Elk migration patterns, and some of the factors affecting movements in the Gallatin River drainage,
Montana
by Arthur R Brazda
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 at Montana State College
Montana State University
© Copyright by Arthur R Brazda (1952)
Abstract:
The marking of elk calves with plastic ear markers, initiated in 1949 and 1950, was continued in 1951
in the Gallatin River Drainage, Montana. Ninety-three were marked in 1951, making a total of 225 for
the 3 years. Sight and kill records of marked individuals provided the basis for a study of elk migration
patterns. Observations of marked calves on the calving grounds (upper winter range), showed no
movement away from this area until the close of the calving season. Observations of marked calves
from June 27 to July 31 indicated movements to generally higher elevations as the season progressed.
Sight records of marked calves during August showed no movement beyond that for July. Observations
of marked calves indicated summer range on both sides of the river: head of the Gallatin River and the
Bacon Rind Creek-Migration Creek areas. The pattern of sight records suggested 5 possible migration
routes during the upward movement of the elk. Fall movements, represented by hunter kills, suggested
3 possible routes in their downward movements. Thirty-four winter records suggested that the elk
reached the limits of their downward movement by December. Data further suggested that the lower
limits of the winter range were the Buffalohorn Creek-Porcupine Creek area and the Taylor
Fork-Meadow Creek area. The upper limit may have extended to the mouth of Bacon Rind Creek, but
was probably centered near the Gallatin Ranger Station. Thirty-one sight records indicated considerable
intermingling of east and west side (Gallatin River) animals during the winter. Movements of
individual elk substantiated the migration routes implied by the pattern of sight records. Observations
of 4 marked calves suggested restricted movement on the winter range. Observations and kill records
indicated that some elk return to the same winter and summer range year after year. Sight records of
Yellowstone and Gallatin marked animals on the same summer range showed considerable
intermingling during the summer. Positive evidence was indicated by 3 marked animals on winter
range. Plastic marker returns pointed out that best results were obtained when heavy, durable material
was used. Some markers were retained in perfect condition for 18 months. A study of tabanid
populations, for certain localities on the summer range, suggested an inverse relationship between
tabanid numbers and elk numbers. A study of the development of the vegetation indicated that the large
numbers of elk did not arrive on the summer ranges until the majority of the vegetation was well
developed. Parturition may have been an important factor governing the upward movement of the
cows. Snowcover was apparently not a factor in retarding the upward movement during the spring of
1951.
/ -j-'
ELK MIGRATION PATTERNS, AND SOME OF THE FACTCES AFFECTING
MOVEMENTS IN THE GALLATIN RIVER DRAINAGE, MONTANA
LV:
h.
by
ARTHUR R. BRAZDA
A THESIS
Lx-v
I
Subm itted t o th e Graduate F a c u lty
in
p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f t h e req u irem en ts
f
f o r t h e d eg ree o f
M aster o f S c ie n c e i n F ish and W il d l if e Management
at
Montana S t a t e C o lle g e
I'
Approved:
E
j XX
Chairman, Examining Committee
t •- '
Bozeman, Montana
January, 1952
Jff5 --T r
-
■
a
;
fV37?
S
l i al S-
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT.........................................................................................................................
3
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................
4
PATTiiRNS OF ELK MIGRATIONS...............................................................................
5
Movement During t h e C alvin g P erio d ........................................................
5
Summer Movements ..................................................................................................
6
F a l l M o v em e n ts......................................................................................................
12
W inter M o v em en ts.......................................................................................
15
Movements o f I n d iv id u a l E lk ...........................................................................
17
Movements t o Another D rainage
.................................................................
20
EVALUATION OF THE MARKER....................................................................................
21
FACTORS INFLUENCING ELK MOVEMENTS.............................................................
24
H o r s e f l ie s (Tabanidae
....................................................................................
24
Development o f V e g e t a t i o n ...........................................................
28
Snow C o v e r ...............................................................................................................
37
SUMMARY...........................................................................................................................
38
LITERATURE CITED ......................................................................................................
42
1 0 1 2
3
ABSTRACT
j ",.-1V
Sv
j'
is ;
I :
i :'**
The marking o f e lk c a lv e s w ith p l a s t i c ear m arkers, i n i t i a t e d in
1949 and 1950, was co n tin u ed in 1951 in. t h e G a lla t in R iv er D rain age,
Montana. N in e ty -th r e e were marked in 1951, making a t o t a l o f 225 f o r th e
3 y e a r s . S ig h t and k i l l reco rd s o f marked in d iv id u a ls p rovid ed th e b a s is
fo r a stu d y o f e lk m ig ra tio n p a t t e r n s . O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s on
t h e c a lv in g grounds (upper w in te r r a n g e ), showed no movement away from
t h i s area u n t i l t h e c lo s e o f t h e c a lv in g s e a s o n . O b serv a tio n s o f marked
c a lv e s from June 27 t o J u ly 31» in d ic a t e d movements t o g e n e r a lly h ig h e r
e le v a t io n s a s t h e sea so n p r o g r e s s e d . S ig h t rec o rd s o f marked c a lv e s
du rin g August showed no movement beyond t h a t f o r J u ly . O b serv a tio n s o f
marked c a lv e s in d ic a t e d summer range on both s id e s o f t h e r iv e r : head o f
t h e G a lla t in R iv er and t h e Bacon Rind C reek-M igration Creek a r e a s . ^ The
p a tte r n o f s ig h t rec o rd s su g g este d 5 p o s s i b l e m ig ra tio n r o u te s during th e
upward movement o f t h e e l k . F a ll movements, r e p r e se n te d by hu nter k i l l s ,
s u g g e s te d "3 p o s s i b l e r o u te s in t h e i r downward movements. T h ir ty -fo u r
w in te r re c o r d s su g g e ste d t h a t th e e lk reached t h e l i m i t s o f t h e i r down­
ward movement by December. Data fu r th e r su g g este d th a t t h e lo w er l i m i t s
o f t h e w in te r range were t h e B u ffa lo h o rn Creek—P orcupine Creek area and
th e T aylor Fork-Meadow Creek a r e a . The upper li m i t may have extended t o
th e mouth o f Bacon Rind Creek, but was p rob ab ly c en ter ed n ea r th e
G a lla t in Ranger S t a t io n . T h ir ty -o n e s ig h t reco rd s in d ic a t e d c o n sid e r a b le
in te r m in g lin g o f e a s t and w est s id e ( G a lla t in R iv er) a n im a ls during th e
w in t e r . Movements o f in d iv id u a l e lk s u b s ta n tia te d th e m ig r a tio n r o u te s
im p lied by“t h e p a tte r n o f s ig h t r e c o r d s . O b servation s o f 4 marked c a lv e s
su g g e ste d r e s t r i c t e d movement on t h e w in te r ra n g e. O b serv a tio n s and k i l l
r e c o r d s in d ic a te d t h a t some e lk retu rn t o th e same w in te r and summer
range y e a r a f t e r y e a r . S ig h t rec o rd s o f Y ello w sto n e and G a lla t in marked
an im als on th e same summer range showed c o n s id e r a b le in te r m in g lin g d u rin g
th e summer. P o s i t i v e ev id e n c e was in d ic a t e d by 3 marked an im als on
w in te r r a n g e . P l a s t i c marker r e tu r n s p o in te d out t h a t b e s t r e s u lt s 'w e r e
o b ta in ed when h eavy, d u ra b le m a te r ia l was u sed . Some markers' were
r e ta in e d in p e r f e c t c o n d itio n fo r 18 m onths. A stud y of... ta b a n id popula­
t i o n s , f o r c e r t a in l o c a l i t i e s on th e summer ran ge, su g g e ste d an in v e r s e
r e l a t io n s h i p betw een ta b a n id numbers and e lk numbers. A stu d y o f th e
developm ent o f th e v e g e t a t io n in d ic a te d th a t th e la r g e numbers o f e l k ^ ^
d id n ot a r r iv e on th e summer ran ges u n t i l t h e m a jo r ity o f t h e v e g e t a t io n ^
was w e ll d e v e lo p e d . P a r tu r itio n may have been an im portant f a c t o r
govern in g th e upward movement o f t h e cow s. Snowcover was a p p a r e n tly n o t
a f a c t o r in r e ta r d in g t h e upward movement during th e s p r in g o f 1951°
INTRODUCTION
A system f o r ta g g in g e lk c a lv e s w ith p l a s t i c m arkers was i n i t i a t e d in
th e G a lla tin D ra in a g e, Montana in 1949 and co n tin u ed in 1950 and 1951.
Johnson (1951) rep o rted th e. u se o f t h e s e markers fo r 1949 and 1950 in h i s
paper on th e e lk c a l f .
The w r it e r worked w ith Johnson in 1950 and con­
tin u e d th e p r o je c t in 1951, when 93 c a lv e s were marked.
sym bols were u s e d .
y e llo w .
The same shaped
The c o lo r com bination d e s ig n a tin g 1951 was red and
Thus 225 c a lv e s w ere marked in th e 3 y e a r s .
Johnson (o p . c i t .)
h a s p o in te d out t h e v a lu e o f t h e s e m arkers f o r m ig r a tio n s t u d i e s , so f a r
a s d u r a b ilit y and v i s i b i l i t y a re con cerned, but h i s d a ta were to o few t o
in d ic a t e th e m ig r a tio n r o u te s a lth o u g h he d id su g g e st th e. g e n e r a l p a tte r n
o f e lk m ig r a tio n s .
S in c e th e n , many more s ig h t and k i l l rec o rd s o f e l k .
marked a s c a lv e s have accu m u lated .
The p r e se n t paper i s an attem p t t o .
e v a lu a te t h e s e reco rd s on th e b a s is o f movement, and t o show th e
m ig r a tio n r o u te s o f th e G a lla t in R iv er d rainage' e lk h e r d .
In a d d itio n ,
th e w r ite r g a th ered in fo rm a tio n on some f a c t o r s which p o s s ib ly a f f e c t e lk
m ovem ents. Methods a r e d e sc r ib e d in t h e t e x t »
■
stu d y area se e Johnson (o p . c i t . ) .
For a d e s c r ip t io n o f t h e
A u th o r iz a tio n o f th e p r o j e c t and p r o v is io n o f th e f i n a n c i a l support—
and equipm ent, by t h e Montana F ish and Game Department was. a p p r e c ia te d .
'
Thanks are extended t o J . E. Gaab, Montana F ish and Game Department, f o r
p erm issio n t o u s e ch eck ing s t a t io n re c o r d s and th e s ig h t r e c o r d s o f
Norman Wortman made d u rin g t h e w in te r o f 1950-51; t o . D. E . Johnson f o r
t h e u se o f h i s 1949 and 1950 rec o rd s; t o Norrran-Wo^man and J . W . L e n tfe r
f o r a id in t h e . f i e l d .
F u rth er
f
to Dr. C. B.
P h i l i p , M ic r o b io lo g ic a l I n s t i t u t e , H am ilton, Montana, arid t o D r. J . A.
C a llen b a ch , Montana S t a t e C o lle g e , f o r v e r i f i c a t i o n o f t h e i n s e c t c o l l e c t i o n s ; a l s o , t o D r. ¥ . E . B ooth, Montana S t a t e C o lle g e , f o r v e r i f i ­
c a tio n o f th e p la n t sp ecim en s.
The w r it e r fu r th e r ex ten d s h i£ .g r a t e f u l
a p p r e c ia tio n and th an k s t o D r. Don C. Quimby, Montana S t a t e C o lle g e , who
d ir e c t e d t h e stu d y .
PATTERNS OF ELK MIGRATIONS
Movement During The C a lv in g P er io d
A ccording t o Johnson (1 9 5 1 ), th e extrem es o f th e c a lv in g p e r io d s f o r
1949 and 1950 were May 21 arid.June 1 2 .
O bservatioris d u rin g 1951 in d ic a te d
extrem es o f May I? arid June 1 5 .
O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s du rin g t h e c a lv in g se a so n s f o r th e s e
y e a r s in d ic a t e d no movement away from th e c a lv in g grounds du rin g t h i s
p e r io d (T ab le I ) .
Only 3 , o f 31 p o s i t i v e l y i d e n t i f i e d , had moved from th e
drairiage where th e y were marked.
In a l l in s t a n c e s , t h e movements were
l e s s th an a m ile arid t o an in t e r lo c k in g d ra in a g e on t h e c a lv in g ground.
Two moved in t o t h e head o f D aly Creek; I from th e n o rth s id e o f th e head
o f B lack B u tte Creeky- t h e o th er from t h e sou th s id e o f upper Tepee C reek.
One moved from D aly Creek t o S aw m ill Gulch (F ig u r e l ) .
N in e te e n marked o n
D aly Creek, 7 marked on Fan Creek, and 2 marked on Saw m ill Gulch were
ob served in t h e d ra in a g e where marked.
