In Fisheries and Wildlife Dr. E. Cha Les Meslow Miles from the Point Of
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AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF MICHAEL R. VAUGHAN for the MASTER OF SCIENCE (Name ofstudent) (Degree) inFisheriesand Wildlifepresented on 7 9 (Major Department) ( ate) Title: ASPECTS OF MOUNTAIN GOAT ECOLOGY, WALLOWA MOUNTAINS, OREGON Abstract approved: el Dr. E. Cha les Meslow Twenty- six mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), located between the Lostine River drainage and the East Fork Wallowa River drainage of the Wallowa Mountains, were monitored from June 1972 through June 1973.The age composition of the population was 76.9 percent adults and 11.5 percent each yearlings and kids. The addition of three kids in 1973 with the absence of any detectable mortality altered the age composition to 79. 3 percent adults and 10. 3 percent each yearlings and kids.Males comprised 34. 6 per- cent of the population. Mountain goats were dispersed a maximum of 9 airline miles from the point of original release.In summer the population was divided into two female- subadult groups (one each on the Hurricane and Hurwal divides) with males scattered singly or in small groups throughout goat range.Fifty percent of the population occupied the Hurwal Divide during the summer. In winter at least 77 percent of the population merged into a single group on the Hurwal Divide. Within the approximate 3440km2studyarea an intensive use area of 710km2was identified and seven habitat types were defined. High elevation habitat types received the greatest use in summer and winter while low elevation types received the greatest use in spring and fall.In relation to the relative percent composition of each type, ridge top received the greatest annual use. Population models designed to hypothetically reconstruct the development of the Wallowa Mountains goat population were used to illustrate that low productivity rather than a high rate of mortality may be responsible for the current tenuous status of the population. A 10-20-10 percent mortality schedule for adults, yearlings, and kids respectively combined with alternate year reproduction by females following 15 years of maximum production (one kid per adult female per year) produced a hypothetical population which closely approximated the real population. Eleven factors were evaluated as potential limiting factors. Insufficient winter range leading to winter nutritional stress and ultimately resulting in in-utero or neonatal losses appeared to be the most likely cause of low mountain goat numbers in the Wallowa Mountains. Aspects of Mountain Goat Ecology, Wallowa Mountains, Oregon by Michael R. Vaughan A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University inpartialfulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science June 1975 APPROVED: Assistant Professor of Fisheries and Wildlife in charge of major Head of Department of Fisheries and Wi 'e Dean of Graduate School Date thesis is presentedp1 7 /9% Typed by Lyndalu Sikes andIlene Anderton for Michael R. Vaughan ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I was fortunate to have Dr. E. Charles Meslow as my major professor.In addition to his help in setting up this study and his constructive criticism both in the field and in the preparation of this manuscript, he offered continued encouragement and friendship throughout the study. For these things I wish to express my sincere thanks to him. I am grateful to Larry Hunt who offered suggestions on data analysis and wrote the programs for computer analysis of the data. I wish to thank Dr. Paul A. Vohs, J r. for reviewing my research proposal, for advice during manuscript preparation, and for reviewing the manuscript. Through informal conversations with James E. Tabor and Ronald J. Jameson several problems which arose during manuscript preparation were solved. I wish to express my thanks to Rex Baxter who worked with me in the field collecting winter activity data.He is also responsi- ble for initial analysis of the winter activity data. I am grateful to the Oregon Wildlife Commission for supporting this study. Among Commission personnel involved with the study I would like to single out Paul Ebert, Staff Biologist, for his influence in initiating the study; Ronald Bartels and Victor Coggins, Wallowa district biologists, for advice and assistance throughout the field period of the study; Wayne Huff and Kenneth (Spider) Spidel for their expertise in handling packing operations, to supply the base camp; and all the personnel of the Wallowa County Fish Hatchery for their friendship and for assistance with the many unexpected problems whicharoseduring the field period of the study, The U.S. Forest Service, Joseph Ranger District, under the direction of Donald Miller, provided aerial photographs of the study area. I wish to acknowledge the Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit for supporting me and the study during my tenure at Oregon State University. Finally, I wish to thank my wife, Lynn, who endured but enjoyed living under field conditions, acting not only as camp cook but also as a field assistant.She participated in the long tedious climbs to mountain peaks, sat hours in the snow observing moun- tain goats,, and always offered encouragement when encouragement was needed.I commend her patience during the period of manuscript preparation and acknowledge her for typing the preliminary drafts of this manuscript. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION II. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA Geology 5 Climate 7 III. MATERIALS AND METHODS 8 Population Characteristics 9 Distribution and Movements 10 Habitat Analysis 11 AerialSurveys 12 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 15 Population Structure 15 Sex Ratio 15 Age Structure 17 Productivity and Factors Affecting Population Increase 17 Seasonal Movements and Distribution 31 Habitat Analysis 37 Description of Types 38 Timber 38 Open Timber 41 Slide Rock 42 Cliff- Rock 42 Alpine Meadow 43 Ridge Top 44 Mountain Mahogany 45 Water 45 Intensive Use Area 47 Habitat Use 49 Seasonal Habitat and Elevational Use 52 Summer (June, July, August) 54 Fall (September, October) 57 Winter (November, December, January, February, March) 59 Spring (April, May) 65 Chapter Pale Limiting Factors 67 Management Recommendations 78 Management in the Wallowa Mountains 79 Aerial Surveys 79 Controlled Burning 81 Enclosures 81 Trapping and Transplanting 82 Competition 82 General Management 83 New Introductions 83 Follow-up Studies 84 LITERATURE CITED 86 APPENDIX 90 Introduction to Appendix 90 Winter Activity 104 APPENDIX LITERATURE CITED 112 LIST OF APPENDIX TABLES Table Page A. Partial list of plants found in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon. 91 B. Monthly and annual precipitation, Enterprise, Oregon. 97 C. Average temperatures (degree farenheit), Enterprise, Oregon (3280 feet elevation) 1950-1973. 98 D. Snow depth and water content (inches) from the Aneroid Lake snow course, 1950-1973. 99 E. Results of soil analysis from four natural licks in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon. 100 F. Average monthly group size of mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon 1972-73. 101 G. Exposure utilized (percent) by mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, 1972-1973. 102 H. Daily patterns in habitat use (percent) by season for mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon 1972-1973. 103 I. Late winter activity budget of mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, 1973. 105 J. Comparison of diurnal activity budget for various large ungulates in winter. 106 K. Daily use of habitat types in winter (percent) by mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon 1973. 111 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Population trend from aerial survey data (1962- 1971) and harvest (1965-1968) of the Wallowa Mountains goat population. 2 2. Wallowa Mountains study area. 6 3. Summer and winter range of mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains and seasonal movement of an individually recognizable adult female goat in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, 1972-73. 32 4., Intensive use area of mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon. 46 5. Flow chartof seasonalhabitat use by mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains using goat-minute data. 50 6. Flow chartof seasonalhabitat use by mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains using point-in-time-data. 51 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Harvest of mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, 3 2. Prominence ratings and cover classes for vegeta- tion analysis in the Wallowa Mountains. 13 3. Age and sex ratios of mountain goats, Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, 1972-73. 15 4. Age structure of various mountain goat populations expressed as a percentage. 18 5. Age composition of goats from annual aerial surveys (1962-1971) in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon. 20 6. Population A.Breeding potential of the Wallowa Mountains goat population based on 12 year life span and other assumptions. 22 7. Population B.Breeding potential of the Wallowa Mountains goat population assuming alternate year production. 24 8. Population C. Added effect of harvest on alternate year production in the Wallowa Mountains goat population. 25 9. Population D.Hypothetical herd development of the Wallowa Mountains goat population under a 10-20-10 percent mortality schedule for adults, yearlings, and kids respectively. 27 10. Population E.Hypothetical herd development of the Wallowa Mountains goat population under a 5-10-10 percent mortality schedule for adults, yearlings, and kids, respectively. 30 Table Page 11. Description of habitat types in the Wallowa Mountains. 39 12. Intensive use area vs. total area in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon. 48 13. Seasonal habitat use (percent) by mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains (goat-minute approach). 53 14. Monthly habitat use (percent) by mountain goats in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, 1972-73. 55 15. Seasonal elevational use (meters) by mountain goats in the Wallowa Moutains, 1972-73. 56 16. Snow depths in the Wallowa Mountains, 1972-73. 60 17. Summary of aerial surveys flown in the Wallowa Mountains, 1972-73. 80 ASPECTS OF MOUNTAIN GOAT ECOLOGY, WALLOWA MOUNTAINS, OREGON I.INTRODUCTION This study was designed to determine the status of the mountain goat population in the Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, and to examine their year-long lifer style with emphasis on the winter period.Special attention was given to evaluating potential limiting factors.