FEBRUARY 1940 - JANUARY 1941 QUARTERLY NARRATIVE REPORTS NATIONAL BISON RANGE
5? ROUTING SLIP DIVISION OB1 WILDLIFE REFUGES DATE: 2~/f 19
MR. SALYER _vX SECTION OF HABITAT IMPROVMENT: ^ mi* Yfiigm irr "Moti KuDl-gjltl: -•AIRI» BJMRR t&zJL Smith .
MRS a GARVIN OiirTllTr ^ mi DUMONT IM Mi & b CU'gk
SECTION OF OPER/iTIONS; SECTION OF ERA: / ^ i Umll ' Mry-RggBa. f ^-Mm LTOIIIIHJU kA^. ^-©rr-^WUB. I&'hfy^ | v v / Mrs. Watkins Mrs. Fishraan
Mrs. Kricun
SECTION OP LAND IJ&HAGEIv'EHT: STEN OGRi'iPHERS:
JnV. Fn rn'inhnri-r Miss Price
SECTION OF STRUCTURES:
Mr^--Tayior 1d££Zj
Mr. GKIJ
REM/iRKS: —<^r->vZr s . EX N •X—ja,—-e (*/• 6 IJ*—A-X. T J£L
Return to: v 0^ .z •^CR
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INDEX
I. General A. Weather conditions . 1
II. Wildlife A. Waterbirds • . 1-2 B. Upland-game Birds 3-4 c. Big-game Animals . . 1. Populations 4-5 2. Behavior Buffalo 5-6 Elk 6 Mountain Sheep 6 Mule Deer 7 .'Jhite—tail Peer. 7 10-year maximum game population table 8 D. Fur-bearing Animals, Predators, Rodents, etc X, Population and Behavior...... 8-9 2. Control. v 9 E. Fish
III. Refuge Development and Maintenance. A. Physical Developments 10 B. Plantings 4. Grasses. , 10-11 D. Distribution of Seed and Nursery Stock 1. Receipts 11
IV. Public Relations A. Recreational Uses 11-12 4. Official visitors 12 Official meetings. 3 2 B. Violations ^ 12'
V. Economic Uses of Refuge E. Fur Harvest 13
VI. Field Investigation or Applied Research 13
^ VII. Other Items B. Photographs 13-21 -1-
I. General
A. Weather Conditions.
Maximum Minimum Temperatures Temperatures
November 56 1
December 57 2
January 48 10
The winter's moisture has been rather limited. Snowfalls
have been unusually light, the heaviest not exceeding two
inches, which is much less than was recorded for the same
period last year. There have been some showers, but were
it not for a great deal of cloudy weather and fog, it
would be pretty dry now. What snow fell has melted, and
the range is entirely bare of snow at the end of the
quarter. No ice had formed except on dead ponds, and
Mission Creek has been entirely free of ice.
H. Wildlife
A. Waterbirds.
Due to freezing weather for small, still bodies of water
in the vicinity, unusual numbers of ducks have used the
refuge this quarter. Mallards are always the predominant
specie^although some others are present at times, Follow->^^
is a table of figures, accumulated for the annual water- -2-
fowl census, during which separate counts were kept on
the Bison Range:
January 1941 17 18 19
^Mallard 3,500 6,800 5,000 ^ Green-winged Teal 90 25 ^ Blue-winged Teal 67 25 16 •Pintail (Sprig) 125 20 37 / Goldeneye (Whistler) 155 162 55 Totals 3,827 7,097 5,133
Temperature range 23 - 35 22 - 43 31 - 45.
These are good average counts for the entire quarter; and it
might be interesting to compare numbers of birds and weather
conditions with a like period last year:
January 1940 22 23 24
Mallard 3,400 3,300 3,600 Pintail (Sprig) 15 15 15 Goldeneye (Whistler) 4 29 10 Totals 3,419 3,344 3,625
Temperature range -7 to 15 4 to 20 -4 to 15.
18,000 to 20,000 ducks (mostly mallards and pintails) were
noted on Mission Creek on January 7—temperatures 21 - 35.
An estimated 6,000 ducks, mostly mallards, were observed
on January 25.
While geese do not frequent the Bison Range to any extent,
Canada geese have been observed all during the quarter,
going over, between the refuges north of us and the Flat
head River, Many flocks of considerable size were noted. -3-
B, Upland-game Birds.
1. Chinese pheasants are, of course, the predominant
users of the refuge in this group. Total population
of the area is 1,500 or more. The birds frequent the
lower portions of the range to the foothills, although
they are at times noted at the higher levels also. Of
the total, it is estimated that 500 birds may be seen
in the headquarters vicinity much of the time.
Hungarian partridges rank next in number, although
but a few groups are observed regularly. They number
around 200 on the Bison Range. Like the "Chinks,"
they are found most at the lower elevations, but at
various times have been observed over much of the re
fuge, including the high country.