The i d e n t i t y o f 20 marked c a lv e s
se e n in D aly Creek d ra in a g e was n o t e s t a b lis h e d . . In l i g h t o f t h e b eh a v io r
o f t h e i d e n t i f i e d c a lv e s , i t i s p rob ab le t h a t a h ig h p r o p o r tio n o f t h e s e
w ere D aly marked.
These d a ta su g g e st t h a t t h e c a lv e s rem ain on th e c a lv in g grounds '
u n t i l th e c l o s e o f th e c a lv in g sea so n and in most in s t a n c e s movement i s
r e s t r i c t e d t o a s in g le d r a in a g e .
TABLE I
O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s during th e c a lv in g p e r io d s o f 1949,
1950 , and 19 5 1 . L o c a l i t i e s : -DG., D a ly Creek; FC, Fan
Creekj SG, Saw m ill G ulch; BBC, B lack B u tte
Creek; TC, Tepee C reek.
2
2
6 /3 - 6 /1 0
5 /2 7 - 6 /9
10
5
I
I
I
20
5 /2 3 - 6 /9
6 /7 - 6 /1 5
6 /3
6 /8
6 /3
5 /2 3 - 6 /9
DC
FG
,
SG
DC
DC
FC
BBC
TC
DC
DC
Movements
.5 A ir lin e M ile s
I ( .1 2 5 - 2)
Vt
5 /2 9 - 6 /3
6 /1 - 6 / 8
D a tes ’
L o c a lit y
Observed
1949
DC
6 /2 - 6 / ?
6 /8 - 6 /1 2
FC
"1950
" SG
6 /1 0 - 6 /1 6
DC
5 /3 1 -6 /1 1 •
1951
"6/4-6720
DC
FC
6 /1 4 - 6 /1 8
DC
6 /4
DC
6 /9
SG
6 /1 4
.
DC
5 /3 1 - 6 /2 0
I
3
2
j
I L o c a lit y
H
' D ates
Marked
H
No.
.5 (75 - .7 5 )
1 .5 ( .2 5 - 2 .5 )
I (0 - 2 . 5 )
.5 (0 - 2)
I
I
I
1 .2 5 (0 - 2 . 5 )
Summer Movements
O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s d u rin g th e p erio d June 27 t o J u ly 31
a r e shown in T ab le I I .
Only I o f 19 was seen in th e d rainage, where
'
•
•
marked, and i t was seen on June 2 8 . Four o th e r s seen d u rin g June, a f t e r
-■
xX
X
c a lv in g sea so n , had moved away from th e d ra in a g e where ta g g e d , but o n ly —
f o r sh ort d is t a n c e s ( 2 .5 t o 3 =5 m i l e s ) .
From J u ly I t o J u ly x1 5 observa­
t i o n s o f 5 marked c a lv e s showed an a v era g e movement o f about 1 1 .4 a i r l i n e
m ile s ( 8 - 1 8 ) .
Seven o b s e r v a tio n s , J u ly 1 6 -3 1 , showed an a v era g e movement
o f about 1 4 .8 a i r l i n e m ile s ( 6 .5 - 1 8 ) .
Movements were g e n e r a lly t o h ig h e r
1
.
-
•
!
e le v a t io n s a s th e season p r o g r e s s e d .
O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s d u rin g August in d ic a te d no movement
V: ■
8
TABLE
?:■
O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s from June 27 through J u ly f o r 1949,
1950, and 1951: L o c a l i t i e s : - FC, Fan Creek; UGR, Upper G a l- :
l a t i n R iv er; DC, D aly Creek; SG, Sawm ill"Gulch; GD, Gal­
l a t i n D rainage; FP, Favm P a ss; BRC, Bacon Rind Creek;
HGR, Head", o f G a lla t in R iv e r ; WSP „ West S t e l l a r i a
P ass; MG, M ig ra tio n Creek; GP, G raylin g P a s s . ■
Ii
■i:
■if
No.
;v:
* ob served a s y e a r lin g
I
IS :&’
.
V.
IV
:r
sr
WSP
UGR
MG
HGR
. HGR
HGR
GP
I- 2 . 5
■ •
I
I
FC
GD
FC
DC
DC
DC ■
■ GD
DC
FC
BRC
BRC .
HGR
3
S:
I
I
I
I*
I
3
I
DC
•DC .
DC
SG
DC
<
$.
*
m
i.
I
I
I
6 /2
,
6 /9 - 6 /1 1
6 /1
6 /3
5 /2 1 -6 /1 1
;
6 /1 0
5 /2 2 - 6 /2 0
I 6/7
.
6 /2 /5 0
6 /3 .
6 /3 -6 /9
5 /2 2 - 6 /2 0
Movement
.5 A ir lin e M ile s
L o c a lity
' '■
UGR
'■ FP . •
2 .5
8
BRC ■
3
IS
I
2
FC
FC
UGR
D ates
Observed
1949
6 /2 8
6 /2 8
7 /2 6
1950
■6 /2 8
7 /1 1
7 /1 5
7 /1 5
I 7 /2 6
L951
6 /2 ?
6 /2 8
I 7 /1 8 .
7 /2 6
7 /1 3
7 /2 6 .
7 /3 1
Sv
i
»-
2
I
I
L o c a lit y
CM
-
■ D ates !
Marked
■ ■
6 /1 2
■
6 /1 2
6 /4
UV
I
1S
II
9
8
17
I 3 .5
I 6 .5
18
18
18 (1 8 ).
I
9
beyond th a t f o r J u ly (T ab le I I I ) , s u g g e stin g t h a t t h e a n im a ls reached th e
li m i t o f t h e i r m ig ra tio n during th e l a t t e r m onth.
E ig h t o f 10 were seen
in d ra in a g es where marked c a lv e s had been seen i n J u ly .
Two, seen a t th e
head o f S t e l l a r i a C reek, r e p r e se n t f i r s t o b s e r v a tio n s , b u t o b se r v a tio n s
were made in tjie same g e n e r a l a rea a t t h e head o f th e G a lla t in R iv er and
on West S t e l l a r i a P a ss during June and J u ly .
S ig h t re c o r d s o f marked c a lv e s in d ic a t e summer range on both s id e s
o f th e G a lla t in R iv er ( v i c i n i t y o f t h e head o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r , Bacon
Rind C reek -M igration Creek a r e a s ) .
R ecords show t h a t c a lv e s marked on
th e e a s t s id e o f th e G a lla t in R iv er may' or may n ot summer on th e same s id e .
Of 21 seen on summer ra n g e, or en ro u te from th e c a lv in g grounds t o summer
r a n g e, 15 had n o t cro ssed over and 6 had gone in t o t h e Bacon Rind C reekM ig ra tio n Creek a r e a .
O nly-tw o s ig h t r e c o r d s o f c a lv e s marked on t h e w est s id e o f th e
r i v e r were o b ta in e d .
Both rem ained on t h e w est s id e , moving from Saw m ill
Gulch t o th e Bacon Rind C reek-M igration Creek a r e a .
The p a tte r n o f th e s ig h t rec o rd s p r o v id e s sane b a s is f o r s p e c u la t in g .
on m ig r a tio n r o u te s ;
-■
x
Twelve D aly Creek marked c a lv e s w ere seen a s f o llo w s :
I , D aly Creek,.
June 28; 2 , Fan Creek, J u ly 11; 6 , head o f G a lla t in R iv e r , J u ly 13-26; I ,
head o f S t e l l a r i a C reek, August 2; I , M ig ra tio n Creek, August 8; I , Bacon
Rind Creek, J u ly 1 5 . . The f i r s t 10 l i s t e d p o s s ib ly su g g est, a m ig ra tio n
r o u te a s f o llo w s :
D aly Creek th r o u g h .Fan Creek t o th e head o f th e
G a lla t in R iv er and v i c i n i t y .
The o th e r two do not f i t into... t h i s p a tte r n
s in c e th e y were seen a c r o s s t h e G a lla t in R iv er i n - t h e
Ri-nd ,Creek—
TABLE I I I
O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s during August f o r 1949, 1950, 1951.
L o c a l i t i e s : - UGR, Upper G a lla t in R iver; 1DG, D aly C reek, SG,
Saw m ill Gulch; LG, L odgepole Creek; U, unknown; GD, Gal­
l a t i n D rainage; FC, Fan Creek; BBC, Black B u tte
Creek; HGR, Head o f G a lla t in R iv er; MG, M igra­
t i o n Creek; HSC, Head o f S t e l l a r i a 1 Creek.
D ates \
Marked "
No.
. 6 /4
I
L o c a lity '
I
5 /2 1 -6 /1 2
5 /2 1 -6 /1 2
UGR
I
5 /2 1 -6 /1 2
DC
SG or
LC
U
I
I
I*
I
I
I
6 /8
5 /2 2 -6 /2 0
6 /1 5 /5 0
5 /2 2 -6 /1 2
6 /4
■5/22-6/20
DC
GD
FC
GD
BBC
GD
I .
I
■
D ates:
Observed
1949
8 /5
1950
8 /8
8/8
8 /8
L951
8 /2
8 /2
8/16
8 /1 6
8 /1 6
8 /1 6
1
L o c a lity
Movement
.5 A ir lin e M iles
HGR
5 .5
MG ■
8
MG
MG
7 .5
12 approx.
HSC
HSC .
MC
MG
MG
MG
1 3 .5
——
5 .5 .
6 .5
* Observed a s y e a r lin g
M ig ra tio n Creek a r e a .
S ix Fan Creek marked c a lv e s were se e n a s fo llo w s :
2 , upper G a lla t in
R iv e r , June 2 8 ; I , Fawn P a s s , June 28; I , West S t e l l a r i a F a s s i ', June 27;
2 , M ig ra tio n C reek, J u ly 1 8 -August 1 6 .
The two upper G a lla t in E iv e r
o b s e r v a tio n s str e n g th e n t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a m ig ra tio n r o u te through Fan
\
Creek d rain age t o th e head o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r , a s su g g e ste d by observa­
t i o n s o f 10 D aly Creek marked c a l v e s .
The Fawn P a ss and West S t e l l a r i a
PasfS o b s e r v a tio n s co u ld v e r y l o g i c a l l y b e in te r p r e te d a s adding fu r th e r
e v id e n c e in support o f t h i s p o s s ib le m ig r a tio n ro u te b eca u se o f t h e ir
p ro x im ity t o t h e head o f t h e S a l l a t i n , E iv e r (F ig u r e I ) .
The o th e r 2 Fan
Creek c a lv e s , l i k e 2 o f t h e
D aly Creek c a lv e s , were seen a c r o s s th e
G a lla tin R iv e r in t h e Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek a r e a .
T his g iv e s
a c lu e a s t o t h e r o u te fo llo w e d by th e D aly Creek c a lv e s i n rea ch in g t h e
Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek a r e a s .
The su g g este d r o u te i s Daly
Creek through Fan Creek t o t h e Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek a r e a .
Two upper G a lla t in R iv er marked c a lv e s were se e n a s f o llo w s : I ,
Bacon Rind C reek, J u ly 26; I , head o f G a lla t in R iv er, August 5 .
The
f i r s t s tr e n g th e n s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f movement a c r o s s t h e G a lla t in R iver
t o th e Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek a rea from upper.F an Creek arid
v ic in ity .
The second f a l l s in t o t h e D a ly Creek-Fan C reek-head o f th e
G a lla t in R iv e r p a t t e r n . .
.
Two S aw m ill Gulch marked c a lv e s were seen a s f o llo w s : I , Bacon Rind
Creek, J u ly 15; I , M ig ra tio n Creek, A ugust 8 .
These c a lv e s cou ld most
d i r e c t l y reach t h e Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek a rea by rem aining on
th e w est s id e o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r .
Hbwever, th e r e was n o th in g t o
p rev en t them from c r o s s in g t h e r i v e r i n t o D aly Creek and moving in t o t h i s
area by way o f Fan C reek.
I t f o llo w s t h a t D aly Creek c a lv e s could c r o ss
,
t o S aw m ill Gulch and ta k e t h e d ir e c t, r o u te t o t h e Bacon Rind C reek■
•
■
,
■
M ig ra tio n Creek a r e a .
■
:
One example i s a v a il a b l e t o s u b s t a n t ia t e t h is :
a c a l f marked June 3 on D aly Creek was se e n in Saw m ill Gulch on June 14«
One B lack B u tte Greek marked c a l f was seen on M ig r a tio n Creek
August 1 6 .
T h is c a l f cou ld presum ably ta k e one or th e o th e r r o u te s
in tim a te d f o r D aly Creek c a l v e s .
S ix p a lv e s , whose marking l o c a l i t y i s unknown, w ere seen a s f o llo w s :
I , u p p er G a U a tiri R iv e r , June 2 8 ; I , G rayling P a s s , J u ly 3 1 ; 3 , M ig ra tio n
12
C reek, August 8 - l6 ; I , head o f S t e l l a r i a Creek, August 2 .
The su g g e ste d m ig r a tio n r o u te s a re shown on F ig u re I .
