Montana-Idaho Elk Migration and Key-Use Area Study Salmon Beaverhead and Bitterroot National Forests
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University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1976 Montana-Idaho elk migration and key-use area study Salmon Beaverhead and Bitterroot National Forests Nicholas Grkovic The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Grkovic, Nicholas, "Montana-Idaho elk migration and key-use area study Salmon Beaverhead and Bitterroot National Forests" (1976). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 6479. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/6479 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MONTANA-IDAHO ELK MIGRATION AND KEY-USE AREA STUDY SALMON, BEAVERHEAD, AND BITTERROOT NATIONAL FORESTS By Nicholas Grkovlc B.S., United States Naval Academy, 1945 B. S. , University of Montana, 1973 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1976 Approved by; Chairman, Board of Examiners /; Do^m, Graduate School JUN 41976 Date Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMl Number: EP37280 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT DtssertaCton PuMishmg UMl EP37280 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code uest* ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 8 1 0 6 -1 3 4 6 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Grkovic, Nicholas, M.S., 1976 Wildlife Biology Mont ana-Idaho Elk Migration and Key-use Area Study, Salmon, Beaverhead, and Bitterroot National Forests (128 pp. ) Director; Bart W. O'Gara The study area was in a 1,500 square m ile (2,400 sq km) area of the Salmon National Forest in Idaho and adjacent portions of the Bitterroot and Beaverhead National Forests in Montana. Elk (Cervus elaphus) were trapped during winter 1973-74 and 1974- 75, radio- or rope-collared, and ear-tagged. Movements were followed aerially and on the ground from February 1974 until Decem ber 1975. Migration routes from Idaho winter ranges to Montana summer ranges were located by biotelemetry. Some radio-collared elk from the Hughes Creek trap migrated to Montana summer ranges, and others remained near the Idaho winter range or moved locally to higher elevations. Radio collared elk from the Wagonhammer trap all migrated to Montana summer ranges. Spring migrations, triggered by snow-melt and green-up, commenced about the middle of May and were com plete about mid-June. Fall migrations were triggered by fall snowstorms and were completed by the first week in December. Resting and feeding sites along migration routes and calving and rutting areas were established by clusters of radio transmitter locations. Radio-collared elk moved to roadless areas during hunting seasons. Radio- and rope-collared elk were shot in both states. Grass winter ranges on the study area were used more exten sively the first winter than during the second when snow depths were greater. Forage in and near tree cover was heavily uti lized the second winter. Winter range boundaries varied due to snow depth, cover, slope, aspect, and human disturbance. Habitat types were sampled in key-use areas and along migration routes. Use of clearcuts was not established, and some radio-collared elk-cattle competition was noted. Data from 903 radio transmitter locations, sightings of radio- and rope-collared and unmarked elk, aided by recommendations from the Montana cooperative elk-logging studies provided infor mation from which recommendations were submitted for manage ment of elk and timber harvest on the study area. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Primary monetary support for this study was provided through U.S.D.A. Forest Service contract numbers 50-815 and 50-981 between the Salmon National Forest, the University of Montana, and the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. Additional monetary aid was supplied by the Bitterroot and Beaverhead National Forests, and the Montana Fish and Game Department. The Idaho Fish and Game Department trapped the elk making this study possible. There fore, I express my appreciation to those personnel of the Salmon, Bitterroot, and Beaverhead National Forests, and the Montana and Idaho Fish and Game Departments who made the study possible. I especially thank Dr. Bart W. O'Gara of the Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, who directed and coordinated the study, and whose quiet understanding, suggestions, and advice were particularly important. The reviews and critiques of the committee members, Drs. Bart W. O'Gara, Robert R. Ream, and E. Earl Willard, are sincerely appreciated. I also thank other critiquing personnel: John L. Emerson, Hadley B. Roberts, Walter L. Bodie, John Firebaugh, John H. Ormiston, Joel G. Peterson, and Dwight R. Cook for their professional interest. The advice and iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. assistance of Dr. C. Les Marcum was also thoroughly appreciated, since he had recently completed an elk study. I thank Walt Bodie and Dane Lyons of the Idaho Fish and Game Department, Salmon, Idaho, for elk trapping efforts. I also express my appreciation to Mrs. Helen Irons of the Idaho Fish and Game Department, Salmon, for transcribing tapes and study notes. Mrs. Ginger Schwarz, Miss Nancy Hill, and Miss Karen Konitz of the Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, were extremely helpful in keeping track of expenditures, typing letters, rough and final study drafts, and providing other administrative assistance. I sincerely appreciate their efforts. Participation of all of the above made the study pleasant and rewarding. Finally, I acknowledge the sincere interest and cooperation of many other fine people that was evident during the course of the study. IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................... iii LIST OF T A B L E S ....................................................................................................viii LIST OF F I G U R E S ............................................................................................. ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION . 1 IL DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY A R E A ........................... 5 Location ............................................................................................. 5 Land U s e ...................................................................................... 7 G eo lo g y ............................................................................................. 9 Physiography ............................................................................... 10 A c c e s s ............................................................................................. 12 W estern half of study a r e a .............................................. 12 Eastern half of study a re a .............................................. 14 C lim a te ............................................................................................. 15 V e g e ta tio n ...................................................................................... 20 Ponderosa p in e .................................................................. 21 Douglas-fir ............................................................................... 22 Subalpine f i r ......................................................................... 22 Timberline habitat ty p e s .............................................. 2 3 Lodgepole pine community types ................................. 2 3 III. MATERIALS AND M E T H O D S ............................................... 24 T r a p p i n g ...................................................................................... 24 Radiotelemetry ......................................................................... 2 5 Rope C ollars ................................................................................ 28 Locating Radioed E l k ............................................................ 29 Rope-Collar Observations ..................................................... 30 V Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Page Flight Procedures .................................................................