Five to seven sharpie.ile(f^grou3e.have been noted in
Alexander Basin. While apparently this bird was once
in the Flathead Valley in considerable numbers, it has
been practically exterminated in the immediate vici
nity.
Rufgfed grouse, while very rare and infrequently ob
served, have been seen on Mission Creek and in Triski
Creek, there being six that we know of. y Fifteen to twenty-five blue grouse have been counted
in several pretty-well scattered locations in the high
country. -4- A? "0"
About seventy-five Rlcbagdson grouse have been seen
at various times, to a considerable extent in the
partly-timbered sections of the refuge.
We have attempted to supply fuller information on the
bird populations here in accordance with Mr.
Kubichek's comments on last quarter^ report, keeping
in mind that the Bison Range is primarily a big-game
area. Attention is directed to the fact that water
fowl habitat consists of some six miles of wooded
creek, where population counts and observations are
very difficult.
In regard to upland birds, with the exception of
Chinese pheasants, there are very few on the area;
and what has been reported above is really full in
formation on the subject.
There was a noticeable absence of fall migrants among
small birds this season, compared with this time last
year. The evening grosbeaks, which stopped over here
last year, are referred to particularly.
C. Big-game Animals.
1. Populations.
Buffalo Elk Mountain Mule White-tail Sheep Deer Deer & NOVEMBER 1 432Y 69 V X 108 ^ 36 ^
Nov. increases
NOV* .DECREASES >9 15 -
m -5-
Buffalo Slk Moimtain Mule White-tail Sheep Deer Deer
Dec, increases
Dec. decreases S 1 15^
Jan. increases 1
Jan. decreases
January 31 392 «/ 54 / 93 v/ 36 7
Buffalo
The buffalo have wintered well and are in good condition.
One old bull was found dead in December, the loss being doubtlessly from natural causes. The additional loss was of a young buffalo reported in December, but it was found
that the loss had been reported in Ootober^ and the error is being corrected in our January report. Sales account for the decreases of 38 in November.
An opportunity for an exact tally of the herd came at
the time the herd was gathered for vaccinating the 1940
calves and cutting out the season's surplus in November,
87 4- to 8-month old calves were vaccinated against
Bang's disease and earmarked. The mother of the two
white buffalo was also ear-tagged and given No. R-51820,
A tally of the herd at the end of November disclosed the
following:
Bulls^ Cows ^
Mature 75 156 Yearling 41 34 Calves ',41 46 157 236 Total: 393 -6-
In the process of the surplus animal cut-out, treating the calves and related activities, a good cross-sec tion of the animals were weighed and the following average weights were computed:
Bulls 1343.43 pounds Cows 910.00 Yearling bulls 641.00 Yearling heifers 571.00
Elk ^
Such elk as are observed are going through the winter in good shape as they usually do. At the time a number were gathered for disposal in November, an ex cellent opportunity was had to observe a representat ive group, and the fifteen head donated as a nucleus of a herd in the Pine Hills Section of Montana were a fine lot of young elk. No winter losses have been noted to date.
Mountain Sheep ^
This small group holds its own. The three ewes and two young rams in the substation pasture, as well as the three rams in the sheep pasture,have been and are in satisfactory condition. It will be noted that this report shows nine sheep, whereas our monthly reports have been showing but eight. There has been some question as to whether one ram, seen at times in the west pasture, might be one of the three from the sheep pasture. It has been concluded that they are different animals. Mule Deer /
The deer have wintered this year in very much better condition than last year, due no doubt to milder weath er and the fact that they were in better condition in the late fall. They are still in good shape and there should be little or no loss before spring. A fine group of fifteen bucks, does and fawns was trapped, ctated and donated to the Wild Horse Island State Game Preserve in
Flathead Lake. As many as 35 mule deer have been count ed at headquarters at one time, so it is certain that there are at least that many in the headquarters pasture, and possibly a few additional.
White-tail Deer ^
This group has also wintered very satisfactorily and without loss to date, both on the range and in the head quarters area. From the hard experience of other seas ons, what now remains seems to be good, hardy stock and there are several very fine individual epecimens. The two pet deer will no doubt be valuable additions to the herd. These deer seem to be shedding their antlers un usually early this year, and at least two white-tail bucks dropped theirs in the latter part of January.
There are at least 20 to 25 white-tail deer in the head quarters pasture group, which, with 35 to 40 mule deer, makes upwards of 60 bead of both species in the head quarters herd. -8-
A table of the maximum animal populations for the past
ten years here was compiled for the use of the Forest
Service in their range survey work, and is being in
cluded as it will no doubt be of interest;
June Buffalo^ Elk^ Mountain 7 Mule' White-tail 30 Sheep Deer Deer
1930 320 151 37 110 10
1931 372 145 56 84 12
1932 507 160 44 104 15 y yy 1933 544 96 44 84 19 s.i ^ 1934 530 141 60 108 29 ' ' y
1935 441' 103 53 47 28
1936 485rv 119C\C / 35 189 38
1937 441 -fe^34 41 160 52
1938 340 22 48 109 23.
\ 1939 428 40 54 161 47 '
1940 437 48 7 100 36.'
D. Fur-bearing Animals, Predators, Rodents and other Animals.
1. Population and behavior.
. ^ There are a few skunk/mink and muskrat on the refuge. y Beaver, which have at times frequented Mission Creek,
have apparently disappeared as no recent work has been
observed. / The commonest predator, the coyote, is ordinarily a
transient as only a very small number of dens have ever
been found. No actual depredations have been noted re-
m -9-
cently, but it is well to keep the coyotes well under
control. * ^
Past yeai^' control operations have materially reduced
the numbers of Columbian ground squirrels, tut pocket
gophers, especially, and the marmots are very numerous.
Controly
Following are results of predator control activities by
refuge personnel:
Coyote Bobcat Badger
November 8
December 8 1
January 411
The bobcats and badger were taken in coyote sets, as
were a purcupine and three wild dogs. The latter anim
als are no doubt a more serious menace to game than are
other predators, as they have been seen chasing deer by
ourselves and outsiders.
Control of pocket gophers ^as been carried on by a ViPA / crew on 885 acres, with a destruction of 1,366 rodents,
in November and January. Three attempts were made in
December to work on the project, but snow and bad
weather forced abandonment of the job temporarily.
Fish.
1. Rainbow trout, while not particularly numerous, do in
habit Mission Creek in fair numbers. There are also a -10-
a considerable number of "squaw fisb" in Mission Creek.
No plantings have been made for a number of years,
III. Refuge Development and Maintenance.
A, Physical Developments.
l.A good overhaul job was done at the slaughterhouse and
corrals, prior to slaughtering the falls surplus anim
als. Old, unsafe and broken cat-walks were replaced,
other general repairing done and a squeeze chute con
structed for use in vaccinating the buffalo calves.
This work was accomplished by regular personnel with the
assistance of a WPA carpenter crew.
Other WPA work in the line of improvements have included
regraveling one mile of road in the headquarters vicini
ty; construction of a concrete greastand wash rach: for
cars and trucks and a grease pit for heavy equipment;
landscaping and cleanup around headquarters and con
struction of rustic clothes lines.
B, Plantings.
4. Grasses.
Clearing in the Mission Creek bottom was carried on to
the extent of 69 acres, and a fine job is being done.
Dead timber and bush is cut and removed, and the clear
ed land is raked by hand in preparation for reseeding.
The job has afforded the best kind of bad-weather em
ployment for a considerable portion of the 1PA crew,
«K -11-
and the improvement in wildlife habitat will fully
justify the project. About 20 acres of the cleared
area will be suitable for the introduction of forage
grasses, and it is planned to seed it to orchard grass
and alsike clover in the spring.
Along this same line, an area of 30 to 35 acres, in the
northwest corner of the refuge and on both sides of the
entrance at Moiese, has been plowed up and prepared for
grass-seeding. Of this, 8 acres was planted to a pasture
mixture before bad weather set in.
D. Distribution of Seed and Nursery Stock.
^ ' 1. Receipts. v
100 lb. B, Inermis, smooth brome purchased
50 lb. DactylicL., orchard grass purchased , ^ e 'Ir
15 lb. T. Hyb^dum, alsike clover n *
65 lb. M. SitivcL, alfalfa
240 lb. Pasture mixture: " 4 parts B, Inermis, smooth brome 4 parts, F. Elatior^m^dow fescue 5 parts, Dactyliajx/V'orchard grass 1 part T. afsike clover 1 part M. S^tiuiTalfalfa 1 part ( ? ), white Dutch clover y' 409 lb. A, Cristaturn, crested wheat grass Malheur Refuge.
Public Relations.
A, Recreational Uses.
4. During the numerous fair winter days, particularly
weekends, numerous cars of visitors have called at -12-
the refuge headquarters and viewed the 50 to 60 head
of mule deer and white-tail deer that congregate in
the area, during the winter months. Many of these
individuals were interviewed and given refuge informa
tion.
Official visitors and time spent at refuge:
Dr. J. E, Shillinger, Service 24 hr. Dr. F. D. McKenney, Service 70 hr. A, H. Abbott, Forest Service 2 hr, A. 0, Talmage, Service 6 hr. Robert Cooney, State Game Mgr. 2 hr. Brice McBride, Service 5 hr. J. Clark Salyer, II, Service 5 hr. Paul T. Kreager, Service 5 hr, Peter C. Harms, Jr., Service 3 hr. 0, G. Cruikshank, Service 30 hr. Kenneth F. Roahen, Service 3 hr. Victor M. Craig, Service 3 hr. J, Everett Salter, WPA Timekeeper 5 hr. C. J. Lillivig, Forest Service 2 hr. Henry Hinz, l/SPA Officer 2 hr. Andy Briscoe, District WPA Mgr. 1 hr. E. C. