Tizer Cattle Allotment
. . .
49
3.
4»
5«
6.
7.
8.
9.
13.
4
viii
'LIST OF.FIGURES
(continued)
Figure
14.
15.
Page
"Total" Exclosure on Park at the Head of Prickly Pear Greek
in Spruce-Fir Zone . . . . . . . . .
........ . . . . . . .
50
"Heavy" Use by G.attle in Pasture #3, North Grow Cattle
Allotment
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
Ix
■ ' .
ABSTRACT
A study of range relationships between elk and livestock was made in
1963-1964 on 100,000 acres of.Crow Greek drainage, Elkhorn Mountains, •
Montana. The objective.was to obtain quantitative data on food habits,
forage utilization, and distribution of elk, cattle, and sheep on spring
and summer raaagesg^The^h^tiqi^ -of livestock and- elk on the area was
reviewed. A physibgr&pihld'' and vegetation description of the study area was
made. Three vegetation zones were, described 5 Fescue-Wheatgrass, Douglasfir, and Spruce-Fir. Range use by elk was determined during 257 ground
observation trips recording 3,125. elk.and 15 aerial observation trips
recording 1,814 elk,. vThe Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone received almost 100 percent
of the elk use from January through March and about 9© percent of the use
in April and May. Each zone received considerable use in June and the
Spruce-Fir Zdne received most of the use in July and August.. Cattle and
sheep distribution on each grazing allotment was discussed. Elk food
habits were determined b y examination of 94 feeding sites and analyses of
the contents of eight elk rumens. The results were tabulated by season and
vegetation zone. The spring diet consisted of 77 percent•grasses and 23
percent forbs while the summer diet consisted of 76 percent forbs and only
16 percent grasses. Data, from fall rumen samples indicated a progressive
shift to grasses during the period. Cattle food habits were determined by
examination of 69 feeding sites which showed that grasses formed most of
the diet on each vegetation zone. . For all zones grasses made up 75 percent
and forbs 24 percent of the summer diet. Sheep food habits were deter­
mined from the examination of 28 feeding sites which indicated forbs formed
most of the summer diet. The percentage of forbs in the diet decreased as
the intensity of grazing increased,. The forage species most preferred by
sheep were indicated. Forage utilization, studied by agronomy cages,
.
exclosures, utilization.transects, and ocular estimates, indicated several
areas were used to a "heavy" degree. These were considered areas of possi­
ble competition .for forage among the grazing animals. In the Spruce-Fir
and Douglas-fir Zones, grazed.in spring, summer, and fall by elk and .
summer and fall by cattle,'interspecific competition was not considered
significant during the study period. In t h e ,Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone,
grazed in spring, fall, and winter by elk and .summer and fall by cattle,
competition was not considered serious, but the data indicated a potential
for conflict on elk winter range areas. Cattle intraspecific competition
existed to some degree in each. zone. A potential for competition was indi­
cated between sheep and elk, but the degree which existed on the study area
was not considered excessive. Intraspecific sheep competition was heavy •
in some preferred grazing areas. Intraspecific elk competition was not
found significant on any part of the study area at the present time.
'IKTHODiJGTION
Range relationships of elk (Gervus canadensis nelson!) and domestic
livestock have been a matter of controversy on the Grow Greek drainage,,
Helena National Forest, west-central Montana.
Several studies of elk and
livestock relationships, including those of Piekford and Reid (1943),
Rouse (1957), and Mackie (1962), have .been made in various parts of the
West but the findings are not entirely applicable to this area,
A coopera­
tive study w a s .initiated.by the Montana Fish and Game Department and the
U. S. Forest Service on approximately: 100,000 acres in the Crow Greek area
of the Elkhorn Mountains.
The objective was to obtain quantitative data
on the food habits, forage utilization,- and distribution of elk, cattle,
and sheep on spring a n d 'summer ranges,
Full time field studies were con­
ducted from June 10 to September 27, 1963 and from April I to September 2,
1964*
Supplementary, data were obtained during October and November 1963
and March and October 1964»
Grazing by livestock on the Grow Greek drainage apparently began about
1864»
The area was utilized as, free range until the formation of the
Helena National Forest in 1906.
Forest Service records show that from 1912
to 1918 the range was heavily stocked with cattle on an eight month permit
.
■
basis and with sheep t h e .y e a r .around on certain parts.
I
Serious range
deterioration resulted and. reductions, in livestock were initiated in 1919«
By 1925 sheep were removed from the lower allotments and cattle numbers
were reduced.
In 1926 severe damage was still in evidence over much of the
area (Sandvig, 1926).
Continued reductions were made until 1943 when
- 2 cattle ntunbers were stabilized for a 4i> month period on the Grow Greek
allotments.
The sheep had been reduced to a small band for a short season
in high elevations not utilized- by cattle.
The area has recently been the
subject of an intensive management program by the G. S. Forest Service.
Elk in this area were apparently "transitory" prior to 1939»
January
26, 1939,
On
34 elk (3 mature bulls, 4 bull calves, and 27 cows and
calves) from Yellowstone National Park were released just outside the
Forest boundary on E l k h o m Greek (USDA, Forest Service, 1939).
By 1941
some of the herd had drifted east and were wintering in the Grow Creek
drainage (Cooney, 1941)•
30 at that time.
West (1941) reported the population to be only
The first hunting season was held in 1943 for forked-
horned bulls only.
In 1948 regular hunting seasons were initiated; the
herd continued to increase and by 1952 was estimated at over 250.
the herd, numbering approximately
Forest Service land.
400,
Today
winters almost entirely on
During the build-up of elk numbers, some complaints
of elk damage south of the Forest boundary were made by -ranchers.
PHYSIOGRAPHY OF STUDY AREA
The Elkhorn Mountain Range, 21 miles long and 18 miles wide, covering
about 172,000 acres, lies southeast of Helena.
It is bounded by the
Missouri River Valley on the north and east, the Beavertown-Prickly Pear
Greek drainages on the west, and the Boulder River Valley to the southwest.
The highest point, Grow Peak, is 9,414 feet high while the surrounding
plains are between 4,000 and 5,000 feet above sea level.
The central
mass of the range is composed of Upper-Cretaceous volcanic rocks, primarily
andesitic.
The western slope is a part of the Boulder Batholith (quartz
monzonite), a more recent volcanic intrusion of the Miocene Epoch
(Klepper et al, 1957).
The foothills to the south and east are primarily
sedimentary, composed of limestones and shales.
Considerable portions of
the original substrate have been altered by recent glaciation (Stone, 1910)
The study area (Figure I) comprised the southern part of the mountain
range, with the ridgeline formed by High Peak and Crazy Peak the northern
boundary.
Crow Creek and its tributaries, flowing southeast to the
Missouri River, drqin most of the area.
The drainage is naturally divided
topographically into two portions by a ridgeline broken only by Crow Creek
flowing through a steep canyon.
The upper part, the Tizer Area, is a basin
at an elevation of 6,500 to 8,000 feet surrounded by rocky ridges.
The
lower part is largely foothills composed of rolling ridges with occasional
rock outcrops on the crests.
the study area.
No road directly joins these two portions of
Other smaller parts of the study area are drained by :
Prickly Pear Creek, Muskrat Creek, Elkhorn Creek, and Indian Creek.
- 4 HIGH
PEAK
CRAZY
\^-/Lgfw^r cgy
I
DOUGLAS FM ZONI
FISCUI WHIATGSASS ZONI
ow~
LEGEND
E s tim a te d d i v i s i o n b e t w e e n
v e g e t a t i o n a l z o n e s ---- — — —
G r a s s l a n d a n d p ar k ty p es----S t u d y ar ea b o u n d a r y ...........— — —
Major d r a i n a g e s ------- -----------------------E x c l o s u r e s -------------------------X
Figure I.
Map of the Crow Creek Study Area.
jg>^
X
—
- 5 Climatological data for Townsend, Montana, eight miles east of the
study area and at an elevation of 3,800 feet, show the mean annual tempera­
ture for 1963 was 43.6° F. with extremes of 97° and -32° F.
The annual
precipitation was 15.16 inches of which 4.13 inches fell in. June.
departures from the 29-year normal were indicated.
Ho
Snow accumulates over
the entire study area in the winter varying in depth with altitude.
Open
ridges of the lower elevations are normally blown clear.
Hoofed mammals of the area, in addition those studied, included a few
moose (Aloes aloes) and numerous mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).
VEGETATION OF STUDY AREA
To aid in field recognition of plants a plant collection was made.
Identification of species was verified by W. E. Booth.
Scientific and
common plant names are from Booth (1950) and Booth and Wright (1962).
Vegetational classification was influenced by Daubenmire (1943),
Kirsch (1962), and Rumely (1964).
Composition and canopy coverage of the
vegetation in open parks and grassland areas was sampled as described by
Daubenmire (1959) with modifications.
Twenty 2 X 5
placed at various intervals bn each of
19
sentative sites (Table I).
direct observation.
decimeter plots were
paced transects through repre­
Other vegetation types were studied only by
The vegetation of the study area was described as part
of a forest formation with a grassland -formation at lower elevations.
Two
zones were recognized in the forest.formation, the Douglas-fir
(Fseudotsuga taxifolia) Zone and the Engelmann spruce (Picea .engelmanni) Alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) Zohb, with four types described for each.
On the west side a Ponderosa p i n e •(Pinus ponderosa) Zone was present below
the Douglas-fir Zone but was not represented in the study area.
The grass­
land formation was represented by the Fescue (Festuca spp.) - Wheatgrass
(Agropyron spp.) Zone. • There was a considerable interfingering of zones
'i
related to uneven topography.
Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone
Only one grassland zone was represented in the study area.
occupied about
35,000
It
acres of the lower elevations and foothills up to
about 6,500 feet above sea level.
Four major types are described.
TABIE I.
CONSTANCY,2/CANOPY COVERA® AND FREQUENCY, OF TAXA IN THE VEGETATION ON NINETEEN CHiASSLAND
AND PARK STANDS, DETERMINED BY TWENTY 2 X 5 DECIMETER PLOTS AIONG A PACED TRANSECT ON EACH
STAND.
Taxar/
SHRUBS
Artemisia tridentata
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus
Tetradymia canescens
Total average cover
GRASS AND OtASS LIKE PLANTS
Agroryron spicatum
Agropyron spp.
Bromus marginatus
Carex spp.
Danthonia spp.
Festuca idahoensis
Festuca scabrella
Koeleria cristata
Phleum spp.
Poa secunda
Poa spp.
Stipa spp.