F a l l Movements
No e f f o r t was made t o o b ta in s ig h t re c o r d s in Septem ber, 1949 and
1950.
A ttem pts in Septem ber, 1951 were u n su c c e ss fu l*
The lo c a t i o n o f
marked an im a ls when k i l l e d b y h u n te rs d u r in g .O ctober and November fo r
1950 and 1951 a r e shown in T ab le IV ,
Marked c a lv e s were k i l l e d a s f o llo w s :
2 1 , B u ffa lo h o m C reek-Porcu­
p in e Creek are&; 6 , T a y lo r Fork-Meadow Creek a rea ; 4 , Tepee Creek; I ,
Sage Creek; I , D aly Creek; I , In d ia n Creek (Madison d r a in a g e ); I , Buck
Creek; and I unknown.
'V
r- :v"
T hese e lk were k i l l e d in t h e same g e n e r a l a r e a s or b elow th e a rea s
w here th e y were marked a s c a l v e s ,
The appearance o f marked c a lv e s in
th e s e lo w e r -a r e a s fu r th e r in d ic a t e s a c o n s id e r a b le down co u n try f a l l
movement o f G a lla t in e l k , a s evid en ced by s ig h t r e c o r d s o f marked c a lv e s
in t h e head o f t h e G a lla t in R iv er and Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek
a r e a s d u rin g J u ly and A u g u st.
Of 29 c a lv e s marked on t h e e a s t s id e o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r , 24 were
-' "X.
'
k i l l e d on th e e a s t s id e and 5 on t h e w est s i d e . Of 6 marked on th e w est
s id e , 4 were k i l l e d on th e w est s id e and 2 on t h e e a s t s i d e . - The d ra in ­
age where ta g g ed and t h e a rea o f k i l l f o r t h e 35 a n im a ls a r e g iv e n below
S even teen D aly Creek marked c a lv e s were k i l l e d a s f o llo w s :
12 B u ffa lo -
h o m C reek-Porcupine Creek a r e a , 2 Tepee C reek, I Sage C reek, I T aylor
Fork-Meadow Creek a r e a , and I unknown; 6 Fan Creek c a lv e s : 4 B u ffa lo h o rn
C reek-Porcupine Greek a r e a , I T a y lo r Fork-Meadow Creek a r e a , I Buck
TABLE I V .
L o c a lit y o f h u n ter k i l l s o f marked c a lv e s from O ctober 15 t o November
3 0 ' f o r 195.0, 19 5 1 . L o c a l i t i e s : -FC, Fan Creek; LC, L odgepole Creek
DC, D aly Creek; MC, Meadow Creek; BC, B u ffa lo h o rn C reek, BBC,
B lack B u tte Creek; TC, Tepee Creek; UGR Upper G a lla t in
R iv er; DHC, Dead Horse Creek; SG, Saw m ill Gulch
BuC, Buck Creek; SC, Sage Creek; U, Unknown;
TFC, T a y lo r Fork Creek; EC, Elkorn Creek;
!CM, In d ian Creel*:, M adison; PC', Porcu­
p in e Creek, TCC, Twin Cabin Creek.
-
No.
,
I*
I
I*
I
I
3
I
I
D ates
Marked
6 /1 2 /4 9
6 /1 0 /5 0
6/ 6/49
5 /3 0 /5 0
6 /1 1 /5 0
6 /1 1 /5 0
6 /3 /5 0
6 /2 /5 0
. L o c a lit y
I
FC ■
LC
DC
MC
DC
DC
BC
BBC
DC
I*
6 /2 /5 0
TC
I*
6 /1 /5 0
l*-xUGR
6 /4 /4 9
DC
I*
6 /6 /5 0
IK*
DHC
5 /2 8 /4 9
I*
MC
5 /3 0 /5 0
FC
I*
6 /7 /5 0
MC
I*
6 /4 /5 0
I**
FC
6 /1 /4 9
IK*
~
FC '
. 6 /1 2 /4 9
TC
2*
6 /1 /5 0
• ■ DC
I*
6 /6 /5 0
.FC
2
I 6 /1 0 /5 1
DC
I
6 /8 /5 1
DC
I
I 6 /8 /5 1
DC
I 6 /1 /5 0
I*
I* *
DC
6 /1 3 /4 9
DC .
I
6 /3 /5 1
DC
I*
6 /1 /5 0
TC
6 /1 /5 0
I*
SG
I*
6 /3 /5 0
DC.
I*
5 /3 1 /5 0
I* *
DC
5 /2 9 /4 9
DC
I
6 /4 /5 1
* Y e a r l i n g ** Two Y ears Old
I
I
D ates
Observed
1950
1 1 /1 3
1 1 /1 5
1 1 /1 7
1 1 /2 1
1 1 /2 3
1 1 /2 4
H /2 4
1 1 /2 4
1951
1 0 /1 5 -1 1 /9
1 0 /2 7
1 0 /2 7
1 0 /2 8
1 0 /2 9
1 0 /3 1
1 1 /9
1 1 /1 2
1 1 /7
1 1 /7
1 1 /2 - 1 1 /8
1 1 /6
1 1 /1 - 1 1 /9
1 1 /5 ;
1 1 /7
1 1 /5 ,
1 1 /8
1 1 /7
1 1 /7
1 1 /1
1 1 /1
1 1 /3
1 1 /6 .
1 1 /4
L o c a lit y
BuC
TC
TC
MC
SC
BC
BC
BC
U
■ TFC
DC
EC
TC
TFC
TFC
ICM
• BC
PC
PC
. BC
■ PC
EC
TCC
TCC
PC
PC
PC
PC
TFC
TC
TFC
I
BC
Movement
.5 A ir lin e M ile s
18
I
1 .5
O .
4
3 -5 (3 -4 )
O
6
6 .5
7 .5
6 .5
9
2 .5 '
1 3 .5
10
1 3 .5
2i
8 .5 (8 -9 )
5
1 9 .5 (1 9 -2 0 )
' 6 ■
- 9 .5
8 .5
1 1 .5
1 0 .5
8 .5
9 .5
7 .5
2
7 .5
5
Creek; I upper G a lla t in R iv er c a l f : D aly Creek; 4 Tepee Creek c a lv e s :
3
B u ffa lo h o m C reek-P orcupine Creek a r e a , I T aylor Fork-Meadow Creek a rea ;
I B lack B u tte Creek c a l f :
B u ffa lo h o m Creek c a l f :
Fork-Meadow Creek c a lv e s :
B u ffa lo h o m C reek-Porcupine Creek a rea ; I
B u ffa lo h o m C reek-Porcupine Creek a rea ; 4 T a y lo r
2 T a y lo r Fork-Meadow Creek a r e a , I Indian
Creek (Madison d r a in a g e ), I T epee.C reek; I Saw m ill Gulch c a l f :
Fork-Meadow Creek a rea ; I L odgepole Creek c a l f :
Tepee C reek.
T aylor
The f i r s t
14 D aly Creek c a lv e s , t h e f i r s t 4 Fan Creek c a lv e s , t h e upper G a lla t in
R iv er c a l f , t h e f i r s t 3 Tepee Creek c a l v e s , t h e B lack B u tte Creek c a l f ,
and th e B u ffa lo h o rn Creek c a l f p o s s ib ly in d ic a t e t h e r e v e r s a l o f th e D aly
Creek-Fan C reek-head o f th e G a lla t in R iv er m ig r a tio n p a tte r n an d /o r th e
D aly Creek-Fan Creek-Bacon Bind Creek p a tte r n noted d u rin g t h e upward
movement.
The l a s t 2 D aly Creek c a l v e s , th e l a s t 2 Fan Creek c a lv e s , I Tepee
Creek c a l f , 3 T aylor Fork-Meadow Creek c a lv e s , and I Saw m ill Gulch c a l f
were k i l l e d on th e w est s id e o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r .
I t i s p rob ab le t h a t
t h e s e e lk moved from th e Bacon Rind C reek-M igration Creek a r e a .
:
Both
s ig h t re c o r d s o f c a lv e s marked on th e w e st s id e o f th e r i v e r were in t h a t
area.
Furtherm ore, th e r e a r e s ig h t rec o rd s o f D aly Creek and Fan Creek — -
c a lv e s in th e Bacon Rind C reek-M igration Creek a r e a s .
One T a y lo r Fork-Meadow Creek c a l f and I L odgepole Creek c a l f k i l l e d
on Tepee Creek s u g g e st th e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t th e e lk in te r m in g le somewhat
a f t e r t h e y reach th e w in te r ra n g e.
l a t e r s e c t io n .
T h is p o s s i b i l i t y i s s u b s ta n tia te d in a
I t i s h ig h ly p ro b a b le, how ever, t h a t m ost o f th e ? lk were
k i l l e d soon a f t e r le a v in g t h e sa n ctu a ry o f th e GalZUtrln
P r e se r v e or
Y e llo w sto n e Park b eca u se o f in t e n s iv e h u n tin g p r e s s u r e .
T h is s u g g e sts th a t
th e m a jo r ity was k i l l e d on or n ear t h e i r downward m ig r a tio n r o u t e .
The
p o s s i b i l i t y o f e lk ra n g in g on both s id e s o f th e G a lla t in R iv er during th e
w in te r i s f a r g r e a te r and o f much l e s s s ig n if ic a n c e than in summer.
In
summer most e lk move to h ig h e r e l e v a t io n s a d ja c e n t t o t h e r i v e r , w h ile in
w in te r th e y a r e g e n e r a lly c o n cen tra ted i n a r e a s much c l o s e r t o t h e r i v e r .
W in ter Movements
T h ir ty th r e e s ig h t rec o rd s and one h u n ter k i l l f o r Decem ber, January,
February, and March o f 19 4 9 , 1950, and 1951 a r e shown in T ab le V.
No
o b s e r v a tio n s were made a t low er e l e v a t io n s th an t h o s e f o r O ctober and
November, s u g g e s tin g t h a t t h e e lk reach ed t h e l i m i t s o f t h e i r downward
movement by December.
T h ir te e n were record ed in a r e a s where o th e r s had
b een record ed i n O ctober and November:-
9 , T a y lo r Fork-Meadow Creek a rea
(a v e . 8 .3 a i r l i n e m ile s from p la c e m arked); 4 , Tepee Creek (4 * # )°
E ig h teen seen a t e le v a t io n s above th o s e reco rd ed f o r O ctober and November
are:
3 , G a lla t in Ranger S t a t io n ( 2 ) j I , Upper G a lla t in R iv er ( 7 )} I ,
W ickiup Creek ( 1 .5 ) ; 3 , B lack B u tte Creek ( I ) ; I , Lava B u tte ( I ) ; I ,
Crown B u tte ( 2 ) j I , S n o w slid e Creek ( 5 ) ; 2 , Monument Creek (3)> Sawm ill
Gulch ( 5 ) ; 2 , Snow flake S p rin g s ( 7 » 5 ) .
These r e c o r d s , p lu s t h e o b s e r v a tio n s record ed in t h e p r e v io u s s e c tio n ,
s u g g e st th a t t h e lo w er l i m i t o f t h e w in te r ra n g e, on th e e a s t . s id e o f th e
G a lla t in R iv e r ,
i s t h e B u ffa lo h o m C reek-Porcupine Greek a rea ; on th e
w est s id e , th e T a y lo r Fork-Meadow Creek a r e a .
I t i s fu r th e r in d ic a te d
th a t th e upper l i m i t may exten d t o t h e mouth o f Bacon Ripu Griiek., but i s
p rob ab ly ce n te r e d n ear th e G a lla t in Ranger S t a t l e d .
16
TABLE V.
O b servation s o f marked e lk c a lv e s d u rin g December, January, February,
and March o f , 1949, 19 5 0 , and 19 5 1 . L o c a l i t i e s : - LG, Lodgepole
C reek, DC, D aly Creek; PC, Fan Creek; YD, Y ello w sto n e D rain­
a g e , U, Unknown; BBC, B lack B u tte Creek; DHC, Dead Horse
Creek; MG, Meadow Creek; SG, Saw m ill Gulch, MoC, Monu­
ment Creek; MHS, Mammoth' Hot S p rin g s; SS, Snow flake
S p rin g s; TC, Tepee Creek; MBRC, Mouth o f Bacon
Rind Creek; WC, W ickiup Creek; GRS, G a lla t in
Ranger S t a t io n ; TFC, T a y lo r Fork Creek, SC;
S n o w slid e Greek; LB, Lava B u tte;
CE, Crown B u tte .
No.
