Elk food habits, range use and movements, Gravelly Mountains, Montana
by Ralph A Rouse
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 Ralph A Rouse (1957)
Abstract:
An elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) food habits, range use and movements study was conducted in the
southern portion of the Gravelly Mountains, southeast of Dillon, Montana. Field work was conducted
in the summer of 1956 and the winter of 1956-57. Food habits were determined by analyses of 14 elk
rumen samples with at least one sample occurring in each month of the year and by feeding site
examinations totaling 14,578 instances of plant use. Six vegetative types were described. The number
of elk, the time of year observed and the vegetative type they were using at the time of observation
indicated range use. Fifteen elk calves were tagged with plastic ribbons during the period, May 28 to
June 12. Ten relocations of six marked calves were obtained during the summer. Overlap of area use by
elk and livestock was determined by observations. ELK FOOD HABITS, .
RANGE USE AND MOVEMENTS/.
GRAVELLY MOUNTAINS, MONTANA
. by
: -
■. RALPH A. ROUSE
A THESIS
.Submitted to the Graduate Faculty
L
■
;■
partial fulfillment of the requirements '
for the degree of
Master .of Science in Fish and Wildlife Management
■'
'
'
'
at
■■
Montana State College •
'
•.
■
Approved:
Major {Department
Chain
~
:amining Committee
•'
Bozeman, Montana
:
■
JtH
^
b r- ?
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Abstract ....................
3
Introduction ................
h
Description of the area ....
$
Vegetative types ......
I
Range use and movements ....
9
Food habits .................
Hi
Summer .................
18
Fall ...................
19
"Winter .................
20
Spring .................
21
Year long trends ......
22
Area use of livestock and elk
2b
Summary .....................
26
Literature cited ............
28
123691
-3-
ABSTRACT
An elk (Cervus canadensis nelson!) food habits, range use and move­
ments; study was conducted in the southern portion of the Gravelly Mountains,
southeast of Dillon, Montana. Field work was conducted in the summer of
195)6'and the winter of 195>6-£>7 • Food habits were, determined, by analyses
of llj.;.elk rumen samples with at least one sample occurring in each month
3X1(1
C e d i n g site examinations totaling' lli,978 ‘instances. •
'jof '-pla^tnise. Six vegetative types were described.. The number of elk,
■0the .^l^;Sof.year observed and the vegetative type they were using at the
iAb'.jdfobservation indicated range use;. Fifteen elk calves were tagged
w!&-plastic ribbons during the period. May 28 to June 12. Ten re-.
IocStrSn 1S- of six marked calves were obtained during the summer. Overlap '
of :tirea::"-use b y elk and livestock was determined by observations.
,-"TTare-
■
INTRODUCTION
in increase in Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis neisoni) in the "
Gravelly and Snowcrest Mountain ranges, Madison and Beaverhead counties,
Montana, has occurred in recent years. Records of the Montana Fish and '
Game Department and Yellowstone National Park indicate that e l k .from
Yellowstone National Park were released in this area during the late.
1 9 3 0 ’s, but ttie exact number is not available.
local ranchers state that
■W-
some native elk were present in the area at the time of the transplants,
In spite of recent limited hunting seasons, the herd has apparently, in- =
creased.. At present, it is considered one of the more important herds in
the state.
The build-up of numbers reportedly caused conflicts with other
land uses in the area, such as depredations oh haystacks and range con­
flict with livestock.
Little reliable information-was. available to evalu­
■ -V- V n-
ate the status of the elk in this area.
An investigation was initiated by
the Montana Fish and Game Department, of which this study of food habits, ,
' '.V-W/..
range use and movements is one phase.
Studies were conducted o n 'a full
time basis in the summer and winter and on a part time basis in the spring
and fall, from May 28, 19^6 to May l6 , 195>7.
The writer extends grateful thanks to the following:
Dr. Don C.
Quimby, Montana State College who directed the study and gave valuable aid.
in preparing the manuscript; employees of the Montana Fish and Game Depart­
ment, especially J-. E. Townsend, Jack W. Ientfer and Paul E, Duke for help
during project planning and field work; the Staudenmeyer ranch for their
hospitality; Walter Sperry, rancher, for information and aid in the field;
Dr. W. E. Booth, Montana State College, for verification of plant identi­
fication; my wife, Barbara, for encouragement and aid in preparing the
manuscript.
The writer was employed during the study by the Montana Fish
and Game Department, under Federal Aid Project W-73-R2.
DESCRiPTIOM OF THE AREA
The Gravelly and Snpwcrest Mountains are moderately rough, parallel
ranges located.in southwestern Montana, approximately IiO airline miles
southeast of the town of Dillon.
The study area consisted of about four
townships in the southern portion of the Gravelly Mountains (Fig, l).
Dais area is drained by the West Fork of the Madison River, the Ruby River
and the Red Rock River.
10,^00 feet.
Elevations in the study -area range from 6,^ 0 0 to
Areas over 9,500 feet are rare.
Weather records for 1952 to
1956 inclusive, were obtained from Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge,
10 miles south of the study area and 1,500 feet lower in elevation.
These
records show an annual mean temperature of 35.08°F., with extremes of 8 ?°,
and -IiIi0F.., and an annual mean rainfall, of 19 inches and snowfall of 170 inches.
z
Six vegetative types were recognized on.the study area (Fig. l).
Scientific and common names of plants used in the following sections
follow those of Booth (1950) and Wright and Booth (1956).
In cases where
these authors did not cite common names, those given by the American Joint
Committees on Horticultural Nomenclature (l9li2) are used.
-6-
L
b g
-F
T " 9 ) «N $
m
LEG- E N D
o
S»Tgs
V E G C T A T Iv E
Typff
(§) TVi Rougk (E)
AIpiMa
Re L o c n r i o n s
( HW) =
IST
ReU
c
Sm-
E m ^ c I Mx
M 1S SyMVCB
n m
3
RTtoN
P o v j I* S
= 3— RbIO^wT ioN c#l4 (B>
Si*
RvsU
S o m m B n-RF a -----v) vMr t «
A R e - A — •—
N
w
*
S *]f
UatViU
K i E i E v
F m eve IvWT MT J MAiS
''••••••’
>-.\
%
Fig. I.
A map of the study area.
Hspc u
I
-7Alpine Fir-Engelmanh1s Spruce
This type occurs at elevations of 8,000 to 9,5)00 feet and consists of
either alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) and/or Engelmann1s spruce (Picea
engelrnanni), with some small, scattered stands of limber pine (Finns
flexilis) and lodgepole pine (Finns contorta) (Fig. 2).
stand is sparse, an understory occurs.
Where the timber
Bluebunch fescue (Festuca ida-
hoensis) and lupine (Lupinus spp.) ahe the most prevalent species.
Mountain brome (Bromus marginatus), wheatgrasses (Agropyron spp.), Arnica
(Arnica spp.), and alpine timothy (Fhleum alpinum) occur less frequently.
Douglas Fir
At elevations of 7,000 to 8,^00 feet, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga taxi.- .
v-<: '
folia) occurs with some lodgepole pine being present (Fig. 3). . The understory, where present, consists most frequently of bluebunch fescue an<i
lupine.
Bluegrasses (Foa spp.) and reed grasses (Calamagrostis spp.)
occur here to a lesser degree.
Sedge - Rush
This type occurs at elevations of 6,^00 to 9,^00 feet in areas kept
moist by creeks, springs and seeps (Figs. 3, U).
rushes (Juncus spp.) occur most frequently.
Sedges (Carex spp.) and
Willow (Salix spp.) and
shrubby cinquefoil (Fotentilia fruiticosa) are present in lesser amounts.
Sagebrush
The drier areas, usually south or west facing slopes, at elevations
of 6 ,$00 to 8,800 feet, has this type (Fig. h).
Big sagebrush (Artemisia)
—8—
Fig. 3.
Typical elk summer rangej background, Douglas fir type;
foreground, fescue-wheatgrass type; center along creek,
sedge-rush type.
-9- '
tridentata) and three-tip sage (Artemisia tripartita) are the major
■
species present with blnebunch fescue } Wheatgrasses 5 sedges, mountain
brome, mule's ear (Wyethia spp.) occurring to a lesser degree along with
various forbs.
Fescue - Mieatgrass
This grassland occurs in dry open, areas from 6,^00 to 10,500 feet
elevation (Figs. 2, 3 ).
important species•
Bluebunch fescue and the wheatgrasses are the
Sedges, needle and thread grass (Stipa comata) and
rough fescue (Festuca scabrella) are of lesser importance along with a
large variety of forbs of which the lupines, cinquefoils (Potentilla spp.)
and geraniums (Geranium spp.) are the most important.
Big sagebrush
occurs in this type.
vj
Aspen
The aspen (Populus tremuloides) occurs in groves at elevations of
7,000 to 8,5>00 feet (Fig. 5) •
Mountain brome and the reed grasses compose
most of the understory along with meadow rues (Thalictrum spp.) and a few
other forbs.
EfflGE USE M D MOVEMENTS
Occurrence of elk on the various vegetative types was recorded during
the study.
Observations were made on the study area with 7 x 50 binoculars
from horseback, and vehicle during IljJ days, distributed as follows: Summer
6 8 , fdll 26, winter 29, and spring 20 days.
Eleven observation aerial
flights were made over the study area as follows: July 5, July 18, Aug. 2,
i
L
—10—
Fig. U.
Fig. S>.
Typical elk winter range;
creek, sedge-rush type.
Aspen type.
sagebrush type; center along
-11Augo 13, Sept, lii, Oct. 2, Oct, 12, Dec. 19, Jan. 6 , Feb. 1 8 , and Feb. 2£.
Approximately 3^00 elk in 162 groups ranging from 1 -2 2 1 (av. 2l) were
seen from June through October.
Less than one percent (7 elk; 2 obser­
vations ) were seen on the alpine fir-Engelmann1s spruce type; 36 percent
(1238 elk; lj.5 observations) on the Douglas fir type; two percent (70 elk;
16 observations) on the sedge-rush type; 17 percent (^82 elk; 38 ob­
servations) on the sagebrush type; 32 percent (1063 elk; 1*2 observations)
on the fescue-wheatgrass type and 12 percent (I|.l8 elk; 19 observations) on
the aspen type.
Approximately 1700 elk in 33 groups ranging from 1-111 (av. 32) were
seen from December through March.
Less than one percent (I4 elk; 2 ob­
servations) of the observed elk were on the Douglas fir and the sedge-rush
types; 93 percent (l383 elk; lt3 observations) were on the sagebrush type;
six percent (ill elk; 6 observations) on the fescue-wheatgrass type.
No
elk were observed on the alpine fir-Engelmann *s spruce or aspen types
during this period.
From June "through October, 82 percent of the observed elk were on
vegetative types that occur only at elevations above 7 ,3 0 0 feet (alpine
fir-Engelmann *s spruce, Douglas fir) or on vegetative types that are confined mainly to areas above that elevation (aspen, fescue-wheatgrass,
sedge-rush).
Observations from December through March show that 93 per­
cent of the elk seen were using a vegetative type (sagebrush), most
prevalent below 7,300 feet elevation.
'
Movement between two and eight air­
line miles between summer and winter range is suggested. ■ 1
Fifteen elk calves were marked during the period of May 28, 1936 to
-i,.
'
-12June 1 2 , 19^6 with standard ear tags to which plastic ribbons were attach­
ed (Fig. 6 ) to help determine elk movements.
Various color combinations
or the plastic ribbons distinguished individuals•
readily visible at distances of 2 #
Ihese markers were
yards with 7 x £0 binoculars.
The
markers had been previously used by J. Egan, Montana Fish and Game Depart­
ment, on mule deer in eastern Montana.
Reports indicate that this type of
marker was superior in durability and visibility to the plastic markers
Fig. 6 .
Tagged elk calf showing plastic ribbon markers in ears.
used b y Johnson (l95l) and Brazda (1953) during elk studies on the
Gallatin drainage, Montana.
No winter observations of marked elk calves were obtained.
Ten ob­
servations of six marked calves as recorded in Table I and Figure I indi­
cate summer movements.
Distances calves were observed from the locality
tagged ranged from 0 .5 to four airline miles.
Table I.
Dates and localities of tagging and subsequent observations on marked elk calves.
Tagging
Subsequent location
Calf
Sex
Date
tagged
location
Date
Location
A
M
5/30
Snowshpe
Creek
10/15
Cascade
Creek
B
M
6/2
Fox.
Creek
6/21
C
M
6/5
Fox
Creek
10/17
"Air -xmiles Date
moved
Location
Fox
Creek
I 6O
Westfork
Cabin
1.0 .
7/5
Fox
Creek
Location
Air-xmiles
moved
Eastfork
Ruby
River
6/29
Burnt
Creek
2.5
E
F
6/9
Eastfork
Ruby
River
6/29
Burnt
Creek
2 .5 ■; l0/l6 -Poison
Madison
Westfork
7/26
Coal
Creek
2.0
A ir miles distance from locality marked.
0*5
Y
6/9
6/9
Date
x
M"
• M
*
-ll.O
D
F
.Air
miles
moved
1,5
Creek
8/13 Coal
Creek
1.0
10/17 Fox
Creek
1.0
- I lt FOOD HABITS
Sixteen (20-ft.) line transects were laid out on vegetative types
where elk were observed feeding to provide information on plant composi-■
tion.
A 20-ft. cord was stretched out and the basal intercept of each
plant was measured similar to the method described b y Canfield (lpltl).
Instances of animal use on the plants were also recorded.
The transects
were distributed as follows: Fescue-wheatgrass type, 8 $ sagebrush and.
aspen types combined, £ 5 'sagebrush and sedge-rush types combined, 3 .