Total average cover
Fescue-Wheatgrass
Zone
FescueSage^
brushWheatFescue
grass
3 stands I stand
-
y
13/ 58
-
V
25/
x/
6/
x/
46
5
96
5
71
12
13/ 65^/
13
2/ 25
Douglas-fir Zone
Grass--Forb Park Type
FescueFescueSageWheatSedge
brushFescue
grass
I stand
2 stands I stand
-
-
4/ 18
x/
18
5
Spruce-Fir Zone
Grass-Forb Park Type
Fescue- BluegrassSedge
Timothy
7 stands 4 stands
-
—
—
20
3/ 16
x/ 5
x/ 6
I/ 10
16/ 95
2/ 15
15/ 65
-—
x/ 5
14/ 1/102/75/ 1/21
71/ 4/26 75/ I/ 6
100/20/64 100/ 7/51
100/ 2/27 50/ I/ 5
22/ 90
3/ 45
-
24/100
W
74
2/ 63
3/ 58
17/ 85
9/ 65
3/ 35
-
24/
3/
2/
12/
100/13/61 75/ 3/40
86/ 9/33
25/ x/ll
57/ x/ 2 100/ 8/57
-
9/ 80
41
__
42
14/ 88
I/ 15
69
56
x/
2/
5
95
10
15
2
57/ 1/10 100/20/70
71/ x/20 50/ x/ 5
50
43
TABLE I. CONTINUED
TaxaS/
FORBS
AchiIlea mini folium
Agoseris glauca
Antennaria parvifolia.
Arnica fulgens
Artemisia frigida
Arenaria capillaris
Aster spp.
Astragalus spp.
Cerastimn arvense
Cirsium folioSum
Eriogonum umbellatum
Fragaria spp.
Galium trifidum
Geranium viscossissimum
Lupinus spp.
Penstemon procerus
Potentilla spp.
Taraxacum spp.
Trifolium repens
Total average cover
Fescue-Wheatgrass
____ Zone______
FescueSage­
brush•WheatFescue
grass
I stand
3 stands
x/ 5
I/ 7
6/ 46
-
I/ 25.
x/ 45
x/ 7
I/ 10
Douglas-fir Zone
Grass-Forb Park Type
FescueFescueSage­
Sedge
WheatbrushFescue
grass
I stand
I stand 2 stands
3/
4/
4/
5/
-
74
39
32
74
6/
3/
V
6/
—
10/ 65
6/
x/
x/
2/
-
74
4
15
21
5/ 40
2/ 5
V
3
I/ 15
6/ 68
4/ 20
4/ 30
15/ 70
-
I/ 25
-
-
- -
2/ 5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4/ 22
—
x/ 10
-
20
63
30
20
75
40
V
x/
13/
5/
-
-
6/ 30
-
-
-
_
_
—
-
V
-
47
x/
-
37
5
5
9/ 55
—
12/ 60
-
V
-
73
35
40
10
5
2/ 25
I/ 15
I/ 10
-
-
—
3/
4/
2/
x/
-
_
2/ 30
36
7
50
■
5.
Spruce-Fir Zone
Grass-Forb Park Type
Fescue- BluegrassSedge
Timothy
7 stands 4 stands
3/56
2/16
x/ 8
2/19
100/ 2/31
100/ 7/39
x/ 7
I/ 7
I/ 7
5/37
3/25
100/
71/
28/
43/
-
50/
25/
■ 25/
100/ 5/37 100/
75/
-
28/
57/
71/
71/
3/ 9
x/25
2/13
8/35
75/ x/12
25/ x/ 5
71/x/ 5
43/ 2/12
71/ 1/15 100/ 5/55
57/ 2/19 100/14/89
75/ 5/60
43
53
-
28
75/ 1/17
50/ I/ 6
25/ 3/15
-
TABLE I. CONTINUED
Taxa^/
Litter
Mosses and Lichens
Bare ground
Fescue-VJheatgrass
Zone
FescueSagebrushWheatFescue
grass
I stand
3 stands
9/ 88
10/ 85
42/100
42/100
7/ 55
2/ 36
Douglas-fir Zone
Grass-Forb Park Type
Fescue- FescueSageSedge
WheatbrushFescue
grass
I stand 2 stands I stand
30/ 8?
12/ 93
I/ 38
40/100
I/ 10
20/ 80
20/ 80
2/ 25
Spruce-Fir Zone
Grass-Forb Park Type
Fescue- BluegrassSedge
Timothy
7 stands 4 stands
100/28/98
100/11/70
7/
100/ 5/48
100/17/79
l/ Constancy (percent occurrence among stands) is calculated for stands of the Spruce-Fir Zone only.
2/ Excluded from calculations are taxa with less than I percent total average cover for grouped stands.
2/ - indicates taxon was not found in plots but may have been present in stand.
Canora- coverage (percent of area covered by foliage) / Average Frequency (percent occurrence among
plots).
5/ x indicates taxon did not average I percent cover but was included for comparison.
6/ Constancy / Canojgr coverage / Frequency.
2 / ---- indicates data were not obtained for all stands.
- 10 -
Fescue-Wheatgrass Type;
This was the most common grassland type
covering a major portion of the open area (Figure 2).
It was dominated by
Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) and bluebunch wheatgrass
(Agropyron spicatum).
Associated grasses were Sandberg bluegrass
(Poa secunda) and Junegrass (Koeleria cristata).
Rough fescue
(Festuca scabrella) and green needlegrass (Stipa viridula), although not
common in the sampled stands, were locally abundant on north slopes and
more meslc sites.
On the more xeric sites and at lower levels, not
i
included in plots, blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) was common.
Some of the
more common fdrbs were lupine (Lupinus spp.), pussytoes (Antennaria spp.),
and milkvetch (Astragalus spp.).
Sagebrdsh-Fescue Type;
This type (Figure 3) was apparently the domi­
nant cover in areas with slightly higher moisture levels, deep soils, and
protection from wind action.
It was characterized by a shrub union domi­
nated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) with Idaho fescue and bluegrasses (Poa spp.) the primary understory species.
Associated grasses and
forbs were similar to those in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Type.
Associated
shrubs such as gray horsebrush (Tetradymia canescens) and green rabbitbrush
(Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) were common.
- U -
Figure
2.
Figure 3.
Fescue-Wheatgrass Type in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone Near
Muddy Lake Creek.
Sagebrush-Fescue Type in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone South of
Eagle Ranger Station.
.
7
.
Juniper-Fescue Type;
-
12
-
This type (Figure 4) was usually found on rocky
ridgetops, south slopes, ■arid other".areas' of shallow soil formation.
•7
.
Although not quantitatively studied, it was characterized by scattered
Rocky Mountain juniper ■.(Juhiperud; scopulorum) and Douglas-fir. The under■ ■• • : 7 '
7 v>' . ' ‘
■
story appeared to be formed by one., or the: other of the other two grassland
types.
The north slopes and rock outcrops, of the zone ,in places supported
a stand of the Douglas-fir Type extended down from the forest formation.
Aspen-Willow Type:
This type was common along drainage bottoms and
other mesic sites (Figure 5 ) ' It w a s 'characterized by either quaking
aspen (Populus tremuloldes) or willow (SaliX spp.) as a dominant usually
with a lush understory of bluegrasses, sedges (Carex spp.), reedgrasses
(Calamagrostis spp..), and timothy (Phleum spp.) as well as a variety of
shrubs and forbs.
The dominants were widely spaced on some sites.
Douglas-fir'Zone ■
This■intermediate zone occupied about 37,000 acres from approximately
5,800 to
7,200
feet in elevation. ,.■
Douglas-fir Type:
This major forest type (Figures
6
and 7) occupied
a considerable portion of the area.. It.was characterized by the dominant
Douglas-fir represented by various•age classes' with a closed or, on south
slopes, a semi-open canopy.
Scattered,shrubs may be present such as
common juniper (Juniperus communis), Oregon grape (Berberis repens), and
- 13 -
Figure 4.
Juniper-Fescue Type in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone Near
Roberts Greek.
Figure 5*
Aspen-Willow Type in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone on
Jenkins Gulch.
- 14 -
Figure 6.
Graas-Forb Park Type (Sagebrush-Fescue Subtype) in the
Douglas-fir Zone with the Douglas-fir Type in the Background in
the Vicinity of Eureka Creek.
Figure ?•
Douglas-fir Zone Showing the Grass-Forb Park Type
(Fescue-Wheatgrass Subtype) Intermixed with the Douglas-fir
Type at the Head of Slim Sam Creek.
- 15 spirea (Spirea spp.).
The understory usually quite sparse was character­
ized by pinegrass (Galamagrostis rubescens), heartleaf arnica (Arnica
cordifolia), strawberry (F r a m r i a Spp0), and raceme pussytoes '
(Antennaria racemosa) .
Lodgepole pine Type;
This minor type is considered to be a fire sere
to the Douglas-fir climax type (Daubenmires 1943)°
thick stands of lodgepole pine (Finns contorta)„
It was dominated by
The understory was
usually sparse in the closed stands but was similar to that described for
the Douglas-fir Type in more open canopy sites.
Douglas-fir reproduction
was common in older stands.
Aspen-Willow Type:
This was a minor type in this zone and was con­
sidered similar to that described for the'Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone,
-
Grass-Forb Park Type:
This type (Figures
6
and 7) occupied certain
ridgess south exposuress and other non-forested areas throughout the zone
and was considered a projection of the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone into the
forest formation.
The cover was characterized by a wide variety of grasses
and forbs as a result of site differences, disturbance, and suecessional
stages present (Table I),
To allow for adequate description, this type was
further classified into subtypes.
Two common subtypes, "Fescue-Wheatgrass"
and "Sagebrush-Fescue", previously described as types, were- apparently
upward projections of the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone,
The "Fescue-Sedge
Subtype" was the most common cover in the mountain parks.
It was
- 16 dominated.by Idaho fescue and elk sedge (Garex geyeri).
Gommon associated
grasses were rough fescue, bluegrasses, and mountain brome
(Bromus marginatus)..with lupine, yarrow (Achillea millifolium), fescue
sandwort (Arenariti capillaris), and dandelion (Taraxacum spp,) as common
forbs.
The remaining two subtypes were not quantitatively studied«
The
"Bluegrass-Timothy Subtype" was dominated by Kentucky bluegrass
(Poa pratensis) and timothy.
It was found primarily in ©pen drainage
bottoms and mesic areas of high grazing pressure.
Associated forbs were
dandelion, clover (Trifolium repens), and cinquefoil (Potentilia gracilis)
The "Sedge-Rush Subtype" was characterized by sedges and rushes (Juncus
spp.) and was found throughout the zone in areas of high water levels.
Often scattered conifers were present in t h e 'Grass-Forb Park Type.
Engelmann Spruce - Alpine Fir Zone
This was the uppermost vegetative zone, occupying about 28,000 acres
from 7,000 to 9,000 feet elevation, between the Douglas-fir Zone and the
mountain summits which were rocky and nearly devoid of plant life.
0©
.alpine zone was considered to be present'.
Spruce-Fir Type:
This type (Figure 8), considered to be the climax
vegetation, was relatively poorly represented in the study area.
most common on cool north exposures and in deep canyons.
It was
The type was
characterized by Engelmann spruce and Alpine fir, often in dense closed
canopy stands with a sparse understory primarily of mosses.