I*
D ates
Marked
6 /6 /4 9
I
1-x-xI
I
I**
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
6 /3 /4 9
6 /1 2 /4 9
6/ 6/50
6 /1 6 /5 0
/$ 0
6 /1 4 /5 0
5 /3 0 /5 0
5 /2 4 /5 0
6 /1 4 /5 0
/5 0
5 /2 4 /5 0
6 /4 /5 0
5 /2 5 /5 0
6 /9 /5 0
I
2
I
I
I
I
I
2
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
5 /2 4 /5 0
5 /2 4 /5 0
6 /4 / 5 0
. 6/ 2 /5 0
6/ 6 /50
6 /1 0 /5 0
6 /9 /5 0
6 /1 4 /5 0
5 /2 4 /5 0
5 /2 4 /5 0
6 /1 0 /5 0
6 /1 0 /5 0
'
6 /9 /5 0
6 /9 /5 0
6 /1 1 /5 0
6 /1 /5 0
6 /3 /5 0
* Hunter K i l l .
Movement D a tes
.5 A ir lin e M ile s
L o c a lit y
Observed
TFC
1 2 /2 1 /4 9
_____ L i ___________
1950
MoC
1 /1 2
DC
4 .5
MHS
IS
FC
1 /1 9
2
TC
DC
1 2 /9
2
BBC
1 2 /1 2
LC
—--- —
DC
1 2 /1 2
YD
SS
11
FG
1 2 /1 4
SS
4 .5
MG
1 2 /1 4
SG
FC
8 .5
1 2 /1 4
DHG
1 2 /2 ?
FC
19
I
———
SG
U
1 2 /1 4
0
BBC
BBC
1 2 /1 4
TC
1 2 /2 2
DHC
TC
1 2 /2 2
6 .5
■ MG
MBRC
I
7
1 2 /2 9
I
DC
1951
WC
BBC
1 .5
1 /4
I
GRS
BBC
1 .5 (1 .5 )
1 /2 6 - 3 /1 5
2
TFC .
MG
i/3
TFC '
7 .5
. DC
1 /3
I
SG
DC
1 /1 6
'
1 .5
1 /2 6
5
SG
sc ■
I
LB
DC
1 /2 9
TFC
. 13 (1 2 -1 4 )
2 /2 0 - 3 /6
FG
I
BBC
2 /6
I B
2
Ub ■
2 /2 2
BBC
BBC
SG
2 /6
1 .5
MoC
SG
1 .5
2 /9
GRS
3
DG2 /9
TFC
2 /6
3 .5
DC
TC
1 .5
DC
2 /1 4
MG
2 /2 6
DC
7 .5
TFC
6 .5
SG
Changed D rainage’
L o c a lit y
LC
17
Of 21 s ig h t r e c o r d s, r e p r e s e n tin g 12 c a lv e s marked on th e e a s t s id e
o f th e G a lla t in R iv e r , 10 were record ed on t h e e a s t s id e and 11 on t h e
w est s i d e .
Of 10 r e c o r d s, r e p r e s e n tin g 8 c a lv e s marked on th e w est s id e ,
6 were ob served on th e w est s id e and 4 on th e e a s t s i d e .
T hese d ata
s u g g e st th a t t h e r e i s more in te r m in g lin g o f e a s t and w est s id e ( G a lla t in
R iv er) marked c a lv e s d u rin g t h e w in te r th a n a t any o th e r s e a s o n .
p rob ab le reaso n f o r t h i s i s in tim a te d e a r l i e r i n t h e p a p er.
The
I t fu r th e r
s u g g e s ts t h a t e a s t or w est s id e marked c a lv e s a r e n o t r e s t r i c t e d t o one
s id e o f t h e r i v e r on t h e i r w in te r r a n g e .
Three s ig h t rec o rd s have no b e a r in g on t h i s s e c t io n ; th e marking
l o c a l i t y o f one was unknown, two in v o lv e d a n im a ls t h a t changed d ra in a g es
( d is c u s s e d i n a l a t e r s e c t i o n ) .
Movements o f I n d iv id u a l E lk
Elk seen more than once a f t e r m arking, su p p ly some b a s is f o r ev a lu ­
a t in g th e m ig r a tio n r o u te s in d ic a t e d by t h e p a tte r n o f s ig h t reco rd s
(T ab le V I ) .
C a lf 2 4 , marked 6 /1 2 /4 9 on Fan C reek, was ob served 6 /2 8 /4 9 on Fawn
P a ss ( G a lla t in R iv er s id e ) and was k i l l e d 1 1 /7 /5 1 on P orciip ine Creek.
C a lf 7 4 , marked 6 /8 /5 1 on D aly C reek, was seen 8 /2 /5 1 a t t h e head o f
S t e l l a r i a Creek and was k i l l e d 1 1 /5 /5 1 on E lk h o m C reek.
f i t i n t o th e m ig r a tio n r o u te ;
These c a lv e s
D aly Creek through Fan Creek t o th e
v i c i n i t y o f t h e head o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r and r e tu r n .
C a lf 83 , marked 6 /1 /5 0 on D aly C reek, was seen 7 /1 5 /5 0 on Bacon Rind
Creek and 2 /2 6 / 5 1 a t Meadow Lake on T a y lo r F ork.
T h is seem in g ly v e r i f i e s
th e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t somg o f th e D aly Greek e l k , summering in th e Bacon
.
18
TABLE V I
Marked in d iv id u a ls record ed more th a n once during 1949$ 1950$ and 1951•■
L o c a l i t i e s : - FC$ Fan Creek; DC, D aly Creek; BBC, B lack B u tte Creek;
SG, Saw m ill Gulch; MG, Meadow Creek; FR, Fawn P a s s , PC, Porcu­
p in e Creek; BRC, Bacon Rind Creek; TFC, T aylor Fork Creek;
SS, Snow flake S p rin g s; DHC, Dead Horse Creek; WC, W ick i- •
up C reek, GRS, G a lla t in Ranger S ta t io n ; LB, Lava
B u tte ; CB, Crown B u tte; BC, B u ffa lo h o rn Creek;
SC, S n o w slid e Creek; MoC, Monument Creek;
HGR, Head o f G a lla t in R iv er; SSC, Head
o f S t e l l a r i a Creek; TC, Tepee Creek.
Date
Marked
No.
L o c a lit y
24*
6/1 2 7 4 9
FC
83
6 /1 /5 0
DC
171*
6 /6 /5 0
DG
154*
5 /3 0 /5 0
MG
118
6 /1 4 /5 0
-
FC
82
5 /2 4 /5 0
. BBC
.
169*
6 /6 /5 0
DC
135
6/ 10/50
SG
131
6 /9 /5 0
DC
32
DC
74*
6 /3 / 5 1
■
6 /8 /5 1
141%
6 /3 /5 0
SG
f Hunter. K i l l
DC
.
'
Date
Observed
1949
6 /2 8 /4 9
1 1 /7 /5 1 1950
7 /1 5 /5 0
2 /2 6 /5 1
1 2 /9 /5 0
1 0 /2 8 /5 1 12/ 22/50
1 0 /3 1 /5 1 1 2 /1 4 /5 0
1 2 /2 7 /5 0
2 /2 0 /5 1
3 /6 /5 1
1 2 /1 4 /5 0
1 /4 /5 1
1 /2 6 /5 1
2 /6 /5 1
2 /2 2 /5 1
3 /1 5 /5 1
1951
. 1 /1 6 /5 1
1 1 /6 /5 1
1 /2 6 /5 1
2 /6 / 5 1
2 /9 / 5 1
1 /2 9 /5 1
2 /9 /5 1
7 /1 3 /5 1
7 /2 6 /5 1
3 /2 /5 1 .
1 1 /5 /5 1 -
m
g
L o c a lit y
FP
PC
BRC
TFC
TC
EC
SS
TFC
SS
DHS
TFC
TFC
BBC
WC
GRS
LB
CB .
GRS '
SG
BC ■SC
BBC
MoC
LB
GRS
HGR
HGR
HSC
■ EC ,
TFC
TFC
i
.
Movement .5 A ir lin e M ile s
2 .5
21
9
7 .5
2
7 .5
4 .5
1 .5
11
19
1 3 .5
"12
0
1 .5
' 1 .5
I
2.
1 .5
'
1 .5
5 •
5
1 .5
1 .5
I
3
18
18
13 »5
6
6 .5
5 . 5 __________
Rind C reek -M igration Creek a r e a , s t a y on t h e w est s id e o f t h e G a lla tin
R iv er i n t h e i r downward movement a s su g g este d e a r l i e r .
The p o s s i b i l i t y
o f t h e s e e lk moving t o t h e l a t t e r l o c a l i t y a f t e r rea c h in g th e w in te r
range cannot be o v e r lo o k e d .
W inter movements o f c a lv e s su b seq u en tly
d is c u s s e d , how ever, seem t o somewhat d i s c r e d i t th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f such a
movement.
Four c a lv e s were seen a s f o llo w s :
V
c a l f 8 2 , marked 5 /2 4 /5 0 on B lack
B u tte Creek was seen 1 2 /1 4 /5 0 on B lack B u tte Creek (0 a v e . a i r l i n e m ile s
from d ra in a g e m arked), 1 /4 /5 1 W ickiup Creek (1 .5 )> 1 /2 6 /5 1 G a lla t in
Ranger S t a t io n ( 1 . 5 ) , 2 /6 / 5 1 Lava B u tte ( l ) , 2 /2 2 /5 1 Crown B u tte ( 2 ) ,
3 /1 5 /5 1 G a lla t in Ranger S t a t io n ( 1 .5 ) ; c a l f 1 1 8 , marked 6 /1 4 /5 0 on Fan
Creek - 1 2 /1 4 /5 0 Snow flake S p rin g s ( 1 1 ) , 1 2 /2 7 /5 0 head o f D eadhorse Creek
( 1 9 ) , 2 /2 0 /5 1 T a y lo r Fork ( 1 3 .5 ) , 3 /6 / 5 1 T a y lo r Fork; c a l f 1 3 1 , marked
6 /9 /5 0 on D aly Creek - 1 /2 9 /5 1 Lava B u tte ( I ) , 2 /9 /5 1 G a lla t in Ranger
S t a t io n ( 3 ) / : c a l f 1 3 5 . marked 6 /1 0 /5 0 on S aw m ill Gulch - 1 /2 6 /5 1 Snows l i d e Creek ( 5 ) , 2 /6 / 5 1 B lack B u tte Greek, 2 /9 / 5 1 Mouth o f Monument
C reek.
The g r e a t e s t r a d iu s o f movement i n a i r l i n e m ile s for. each was:
c a l f 82 ( 2 ) ; 118 ( 4 . 25 ) ; 131 ( 1 .1 2 ) ; 135 ( 1 .7 5 ) .
t h e s e d a ta seem t o
in d ic a t e th a t movement o f e lk on t h e i r w in te r range i s r e s t r i c t e d ,
a lth o u g h th e y may or may n o t c r o s s th e G a lla t in R iv e r .
The p o s s i b i l i t y th a t e l k r etu rn t o t h e same w in te r range y ea r a f t e r
y e a r i s su g g e ste d by a n im a ls 2 4 , 169, 1 7 1 , 1 4 1 , and 1 5 4 .
k i l l e d a s a two y e a r o ld , th e o th e r 4 a s y e a r lin g s .
The f i r s t was
Data a r e a s fo llo w s :
c a l f 2 4 , marked 6 /1 2 /4 9 on Fan Creek was ob served 6 /2 8 /4 9 on Fawn P a ss,
1 1 /7 /5 1 P orcupine Creek; c a l f 16 9 , marked 6 /6 /5 0 on D aly Creek - 1 /1 6 /5 1
Saw m ill G ulch, 1 1 /6 /5 1 B u ffa lo h o m Creek; c a l f 171, marked 6 /6 /5 0 on
D aly Creek - 1 2 /9 /5 0 Tepee Creek, 1 0 /2 8 /5 1 Elkhorn Creek; c a l f 141,
marked 6 /3 /5 0 on Saw m ill Gulch - 2 /2 6 /5 1 Meadow Lake on T a y lo r Fork,
1 1 /1 /5 1 T a y lo r Fork; c a l f 154» marked 5 /3 0 /5 0 on Meadow Creek - 1 2 /2 2 /5 0
Snow flake S p r in g s , 1 0 /3 1 /5 1 T a y lo r F ork.
Anim als 116 and 155 (T a b les
I I and I I I ) in d ic a t e d r e tu r n t o t h e same summer ra n g e .
serv ed a s y e a r lin g s in t h e company o f marked c a lv e s .
C reek, was seen w ith 3 D aly Creek marked c a l v e s .
Both were ob­
One marked on D aly
The o th e r , marked on
Fan C reek, was seen w ith a B lack B u tte c a l f .
C a lf 32 was marked 6 /3 /5 1 on D aly Creek, and was ob served 7 /1 3 /5 1
and 7 /2 6 /5 1 a t th e head o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r .
T h is s tr e n g th e n s th e
p o s s i b i l i t y th a t .elk reach t h e l i m i t o f t h e ir upward movement during
J u ly a s in tim a te d e a r l i e r .
Movements t o A nother D rainage
Johnson (1 9 5 1 ), from summer o b se r v a tio n o f 12 Y ello w sto n e marked
c a lv e s in t h e h ig h cou n try betw een th e Y ello w sto n e and G a lla t in d ra in ­
a g e s , su g g este d th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f in te r m in g lin g betw een th e Y ello w sto n e
and G a lla t in e lk h erd s on summer r a n g e s .