The
writer does not believe that sampling was extensive enough fdr quantita­
tive evaluation of plant densities in the various vegetative types, but
that the occurrence of various plants along the transect lines provides
some basis for evaluating food choices.
Other elk feeding sites were
examined for instances of plant use only, similar to the methods used by
Brazda (1953), Saunders (19#), Cole (l9g 6 ), and Wilkins (1 9 5 7 ).
This
involved the careful examination of plants in areas,where elk were ob­
served feeding for evidence of recent usage.
A total.of
instances
of plant use at Itl feeding sites was recorded (Table Ir).
Fourteen elk were collected from June 19^6 to May 19^7 for rumen
samples.
One sample was secured for each month except that two were
collected in each of March and October.
Samples were preserved in 10
percent formalin as soon after collection as possible.
samples were performed in the laboratory.
sample was taken from each rumen sample.
(l/ 8 inch mesh) with water.
Analyses of rumen
One moderately packed quart'
These were washed on a screen
That portion remaining on the screen was
placed with water in a tray and the recognizable plant parts were segre—
Table IT.
Summer plant, composition as indicated b y measurements along transects and elk
food preferences as determined by rumen .analyses and feeding observations.
—
Plants
-
...... .. .... .
Artemisia tripartita
11
tr ident at a
11
cana
Salix spp.
Tetradymia canescens
Mahonia repens
Cdrtius spp.
Symptioricarpos occidentalis
P m n u s virginiana
Ribes spp.
Populus tremuloides
Picea engelmanni"
Pseudotsuga taxifolia
Pinus spp.
Unidentified browse
Browse total
• SUMMER
Tran- Otis.
sects sumsummer
mer
use
comp. freq.
No. 7o
%
FALL
3 'Rumeti
samples
(percentage)
Vol. W t .
Otis.
fall
use
freq.
Mo. %
WINTER
Il Rumeti
samples
(per
.centage)
Vol. W t .
2
3
2
h
Otis.
winter
use
freq.
..No. %
6078 k9
58 tr
6
I
3
3 .
6
3
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
3 tr
15 tr
360 3
SPRING
3 Rumen
Otis,
samples
spring
use
(percentage)• freq.
Vol. Wfc. No. %
7
tr
10
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr.
130 I
188 2
5 tr
76
78
8
8
li9
5
51
5
Ii Rumen
s armies
(nercentage)
Vol. W t .
3
tr
5
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
£ tr
6
Geranium viscossissi' mum
3
Potentilla spp.
lb
ISyethia spp.'
2
Antennaria spp.
tr
Phlox tioodii
Achilla lanulosa
tr
111
I
tr
3
tr
3
6
3
11
11
5
5
tr
tr
tr
I
3
tr
tr
tr
3
2
2
5 683li 55
tr
7
tr
10
10 I
261i 27
tr
tr
3 . 5
. V
I81i I?
93 9
57 5
I tr
50
7
7
2
tr
li9
7
6
2
tr
7
6
2
I
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
l 8l
I
2
2
tr
tr
I tr
tr
I ' I
tr
tr
Table XI (cont'd)
SUMMER
Plants
Lupinus ”spp.
Eumex spp.
Balsamorrhiza spp.
Trollus laxus
Senecio spp.
Thermopsis montana
Mertensia alpina
Aster spp.
Cehtaurea spp.
Lomatium spp.
Taraxacum" spp.
Agoseris glauca
Penstemon spp.
Oenothera flava
Myosotis aXpestris
Compositae family
Unidentifiable forb
F o r b 'total .'• '
Transects
sum­
mer"
comp.
7°
2
Obs.
sum­
mer
use
freq.
No.' %
15
FAIL
3 Rumen
samples
(per-'
centage)
vol. -Wt.
Qbs.
fail
use
freq.
No. %
I
IflXNTER
it Rumen
samples
(per-'
centage)
Vol. W t .
tr
3
tr
2
h
I
$
6
It
tr
5U
3 tr
Ii tr
39
I
"
"It tr
6? 6
I tr
2 tr
51i9 52
10
I
1029 95
3
I
tr
tr
tr
tr
Obs.
3 Rumen
Obs.
winter
samples
spring
use
(per-'
use
freq.
centage) freq.
No. % Vol. W t ."Ho, %
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr.
tr
tr
2
2
11
2
I
tr
tr
tr
tr
3
tr
I
kI
21 10
27 13
tr
tr
21
21
88
91
73 3it
lit
197
I
I
3
2
h
I ' tr
IilOll IX
Agropyron trachycaulim
Agropyron subsecundum
Elymus innovatus
Koeleria crlstata
Bromus margihatus
Melica spectabilis
11
7
I
6
7
12
x
x
13
13
6
26 12
6 3
h 2
x
X
I
Il Rumen
samples
(per­
centage 5
Vol. Mt.