In some.
- 17 -
8.
Grass-Forb Park Type (Bluegrass-Timothy Subtype), Foreground,
and Spruce-Fir Type, Background, in the Spruce-Fir Zone at the
Head of Prickly Pear Creek.
Figure 9.
Spruce-Fir Zone Showing the Grass-Forb Park Type (Fescue-Sedge
Subtype), Aspen-Willow Type, and Lodgepole Pine Type in
Background on Wilson Creek.
Figure
— IS
locations the canopy was more open and had whit-ebark pine (Pinus albieaulis)
also represented.
With the more open canopy the understory was character­
ized by grouse ..huckleberry (Vaccinium scoparium)s smooth menziesia
(Menziesia ferruginea), valeriana (Valeriana spp.)5 and pinedrops
.
'
(Pyrola spp.).
Lodgepole pine Type;
This type (Figure 9)# representing the primary
/
cover in the zone, was considered a fire sere to the Spruce-Fir Type.
was dominated by Iodgepole pine.
It
The understory was similar to that found
in the Spruce-Fir Type but was normally more profuse with lupine, milkvetch,
and common juniper also represented.
In older stands reproduction of
Engelmann spruce and alpine fir were common and on north exposures mountain
alder (Alnus crispa) w a s .often abundant.
In young stands the lodgepole
pine was so dense as to exclude all other species.
Aspen-Willow Type:
In high elevations this type (Figure 9) was
considered similar to that described for the lower zones.
Additional
species, such as dwarf huckleberry (Vaccinium caespitosum), were often
represented.
Grass-Forb Park Type:
This type (Figures 8 and 9) includes all non-
fcrested mountain parks in the upper zone.
The composition was considered
similar to the higher parks of the Douglas-fir Zone with certain exceptions
(Table I) and the subtypes present were similar to those described for that
zone.
The subtypes in this zone were "Fescue-Sedge", "Bluegrass-Timothy"
- 19 (both quantitatively studied), and "Sedge-Rush".
Scattered Dduglas-fir,
lodgepole pine, limber pine (Finns flexilis), and whitebark pine occurred
in this type.
DISTRIBUTION M D RANGE USE
Elk
Locations
and
vegetation types were recorded for 3*125 elk observed
in 342 groups during 257 observation trips made by 4=wh@@l drive vehicle*
horseback* or on foot»
used as visual aids.
A 20 X spotting scope and 7 X 35 binoculars were
Fifteen aerial observation trips were made by heli­
copter or fixed-wing airplanes during which 130 groups and a total of
1*814 elk were recorded.
Most observation trips were at daylight or just
prior to darknessj the primary feeding periods of elk during spring and
summer.
This increased the probability of observing elk in grassland and
park vegetation types.
The number of observations for forested types
(Table II) therefore cannot be compared directly with those for open types
as an indication of the relative degree of utilisation.
Forested types in
the vicinity of.feeding sites are primarily used for rest and escape.
Due
AVLXlA
to the inaccessibility of the study* it was not possible to cover all
vegetation types during one observation trip except by air.
The percentage
of elk utilizing each zone was therefore determined from aerial observa­
tions and the use within the zone from ground and aerial observations com­
bined to give a larger sample, size.
The data from 1963 and
1964
have been
combined in Table II as no major differences between years were recognized.
The winter range* utilized by elk from December through March* was
determined from data.of two aerial observation trips (January 31 and
March 24) a n d 'three ground observation trips (Figure 10).
It is composed
of open ridges blown free of snow and south slopes in the Feseue-Wheatgrass
TABLE II.
PERCENT OF EIJK OBSERVED ON EACH VEGETATION TIPE BI MONTH AS RECORDED BI AERIAL AND
GROUND OBSERVATION TRIPS IN 1963 AND 1964.
Jan-Mar^/
Vegetation types
AERIAL OBSERVATIONS .
Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone
Douglas-fir Zone
Spruce-Fir Zone,
Total elk observed
AERIAL AND (SOUND OBSERVATIONS
Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone
Fescue-Wheatgrass Type
Sagebrush-Fescue Type
Juniper-Fescue Tjrpe
Aspen-Willow Type
Total elk observed
Douglas-fir Zone
Douglas-fir Type
Lodgepole pine Type
Aspen-Willow Type
Grass-forb Park Type
Fescue-Wheatgrass Subtype
Sagebrush-Fescue Subtype
Fescue-Sedge Subtype
Bluegrass-TimottQr Subtype
Sedge-Rush Subtype
Total elk observed
iooS/
-
.
April
91
9
•,
724
1,010
89
/n
—
479
926/ ^ 7 2
4
4
—
May
—
1,416
June
10.
25
65
July
—
Aug
Sept
-
—
* I/
100
100
-
90
111
-
-
.
—
126
284
91
6
2
.I
52
40
-
—
-
-
—
—
-
—
—
8
-
-
-
657
35
-
—
—
A
4
—
—
—
—
- —
—
66
34
-
—
—
—
-
-
-
79
—
_
—
#5/
14
15
57
7
10
4
82
#
2
-
858
512
—
-
100
100
—
_
-
-
-
25
-
31
TABLE II.
COMTIKDED
Vegetation types
Spruce-Fir Zone
Spruce-Fir Type
Lodgepole pine Type
Aspen-Willow Type
. Orass-forb Park Type
Fescue-Sedge Subtype
Bluegrass-Timothy Subtype
Sedge-Rush Subtype
Total elk observed
Wan-Mar^
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
6
—
-
-
-
#
7
8
6
35
0
—
—
—
72
24
4
64
26
2
59
13
9
41
17
7
-
-
-
276
344
246
29
I/ Data from air observation trips on Jan 31 and Mar 24> 1964 are combined.
2/ Percentage based on 100 percent for entire study area.
3/ * indicates no air observations were made but elk were observed, in that zone from the ground
during the month.
kj Percentage
based on 100 percent within each zone.
5/ # indicates that less than I percent of the observed elk were on that type.
- 23 -
LEGEND
E s t i m a t e d b o u n d a r ie s
of elk r an g es ■
Major d r a in a g e s
Figure 10.
Map of Study Area Showing Elk Winter and Summer Ranges.
— 24 =■
Zone,
The majority of the herd winters south of Grow Greek on
Jenkins G-Ulch5 South Crow Greek-, and Slim Sam Creek,
A smaller portion of
about 70 winters north of Grow Greek while a group of about 100 winters
near the southern Forest boundary in the vicinity of Keating Gulch and
Johnny's Gulch,
Spring elk movement off the winter range appeared to be
directly related to snow conditions,
As the snow melted off the spring
range and the deeper drifts crusted over during April5 some elk moved up
into the Douglas-fir Zone primarily in the vicinities of Eureka Creek5
Hall Greek5 and Warner Greek,
This resulted in the vacating of open winter
range south of Jenkins Gulch except for a small group of elk which remained
pn the Sagebrush-Fescue Type in Keating Gulch into Hay,
The center of elk
distribution during April was still in the Fescue-Wheatgrass'Zone in the
vicinity of Muddy Lake Greek,
Beginning of movement off the winter range
the latter part of April corresponds with the findings of Picton (i960)
in the Sun River Area5 northern Montana,
This movement in
Grow Greek area was delayed b y a heavy snowfall on May 3°
1964
in the
The result was
an almost complete withdrawal back to the winter range for about two weeks=
From May I to IA5
96
percent of the observed elk were on the Fescue-
Wheat grass Zone while from May 15 to 31 only 45 percent were on this Zone,
The latter period showed a high use of the Fescue-Sedge and SagebrushFescue Subtypes in the Douglas-fir Zone,
During June most of the elk
moved onto the Spruce-Fir Zone (summer range) in the Tiger Greek and
Wilson Greek drainages (Figure 10),■
This movement was apparently not
-
delayed by calving.
25
-
The first calves were observed on the aerial observa­
tion trip of June 4 in that area and their small size suggested that they
had been born there.
No specific calving areas were determined as observa­
tions of small calves were made in each vegetation zone during June.
By
the first of July the entire summer range was occupied by. elk (Figure. 10).
Concentrations were in the vicinity of Tizer Creek, Dewey Creek,
Longfellow Greek, and the head of Warm Springs Greek.
The majority of this
range is in the Spruce-Fir Zone but ground observations revealed that some
use of the Bouglas-fir Zone persisted.
The primary vegetation type util— ■
ized was the Fescue-Sedge Subtype of the Grass-Forb Park Type.
The use of
this type decreased the first week of August resulting in almost no util­
ization of the larger parks.
The elk were apparently utilizing the small
mesic parks within the forest types where the most succulent vegetation
could be found.
During 1963 and to a lesser extent in 1964, most of the
elk moved out of the Tizer Creek Area and into Muskrat Creek at this time.
Part of this change in habits was considered due to the loss of succulence '
of the vegetation in the larger parks toward the end of-July as also
reported by Eirsch (1962).
Cole (1963) suggests that this withdrawal into
the forest types is possibly related to breeding activities.
As a result
X
of these habitat changes, the difficulty of observation and obtaining data
on elk increased during the first part of August.
week later in 1963 than in 1964 (Table III).
This occurred about a
26
TABLE III.
-
ELK OBSERVED IN JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER BY WEEK IN
1963 AND 1964.
Year
I
July
2
3
4
I
Augus t
2
3
1963
39
19
38
16
36
16
2
1964
45
68
37
19
36
I
5
I/
-
Sept
4
I
2
3
8
3
:.16
35
20 '
8
I/ '1~
indicates no observation trips were made„
In 1964 it was believed that a heavy snow (14 inches) which fell on the
19th improved the observer's ability to see elk and accounts for the
increase in elk observations the last week of August.
The ease of observa­
tion normally increased with the grouping of elk associated with the
breeding season.
The first sign of breeding was observed on September 9
in 1963 and on September I in 1964.
While breeding was in progress during
September, the over-all elk distribution did not appear to change to any
large extent.
Cattle
Cattle distribution and range use was determined primarily through the
study of Forest Service stocking schedules and direct observations.
Three
cattle allotments. North Crow, South Crow, and Tizer, were considered of
primary importance as related to elk range (Figure 11).
In 1963 a system
of "rest-rotation grazing" (Hom a y and Talbot, 1961) was initiated on the
North Crow Allotment. The area was fenced into a six-pasture■system and
- 27 -
WILSON CIIIK SMIIP ALLOTMINT
NOftTH CftOW CATTlI AllOTMMT
TIZIft CATTlI AllOTMINT
V
SOUTH CftOW CATTlI AllOTMINT
I MILE
LEGEND
A llo tm en t boundaries — —
F e n c e l i n e s ....................- %— % — )(
S heep r o u t e --------------------— • ——. « ■
Major d r a i n a g e s -------------------------------
Figure 11.
Map of Study Area Showing the Cattle and Sheep Allotments.
-
28
-
grazed by 619 head of cattle from Jxme 10 to October 10 (Table 17).