T w enty-four Y ello w sto n e marked
c a lv e s and y e a r lin g s observed in t h i s g e n e r a l a rea in 1951, fu r th e r
stren g th en t h e p o s s i b i l i t y ( c a lv e s were a l s o marked in t h e Y ellow ston e
d rain age in 1951, a s d e sc r ib e d by Johnson f o r 1 9 5 0 ).
Johnson fu r th e r r e p o r ts a G a lla t in marked c a l f a s h avin g been
trap p ed in t h e Y ello w sto n e d rain age d u rin g th e w in te r .
A Y ello w sto n e
c a l f was seen on G a lla t in w in te r range, in December, 1 9 5 0 .
An e lk
marked 6 /7 /5 0 on Fan C reek, G a lla t in d r a in a g e, was k i l l e d 1 /9 / 5 2 on
21
P h elp s C reek, Y ello w sto n e d r a in a g e .
T hese l a t t e r exam ples p r o v id e e v i­
dence o f in te r m in g lin g betw een th e tw o h erd s
(T ab le V I I ) .
EVALUATION OF THE MARKER
Johnson (1951) r e p o r te d t h a t e ig h t 1950 m arkers on h u n ter k i l l s had
been r e ta in e d f o r 6 m onths, and o n ly 2 were damaged.
m arkers was l e s s f a v o r a b le .
H is r e p o r t fo r 1949
Many s ig h t r e c o r d s, p r e v io u s ly d is c u s s e d ,
du rin g 1 9 5 0 -5 1 , in d ic a t e d t h a t some o f t h e 1950 markers w ere r e ta in e d f o r
a s lo n g a s 18 m onths.
The 1951 h u n tin g se a so n , when 25 a n im a ls marked in 19 4 9 , 1950, or
1951 were k i l l e d , p ro v id ed an o p p o r tu n ity t o more c r i t i c a l l y e v a lu a te th e
d u r a b ilit y o f m arkers
(T a b le V I I I ) „
I
Of 5 a n im a ls marked in 19 4 9 , I had l o s t t h e marker and ea r t a g 5 4 had
l o s t th e marker o n l y .
to r n from t h e ear t a g .
T hese d ata s u g g e st t h a t th e marker was g e n e r a lly
Johnson (1951) p o in te d out th a t t h e t h in c e l l u l o i d .
m a te r ia l u sed in 1949 was o f a l e s s d u ra b le n a tu re than t h e p l a s t i c used
in 1950.
F ou rteen a n im a ls, marked in 1950, w ere k i l l e d during t h i s p e r io d .
Three had l o s t b oth th e marker and ea r t a g .
i n p e r f e c t c o n d it io n .
E ig h t were broken when r e c e iv e d .
but n ot enough t o d e s tr o y t h e i r l e g i b i l i t y .
crack n ear one c o r n e r .
cu rvin g e d g e.
Three m arkers were retu rn ed
Two were b r o k e n ,— -
One, a sq u a re, had a
sm a ll
The o th e r , a h a lf-m o o n , had a s l i g h t ch ip o f f th e
S ix had a t l e a s t 1 /5 o f th e marker broken o f f .
A l l could
be i d e n t i f i e d in t h e hand, but some c o u ld n o t have been r e c o g n iz e d a t a
d is t a n c e .
H unters who tu rn ed i n broken m arkers were s o l i c i t e d t o
d eterm ine w hether m arkers were broken a t th e tim e o f k i l l .
T.he r e s u l t s
TABLE TLI.
O b serv a tio n s o f Y ello w sto n e and G a lla t in marked c a lv e s in d ic a t in g or
s u g g e s tin g in te r m in g lin g o f th e two h e r d s . L o c a l i t i t e s : - YB, Y el­
lo w sto n e D rainage; GD-FC, G a lla t in D rainage-Fan Creek; HGB,
Head o f G a lla t in R iv er; HPC-HIC-FC, Head o f P an th er C reekHead o f In d ia n Creek-Fawn Creek; DC, D aly Creek; UGR,
Upper G a lla t in R iv e r , MHS, Mammoth Hot S p r in g s ,
PC, P h elp s C reek.
No.
Date
Marked
8
19 5 0 -5 1
YD
16
1950-51
YD
I
1950
YD
I
6 /1 2 /4 9
I
6 /7 /5 0
L o c a lit y
D ates
Observed
Movements .5 A ir lin e M ile s
L o c a lit y
6 /2 6 /5 1
6 /2 9 /5 1
8 /2 3 /5 1
HGR
HPC-HIC
FC
9-13
GD-FD
1 2 /1 2 /5 0
6 /2 8 /4 9 .
1 /9 /5 0
GD-DC
UGR
MHS ’
17-23
2 .5
19
GD-FC
1 /9 /5 2
YD-PC
17
9-13
TABLE V III
C o n d itio n o f markers r e c e iv e d during
th e 1951 h u n tin g se a s o n .
Y r. o f
Marker
1949
1950
1951
were
No. o f
Markers
5
14
6
a s f o llo w s :
Marker.,
&
Ear Tag
L ost
I
3,.
Marker
Only
L ost
Marker Marker Broken - ( l / 5 or more)
P e r f e c t B efo re K i l l A f t e r K iH
(H unters'
or
H unters *
L e g ib le R eport)
R eport)
Unknown
I
■■■■
am —
——
5
I
2
—
I
2
3
.
2
I I
2 had been broken a f t e r tim e o f k i l l , 4 were broken
b e fo r e th e tim e o f k i l l ( in c lu d e s th e 2 s l i g h t l y dam aged), and f o r 2 , no
fu r th e r in fo rm a tio n was o b ta in e d .
T hese d ata s u b s t a n t ia t e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y
o f marker damage a f t e r th e tim e o f k i l l a s su g g ested by Johnson (1 9 5 1 ).
;
I t fu r th e r i n d i c a t e s , th a t when h eavy m a te r ia l was u sed , t h e ea r ta g had
t o b e to r n from th e ea r b e fo r e th e marker was lo s t ,,
23
The p l a s t i c m a t e r ia l u sed for. th e 1951 markers was o f two
t h ic k n e s s e s ;
.6 ? and 1 . 0 7 . mm.
S ix 1951 marked a n im a ls w ere k i l l e d .
Four m arkers o f t h e h e a v ie r m a t e r ia l w ere record ed a s f o llo w s :
I was in
p e r f e c t c o n d itio n ; 2 were rep o rte d by h u n te rs a s havin g been in p e r fe c t
c o n d itio n a t t h e tim e o f k i l l ; c o n d itio n o f t h e o th e r i s unknown.
One marker o f t h e l i g h t e r m a t e r ia l had been l o s t , and I was v e r i f i e d
a s h avin g been in p e r f e c t c o n d itio n a t t h e tim e o f k i l l .
T hese data
str e n g th e n th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f c o n s id e r a b le marker damage a f t e r the
tim e o f k i l l .
b reak s.
T h is i s a l s o su g g e ste d b y broken m arkers w ith c le a n ■
I t f u r t h e r in d ic a t e s t h e v a lu e o f d u ra b le m a t e r ia l.
FACTORS INFLUENCING ELK MOVEMENTS
H o r s e f lie s (T abanidae)
The e f f e c t o f ta b a n id f l i e s on red d eer ( Cervus ela p h u s) movements
in S c o tla n d h as been d is c u s s e d by D a rlin g (1 9 3 7 )•
The emergence o f th e
sm a lle r ta b a n id s d u rin g t h e e a r ly s p r in g season provoked t h e d eer in t o
moving in t o t h e h ig h cou n try b e fo r e th e v e g e t a t io n had d e v e lo p e d .
E a rly
in t h e f l y sea so n , t h e d eer came t o low er e le v a t io n s d u rin g th e n ig h t t o
f e e d , but l a t e r , a s th e la r g e r f l i e s em erged, th e y w ent h igh t o s ta y f o r
th e rem ainder o f th e s e a s o n .
Here th e y occu p ied w e ll winded a r e a s and
came down o n ly du rin g p e r io d s o f r a i n f a l l when t h e f l i e s were i n a c t i v e .
Tabanid a c t i v i t y reached i t s peak about t h e m id d le o f h o t, su n sh in e d a y s,
u s u a lly c e a sin g around 6 :0 0 P.M.
Johnson (1951) su g g e ste d th a t in s e c t i n f e s t a t i o n s w ere a major
n u isa n c e t o e lk d u rin g J u ly and August in t h e G a lla t in d r a in a g e .
During
t h i s p e r io d , e lk o ccu p ied t h e h ig h , w indy r id g e s a s much a s p o s s i b l e .
Rush (1932) and M u rie.(1 9 5 1 ) fu r th e r a t t r ib u t e c o n s id e r a b le annoyance t o
flie s .
An attem pt was made t o e v a lu a te th e e f f e c t o f ta b a n id f l i e s on e lk
m ovements.
p o p u la tio n .
I t was n e c e s s a r y t o -d ev ise a method f o r sam pling t h e ta b a n id —
S in ce t h e w r it e r accom p lish ed th e f i e l d work on h orseb ack ,
i t seemed l o g i c a l t o u se t h e h o rse a s a "c o l l e c t i n g agent" t o measure t h e
r e l a t i v e abundance o f ta b a n id s in a g iv e n p la c e a t a g iv e n t im e .
Then i t
was n e c e s s a r y t o d eterm in e w hether ta b a n id s t h a t m o le ste d h o r s e s were th e
same s p e c ie s a s th o s e th a t m o lested e l k .
C o lle c t io n s were made from
h o r s e s and a c a p tiv e e lk in th e same g e n e r a l area in t h e G a lla t in
25
d r a in a g e .
The r e s u l t s a re l i s t e d in T ab le IX .
c o l le c t e d from t h e e l k .
h orses.
F iv e s p e c ie s were
A ll were in c lu d e d i n c o l l e c t i o n s from th e
T h is seemed t o j u s t i f y th e u se o f a h o rse f o r m easuring ta b a n id
p o p u la tio n th a t would m o le st e l k .
Four s p e c ie s o f b lood su ck in g f l i e s ,
o th e r than ta b a n id s , were found on h o r s e s , one o f which was a l s o found on
th e e l k .
A method was d e v is e d t o show a ta b a n id p o p u la tio n in d e x f o r a g iv e n
a rea :
two o b s e r v e r s , one on each s id e o f th e h o r s e , counted t h e f l i e s
w hich h overed n ear or lan d ed on t h e h o r se d u rin g a t e n m in u te p e r io d .
The t o t a l number was th en d iv id e d b y 2 t o g e t an a v era g e w hich was u sed
a s an in d e x o f th e p o p u la tio n .
Counts were made a s n ear t h e m id d le o f
th e day a s p o s s i b l e , when ta b a n id a c t i v i t y was su p p osed ly a t i t s peak.
An attem p t was made t o c o r r e la t e th e in d e x w ith e lk numbers in th a t
area.
E v id e n tly t h e em ergence o f ta b a n id s d id n o t a f f e c t t h e upward
movement o f e lk from t h e w in te r range b eca u se no ta b a n id s were seen
on t h e summer range u n t i l J u ly 1 3 , a f t e r th e e lk had moved in t o th e s e
I
M
areas.
To d eterm in e t h e e f f e c t on d a ily m ovem ents, cou n ts were made a t
low and h ig h e le v a t io n s in t h e same a r e a o f th e summer range during
th e f l y sea so n ( J u ly 13 t o August 2 1 ) .
I f p o s s i b l e , th e co u n ts were
made in a r e a s r e c e n t ly v a ca ted by e lk t o ,g e t cou n ts a s n ear t o e lk
as p o s sib le .
The r e s u l t s o f 10 sam ples a r e l i s t e d in T ab le .XI.
26
TABLE IX
S p e c ie s o f i n s e c t s c o l l e c t e d from h o r se s
and e lk in 1950 and 1951
S p e c ie s
■
I
Hybomitra rhomb!ca osb u rn i
Hybomitra sonom ensis
Hybomitra r u p e s t r is
Hybomitra f r o n t a l i s s e p t e n t r io n a l is
Hybomitra opaca
Hybomitra t e t r i c a h ir t u la .
Hybomitra a f f i n i s
Chrysops fu r c a ta
Chrysops n o c t if e r a p e r tin a x
G laucops f r a t e l l u s
A ty lo tu s i n c i s u r a l i s
Sytophoromyia a t r i p e s*
Symphoromyia h ir t a *
Haematobia se r r a ta *
M uscina a s s i m i l i s 5""
Horse
1951
59
19
16
13
8
7
3 ..
4
" 3
3
I
5
I
5
4
E lk
1950
4
I
1951
31
3
I
I
I
I
11
•x-Blood su ck in g i n s e c t s n o t .ta b a n id s
TABLE X.
Tabanid p o p u la tio n in d ic e s on th e e lk summer r a n g e . L o c a l i t i e s : GP, G raylin g P a ss; GC, G raylin g C reek, UGR, Upper G a lla t in
R iver; HGRj Head o f G a lla t in R iv er; WSP, West SteX L aria
P a ss; HIC,. Head o f In d ia n C reek.
S
I
If
JS
I
P o p u la tio n Index
L o c a l- R e la t iv e E le v .
ity
Low
' High
GP
O
GC
55
UGR
28
HGR
6
Count
No o
I
2
3
4 .
D ate '
7 /1 5 /5 1
7 /1 5 /5 1
7 /2 6 /5 1
7 /2 6 /5 1
5
6
7
8
7 /2 6 /5 1
8 /1 /5 1
8 /1 /5 1
8 /1 /5 1
GP
GC
GC
GC
9
8 /2 /5 1
WSP
8 /1 5 /5 1
HIC
10
7 .5
7
25
119
5 9 .5
1 2 .0
No
of
e lk
HO
O
O
305
Time
of
day
1 :3 0 PM
2i-30-PM
1 1 :3 0 AM
2 : 3 0 FM
134 5:00
O 1 1 :3 0
O 1 2 :5 0
O 2 .1 5
PM
AM
PM
PM
15 1 2 :2 5 PM'2
2 :3 0 PM
Type o f Area
D ry ,’o pen b a s in .
M o is t, open meadow
Open a rea
W ell-d ra in ed ,o p en
b a s in
Dry, open slo p e
M o is t, open area
M o ist, open meadow
Timbered a rea n ear
creek
M oist,x»pen park,
medium e le v a t io n
Dry, cpi-n b a sin
27
!
3
Count I
lin g P h ss.
was made 7 /1 5 /5 1 a t 2 :3 0 PM.,
N o ta b a n id s w ere o b serv ed , and
i n th e
h ig h cou n try on Gray­
HO e lk
were r e c o r d e d .
In
com parison count 2 was made I hour l a t e r down low i n a m o is t , open meadow
a lo n g G ray lin g C reek.
A h ig h p o p u la tio n in d e x o f 55 was reco rd ed , and no
e lk were seen i n t h e a r e a .
Count 3> made low a lo n g th e G a lla t in R iv er a t 1 1 :0 0 AM., 7 /2 6 /5 1 ,
had. an in d ex o f 2 8 .
No e lk were s e e n .
T h is count was compared w ith
cou n ts 4 and 5 made on t h e same day, in t h e a d ja cen t h ig h co u n try .
Count
4 , 2 :3 0 PM., had an in d e x f ig u r e o f 6 and 305 e lk were record ed ; count 5,
5:00 FM., record ed an' in d e x f ig u r e o f 7 . 5 ,
and 134
e lk were ob served .
Counts 6 , 7 , 1and 8 , 8 /1 /5 1 , were madedown low on G raylin g Creek
d if f e r e n t a r e a s w ith in a h a l f m ile r a d iu s .
an in d e x o f 7 and no e lk were o b serv ed .
in
Count 6 , 1 1 :3 0 AM., recorded
The low in d e x was p o s s ib ly due
t o th e s h o r t, hard r a in which f e l l e a r ly t h a t m orning.
(A ccord in g t o
C. B. P h il ip , p erso n a l com m unication, ta b a n id s a re in a c t i v e a f t e r a
r a in s to r m ).
Count 7 , 1 2 :5 0 PM., had an in d ex o f 25 w hich was much
h ig h e r th an count 6 p o s s ib ly becau se o f t h e l a t e r tim e a llo w in g fo r more
d ry in g a f t e r th e r a i n .
No e lk were reco rd ed , but e v id e n c e o f 40 beds
in d ic a te d t h a t e lk had been th e r e e a r ly i n t h e morning about th e tim e of— _
th e ra in sto rm . *T h is i s in accordance w ith D a r lin g ’ s o b s e r v a tio n s t h a t th e
red d eer came down low d u rin g ra in y w eath er when th e f l i e s were i n a c t i v e .
Count 8 , 2 :1 5 PM., had an in d ex o f 119 and no e lk were o b serv ed .
, I
I
T h is
count was made ap p ro x im a tely 100 yard s w ith in th e tim b er.
Count 9 , 8 /2 / 5 1 , 12:25' FiVLj. was made in a m o is t, open park a t
I
medium e l e v a t io n . T h e.p o p u la tio n in d ex was 5 9 .5 , and 15 e lk were seen in
28
th e a r e a .
At t h e ex a c t tim e t h i s count was made, 251 e lk w ere ob served
bedded down on a h ig h , b r e e z y a d ja cen t s l o p e .
Count 1 0 , 8 /1 5 /5 1 , 2 :3 0 FM., was made i n a h ig h , w e ll d ra in ed b a s in .
The in d e x record ed was 1 2 .5 , and 2 e lk were reco rd ed .
Four c o u n ts, a t h ig h e l e v a t io n s , had low p o p u la tio n in d e x f ig u r e s ,
and record ed e lk in each c a s e .
Four co u n ts, a t low e l e v a t io n s , in th e
■
same g e n e r a l a r e a , reco rd ed h ig h in d ex co u n ts and no e l k .
"
One low in d ex
was record ed a t a low e le v a t io n , but t h i s was p ro b a b ly due t o a ra in sto rm
b e fo r e t h e tim e o f th e c o u n t.
A h ig h p o p u la tio n in d e x was recorded a t a
medium e le v a t io n w ith 15 elk, i n th e a r e a .
T hese d a ta in d ic a t e an in v e r s e
r e l a t io n s h ip between tabanicjp and e lk number's s u g g e stin g movements o f th e
e lk away from t h e i n f e s t e d a r e a s .
The l a s t ta b a n id s reco rd ed in t h i s g e n e r a l area were on August 2 1 .
T h is s u g g e s ts t h a t t h e f l i e s had no e f f e c t on th e downward movement o f
th e e l k , a s e lk were seen in t h e a rea a s l a t e a s Septem ber 1 8 .
Development o f V e g e ta tio n
Murie (1951) r e p o r ts t h a t many Jackson H ole e lk f o llo w th e sn o w lin e
back t o th e summer ra n g e, le a v in g a r e a s where th e new v e g e t a t io n i s w e ll
d ev elo p ed t o go. t o h ig h a r e a s where t h e v e g e t a t io n i s s c a r c e , p o s s ib ly
s u g g e stin g a h ig h e r p a l a t a b i l i t y i n t h e new est v e g e t a t io n .
~—
D a rlin g (1937)
s t a t e s t h a t th e red d eer ( Cervus ela p h u s) make d e f i n i t e jo u rn ey s to
c e r t a in a r e a s in q u e st o f c e r t a in s p e c ie s o f v e g e t a t io n .
In t h i s s t u d y , an attem pt was made t o show th e r e la t io n s h ip between
e lk movement and v e g e t a t io n d evelopm en t.
P la n t s were c o l l e c t e d a t random
throm ;>qut t h e upper w in ter and summer ran ges from May 23 through
I
29
Septem ber 2 6 , 19 5 1 .
They were p r e s s e d , i d e n t i f i e d , and c l a s s i f i e d -as. t o
th e s ta g e o f developm en t:
s u c c u le n t-n o flo w e r s e v id e n t ; s u c c u le n t-
flo w e r s d e v e lo p in g or. d ev elo p ed ; s u c c u le n t or c u r in g -flo w e r s mature or
d e g e n e r a tin g , in or b eg in n in g t o seed (T a b le X I ) .
During t h e p e r io d s when p la n t c o l l e c t i o n s were made, a l l e lk seen in
th e g e n e r a l a rea w ere record ed a s an in d e x o f th e p o p u la tio n (T ab le X I I )„
An attem pt was made t o d eterm in e t h e c h o ic e o f p la n t s o f fe e d in g
e lk by d ir e c t o b s e r v a tio n s s im ila r t o t h a t o f Cowan (1 9 4 5 )»
I t was
n e c e s s a r y , how ever, t o c l o s e l y examine t h e p la n t s t o d eterm ine th o s e
u t i l i z e d (T ab le X I ) .
I'
During t h e c a lv in g se a so n , when la r g e numbers o f cows rem ained on
th e upper w in te r ra n g e, t h e v e g e t a t io n was in e a r ly s t a g e s o f developm ent
(T ab le X I ) .
The a v era g e number o f e lk seen per day was somewhat con­
s i s t e n t s u g g e stin g l i t t l e or no movement from t h i s g e n e r a l area a t t h i s
tim e ( t h i s d is c u s s io n c h i e f l y con cerns cows s in c e o n ly 47 o f 1699 e lk
reco rd ed were c l a s s i f i e d a s b u l l s ) .
T h is m ight le a d one t o su sp ect t h a t
t h e cows rem ained in t h i s a rea b ecau se o f t h e abundant new su c c u le n t .
v e g e t a t io n , but o th er e v id e n c e would n o t support t h i s . . F o r one t h in g ,
th e mature b u l l s a p p a r e n tly moved t o h ig h e r a r e a s d u rin g t h i s p e r io d , asev id en ced by t h e i r a b sen ce in d a ily co u n ts and th e e v id e n c e o f e lk
m ig r a tio n s t o h ig h e r a r e a s (m ig ra tio n t r a i l s through s n o w d r if t s ) .
Rush
( 1932 ) s t a t e s t h a t t h e cows and newborn c a lv e s a r e th e l a s t t o le a v e t h e
w in te r r a n g e .
Furtherm ore, an exam in ation o f T a b le .XI c l e a r l y in d ic a t e s
th a t th e v e g e t a t io n was i n a l a t e r s t a g e .o f developm ent on th e summer
ra n g e when la r g e numbers o f elk. began t o appear t h e r e .
,
I
If
30
I X 11 L j Cj
A ±
D evelopm ent S t a t e o f C e r t a i n P l a n t s C o l l e c t e d o n t h e U pper W in te r and Summer
R anges from May 22 t o S e p tem b e r 2 6 , 1951
fro m d i f f e r e n t a r e a s o r d i f f e r e n t d a v . , )
U pper W in te r R ange
P la n ts
C a re x n u b i c o l a
C a re x v . y n o l d s i i
:o s e r is la u c a
Tr i f o l i u m r y d b e r g i
L u p iru s s e r i c e u s
VioTa nuttallii
Poa e p i l i s
A q u I le g ia H a v e s e e r s '
Itumex p a u c i f o l i u s
F e s tu c a o v in a
T araxacum o f f i c i n a l e
Bromus m a rg in a ta
Da n th o n i a i n te r m e d i a
C a re x e l e o c h a r i s
F r a g a r i a a m e ric a n a
A s tr a g a l u s h y p o g l o t t i s
R a n u n c u lu s g la b e r r im u s
D e lp h in iu m b i c o l o r
A c h ille a la n u lo s a
E ry th ro n iu m g r a n d if lo r u m
D o d e c a th e o n p a u c if lo r u m
F r i t i l l a r i a p u d ic a
S e n e c io t r i a n g u l a r i s
S e n e c io g la u c e s c e n s
S e n e c io c r o s s u l u s
a n u s fle x u o s u s
id a g o m i s s o u r e n s i s
E riogonum u m b ellatu m
Tr o l l i u s a l b i f l o r u s
Anemone t e t o n e n s i s
6 /2 6 -
7 /1 1 -
imer
FD»
' FD3»
A.FD2*
A1FD
FD1FM2
r
I
mask
31
C o n t1d
Anemone g lo b o s e
d a s tille ja lln a ria e fo lia
f o w n s e n d ia P a r r y i
tiam p an u la r o t u n d i i o l x a
I T e r te n s ia tw e e d y i
V iso o s is sim a m g e ran iu m
t ’h lo x m u l t i f l o r a
V a le ria n a o c c id e n ta lis
S ie v e rs ia c i l i a t a
P o te n tilla d iv e rs ifo lia
A s tra g a lu s a lp in u s
P e d ic u la ris h a ll i
Sedum s te n o p e ta lu m
Folveonum d o u g l a s i i
C la v to n ia m u ltic a u lis
S r i e e r o n c o m o o s itu s
L e w is ia pygm aea
Polygonum b i s t o r t o i d e s
B upleurum r a n u n c u l o id e s
A r n ic a c o r d i f o l i a
S y d ro p h y llu m o a p ita tu m
C o g s w e llia am bigua
O x y tr o p is b e s s e y i
b e lp h in iu m staohydeum
A ra b is lemmoni
D raba n i t i d a
A ra b is n u t t a l l i i
E rio p h y llu m i n t e g r i f o l i u m
A s te r p u l c h e l l u s
A n d ro sac e o c c i d e n t a l i s
M v o s o tis a l p e s t r i s
T r i f o l i u m H ay d en i
E r ig e r o n f l a g e l l a r i s
G alium t r i f i d u m
A s te r i n t e g r i f o l i u s
E r ig e r o n fo rm o s is s im u s
V io la ad u n ca
Lomatium montanum
B a ls a m o rn iz a s a g g i t a t a
H eracleum la n a tu m
R a n u n c u lu s s p .
FD
TB-"
PD
t-'D
TB?
Pd
PB
FD2
• FD
FD
-----------— —
FD
PB
Pd
FD
PT
PB
FD
FD
A
~~K
FD
FD
FD
TB ?
T B
FDj
TIP'
FD2
FDj
FD
FD2
FD
T B —
PIT- - T f f T ~
!rD
FB
"PBS" ' P B T B m y
FD2
TM"
PB~
T H
FD
FD
FD3
FD
FD
FD
FDU
FD 2
FD
FD
FD
FD2
F1DU1Fl I
FM
FD2
FD
Pm
FM
FD
FD
FD«
Tt)
puy
FD
kM*
FD
FD3
FD2
FD1FM
IFM
FM
FD
FM
FD
FD
FD
FD
FD
FD
FD2
FDP
FD
T dB
FD2
PD'
A
VU
FDZ
PB
FDD
FD
fb
PD
A
A
TH
FD3
FDU
FD«
FD
FD2*
FM*
FD 2
FD1FM
A
.
FD
FD
FD
FD
FD
"FM
FM
FD
FD
fm5
FD2
FDb1FM
FM
FM
FM
FM
FM
FD
—
“■— ■**■*—
-------------I -
FM
FD*
FD*
Am
____________
—----- —
____________
'yf
!
32
C o n t1d
Pca i p .
F ile u m a lo in u m
F e s tu c a id a h o e n s is
Poa se c u n d a
Poa a l p i n a
P oa r e f l e x s a
Poa am pla
D e sc h am p sia a t r o p u r p u r e a
D e se h am p sia c a e s p i t o s a
Bromus anom alus
K o e le n a c r i s t a t a
S tip a v irid u la
T r is e tu m sp ic a tu m
Juncus b a ltic u s
M e lic a s p e c t a b i l i s
A g ro p y ro n t.r a e h y e a u iim
Hordeum b ra c h y a n th e ru m
Linum l e w i s i i
P en stem o n c a e l e s t i n u s
P e d i e u l a r i s g r o e n la n d ie a
A n te n n a ria r o s e a
A r e n a r i a c o n g e s ta
C a re x g e y e r i
*
A*
I n d ic a te s u t i l i z a t i o n by e lk .
I*
FD2*
A
TB
FD3*
FD*
TD
TB
Ft)
T i!
FM
FM
Fu2
TD
FD2
FD1FMZ FDb1FM FD2
FB1FMZ T l
FM
FDZ
FD
FM
FM
FM
FltZ
FM
FD,FM2
Fd Ii*, a t TB
fr o *
TB
FD.FMZ FD1FM
FM
TB
FDZ
Pt
PB3
FD
FD
FK2
FD
ID j
FD 2
TB
FD1FM
PB, FM
FMZ
FM
tB ,FMZ
Hi
FM2
FM
FM
FMZ
FM
FM
FM
FM
FU
FMZ
FM
FM
—
---------------
FM
FM
TB
FDZ
FM
TH
FM
FM
Pm?
FM
FM
FD1FM
FM
TB
TB
FbZ
TB
FD
TB
TB
FDJ
FDZ
TB
TBF
TBF
FD1FM
TB
FM
TB
TB
Fb
I
[TB
TB
TrTTt1Uz TD
FM
TB?
TB-------
Pm
■,
; '-I ,* '
. /■a.',- > .y l- *}■ " .L.»
33
TABLE X II
Show ing t h e Numbers and p e r c e n ta g e s o f p l a n t s c o l l e c t e d i n e a c h d e v e lo p m e n ta l
c a t e g o r y (fro m T a b le X I)a n d t h e a v e r a g e number o f e l k s e e n , by p e r i o d s .
(Number i n p a r e n t h e s i s f o l lo w in g num ber o f e l k i n d i c a t e s number
o f o b s e rv a tio n s ).
U pper W in te r Ran;
6 /2 6 - 7 7 1 1 I 5 /3 0 - I 6 /6 6 /1 3 6 /2 0
7 /2
7 /1 7
5 /2 9
6 /5
6 /1 2
7(13%' 14(7%)
b (3 % )
2 h (5 ? £ ) 6(55% ) b ( u 6 i ) "I3T52I7 43(03% 5 0(89*!
0
Tl
0
S (W ) 2(4%)
5/ 23-
A s ta g e
FD s t a g e
FM s t a g e
A ve.N o. o f
E lk o b s e rv e d
7 6 (5 )
1 2 4 (3 )
7 1 (4 )
9 4 (7 )
6 0 (6 ) 206(5)
Summer Range
0 /1 0 /0 0 /2 2 0 /1 5 7 /2 5 8 /2 1
8 /2 8
8 /7
8 /1 4
7 /3 1
0
D
5(0%) —9
"1 T W
55(90%) 29(97%) 72(80%) T iT ^ E IJ 24(49%)
1(5%)
1(3%) 17(19%) 35(16%) 25(51%)
3 7 1 (3 )
3 0 1 (2 )
3 4 (2 )
6 9 (3 )
6 1 (2 )
8 /2 9 - 9 /5 9 /1 2 9 /1 9
9 /1 8
9/L
9 /2 6
9 /1 1
■~75
~ 5
0
5(24% ) 2(6%)
0
16(72% ) 24(92%) 20(100%) 4(100%)
0 (2 )
0 (1 )
2 (3 )
2 5 (2 )
I .
34
U n fo rtu n a tely ,, no o b s e r v a tio n s were made on th e summer range f o r 6
days fo llo w in g t h e c a lv in g se a so n .
D uring t h e f i r s t week, 6 /2 6 /5 1 -
7 / 2 / 5 1 , o f o p e r a tio n s on t h e summer, ra n g e, an a v era g e o f 60 e lk was
record ed f o r 6 o b s e r v a tio n s .
T h ir te e n p ercen t o f t h e p la n t s c o lle c t e d
were in t h e s u c c u le n t-n o flo w e r e v id e n t s t a g e . A; 83% were in th e succu­
le n t - f lo w e r s d e v e lo p in g or d ev elo p ed s t a g e , FDj 4% were in t h e s u c c u le n t
or c u r in g -flo w e r s m ature or d e g e n e r a tin g , in or b eg in n in g t o seed s t a g e ,
FM.
In t h e second p e r io d o f o b s e r v a tio n , 7 /1 1 /5 1 - 7 /1 7 /5 1 , an average o f
206 e lk w ere record ed f o r 5 cou n ts:
7% o f t h e p la n ts c o l le c t e d were in
th e A s t a g e , 89% i n t h e FD s t a g e , 4% i n t h e M s t a g e .
During t h e t h ir d
p e r io d , 7 /2 5 /5 1 - 7 /3 1 /5 1 , an average 371 e lk was record ed f o r 3 cou n ts:
8% o f th e p la n t s c o l le c t e d were i n th e A s t a g e , 90% i n t h e FD s t a g e , 2%
in th e FM s t a g e .
In t h e fo u r th p e r io d , 8 /1 /5 1 —8 /7 /5 1 , two cou n ts gave
an a v e r a g e -o f 301 e lk :
none o f t h e p la n t s c o l le c t e d was in t h e A s t a g e ,
97% were in th e FD s t a g e , 3% in th e FM s t a g e .
T hese d a ta seem t o
in d ic a t e th a t t h e m a jo r ity o f t h e e lk d id n o t move i n t o th e h ig h summer
range u n t i l many o f t h e p la n t s were w e l l d ev elo p e d .
The f a c t t h a t t h e
e lk moved on to t h e summer range in e a r ly J u ly i s d is c u s s e d p r e v io u s ly in
m ig r a tio n s t u d i e s .
I t i s p o s s ib le t h a t t h e cows would have moved t o t h e —
summer range when th e v e g e t a t io n was in an e a r l i e r s ta g e o f developm ent,
had t h i s n ot been th e p e r io d f o r p a r t u r it io n .
T h is seems l o g i c a l b ecau se
t h e b u lls a p p a r e n tly moved t o h ig h er e le v a t io n s b e fo r e t h e cow s.
I
O b v io u sly , t h e cows a r e reta r d e d in t h e i r m ig ra tio n by c a lv in g d u t ie s .
Newborn c a lv e s a r e d e f i n i t e l y lim it e d in t h e i r a b i l i t y t o move.
Johnson
(1951) r e p o r ts th a t c a lv e s do l i t t l e m oving u n t i l th e 3d o r 4 th day.
I
35
o b s e r v a tio n s in t h i s stu d y su g g e st t h a t th e y a re n o t ca p a b le o f exten d ed
movements u n t i l th e y a r e much o ld e r .
One c a l f , 3 or 4 d ays o ld , remained
w ith 6 moving cows f o r about 300 y a r d s, th en l a y down in a game t r a i l and
made no attem p t to run when approached.
A c a l f , marked a t th e age o f I
d ay, was found 3 days l a t e r , a p p ro x im a tely 75 yard s from t h e p la c e marked.
One, marked a t I d ay, was found 4 days l a t e r , about 400 y a rd s from th e
m arking l o c a l i t y .
A c a l f , marked a t 7 d a y s, was found a day la t e r ; i t
had moved about 75 f e e t .
One marked a t 3 d ays was found 10 days l a t e r
in alm ost t h e same l o c a t i o n .
I
A nother, marked a t 8 d a y s, was found 5 days
l a t e r , a p p ro x im a tely 1 /4 m ile from th e p la c e marked.
Even a f t e r th e
c a lv e s o f c e r t a in cows in t h e herd a re ca p a b le o f lo n g m ovem ents, i t d oes
n o t fo llo w th a t t h e s e cows move b e fo r e o th e r s i n t h e h erd , b eca u se o f th e
g r e g a r io u s n a tu re o f e l k .
On June 2 0 , 1 9 5 1 , two grou p s, one o f 20 cows
and 20 c a lv e s , and a n o th er o f 50 cows and 25 c a lv e s , were o b serv ed .
Feeding o b s e r v a tio n s (T a b le XI) in d ic a t e d t h a t th e e l k fe d on a w ide
v a r i e t y o f p la n t s in v a r io u s s t a g e s o f d evelopm en t.
P la n t s t h a t were
grazed du rin g t h e sp r in g a n d /o r summer a r e l i s t e d b elow by groups in
o rd er o f p r e fe r e n c e ,-d e te r m in e d by t h e i r freq u en cy in g r a z in g observa­
tio n s .
The g r a s s e s and se d g e s tak en w ere a s f o l l o w s : ■ Carex n u b ico la
(C loud S ed g e ), Carex r a y n o ld s ii (R eyn old s S e d g e ), Poa e p i l i s ( S k y lin e
B lu e g r a s s ), Phleum alpinum (A lp in e Tim oth) , F estu ca dvina (Sheep F escu e),
F e stu c a id a h o e n s is (Idah o F e s c u e ), Poa seeunda (Sandbergs B lu e g r a s s ),
z u n id e n t if ie d Poa sp p.
The fo r b s tak en m ost o f t e n were A g o se r is g lau ca (P a le A g o seris)^
T r ifo liu m ry d b erg i (Rydberg C lo v e r ), and T r ifo liu m Haydeni (Hayden
:
36
G lo v e r )o The n ex t 3 in p r e fe r e n c e were Lupinus s e r ic e u s (H airy L u p in e),
D elphinium stachydeum ( T a ll Mountain L ark sp u r), and Rumex p a u c if o liu s
I
(S le n d e r Meadow D o ck ).
Those record ed t h e l e a s t number o f tim e s were
Taraxaeum o f f i c i n a l e (D a n d e lio n ), V io la n u t t a l l i i ( V i o l e t ) , Ranunculus
R laberrim us (B u tte r c u p ), A q u ile g ia f la v e s c e n s (C olum bine), B alsam orhiza
s a g g it a t a (A rrow leaf B alsam root) , Heracleum lanatum (Cow P a r sn ip , and
I Ranunculus sp„
Arrowlead B alsam root and Cow P a rsn ip w e r e .ta k e n
r e a d i ly d u rin g August in l o c a l a r e a s on th e h ig h summer ra n g e.
No
o b s e r v a tio n s o f e lk a c t u a ll y ta k in g t h e s e two s p e c ie s were made, but e lk
were record ed throughout th e a r e a s in q u e s tio n , and o n ly t h e i r s ig n was
ob served around th e grazed p la n t s .
Of 11 p la n t s p e c ie s , reco rd ed a s gra zed on th e upper w in te r ran ge,
from May 23 through June 2 0 , 1951# 9 were i n t h e A s ta g e o f developm ent,
and 2 were in- t h e PD s ta g e (T ab le X I ) .
The p e r c e n ta g e s f o r t h e two
s t a g e s in r e l a t i o n t o t o t a l p la n t developm ent, in d ic a t e t h a t t h e PD sta g e
was more prom inent during t h i s p erio d (T a b le X I I ) .
F ou rteen s p e c ie s grazed from 6 /2 6 /5 1 - 8 /7 /5 1 # showed t h e fo llo w in g :
5 were in th e A s t a g e ; . 10 in t h e PD s ta g e (T ab le X I ) .
grazed in b oth s t a g e s .
One s p e c ie s was
In t h i s p e r io d , th e PD sta g e was by f a r th e
most e v id e n t on a t o t a l p la n t p ercen ta g e b a s is (T able X I I ) .
N ine s p e c ie s grazed from 8 /8 /5 1 - 9 /2 6 /5 1 # in d ic a t e d th e f o llo w in g
developm ent:
(T ab le X I ).
I in th e A s ta g e ; 4 in t h e PD sta g e ; 6 in t h e FM sta g e
Two were grazed i n both PD and PM .s ta g e s .
The p erce n t­
a g e s , in r e l a t io n t o t o t a l p la n t s t a g e s , show t h a t th e PM s ta g e
in c r e a se d th rou gh out t h e p e r i Od,'(fa b le XIl)". v
j
37
These d a ta seem t o in d ic a t e t h a t t h e e lk showed a p r e fe r e n c e fo r th e
s p e c ie s in th e A s ta g e w h ile on th e upper w in te r ra n g e.
T h is cou ld
p o s s i b l y be due t o t h e f a c t t h a t most o f th e s p e c ie s grazed were record ed
o n ly in th e A s ta g e d u rin g t h i s p e r io d (7 out o f 1 1 ) .
The p o s s i b i l i t y
th a t t h e e lk moved t o h ig h e r a r e a s t o fe e d on t h e new v e g e t a t io n i s not
borne out i n th e n ex t p e r io d .
e v id e n t per s p e c ie s g r a z e d .
The FD s ta g e o f developm ent was most
The s u g g e s tio n t h a t p a r t u r it io n may have been
an im p ortan t f a c t o r in d eterm in in g t h e tim e o f t h i s movement, h as been
p r e v io u s ly d is c u s s e d .
Snowcover
The p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t snowcover was a f a c t o r in r e ta r d in g th e upward
movement o f th e e lk du rin g t h e sp rin g o f 19 5 1 , was n ot a p p a r e n t.
m arking o p e r a tio n s w ere i n i t i a t e d May 22 on Fan C reek.
E lk
Snowcover was
n e g l i g i b l e , w ith t h e open a r e a s h avin g o n ly an o c c a s io n a l sm a ll p atch o f
show.
The open area b o rd erin g b oth fo r k s o f Fan Greek (F ig u r e I ) was
p r a c t i c a l l y v o id o f snow.
On June 7 , a t r i p up t h e G a lla t in R iv er t o w ith in about 4 m ile s o f
*
.
th e head o f th e r iv e r .,, r e v e a le d no snow ex ce p t in sm a ll l o c a l i z e d a r e a s
■\
on tim bered s lo p e s . H igh, open parks on t h e summer range w ere ob served ,
.
•
'
;
w ith v e r y l i t t l e snow e v id e n t .
\
Snow c o n d itio n s on D a ly Creek were n o n e x is te n t throughout, th e. p eriod
from May 23 through June 20 e x c e p t f o r an o c c a s io n a l p atch encou n tered
d u rin g th e f i r s t week o f o p e r a tio n s .
38
• SUMMARY
1.
The marking o f e lk c a lv e s w ith p l a s t i c ear m arkers, i n i t i a t e d in 1949
and 1950, was con tin u ed i n 1951 in t h e G a lla t in R iv er D ra in a g e,
Montana.
N in e ty -th r e e were marked in 1951, making a t o t a l o f 225 fo r
th e th r e e y e a r s .
2.
S ig h t and k i l l re c o r d s o f marked in d iv id u a ls p rovid ed t h e b a s is fo r
a stu d y o f e lk m ig r a tio n p a t t e r n s .
3.
O b serv a tio n s o f marked c a lv e s on t h e c a lv in g grounds (upper w in ter
r a n g e ), in d ic a te d no movement away from t h i s a rea u n t i l th e c lo s e o f
th e c a lv in g s e a s o n .
Only 3 o f 31 p o s i t i v e l y i d e n t i f i e d , had moved
from th e d ra in a g e where marked.
In a l l in s t a n c e s , movements were l e s s
th an a m ile , and t o an in t e r lo c k in g d ra in a g e on t h e c a lv in g grounds.
4.
O b servatio n s o f marked c a l v e s , from June 27 t o J u ly 3 1 , in d ic a t e d
movements, t o g e n e r a lly h ig h e r e le v a t io n s a s th e season p r o g r e sse d .
Four o f f i v e marked a n im a ls observed in Ju n e, a f t e r t h e c a lv in g
se a so n , had moved away from th e d ra in a g e w here marked, but o n ly fo r
sh o r t d is ta n c e s ( 2 .5 t o 3 .5 a i r l i n e m i l e s ) .
From J u ly I t o J u ly 1 5 ,
5 s ig h t rec o rd s in d ic a te d an a v erage movement o f 1 1 .4 .a i r l i n e m ile s .
-
-
■
■
'
Seven o b s e r v a tio n s , J u ly 1 6 -3 1 , show ing.an average movement o f about
1 4 .8 a i r l i n e m il e s .
—
E ig h t o f 10 marked an im als seen i n August were
■ seen in d ra in a g es where marked an im als had been seen i n J u ly , sug­
g e s t in g th a t t h e a n im a ls reached th e l i m i t o f t h e i r m ig r a tio n during
J u ly .
5«
S ig h t re c o r d s o f c a lv e s marked on t h e e a s t s id e Of th e r i v e r , in d ica ted
Rummer range on b o th s id e s :
head o f th e G a lla t in R iv er area and th e
39
Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek a r e a .
th e e a s t s id e ; 6 had c r o sse d o v e r .
F if t e e n o f 2 1 had remained on
Two c a lv e s marked on th e w est s id e ,
remained on th e w est s id e (S aw m ill Gulch t o t h e Bacon Rind C reekM ig ra tio n Creek a r e a ) .
6.
The p a tte r n o f s ig h t re c o r d s su g g este d th e fo llo w in g m ig r a tio n r o u te s:
D aly Creek through Fan Creek t o t h e head o f t h e G a lla t in R iv er; D aly
Creek th rou gh Fan Creek t o t h e Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek area ;
D aly Creek through Saw m ill Gulch t o th e Bacon Bind C reek-M igration
Creek a rea ; Saw m ill Gulch t o t h e Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek
a rea ; Saw m ill Gulch through D aly Creek through Fan Creek t o t h e Bacon
Rind C reek -M igration Creek a r e a .
.
7 o F a l l movements a r e in d ic a te d by 35 h u n ter k i l l s n ear or below th e
marking l o c a l i t i e s .
T w en ty-fou r su g g e ste d a r e v e r s a l o f t h e Daly
Creek-Fan- Creek-head o f t h e G a lla t in R iv e r m ig ra tio n p a tte r n an d /or
t h e D aly Creek-Fan Creek-Bacon Rind C reek-M igration Creek p a tte r n .
N in e su g g este d a movement from th e Bacon Rind C reek -M igration Creek
area down t h e w est s id e o f th e r i v e r .
Two su g g ested t h e p o s s i b i l i t y
th a t th e e lk in te r m in g le somewhat a f t e r rea ch in g t h e w in te r range.
S.
T h ir ty -fo u r w in te r rec o rd s su g g e ste d t h a t th e e lk reached th e li m it s
o f th e downward m ig r a tio n by December.
No o b s e r v a tio n s w ere made below
th o s e f o r O ctober and November,
9.
Data su g g e ste d th a t t h e lo w er l i m i t s o f t h e w in te r ran ge, were th e
■B u ffa lo h o rn C reek-R oreupine Creek a r e a and th e .T a y lo r Fork-Meadow
Creek a r e a .
The upper l i m i t may ex ten d t o th e mouth o f Bacon Rind
C reek, but- i s p ro b a b ly cen tered n ea r t h e G a lla t in Ranger S t a t io n .
c'
-
,
’
■
■
-
;
40
ID . T h ir ty -o n e s ig h t r e c o r d s, r e p r e se n tin g 20 c a lv e s , su g g e ste d co n sid er­
a b le in te r m in g lin g of e a s t and w est s id e ( G a lla t in R iv er) an im als
du rin g th e w in t e r .
1 1 . Movements o f t h e in d iv id u a l e lk seen more th a n o n ce, s u b s ta n tia te d th e
m ig ra tio n r o u te s in tim a te d by th e p a tte r n o f s ig h t r e c o r d s.
1 2 . O b serv a tio n s o f 4 marked c a lv e s in d ic a t e d r e s t r i c t e d movement on th e
w in te r ran g e, though th e y may or may n o t c r o s s th e G a lla t in R iv e r .
13«. R ecords o f 5 a n im a ls, su g g este d t h a t some e lk retu rn t o th e same
w in te r range y ea r a f t e r year; two su g g e ste d retu rn t o t h e same summer
ra n g e.
14«. T h ir t y - s ix
Y ello w sto n e d ra in a g e marked a n im a ls were ob served , on th e
same summer range a s th a t used by G a lla t in d ra in a g e e l k .
■Y ello w sto n e anim als, were seen w ith G a lla t in marked e l k .
F iv e o f th e
T hese data
s u g g e s te d -in te r m in g lin g o f th e two h erd s on th e summer r a n g e .
t i v e ev id en ce i s in d ic a t e d by th e f o llo w in g reco rd s:
P o s i­
2 G a lla t in
marked an im als record ed in the. Y ello w sto n e d rain age d u rin g January;
I Y ello w sto n e anim al ob served during December in th e G a lla t in
d r a in a g e . -
.
. . .
1 5 . P l a s t i c marker r e tu r n s from h u n ter k i l l s in 1951, in d ic a t e d much
b e t t e r r e s u l t s when h eavy, d urable m a te r ia l was u sed .
Two t h ic k ­
n e s s e s , .6 ? and 1 .0 7 mm., o f p l a s t i c m a te r ia l were u sed in 1951.
Some o f th e markers were r e ta in e d i n p e r f e c t c o n d itio n f o r 18 months,.
V e r if ic a t io n by h u n ters who had tu rn ed i n broken m arkers, su b stan ­
t i a t e d th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f marker damage a f t e r th e tim e o f k i l l .
1 6 . A stu d y o f ta b a n id p o p u la tio n s f o r c e r t a in l o c a l i t i e s on. t M .summer
""~—
41
ra n g e, in d ic a te d an in v e r s e r e la t io n s h ip between ta b a n id numbers and
e lk numbers.
P la n ts c o l le c t e d throughout th e upper w in te r ra n g e, du rin g t h e c a lv in g
p erio d when la r g e number o f e lk were p r e s e n t, in d ic a t e d t h a t th e
L a ter c o l l e c t i o n s
from th e summer ra n g e, during t h e p erio d when la r g e numbers o f e lk
d evelopm en t.
T h is su g g este d t h a t t h e p e r io d o f p a r t u r it io n was mere
im portant i n go v ern in g t h e upward movement o f cows th a n p la n t
d evelop m en t.
o f an ex a ct a rea in which th e e lk had been f e e d in g .
record ed : 9 g r a s s e s a n d .se d g e s; 13 f o r b s .
Twenty-two were
Carex n u b ie o la (Cloud
S e d g e ), and Carex r a y n o ld s ii (R aynolds Sedge) were reco rd ed most
o fte n
19« Snowcover was a p p a r e n tly n o t a f a c t o r in r e ta r d in g t h e upward move­
ment o f t h e e lk du rin g t h e sp rin g o f 1951
42
LITERATURE CITED
Cowan, Ian McTaggerfc. ' 1945• The e c o l o g ic a l r e l a t io n s h i p s o f t h e
food o f th e Columbian b la c k - t r a ile d d eer; O d o co ileu s hemionous
colum b ian u s. (R ich a rd so n ), in th e c o a s t f o r e s t .r e g io n s o f
sou th ern Vancouver I s la n d , B r i t is h Colum bia. E c o l. M ono.,
1 1 (2 ): 1 0 9 -1 3 9 .
D a r lin g , F. F r a s e r .
P r e s s , London.
19 3 7 .
A herd o f red d e e r .
Oxford U n iv e r s it y
Joh nson, D. E. 1 9 5 1 . The b io lo g y o f t h e e lk c a l f , Ceryus
ca n a d en sis n e ls o n ! . J o u r. W ild l. M g t., 1 5 (4 ): 3 9 6 -4 1 0 .
M urid, O laus J . 1 9 5 1 .
The e lk o f North A m erica.
C o ., H arrisb u rg , P a.
Rush, W. M. 1 9 3 2 . N orthern Y ello w sto n e e lk stu d y .
and Game Comm., H elen a.
The S ta c k p o le
Montana F ish
101270