15 tr
I tr
-
2
k
2
SPRXNG
7h?
6
I,
5
Table II (cont'd)
Plants
SUMMER
iran- U b s .
sects
sum- 3 Rumen
summer samples
mer'
use (percomp,
freq.centage)
7»
No. % V o l . Mt.
Poa spp."
Festuca idahoensis
tr
Carex ldhgifolia
"
nigricans
- .
"
spp.
3
Unidentifiable grass
and sedge
Grass and sedge total
39
FALL
Dbs.
fall
use
freq.
No.'
WINTER
it Rumen Obs.
samples winter
(peruse
centage) freq.
Vol. W t . No. %
-
SPRING
3 Rumen
samples
(per­
centage )
Vbl.' W t .
X
Obs. ■'
spring
use
freq.
No.
it Rumen
samples
(per­
centage )
Vol. Tft.
X
61t 30
X '
x
19
9
--
20
2
6
6
6
6
132 62
80
80
82
82
39lit 32
£318 U3
90
90
87
87
630 66
90
87
690 72
90
87
x denotes identification of the plant in rumen sample and/or -feeding observations.
-18gated.
These were identified to species if possible, or otherwise to
genus, family, or forage class by comparison with plants collected from
the study area.
Volumes of plant parts were measured to the nearest 0 .£
c c . by water displacement after the excess moisture was removed with
paper towels.
The segregated portions were allowed to air dry and were
then weighed to 0 .0 1 gm. as a check against the volumes.
weight is not used in the. discussion.
Percentage by
A total of 1879.5 cc. of identi­
fiable material was obtained averaging 13 I4..3 cc.. (ll$>) per quart sample.
Material with a volume less than 0.5 cc. was recorded as "traces".
The
percentage of the stomach contents that an item constituted for a season
was computed by the aggregate percentage method (Martin, et al., I 9I46 ).
■This involved finding the percentage an item constituted of the'total
.identifiable material in each rumen sample and then averaging the percent­
ages of all'samples for that season.
Summer (June, July, August)
Three elk rumen samples were obtained during this period as follows:
June 21, female (age 1|.5 yrs.); July 20, male (age 2.5 yrs.); August 20,
male (age 2.5 yrs.).
vegetative type.
All three were collected on the fescue-wheatgrass
Forbs (ll items) constituted 91 percent b y volume of the
samples (Table Tl).
Sticky geranium (Geranium viscossissimum) was the
most important forb for this period, constituting 50 percent b y volume of
the samples.
Other prevalent forbs were cinquefoil, mule's ear, pussy toes
,(Antennaria spp.) and groundsel (Senecio spp.).
up 21 percent by volume of the samples.
Unidentified forbs made
Browse made up three percent by
A
-19.volume of the samples with willow being the major species.
Grasses and
sedges constituted six percent by volume of the samples.
Twenty-one feeding sites on vegetative types were examined during
this period as follows; sagebrush, 7 J aspen, 3 j fescue-wheatgrass, 9 j
sedge-rush, 2.
Instances of plant use totaled 1063.
made.up 95) percent of the plant use (Table Tl).
Forbs (l!|. items)
Forget-me-not (Myosotis
alpestris) constituted 5>2 percent of the recorded plant-use, but was
found at only one feeding site.
This plant was not identified in any of
the rumen samples for this period.
■
Sticky geranium, cinquefoil, mule's
ear, aster (Aster spp.) and false dandelion (Agroseris glauca) were other
important forbs in the feeding observations.
Browse constituted one per­
cent and grasses and sedges two percent of the plant use for this period.
Fall (September, October, November)
Four rumen samples were obtained from elk during this period as
follows; September 19, male (age 1.5) yrs.), on the fescue-wheatgrass
type; October 15), male (age 1.3 yrs.), on the alpine fir-Engelmann 1s
spruce type; October 16, female (age 0.5 yrs.), on the Douglas fir type;
November 19, male (age 1.5 yrs.), on the sagebrush type.- Forbs (? items)
constituted lit percent by volume of the samples.
Mule's ear, seven percent
by volume, but occurring in only two rumen samples, was the most important
forb. . Sticky geranium and pussy toes were the only other prevalent forbs.
Browse (9 items) made up three percent by volume of the samples.
Three-
tip sage, constituting two percent by volume of the samples, was' the only
browse'species that occurred in appreciable amounts and occurred only in
.
-20the November’rumen sample.
Grasses and sedges made up 80 percent by-
volume o f the samples.
Nine feeding sites were examined on. various vegetative types as
follows: fescue-wheatgrass, 8 ; Douglas fir, I.
A total of 211 instances
of plant use were recorded during this period, all in September.
Oregon
grape (Mahonla repens)' was the only browse species recorded and constitu­
ted three percent of the plant use.
of the total plant use.
Bluebunch fescue was the major species, constitu­
ting 30 percent of the usage.
use.
Grasses and sedges made up 62 percent
Forbs constituted 3h percent of the plant
Forget-me-not, false dandelion, cinquefoil and sticky geranium
being the species that occurred most frequently.
Sticky geranium was the
only one of these that occurred in the rumen samples for this period.
Winter (December, January, February)
Three elk rumen samples were obtained for this period as follows:
December 18, female (age adult); January 16, male (age 0.3 yrs.); Feb­
ruary 23, female (age 6.3 yrs.).
All three were collected on the sage­
brush vegetative type.
Browse (3 items) constituted seven percent by
volume of the samples.
Three tip sage was the major species.
and sedges made up 90 percent b y volume of the samples.
Grasses
Forbs were three
percent by volume of the samples, with pussy t,oes being "the only important
species.
Seven' feeding sites were examined on various vegetative types as
follows: sagebrush, 3; fescue-wheatgrass, 2.
instances of plant use were recorded.
During this period, 12,3^9
Browse was
33
percent of the plant
I
—21—
use.
This heavy browse use, which contrasts with data from rumen samples
was recorded during a 10 day period .of severe cold weather and heavy snow
cover.
A large portion of this (b9 percent)''was on three-tip sage and
consisted mostly of stripping the seeds from the seed heads.
sedges made up b3 percent of the plant use.
Grasses and
Blue-wild rye (Elymus
glauca), could be recognized in the feeding observations from its tall,
bunchgrass growth habit, and made up 11 percent of the plant use.
Forbs
constituted one percent of the plant use, phlox (Phlox hoodii) being the
major plant.
Spring (March, April, May)
Four elk rumen samples were collected for this period as follows:
March l£, female (age 1.5 yrs.)j March '28, male (age 1.5 yrs.); April 18,
maie (age 1.5 yrs.)j May ll*, female (age I*.5 yrs.).
ed on the.sage brush vegetative type.
volume of the samples.
All four were collect
Browse made up three percent by
Three-tip sage was the only important browse
species but did not occur in the May rumen sample.
Forbs constituted six
percent b y volume of the samples with pussy toes being the most important,
and not occurring in the May sample.
cent by volume of the samples.
Grasses and sedges made up 90 per­
In the May rumen sample, forbs were 21
percent b y volume and grasses and sedges were J8 percent by volume. . Most
"kk® material in the May rumen sample consisted of new, green growth
suggesting a use of the newly sprouting plants as they emerge.
Four feeding sites were examined, all on the sagebrush vegetative
type.
Instances of plant use totaled 955«
Plant use was recorded only
-22during March of this period as no intensive field work was possible in
lpril and May.
Forbs made up only a trace of the plant use during March.
Grasses and sedges constituted 72 percent of the recorded plant use.
Blue wild rye made up six percent of this use.
percent of the total.
Browse (6 items) was 2?
Three-tip sage, big sage, gray horsebrush (Tetra-
dymla canescens) and choke cherry (Prunus virginiana) were the important
/
browse species that occurred in the feeding observations during March of
this period.
Tear Long Trends
Certain seasonal trends in the forage class usage by elk on the study
area are indicated (Fig. 7)«
Grasses and grass-like plants are the major
forage from September through May.
use of forbs begins to increase.
In May, as.the new plants appear, the
Forbs are the most prevalent part of the
elk diet from June through August.' Sticky geranium was present in every
rumen sample from May through September.
Starting in September, the use
of forbs begins to taper off and this forage class is replaced in
importance by the grasses and grass-like plants.
Browse never constituted
an important part of the elk diet as determined by rumen analyses, but may
be quite important during winter periods of severe cold weather and heavy
snow cover as indicated by feeding observations under those conditions in
January.
Three-tip sage was present in all the rumen samples from Nov- •
ember through April.
A review of the literature reveals marked differences in the food
habits of elk in various localities.
Morris and Schwartz (l95>7) found.
-23-
100 — r
90 —
80 —
PERCENT BY VCLUI
70 ——
60 —
50 —
*
e
•
*
•
•
e
4o —
30 —
20 —
10 —
..
•
#
•
•
•
•
•
e
e
e
e
•••"
iP
^ L J S%X
Jan.• Feb*
mu
VAV
PO!
Iferoh April Ifey
BROWSE
Fig. 7»
June July
GRASS
Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Deo.
•••
FORBS
Forage class use by months as indicated by volume
percentages of elk rumen samples.
-2 l|by rumen analyses, a forb use of 3.5 to 32.5 percent from June through
August on the National Bison Range, Montana.
They also found about 100
percent use of grass and grass-like plants during the winter period.
Bickford and Reid
(19I1.3)
found in observations of plant use, that elk in
eastern Oregon use about 80 percent forbs during the summer. DeNio (1938)
i
concluded (rumen samples) that elk in the Northwestern United States use
about 65 percent grasses and 25 percent browse from November through May.
Murie (l95l) stated that the Rocky Mountain elk in the Yellowstone
National Park area use mostly grasses in the winter and t hat■forbs are
important in the summer.
Brazda (1953) recorded the use of 22 forbs and
nine sedges during the summer months in the Gallatin River drainage,
Montana.
Two sedges were used most frequently.
Young and Robbinette
(1939) in the Selway Game Preserve, Idaho, reported that elk showed a
decided preference for browse during the summer even though grasses were
abundant.
Lommasson (1927) found that in Montana summer ranges, the elk
die I)'consists mostly of grasses.
Schwartz and Mitchell (1915) stated that
the elk in the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, use mostly browse during the
winter and browse and graze in equal proportions during the summer.
The elk appears to be a very adaptable feeder which may account for
its ability to survive under adverse conditions.
This may also be the
reason that elk are so competitive with other big game species.
■ AREA USE BY LIVESTOCK AND ELK
Forest Service records show that about 90,000 sheep and 33*000
cattle used the entire Beaverhead National Forest during the 1956 grazing
-25season.
The study area was included in this.
Cattle are allowed on the
spring range by June I, which is below 7*000 feet elevation.
After July
15* cattle are allowed to go on the summer range which is generally be­
tween 7,000 and 8,500 feet elevation.
b y October l5«
All cattle must be off the forest
No sheep are allowed on the summer range before July 10
and must be off by September 20.
The sheep grazing allotments are
generally at elevations over 8 ,5 0 0 feet.
that used by sheep.
The elk summer range overlaps
Apparently the only area competition during the
summer months is with sheep, except for some groups of cattle that move
up on the sheep grazing allotments of their own accord in late summer and
early fall.
During the summer, elk and sheep were observed to graze the
same areas, although not at the same time.
During the late fall, elk
spend some time on areas used by cattle during the summer, and part of*
them remain there for the winter.
Private, state and Bureau of land
Management property occurring outside the Forest Service boundary .
constitutes the major portion of the elk winter range.
Some cattle and
sheep use this area during the summer but most of the use is in the
spring before the stock is allowed on the Forest Service land and in the
fall after the stock has moved off the forest and before they are moved
out of the area.
Only two ranchers wintered cattle in this area during
the winter study period and they both fed hay.
few horses, was on the range land.
No stock, except for a
'
Forty-five horses were counted during
the summer'on the lower part of the elk summer range and about the same
number were using the elk winter range at the same time the elk w ere.
-26Evaluation of competition between elk and livestock for the various food
plants was beyond the scope of this study.
The area competition, adaptable
food habits of the elk, and food habits of sheep (Smith and Julander, 19%3}
and cattle (Kimball and Watkins, 195>l) suggests the possibility of direct
•competitiono
Specific studies of sheep and cattle food habits on the area
are needed to evaluate this relationship.
SUMMARY
1.
A study of elk food habits, range use, and movements was con­
ducted in the southern portion of the Gravelly Mountains, I4.0 airline miles
-southeast of Dillon, Montana, during the summer of 1956 and the winter of
1956-57.
2.
The elk herd.in this area has become one of the important herds
in the state.
Depredations on haystacks and range conflict with livestock
have been reported.
3.
The Gravelly Mountains are moderately rough with elevations up to
'10,500 feet.
The study area consisted of about four townships and is
drained b y the Red Rock River, Ruby River and the West Fork of the Madison
River.
Six vegetative types occurred in the study area; alpine fir-
Engelmannts spruce, Douglas fir, sedge-rush, sagebrush, fescue-wheatgrass
and aspen.
It.
Observations of the number of elk, time of year when seen, and
the vegetative type they were using when observed gave an indication of
range use.
From June through October, 82 percent of the elk observed
occurred on vegetative types that occurred mostly over 7?500 feet-
-27elevation.
From December through March, 93 percent of the elk seen were
on a vegetative type that occurred mostly below 7*300 feet elevation.
A
movement of two to eight airline miles between summer and winter range is
suggested.
3.
Fifteen elk calves were tagged with standard ear tags to which
colored plastic ribbons were attached.
Ten relocations of six marked
calves indicated a 0 .3 to four airline miles summer movement.
6 . Food habits were determined by rumen analyses and feeding site '
examinations.
Fourteen rumen samples were collected with one sample being
collected for each month of the year* except for October and.March which
had two for each month.
Examination of Li elk feeding sites totaled
lL,378 instances of plant use.
Sixteen (20 -ft.) line transects were used
to indicate the percentages of plant species present on various vege­
tative types.
7.
During the summer, forbs were the most important (91 percent by
volume) forage class.
In the fall, grass and grass-like plants (80 per­
cent by volume) replaced forbs as the important forage class.
Grass and
grass-like plants continued to be the major forage class (90 percent by
volume) through the winter period.
Use of grass and grass-like plants
remained high (90 percent by volume) in the spring period also, but the
May rumen sample indicated a return to forbs (21 percent by volume) as the
new vegetation began to grow.
Browse was relatively unimportant, never
exceeding seven percent by volume (winter), in the rumen samples.
In­
stances of plant use recorded during a 10 day period of severe cold and
■
-28heavy snow cover in late January indicated much use of browse during that
....
|
time.
Fifty-five percent of the winter plant use was browse, most of
this being recorded during the above period of severe weather.
8.
An elk-livestock (cattle, sheep, horses) area use overlap was
found during the study.
of year.
This use of areas may not occur at the same time
'
LITERATURE CITED
American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature, 19h2 . Standard­
ized plant names. J. Horace McFarland Company, Harrisburg, Pa.
675 P P •
Booth, ¥. E. 19^0. Flora of Montana, Part I, conifers and monocots.
Research Foundation at Montana State College, Bozeman, Montana,
232 p p .
Brazda, A. R. 1953« Elk migration patterns, and some factors affecting
movements in the Gallatin River Drainage, Montana. Jour. Wildl.
Mgt., 17:9-23.
Canfield, R. H . . 19Ul. Application of the line interception method in
sampling range vegetation. Jour. Forestry, 39:388-39U*
Cole, Glen F. 195>6. The Pronghorn Antelope - its range use and food
habits.in Central Montana with special reference to alfalfa.
Mont; State Coll. Exp. Sta. Bull., j?l6, 63 pp.
DeNio, R. M. 1938. Elk and deer foods and feeding habits.
N. A. Wildlife Conf., 3:1421-1+27.
Johnson, Donald E.
13:396-1+10.
1931.
Biology of the elk calf.
Trans. 3rd.
Jour. Wildl. Mgt.,
Kimball, Thomas L., and Allan G. Watkins. 1931. The Kaibab North
Cooperative Deer-Livestock Forage Relationship Study. Arizona Game
and Fish Commission. 77 pp.
Lommasson, T. 1927. Elk forage in Montana.
Forestry, Forestry Kaimin. P p . 19-21.
Mont. Univ. School of
Martin, A., C., R. H. Gensch and C. P. Brown.
191+6. Alternative methods
in upland gamebird food analysis. Jour. Wildl. Mgt., IOi8-12.
6
-29Morris, Melvin S., John E. Schwartz. 1957- Mule.deer and elk food habits
on the National Bison Range. Jour. Wildl. Mgt., 21:189-193.
Murie, Olaus J . 1951. The elk of North America.
Harrisburg, Pa. 371 PPPickford, G. D., and E. H. Reid. 19h3livestock for summer range forage.
The Stackpole Company,
Competition of elk and domestic
Jour. Wildl. Mgt., 7:328-332.
Saunders, Jack. 1955« Food habits and range use of the Rocky Mountain
goat in the Crazy Mountains, Montana.
Jour. Wildl. Mgt., 19:^29-^37.
Smith, Justin G. and Odell Julander. 1953« Deer and sheep competition
in Utah. Jour. Wildl. Mgt,, l6:lL8-l55.
Schwartz, John E. and Glen E. Mitchell. 19U5. The Roosevelt elk on the
Olympic Peninsula.
Jour. Wildli Mgt., 9:295-319.
'Wilkins, Bruce T . 1957. Range use, food habits, and agricultural
relationships of the mule deer, Bridger Mountains, Montana.'
Jour. Wildl. Mgt., 21:159-169.
Wright, J . C. and W. E. Booth. 1956. Flora of Montana, Dicotyledons.
Herbarium of Montana State College. 226 pp.
Young, Vernon Alphus and W. Leslie Robbinette. 1939.
range habits of elk on the Selway Game Preserve.
Bull., 3b(l6):^8 pp.
A study of the
Univ. Idaho
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R o use, R.A.
Elk Food Habits, range use
T ? O U 5 jE ~