TABLE 17.
STOCKING ON THE NORTH CROW CATTLE ALLOTMENT UNDER THE RESTROTATION GRAZING S T S T M IN 1963 AND 1964.
1963
Pastures
Period
1964
Stocking
Period
Stocking
Jun 10 - Oet 10
190 steers
Jul"10 - Oet 10
#2
Jul 10 - Oet 10
195 e@ws2/
No grazing
#3
No grazing
$4
Aug 10 - Oet 10
#5
#6
195 eows^ZS/
Aug" 10 - Oct 10
234 cows^/
234 COWB^/
Jun-IO - Aug 10
234
Jun 10 - Aug 10
234 c e w s V
Jun lO - Jul 10
195 cows2/
Jun 10 - Jul 10
195 e©ws2/
Jun 10 - Oet 10
190 steers
I/ Pastxires as designated ©n Figure U =
00WS&/
f
2/ Cows are considered t© be with calves.'
2/ Same animals for the years indicated.
kj
Same animals for the years indicated.
Pastures #1 and #2 are located entirely in the Fescue-Tflheatgrass Zone;
pasture #3 is.in the Douglas-fir Zone; pastures #4, #5S and #6 are
partially in both zones.
During feeding periods, morning and evening hours,
the cattle distributed themselves primarily ©n the Feseue-Tflheatgrass and
Sagebrush-Fescue Types.
They tended to concentrate in the bottoms near a
water source during mid-day especially in hot weather.
Type was heavily used during these periods.
The Aspen-Willow
Some use was also made of
— 29 ”
open ridges (Fescue-Wheatgrass Type) during mid-day where wind action
apparently decreased fly activity.
In the Bouglas-fir Zone the Grass-Forb
Park Type was the primary cattle range with the Douglas-fir Type and the
Aspen-Willow Type used as resting areas.
The South Grow Allotment is divided into a lower, "spring range", and
an upper, "summer range", by the Slim Sam "drift" fence.
The same pattern
of grazing occurred both years, except entrance and departure were delayed
one week in 1964.
Qn June 7, 1963, 609 cows with calves were turned on
the lower unit, entirely in the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone, where they grazed
on most of the vegetation types, concentrating on the drainage bottoms.
On July 10 they were allowed to move through the fence onto the upper range
where they remained until October 15.
This range is partially in the
Douglas-fir Zone where during the latter part of the grazing season the
cattle concentrated on the Grass-Forb Park Type along Warner Greek and
north of Muddy Lake Greek.
Another concentration area was along
Jenkins Gulch on the Aspen-Willow Type.
The Tizer Allotment is relatively small, occupying the mountain parks
primarily in the Spruce-Fir Zone with a part in the Douglas-fir Zone on the
west side.
On July I, 1963, 43 cows with calves were turned on the Forest
in Prickly Pear Greek.
They moved almost immediately up through the
Douglas-fir Zone to the parks southwest of Tizer Ranger Station and along
the foot of Bullock Hill in the Spruce-Fir:Zone, remaining in this area
until September 10.
In 1964 the cattle were delayed till July 13 as the
30
-
-
range was not considered "ready" by the Forest Service and they remained
on the upper range till September 10 when they were moved down into the
Douglas-fir Zone for two more weeks.
areas in 1964 as in 1963.
The same parks were the concentration
These areas are Grass=-Forb Park Type with
Fescue-Sedge, Bluegrass-Timothy, and' Sedge-Rush Subtypes represented.
The
cattle utilized the Aspen-Willow and Ledgepele pine Types for resting areas
Sheep
Sheep distribution was controlled b y the herder tentatively following
a schedule published by the Forest Service.
The sheep herd, permitted for
785 ewes with lambs, entered the Forest boundary ®n July 10 and moved
through the North Grow Cattle .Allotment onto the Wilson Greek Sheep
Allotment (Table V).
They followed the route shown in Figure 22 until
!■
August 21.
■
The parks utilized are all in the Sprace-Fir Zone at elevations
between 7,000 and "8,000 feet with Fescue-Sedge the most common subtype
represented.
Daily habits of the sheep paralleled those of the other
grazing animals.
The primary feeding periods were in the early merningO
and evening; during mid-day they would "shade-up", usually in the Ledgepole
pine Type.
Normally once per day they were trailed to water if it was not
readily available on the park.
- 31 -
TABLE V.
SCHEDULE OF SHEEP USE OH EACH GAMP UHIT OF THE WILSON CHEEK
SHEEP ALLOTMENT IN 1963 AND 1964-
Camp Unit
1964
Period
Days
Jul 10-11
Move on to Allotment
■: 2
6
A=/Crazy Greek
12-17
18-18
I
B Clear Greek
19-23
0 Lower Moose Greek (Airplane park)
5
6
D Dever Parks
24-29
'" -30-30
I
E Upper Moose Greek
F Elk Parks
.. -.. - ■
31-Aug 4
5
G Bullock Hill
5
5-9 '
10-10
I
H Tizer Lake Area
11-16
6
I Manley Park
17-18
2
B Clear Greek
I
A Crazy Creek
19-19
20=21
2
Move off of Forest
Period
Days
Jul 10—14
, 5
15-18
4
I
19-19
20-24
5
25-26
2
0
not'used
- ij.
. 27-30
31-Aug 6
7
0
not used
10
7-16
3
17-19
20-20
I
I
21—21
l/ The letters are used to designate camp units in Figure U 0
FOOD. HABITS
Elk
Elk food habits were determined primarily through feeding site exami­
nations supplemented by rumen analyses„
Feeding sites were examined for
use immediately following,, occupation by elk or as soon thereafter as
practicable.
The instances of Use on each plant species were recorded;
one "bite" was considered as one instance of use as described by Knowlton
(1959).
This method has been widely used in the past.
Percentages were
computed b y the aggregate percentage method (Martin, et al, 1946).
The
number of instances of use on an item were expressed as percent of the
total number for all items, on a site.
The percents were aggregated and
averaged to obtain the percentages within groups (season or vegetation
type).
Rumens from elk were collected from May to November.
Personnel of
the Montana Fish and Same Department Wildlife Laboratory at Bozeman
assisted with analyses following procedures described by Gole (1956.) and
others.
Volumetric measurements, of recognizable items in a one quart,
sample were made and expressed as percentages.
Combining 1963 and
1964
data, a total of 94 elk feeding sites were
examined and 19,011 instances of use recorded.
These represent spring
(28 sites) and summer (66 sites) food habits in all vegetation zones
(Table VI).
TABLE TI: ELK FOOD HABITS AS ,DETERMINED BI EXAMINATION OF 94 EUC FEEDING SITES IN 1963 AND 1964.
Taxai/
x
Agropyron spicatum
Bronias spp.
Festuca ldahoensis
Festuca scabrella
Koeleria cristata
Number of
instances
of use
341
143
3,571
608
183
Seasonal Use
'Spring
Summer
(28 sites) (66 sites)
5/
55/
5/
I/
59%/
94
39
48
Vegetation Type Use
FescueDouglas-fir Spruce-Fir
Zone
Zone
Wheatgrass
Zone
(24 sites) (31 sites) (39 sites)
Tr/ l2/
I/ 25
Tr/ 6
—
Tr/ 9
4/ 75
—
51/ 91
5/ 45
2/ 50
Tr/
I/
2/
2/
Tr/
6
32
25
6
16
I/ 23
Tr/ 2
—
Tr/ 7
8/50
3/ 45
Tr/ 12
74/100
Tr/ 3
5/ 90
3/ 70
3/ 77
19/100
2/ 30
7/ 66
4/ 69
5/ 58
19/100
Tr/
14/
Tr/
10/
Tr/
35
80
3
74
3
I/
9/
Tr/
Tr/
—
33
76
4
10
—
I/
Tr/
Tr/
5/
_
32
3
12
64
I/
I/
I/
I/
2/
8
30
6
35
51
I/
3/
I/
I/
2/
19
45
24
12
67
Tr/
I/
Tr/
n/
10
10
12
92
—
*—
Phleum spp.
84
Poa spp.
1,434
Unidentified grasses
512
Carex spp.
589
TOTAL GRASSES AND GRASS-LIKE7,518
7/34
2/ 37
Tr/ 13
77/100
I/
6/
3/
4/
16/
AcTriIlea miIHfoHnm
Agoseris glauca
Antennaria parvifolia
Arnica spp.
Artemisia frigida
Tr/ 4
I/ 9
2/ 37
I/ 11
1/20
I/-35
H / 78
Tr/ 4
4/ 33
— —
Tr/
2/
I/
2/
I/
4
31
6
32
59
Tr/ 4
Tr/ 4
— —
5
25
19
12
83
74
1,653
136
877
62
Cerastium arvense
Cirsium spp.
Eriogonum umbelIatom
Fragaria virginiana
Geranium viscossissimum
50
63
26
69
664
I/
Tr/
—
—
2/
21
4
—
7
Tr/
Tr/
I/
I/
4/
Geum triflorum
Hieracium cynoglossoides
Lupinus spp.
Microseris spp.
Potentilla spp. (forbs)
231
457
231
65
929
2/
2/
4/
—
I/
35
U
46
—
13
Tr/
I/
2/
I/
8/
—
21
73
69
62
93
4
16
20
20
25
4/ 12
2/
4/
2/
■
2/
40
20
33
■
25
mm
TABLE VI.
CONTINUED
Seasonal Use
Spring
Summer
(28 sites) (66 sites)
Taxai/
Number of
instances
of use
Selaginella densa
Similacina racemosa
Taraxacum spp.
Trifolium repens
Unidentified forbs
TOTAL FORBS
12
49
I/ 33
3 ,2 5 5
1 ,0 5 6
1 ,0 5 2
2/ 17
Vaccinium spp.
Salix spp.
Unidentified browse
TOTAL BROWSE
11,492
—
'
—
2/ 45
23/ 96
45
396
55
501
Vegetation Type Use
FescueDouglas-fir Spruce-Fir
Wheatgrass
Zone
Zone
Zone
(24 sites) (31 sites) (39 sites)
Tr/ 8
Tr/
22/
H/
7/
•7 6 /
5
29
41
84
97
M
—
2 / 29
—
—
2/ 45
2 6 / 95
«—
31/ 90
Tr/ 9
9 /9 6
6 / 76
81/100
72/ 97
V 8
I/ 7
—
—
Tr/ 4
Tr/ 4
7/
9
I/ 8
6/ 21
I/ 4
17/ 92
16/ 56
Tr/ 4
Tr/ 4
—»
—
— —
8/ 8
I/ 8
. 9 / 25
l/ Only those plant species are listed which constituted I percent in at least one season or vegetation
type.
2/ Average of the aggregate percentages of use per site / Percent 1
of sites on which item was used in
relation to all sites in that category.
2/ Tr indicates taxus constituted less than .5 percent in that category.
- 35 Spring:
Site examinations in March (2 sites), April
(8
sites), and
May (18 sites) indicated grasses constituted 77 percent of the diet with
Idaho fescue the leading item.
The remainder was mostly forbs.
March and
April food habits were characterized by an even higher percentage of
grasses (83 percent).
Dry growth of the previous season was used during
the first portion of the period with a change to the new green spring
growth as it became available in April.
of the total diet.
Idaho fescue made up
65
percent
Of the forbs used, lupine was the primary item in
March with utilization of the previous year’s growth.
In April new green
growth of prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) and fringed sagewort
(Artemisia frigida) resulted in heavy use of these species.
Species
utilization in May indicated a definite change in elk food habits.
The
period. May 1-16, was similar to the two previous months with a high use
of grasses (95 percent) while during the rest of the month only 35 percent
of the diet was grasses.
This change in food habits is closely related to
the corresponding change in range use.
The food habits the last half of
the month revealed the trend to forbs which was to continue throughout the
summer season.
Dandelion constituted the major portion of the diet for
the first time on a feeding site May 25.
'Summer:
Site examinations in June (28 sites), July (24 sites), and
August (14 sites) showed forbs formed
76
percent of the diet.
forbs received their greatest use constituting
83
In June
percent of the total use.
The primary items were dandelion, arnica (Arnica fuigens), and pale
. — 36 —
agoseris (Agoseris glauca).
Grass-like plants, primarily bluegrasses and
sedges, were minor (I? percent) as compared to spring and were considered
to have been taken accidentally along with 'forbs much of the time.
In July
the use of arnica decreased while an increase in the use of clover
(Trifolium repens) and cinquefoil;(Potentilia spp.) was noted,
IAttle
change was noted in grass use as compared to June with some browse being
used the last part of the month.
a decrease in forbs to
62.percent
August food habits were characterized by
and an.increase in browse to 23 percent
while the grass use remained constant,
Primary browse items were willow .
and huckleberry (Vaecinium spp.). / T h e .important.forb species did not
appear to change during August..
Vegetation Zones:
The percentage of the diet constituted by various
species on the three vegetation.zones was also determined (Table VI).
The
species utilization on the vegetation zones corresponded to the seasonal
utilization due to seasonal changes.in range use habits of the elk
(Table II),
On the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone it was noted that the percent of
Idaho fescue and rough fescue in the elk diet was higher than their per­
centage in the vegetational. composition while bluebunch wheatgrass was
lower (comparing Tables I and V I ), indicating a possible food preference.
The preferred forbs (forming the highest percent of the diet) appeared to
be definitely sought out on all vegetation types.
Species utilization in
the Douglas-fir Zone and the Spruce-Fir Zone corresponded to the results
for the summer season.
The large increase in the use of clover and browse
- 37.species in the Spruce-Fir Zone was considered due to their increased avail­
ability.
Rumen Analyses:
A rumen sample was secured from each of eight elk
collected during the seven-month period from May to November to supplement
feeding site data.
Considering 1963 and 19645 samples were distributed one
per month except November with two (Table VII),
Data from the May sample
which was taken during the last half of the month agrees closely with the
findings of the feeding site examinations for that period, 84 percent of
the volume being grasses.
The rumen samples for June, July, and August
showed grass percentages of 64, 35, and $6 respectively which are consider­
ably higher than those for feeding sites.
Rumen analyses also indicated
a higher usage of browse for July (43 percent) and August (I? percent) than
did feeding site examinations,
The feeding sites examined in summer were
mostly restricted to the open parks; feeding in' the forested .types was not
observed to any large extent.
Such feeding sites probably exist and the
possibility of a high proportion of the diet on them being browse and
grasses cannot be discounted.
This would be especially true in August when
the elk are using these areas to the greatest exbent,
A possible source of
error in rumen analyses along with the small sample sige could be a differ­
ential digestion rate of the coarser materials (browse and some grasses)
as pointed out by Norris (1943)°
Fall food habits, not studied by feeding
site examinations, were from September, October, and November rumen
samples.
They indicated a progressive increase in.grass utilisation from
■ -
38
-
53 percent in September,to 86 percent.in November while both forb and
browse use declined.
This would, correspond with.the move back to the
Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone during.this period,.
TABLE VII.
ELK FOOD HABITS AS DETERMINED FROM THE COMPOSITION OF RUMEN
SAMPLES FROM EIGHT ELK'COLLECTED IN 1963 AND 1964.
.
Items identified
.,.Spring.
, (I rumeh)- ':
Unidentified grasses
Carex spp,
TOTAL GRASSES AND GRASS-LIKE
W /
—
Achillea millifolium
Artemisia frigida
Geranium spp.
Lupinus spp.
Potentilla spp.
Taraxacum spp.
Trifolium spp.
Unidentified forbs
TOTAL FORBS
Tr3/
Berberis spp.
Conifer (needles and stems)
Salix spp,
Symphoricarpus spp...
V lr"""
Vaccinium spp.
Unidentified browse
..
TOTAL BROWSE
Fungi
Equisetum
Summer
(3 rumens)
Fall
(4 rumens)
4?S/
. 5
52
84'
63
I
64
Tr
,
14
Tr
—
-
Tr
2
14
Tr
r
. I
< '
- .
•2
. 1 6
—
—
7
5'
12
28
5
20
2
4
Tr
I
4
"C
t
'
- -.
5
10
20 .
-
Tr
Tr
“
---— -^ fjlp-i.;
3. ';
4
13
I
'
• -
I/ Volume expressed as percent of total identifiable material in one quart
sample of rumen contents,
2/ Aggregate percentages given for summer and fall.
3/ Ir indicates that item did not constitute .5 percent of sample.
=■ 39 ■=
There have been a considerable number of studies on elk food habits
made in the Northwest„
one common fact:
These studies collectively demonstrate primarily
the ability of the elk to adapt to the vegetational com­
position of the range.
The results of the present study are considered
comparable to the findings,of other studies on similar ranges, including
House (1957)# Knight (1962), and Kirsch (1962), especially in the utilisa­
tion of forage classes.
As pointed out by Kirsch (1962), a relatively few
species formed the bulk of the diet although a wide variety of species.were
utilized.
Cattle
Cattle food habits were determined through feeding site examinations
to give results which would be most meaningful when compared to the find­
ings on elk food habits.
The data was collected as soon as practicable
■after cattle began use on a certain part of the range when they had the
maximum choice of plant species.
Thus, the results should more closely
indicate the cattle preference for certain plant species rather than a
quantitative expression of the species utilized for the entire grazing
period.
To evaluate food preferences as shown in Table VIII the vegeta­
tional composition of the range was considered.
— 40 —
TABLE VIII.
CATTLE FOOD PREFERENCES AS DETERMINED FROM EXAMINATION OF
69 FEEDING SITES IN 1963 AND 1964.
Taxai^
Agropyron spp.
Alopecurus alpina
Broraus spp.
Calamagrostis spp.
Danthonia spp.
Festuca idahoensis
Festuca scabrella
Poa spp.
Koeleria cristata
Phleura spp.
Stipa spp.
Unidentified grass
Carex spp.
Juncus spp.
TOTAL GRASS AND
' GRASS-LIKE
FescueWheatgrass
Number of
Summer
instances.(69 sites) Zone
of use
(35 sites)
724
170
595
117
1,127
1,083
940
4,H9
260
557
405
494
1,893
194
12,885
Achillea millifolium.
115
Agoseris glauca
• 595
201
Arnica spp.
138
Aster spp.
Astragalus
spp.
512
Gerastium arvense
31
Cirsium spp.
■
70
Hieracium
cynoglossoides
145
Lupinus spp.
67
Potentilla spp. (forbs)182
1,182
Taraxacum spp.
Trifolium repens
525
Unidentified forbs
789
TOTAL FORBS .
4,827
5/
2/
3/
2/
5/
6/
5/
21/
I/
5/
2/
3/
14/
I/
56^/
15
7/ 74
—
2/ 31
Vegetation Type
DouglasSpruce-Fir
fir Zone
Zone.
(14 sites)
6/ 43„ .
Tr/ ?3/
7/ 71
(20 sites)
43
89
49
83
54
™
54
71
57
11
37/100
I/ 14
«•= =
I/ 14
4/ 64
7/ 79
2/ 21
2/30
3/ 20
4/ 55
3/ 15
I/ 35
Tr/ 15
Tr/ 10
23/ 95
= CO
10/ 70
2/ 30
3/ 95
18/ 95
I/ 35
75/100
75/100
68/100
71/100
I/
3/
I/
I/
2/
Tr/
Tr/
44
48
24'
15
17
5
10
Tr/
3/
2/
I/
6/
I/ 71
4/ 57
Tr/ 21
I/ 50
I/ 30
I/
I/
I/
5/
2/
4/
24/
11
17
51
46
10
36
53
33
90
24
23
25
75
74
27
64
12
74
99
—
-
9/
12/
10/
19/
3/
—
3/
3/
8/
I/
•—
CO
-
43
23
40
6
34
6
1/ a
Tr/ 11
I/ 31
3/46
—
5/ 14
2/ 36
I/ 29
—
'
—
Tr/
7
7
I/ 14
V
— *
Tr/
«*>
—
5/ 66
25/100
Tr/
— >
7
—
I/ 21
15/ 93
Tr/ 14
.6/100
32/100
—
.
—
I/ 20
Tr/ 5
Tr/ 20
I/ 20
Ir/ 5
I/ 15 .
I/ 75
6/ 75
9/ 50
3/ 75
28/100
-
TABLE VIII.
41
CONTIHUED
Taxai/
Salix spp=
Vaecinitain spp=
TOTAL BROWSE
Vegetation Type
. FescueDouglas- . Spruce-Fir
Number of . Summer
Wheatgrass fir Zone
Zone
instances.(69 sites) Zone
of use
•
(35 sites), (14 sites)
(20 sites)
46
12
60
Tr/ 3 :
Tr/ 3
1/17
■= —
- - -
—
■-
—
-
l/
5
Tr/ 5
I/ 25
I/ Only those plant species are listed which constituted I percent at least
in one season or vegetation type=
2/ Average of the aggregate percentages of use per site / Percent of sites
on which item was used in relation to all sites in that category=
3/ Tr indicates taxus constituted less than =5 percent in that category=
Considering 1963 and
1964,
a total of
69
feeding sites recording
17,772 instances of plant use were made (Table VIII)=
Feeding sites were
examined in June (19 sites), July (40 sites), and August (10 sites).
For
the entire period, 75 percent of the use was on grasses and grass-like
plants =
Bluegrasses and sedges were the two primary items=
used, dandelion and pale agoseris were the most significant =
Of the forbs
Browse was a
minor portion of the diet=
Determined by the examination of 35 feeding sites, food habits on the
Feseue-Wheatgrass Zone were characterized by a high percentage of grasses
(75 percent)=
On the mere xeric vegetation types in this zone the primary
grasses used were Idaho fescue and rough fescue, making up 22 percent of
the total diet.
The most preferred species in relation to the vegetational
=
1|3
=
composition., however, were considered to be oatgrass (.Danthonia spp„) and
rough fescue o
Gtn the AspeS=Willow Type and in the drainage bottoms the
bluegrasses, primarily Kentucky bluegrass, were the most used and also
apparently the preferred species with 19 percent of the total diet.
MOkvetch, dandelion, and pale agoseris were the primary forbs used.
The food habits in the Douglas-fir Zone were characterised by a lower
percentage of grasses,. 68 percent.
They were determined by 14 feeding
sites on which.bluegrass was the major item with 37 percent of the total
This appeared to indicate a high preference as its percentage in
diet.
the vegetational composition was much lower.
The increase in forbs was
primarily due to dandelion which increased to 15 percent of the total diet
and was considered to be a preferred item.
In the SpieUce-Fir Zone the grasses still dominated the cattle diet
with 71 percent as determined by 20 feeding sites.
The primary items were
bluegrasses, timothy, and sedges which were used approximately in relation
.to their abundance in the vegetational composition; no special preferences
were indicated.
The two primary forbs were dandelion and clover with
clover showing the highest preference.
The food habits, as determined, indicated that these cattle had a
distinct preference for specific food items and did not graze indiscrimi­
nately.
A review of the literature did not reveal any previous studies ©n
cattle food habits which were considered similar to the present study.
.
43 - .
■" Sheep
.Sheep food habits were determined by feeding site examinations„
In
1963 it was noted that the plants used by sheep were related t® the length
of time they were on a feeding area.'.) 'The first time the sheep grazed a
certain site they utilized specific'.plant species which appeared to be
preferred when related to the vegetational composition of the site.
Ihen
they regrazed a site several times the diet progressively changed to
different plant species which were considered to be less preferred.
•
-
Feed-
.1
”ing site examinations were classified as to whether the sheep were on the
site for the first, second, third.or -more times (Table IX).
McMahan (1964)
presented data on sheep which were, utilizing pastures grazed to four
different degrees.
His findings appear to agree with these changes in the
plants used.
Considering 1963 and 1964, food habits ,for the summer period (July 10
- Aug 21) were determined by examination o f "28 sheep feeding sites.
total of
6,550
A
instances of plant use indicated the major portion
(70 percent) of the over-all utilization was forbs.
Pale agoseris was the
most significant species along with lupine and hawkweed (Hieracium spp.).
The specific forb species used changed to some degree over the period due
to the disappearance of early species and development of later species,
however, the change was not considered significant.
The remainder of the
diet was primarily grasses and grass-like plants with sedges the most
important single item. . Browse was minor for.the entire period.
•= 44 “
TABLE IXo
SHEEP FOOD HABITS AS DETERMINED FROM EXAMINATION OF 28 FEEDING
SITES DURING 1963 AND 1964-
I/
Taxa;
Agropyron spp,
Bromus spp.
Danthonia spp.
Festuca scabrella
Koeleria crlstata
Phleum spp.
Poa spp.
Stipa spp.
Unidentified grasses
Carex spp.
TOTAL GRASS AND
GRASS-LIKE
Number of
instances
of use
Sheep ©n
.'Sterner
site for
(28 sites) 1st time
(11 sites)
76
68
49
793
4/ 37
4/ 70
I/ 19
Tr/ 26
2/ 38
I/ 34
I/ 30
I/ 63
12/100
Tr/ 182/
Tr/ 27
2/45
Tr/. 9
Tr/ 18
2/ 45
■ I/ 18
Tr/ 9
I/ 82
3/100
I. 741
29/100
2/
14/
I/
Tr/
Tr/
2/
Tr/
I/
Tr/
Tr/
3/
I/
I/
I/
I/
I/
5/
7/
I/
Tr/
I/
I/
2/
2/ 25^/
109
249
214
53
25
122
Achillea millifolium
Agoseris glauca
I.
Allium spp.
Antennaria parvifolia.
Arenaria -capillaris
■Arnica spp.
Astragalus spp.
Gerastium arvense
Cirsium spp.
Dodecatheon conjjugens
Erigeron spp.
Eriogonum spp.
Fragaria virginiana
Galium trifidum
Gentiana calycosa
Geranium ylseossissimum
Hieraeium eynoglossoides
Lupinus spp,
Gnaphalium spp.
Mertensia alpina
.Microseris.spp.
Ozmorhiga spp.
Pedieularis spp.
131
045
15
38
37
155
20
44
19
23
294
87
93
53
80
28
334
395
58
26
37
39
94
,
55
85
9
15
18
28
13
15
18
4
14
17
23
45
11
35
93
61
26
4
17
4
22
Sheep ©n
site for
2nd time
(-8 sites)
5/ 25
Sheep on
site 3 or
more times
(9 s$tes)
5/100
l/?3
5/ 44
6/ S9
Tr/ 22
I/ 22
2/ 44
I/ 33
2/ 44
I/ 44
29/100
10/100
30/100
47/100
I/ 36
27/100
2/ 75
11/100
2/ 55
m
cm
CO
C=D
Tr/ 9
2/ 27
Tr/ 18
*=> -„=
Tr/ 18
= ==
8/ 18
Tr/ 27
2/ 36
I/ 27
I/ 9
Tr/ 36
10/ 4 5
I/ 54
I/ 18
=
=
I/ 27
=»
C=
Tr/ 18
8/ 37
4/
3/
Tr/
I/
2/
I/
I/
=
75
25
37
25
50.
37
63
CO
Tr/ 12
I/ 12
Tr/ 25
cm
I/
Tr/
I/
I/
4/
=
12
12
12
25
12
<
£
=
.
==
I/
3/
3/
5/
4/
I/
I/
I/
2/
5/
63
25
25
50
75
50
5/
Tr/
I/
Tr/
3/
I/
I/
I/
==
=
55
3
33
33
33
22
33
22
=
==
I/ 11
2 / 33
I/ 44
CS
I/
Tr/
17/
Tr/
12
cm
44
33
55
11
=
25
=
*=
12
=
==
25
Tr/ 22
- 45 -
TABLE IX.
GOKTIWUED.
Taxa^/
Penstemon procerus
Potentilla spp,
Senicio spp.
Silene acaulis
Taraxacum spp.
Trifolium spp.
Unidentified forbs
TOTAL. FCHBS
Vaccinium spp.
TOTAL BROWSE
Sheep on
Number of
Summer
site for
instances (28 sites) 1st time
of use
(11 sites)
.228
283
91
108
220
59
550
. 4,752
70/100
2/ 63
5/ 82
Tr/ 9
2/ 18
6/ 73
2/ 18
12/ 82
89/100
55
57
I/ 10
I/ 13
I/ 18
I/ 27
3/
4/
V
2/
2/
I/
8/
61
58
15
18
55
14
86
Sheep on
site for
2nd time
(8 sites)
5/ 88
3/ 37
3/ 2$
4/ 37
I/ 37
Tr/ 12
7/100
3/ 33
3/ 55
Tr/ 11
_
BD
=™
I/ 55
I/ 11
1 4/ 78
52/100
70/100
*
Sheep on
site 3 or
more times
(9 sites)
1/ ii
I/ U
«_
l/ Only those species are listed which constituted I percent in at least
one category,
2/ Average of the aggregate percentages of use per site / Percent of sites
on which item was used in relation to all sites in that category.
3/ Tr .indicates taxus constituted less than .5 percent in that category.
The first time that sheep occupied a park or feeding site (Table IX)
the percentage of forbs'in the diet was much higher than the over-all
average, forming 89 percent of the total.
Apparently the plant species
most preferred by the sheep were pale agoseris, hawkweed, and daisy
(Erigeron spp.) with dandelion and cinquefoil rating highly.
Grass use was
minor and no species was considered to be especially preferred.
The second time that an area was grazed by sheep, forbs continued to
be the major portion of the diet with 70 percent of the use.
The primary
- 46 species were still pale agoseris5 and hawkweeds howevers eriogonran
(Eriogonnm Spp0)5 lupine# lousewort (Pedicularis spp0)5 penstemon
(Penstemon spp0)^ and silene (Silene acaulis) became significant.
Grasses,
of which mountain brome (Bromus marginatus) was the most significant, con­
stituted 30 percent of the total diet„
Browse use did not appear in the
feeding sites0
When sheep had grazed over a site three or more times, examinations
indicated an increased importance of grasses and grass-like plants in the
diet although forbs still constituted the majority with 52 percent„
Lupine was by far the most important forb after this degree of grazing«
Grasses and grass-dike plants were primarily represented by sedges which
made up 29 percent of the total diet.
Although sedges also formed a high
percent of the vegetational composition some preference over grasses was
indicated.
The plant species most preferred by sheep in summer were forbs.
Only
with a certain degree of "forced" grazing did grasses make up a signifi­
cant portion of the diet.
on this range.
Browse was apparently a minor item in the diet
It appeared that a higher percentage of the diet might be
constituted by browse on feeding sites within the forest types.
One such
site was examined, on which browse constituted 10 percent of the use.
Studies by Doran (1943), Tiegen (1949), and Smith and Inlander (1953)
revealed similar findings with forbs constituting the largest portion of
the summer diet in mountainous areas.
The major difference between these
47
-
-
studies and the present study was in the use ©f browse which was found to
form a major portion of the diet for the sheep in all three of the earlier
studies.
)
•!
FORAGE UTILIZATION
Elk and Cattle
Concentrating on areas of possible elk and cattle conflict several
methods were attempted to determine the amounts of forage used on various
parts of the study area.
For ease of discussion utilization was divided
arbitrarily into light (0 - 3© percent), moderate (30 - 60 percent), and
heavy (60 - 100 percent).
of two types.
The primary method was the use of agronomy cages
One was a A Z 4 ft. square of welded heavy gauge steel wire
(Figure 12) while the other was slightly smaller and of a lighter gauge
wire mesh.
It was necessary to attach .each type securely to the ground to
prevent the animals from tipping them over.
five
.96
The vegetation from four to
sq. ft. sample areas both inside and outside the cage was clipped
at ground level and weighed while green.
At least one sample was taken on
each side of the cage at distances of not less than two paces.
The differ­
ence in weights between samples from inside and outside the cages expressed
as percent was considered the degree of utilization.
Four exclosures, two to five acres in size, were present on the study
area.
Two were designed to allow elk to jump over the fence to feed while
restricting cattle (Figure 13), thus allowing the separation of utiliza­
tion by each animal.
The other two were total exclosures (Figure 14) with
at least 9 ft, high wire fences which were used in determining over-all
utilization.
The degree of utilization was determined in the same manner
used with the small agronomy cages except the outside samples were
- 49 -
Figure 12.
The Large Size Agronomy Cage in Place on a Bluegrass-Timothy
Subtype Near Tizer Ranger Station.
Figure 13.
"Jump-over" Exclosure in Bluegrass-Timothy Subtype Southwest
of Tizer Ranger Station on the Tizer Cattle Allotment.
-
$0
-
Figure 14»
"Total" Exclosure on Park at the Head of Prickly Pear Creek in
the Spruce-Fir Zone=
Figure 15»
"Heavy" Use by Cattle in Pasture #3, North Crow Cattle
Allotment „
- 51 restricted to ©ne side of the exelesure Ib an attempt to maintain the same
site characteristics for the samples inside and outside„
Grazed plant transects and ocular estimates were used to supplement
the data from the more quantitative methods„
The grazed plant method
consisted of sampling 100 bunehgrass plants along a paced transect to
determine the percent of the plants grazed.
Estimation of the percent
weight utilization was determined by use of tables (HSDAi, Forest Service,
1958)<,
. Two types of ocular estimates were used, ocular estimate by
plot and simple ocular estimate of the percent of utilization in a general
area.
The ocular estimate by plot consisted of estimating the percent
utilization within
,96
sq, ft,'samples along.a paced transect, usually
taking 10 or more samples per transect.
The average of the percent use '
per transect was considered to be the percentage of utilization for the
site, . To be most accurate with ocular estimate methods, the results were
continually compared with those obtained by use of agronomy cages and
exclosures to obtain a mental picture of the various degrees of grazing.
Tiger Cattle Allotment (Spruce-Fir and Douglas-fir Zones):
The
degree of utilization was determined by ten agronomy ca%es, two exclosures,
and eight ocular estimates.
In 1963 heavy utilization was common but
mostly limited to some of the level, more mesic parks in the Spruce-Fir
Zone.
After the cattle left the allotment in the fall, agronomy cages
were placed on eight key grazing areas as determined by ocular estimates.
During the first week of July
1964,
the vegetation in six of these cages
52 — ■
was clipped to determine spring elk use (Table X) „
The use was light to
moderate with the vegetation far from being mature.
While making these
measurements „ it was determined that the ocular estimate methods were not
valid to obtain the degree of spring elk use due to rapid regrowth of
plants at this time.
The cages were1reset in.the same general areas and
measured again after the cattle had been removed from the range in
September giving the over-all cattle arid elk use for the period.
Several
areas received heavy utilization, especially on forbs (Table X).
These
areas are the lower portions of Bullock Hill,, parks at the head of Prickly
Pear Creek, and parks southwest of Tizer Ranger Station in the Spruce-Fir
Zone.
They compose a relatively small■portion of the Grass-Forb Park Type
available to cattle and elk on this allotment but received most of the
grazing pressure from both cattle.and.elk.
TABLE X.
Cage
No.
SJ
x
3
4
5
6
7
PERCENT FORAGE UTILIZATION IN 1964 ON KET AREAS OF THE TIZER
CATTLE ALLOTMENT AS ..DETERMINED BI AGRONOMY CAGES
^rea
Elk
Cattle & Elk
" (Use prior to July 8) (Use July 8 to Sept 14)
grass forbs total
grass forbs total
Foot of Bullock Hill
Foot of Bullock Hill
Foot of Bullock Hill
■Park SW-'-'Of -ranger station .
Park SW of ranger station■
Park SW of ranger station
Park at head.of
Prickly Pear Creek
Average percent use
34
™
38
—
36
—
24
39
44
16
10
47
-.55
' 40
:.
0.
40
49
34
8
42
46
26
■ :8
13
29
' 30
■ . 30 .
87
79
34
75
70
78
87
61
65
52
64
62
87
75
51
54
73
67
52
72
66
I/ For #2 cage no determinations were made on elk; figures given under
'!cattle and elk" represent the entire spring and summer period»
— 53 ~
Tlie ^percent of total use for which each of the two species was
responsible was determined by a "jump-over" exclosure located in the
largest park southwest of the ranger station (Figure I).
With the aid of
an agronomy cage inside the exclosure, it was determined that
67
percent
and 20 percent of the grasses and forbs respectively were used by cattle
in the park and aero and 48 percent respectively were used by elk.
This
appeared to indicate that the majority of the use of grasses and forbs was
due to cattle and elk, respectively, on this area.
Gn the other portions of the allotment, total use varied from moderate
to light.
Worth Grow Cattle Allotment (Douglas-fir and Fescue-Wheatgrass Zones):
The degree of utilization was determined by eight ocular esimates, three
grazed plant transects, and two exclosures in April and October of
1964,
concentrating on elk winter and spring ranges.
Total spring and summer use, determined in October, generally was
heavy in the drainage bottoms and decreased toward the ridgetops ;■,
Often
a lightly used band of vegetation was noted just below the crests with
moderate use on the crests.
Pasture #1 showed moderate use in Cold Springs
Gulch with mostly light use on the ridges and southern exposures.
Pasture #4 had heavy utilization over almost all of the accessible portions
to include, the bottom of the Eagle Creek drainage. Eagle Basin, and the
area north and west of the Eagle Ranger Station.
pasture showed moderate use.
Most of the remaining
Pastures #5 and #6 followed the general use
- 54 pattern, over-all moderately utilized with heavy use i n JLocal areas»
Pasture #2 was not used in 1964, however, estimates in 1963 indicated the
same use pattern as for #5 and #6 in 1964.
Pasture #3 had heavy utiliza­
tion on the majority of the parks,
■
Most of the use measured for the period was considered due to cattle
with some spring elk use.
In Longfellow Park (Douglas-fir Zone) the use
of exclosures, one njump-overn and one "total", indicated elk use was'
9 percent and 33 percent of the grass and forbs respectively and cattle
use was
51
percent of both.
Winter and early spring elk use, determined in April, was concentrated
on the ridgetops and southern exposures southeast of Eagle Greek on parts
of cattle pastures #1, #2, #4, and #5»
Yearlong-, utilization which
included elk spring and winter use as well as cattle use the previous
spring and summer was estimated to be moderate to heavy on these areas
which were limited in size.
South Grow Cattle Allotment (Douglas-fir and Fescue-Wheatgrass Zones):
The degree of utilization was determined by six agronomy cages, eleven
ocular estimates, and ten grazed plant transects in April, May, and
October 1964, concentrating on elk winter and spring ranges.
Spring and summer use followed the same general pattern as for the
North Grow Allotment.
Utilization was heavy in Slim Sam Gulch and at the
base of Big Mountain decreasing with high elevations.
Most cattle use on
the upper portions of the mountain was light, but moderate in spots on the
north and east sides..
One agronomy cage was placed on a bench high on the
west side of the mountain, heavily used in winter by elk, after the elk
had left the range in the spring.
Utilization on this specific area
measured in October, showed*no-cattle use.
The open ridges west of
Big Mountain showed the same general grazing patterns with moderate utili­
zation over the majority of. the area.
Jenkins Gulch utilization also
followed the general pattern, heavy use in the bottom, light use in the
upper middle of the south ridge,, and light to moderate use on the ridge
crest,
Two agronomy cages were placed near the crest of the ridgej data
from each revealed light utilization.
The ridges ,surrounding Mudc^Zy Lake
Creek showed moderate use over most of the area, except for a piece of
private land which had very heavy cattle use.
These ridges received heavy
elk use on green grass .'in t h e .spring, with the heaviest elk concentrations
on the private land.
Gn the parks west of this area at the head of
Warner Creek, in the Douglas-fir Zone, use was measured by agronomy cages
placed in early spring.
Vegetation, which was clipped in June and clipped
again in October, indicated spring elk use to be light and summer cattle
use to be heavy.
Y e a r l o n g ■ utilization including t h e .previous spring and summer elk
and cattle use as well as elk. winter and spring use was determined in
April and May concentrating on winter and spring elk range on the ridgetops and southern exposures. .Utilization on Big Mountain was heavy on the
north, west, and east slopes especially on the ridges.
The ridges west
- 56 of Big Mountain also showed moderate to heavy use.
The ridge south of
Jenkins Gulch had moderate use with heavy use in local areas«
Elk. and Sheep
The degree of forage utilization on the Wilson Greek Sheep Allotment
was determined by two methods „
The primary method was based on work by
Gassady (1941) using the before and after grazing principle„
It consisted
of clipping .96 sq. ft. samples distributed along a paced transect of .■
varied length across a representative portion of the park to be sampled.
Twenty samples were taken; ten just prior to the sheep arrival on the park
and ten along the same transect immediately following their departure„
Normally only a few days elapsed between sampling so regrowth was con­
sidered insignificant.
Percent weight utilization was determined by com­
paring clipped weights before and. after use.
Three agronomy cages were
also used to determine elk and sheep use on the allotment.
In
1963
eleven transects were run on the major sheep parks on the
allotment (Table
XI)»
Generally sheep utilization was moderate for the
total forage and the grasses.
degree»
Forbs were consistently used to a heavy
The pattern of grazing showed the heaviest use on the highest
portion of the park available to sheep.
This was especially true on the
Grazy Greek Parks, Airplane Park, and the Elk Parks where on the upper
portions heavy grazing was noted for the total forage.
These areas showed
signs of deterioration and were characterized by a high proportion of the
vegetation .being species of f©rbs not preferred by sheep.
-
TABLE XI.
57
-
PERGEET FORAGE UTILIZATION BY WEIGHT OI WILSON GREEK SHEEP
ALLOTMENT AS DETERMINED.BY CLIPPED. PLOTS ALONG ELEVEN TRANSECTS
IN 1963.
...............
Camp Unit
Grass
. Forbs
Total
ieJ
Crazy Creek ( 2 ) ^
45
66
56
C
Lower Moose Greek (2)
45
68
57
D
Dever Park (2)
9
78
44
F
Elk Parks (2)
49
78
64
G
Bullock Hill (2)
20
40
30
I
Manley Park (l)
44
82
58
35
69
52
Average percent utilization
l/ Letter designations as used in Figure 11.
2/ Number following Camp Unit designation is the number of transects used
in that area to determine utilization.
An agronomy cage placed on an area which received heavier than average
use by sheep (the upper portion of Airplane Park) indicated spring elk use
prior to the arrival of sheep to be. 16 percent and 49 percent of ,grasses
and forbs respectively.
In the same general locality, data from an
agronomy cage indicated sheep use to be
76
percent and 75 percent, grasses
and forbs respectively, of the remaining vegetation. , It was considered
that this degree of elk utilization was probably representative of spring
use on most sheep parks,
There appeared to be no elk use on these parks
during theep occupation or' after/their departure for the rest of summer.
1 . - 'v
£ >
n l..
4
v
.RANGE RELATIONSHIPS
Evaluation of range relationships and the degree of competition
between two groups of grazing animals apparently requires a quantitative
comparison of range use habits, preferred forage, and the forage supply for
each group.
Cole (1958) enumerated four conditions which he considered
necessary for competition between big',game and livestock.
These were:
(I) that game and livestock use the same range areas, (2) that game and
livestock use the same forage plants, (3) that the forage plants are an
important source of forage for either game or livestock, and (4) that the
forage plants are in limited supply or deteriorating in production as a
result of combined use.
The data.from the present study was evaluated in
respect to these conditions to .estimate the degree ©f competition present,
As the optimum level o f .utilization for various plant species on this
range was not determined, the 60 percent (heavy use) level was chosen
arbitrarily, above which it was considered that forage species would be in
limited supply.’
Elk and Cattle
Areas of possible conflict between elk and cattle in the Spruce-Fir
Zone were the foot of Bullock Hill, parks southwest of Tizer Ranger
Station, and parks at the head of Prickly Pear Greek on the'Tizer Cattle
Allotment,
These, areas were generally occupied by elk approximately from
May to November and by cattle from July to September.
Utilization
studies (Table X) revealed heavy forage use for the over-all spring and
-
summer grazing period.
59
-
Total food habits data indicated a relatively low-
degree of direct competition for forage, in that the majority of the cattle
diet while on this vegetation zone was grasses
(71
majority of the elk diet was forbs (72 percent).
most important grass items in each diet,
23
percent) while the
Bluegrasses were the
percent and
7
percent for
cattle and elk respectively, and two forb species (dandelion and clover)
together formed a large portion of each diet,
for cattle and elk respectively.
15
percent and
33
percent
These similarities indicated a possible"
conflict for these particular plant species.
In the spring, prior to the
arrival of cattle, the elk diet consisted of a higher proportion of grasses
than in summer which is not apparent in Table VI for the ,Spruce-Fir Zone.
Since this use was made while grasses apparently still maintained an ade­
quate food supply stored in the roots, regrowth was possible and the
actual influence on the yearly grass production was probably not signifi­
cant as shown by data from the "jump-over" exclosure.
Apparently some
interspecific competition on this allotment is possible 5 however, it was
not considered to be especially significant.
It was believed that the two
species actually complemented each other to a certain degree to obtain a
more efficient range use.
Possibly some intraspecific cattle competition w a s .present.
Although
the average over-all use on grass was not heavy, two areas sampled had
heavy use indicating-a possible conflict.
The concentration of elk on
these areas, as compared to some apparently similar sites not used by
-
60
-
cattle, was possibly a result of the high proportion of forbs in the vegetational composition (Bluegrass-Timothy Subtype) probably due to the long
history of heavy cattle grazing.
It appeared that little intraspecific elk
competition actually existed.
Range relationships in the Douglas-fir Zone, on the upper portions of
the Crow Greek Cattle Allotments, were considered to be somewhat similar to
those on the Spruce-Fir Zone.
Tho areas which exhibited heavy spring and
summer utilization, where conflict could occur, were primarily on the parks
in Pastures
#3,
#4, and #5 on the North Grow Allotment, and on the parks
north of Muddy Lake Greek, in the head of Warner Greek, and at the head of
Slim Sam Greek on the South Grow. Allotment.
not use these areas simultaneously^
Elk and cattle usually did
Elk use was primarily in April, May,
October, and November while cattle use was from June to October.
As in the
Spruce-Fir Zone the total food habit data did not indicate direct competi­
tion for forage.
Here the majority of the cattle diet was again grasses
(68 percent) and the majority of the elk diet was forbs (81 percent).
Bluegrasses were the most important grass items in the diets of each,
37 percent and 5 percent for cattle and elk respectively.
Dandelion was
more important in both diets than on the higher zone with 15 percent and
31 percent for cattle and elk respectively.
There could be considerable
conflict for these specific plants, however, the over-all interspecific
competition i n spring and summer was again considered not to be signifi-
cant.
Due to inadequate food habit data the fall competition could not be
.
completely evaluated.
the increased percent
analyses data.
-
61
It could be much higher than in the summer due to
of
grass in the elk diet as indicated by rumen
On most of the heavily, used areas, especially in Pasture
#3 on the North Grow Allotment, intraspecific cattle competition definitely
existed.
On the Fescue-Wheatgrass Zone somewhat different relationships were
indicated by the data.
This part of the range was used by cattle from
June to October while elk use w a s .approximately from December to May.
Food habits data indicated severe direct competition for forage could exist
under certain conditions.
Grasses formed the majority of the diets of each
animal, 75 percent and 74 percent for cattle and elk respectively, and the
same four grass species formed 6.8 percent and 48 percent respectively of
each diet.
There were a few areas used in common where heavy use was
determined when examined in April. : These areas were limited- but indicated
that some interspecific competition was present.
It was believed that the
effect is not serious at the present, time; however,' conditions which would
increase cattle use on ridgetops and southern exposures considered to be
elk winter range would increase interspecific competition to a significant
degree, especially on the South Grow Allotment where the majority of the
elk herd winters.
Utilization data indicated that most drainage bottoms in the two
Cattle Allotments were used to a heavy degree.
The intraspecific cattle
competition was considered.significant on these areas.
The bottoms,
- 62 however, were apparently not of great importance to the elk.
Intraspecific elk competition was not considered to he serious on the
winter range during the study period.
Nb areas utilized by elk exhibited
recent range deterioration although some were heavily used.
These winter­
ing areas were considered to be the critical portion of the year long
elk range.
Since the part of the range used by elk in winter and early
spring is limited any increase in the herd size could effect the range
conditions and increase intraspecific elk competition.
. Elk and Sheep ■
The possibility for elk and sheep competition was limited to parks in
the Spruce-Fir Zone along the sheep grazing route.
■
The heavy use of forage
**. . -
on the upper parts of the Crazy Creek Parks, Airplane Park, and the
Elk Parks indicated a possible conflict.
These areas were used primarily
by elk from Hay to July. .Elk were also known to be in the general vicinity
throughout the summer and fall, but no elk were observed on the parks after
the arrival on and use of the parks by sheep.
and August (Table V).
Sheep used the parks in July
Rouse (1957) had observed elk and sheep grazing the
same areas, although not at the same t i m e . . Food habits data indicated
important similarities in the diets when the; "summer'' use by sheep was
compared with the "Spruce-Fir Zone" use by elk (Tables VI and IX).
formed the major portion of each diet,
and elk respectively.
70
Forbs
percent and 7 2 percent for sheep
Pale agoseris was the primary species used in common
forming 14 percent and 9 percent of the diet for sheep and elk respectively.
=
63
=
The specific ferbs used would probably be even mere similar if the elk diet
was determined only for Fescue-Sedge Subtype which compose most of the
areas grazed by sheep.
The major grasS=Iike items used in common were
sedges with 12 percent and .5 percent for sheep and elk respectively.
Generally the same similarities in diets were noted by Piekford and Eeid
(1943).
The data indicated that, a 'severe degree of interspecific competition
was possible between elk and sheep.
The competition presents however5 was
difficult to evaluate but did not appear to be excessive.
The actual
period when the elk were on the parks used by sheep and on the specific
diet similar to the summer sheep diet appeared to be relatively short.
Much of the time they were on these parks their diet was composed primarily
of grasses# the "spring diet"# which was extended later on the high alti­
tude ranges.
On a feeding site examination# June 12# the major portion
of the elk diet was grasses.
The period of major elk conflict with sheep
was probably only from the middle of June through July.
The reasons for
no observed elk use on the sheep parks after sheep utilization were net
clear.
It is possible that the sheep use# which took a major portion of
the preferred elk forage# directly influenced this non-use by elk.
It is
more probable that the elk would move off these areas regardless of sheep
use toward the end of July in favor of more lush vegetation in the smaller
parks.
This movement could also be hastened by sheep use increasing the
rate of desiccation of vegetation by trampling on the mere heavily used
—64 ™
parks.
These possibilities were also considered by Kirsch (1962),
A considerable degree of intraspecific sheep competition was con­
sidered to exist on some of the more heavily used parks during the study
period.
The degree of conflict was not constant and could be controlled
b y proper management.
This may be accomplished by proper herding and
scheduling of movements to protect the range from overuse and further
deterioration.
j
- 65 -
APPENDIX
LITERATURE CITED
Booth, W. E. 1950. Flora of Montana, Part I, Conifers and Monocots.
Research Foundation at Montana State College, Bozeman, Montana. 232 pp.
__________ and J. C. Wright. 1959. Flora of Montana, Part II,
Dicotyledons. Montana State College, Bozeman, Montana. 280 pp.
Cassady, J. T. 1941. A method of determining range forage utilization by
sheep. " J V Forestry 39(8): 667-671.
Cole,.0. F. 1956. The pronghorn antelope - Its range use and food habits
in Central Montana with special reference to alfalfa, Mont. Fish and
Game Dept, and Mont. Agr. Expt. Sta. Tech Bull. 516. 63 pp.
1958. Big game-livestock competition on Montana's mountain
rangelands, Mont. Wildl. April : 24-30.
______ 1963. Jackson Hole cooperative elk studies. National Park
Service Progress Report 1962-1963. Unpubl. Multilith. Grand Teton
National Park, Wyoming.
64 pp.
Cooney, R. F. 1941. Elk Planting (proposed). Unpubl. report.
Montana Fish and Game Bept., Helena. 2 pp.
Typewritten
Daubenmire, R. F. 1943. Vegetational zonation in the Rocky Mountains.
Botanical Review 9(6): 325-393.
.
1959. A canopy-coverage method of vegetational analysis.
Northwest Science 33(1): 43-64.
Doran, C. W.
ranges.
1943. Activities and grazing habits of sheep on summer
J. Forestry 41 : 253-258.
Hormay, A. L. and M. W. Talbot. 1961. Rest-rotation grazing - A new
management system for perennial bunchgrass ranges. USDA,
Forest Service, Production Res. Rept. 51. 43 P P *
Kirsch, J. B. 1962. Range use, relationships to logging, and food habits
of the elk in the Little Belt Mountains, Montana. Unpubl. thesis
■ (M.S.) Montana State College, Bozeman. 44 pp.
Klepper, M. R., R. A. Weeks and E. T. Ruppel. 1957• Geology of the
Southern Elkhorn Mountains Jefferson and Broadwater Counties, Montana.
U. S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 292. 82 pp.
-
67
-
Knight, R. H, 1962» Elk population trends, food habits and range rela­
tionships in the Sun liver Area. P. I; Completion Report, Project
W-98-R-2. Mont. Fish and Game Dept. Multilith. 13 pp.
Khowlton, F. F. 1959. Food habits, movements and population structure of
moose in the Gravelly Mountains, Montana. Unpubl. thesis (M.S.)
Montana State College, Bozeman. 27 pp.
Mackie, R. J. 1962. Deer, elk, and cattle food habits and range rela­
tionships in the Missouri Breaks area. P. R. Completion Report,
Project W-9S-R-2. Mont. Fish and Game'Dept. Multilith. 53 pp.
Martin, A. C., R. H. Gensch and C. P. Brown. 1946: Alternative'methods
in upland game bird food analysis. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 10(1): 8-12.
•r'
McMahan, C. A. 1964.
Comparative food habits of deer and three classes
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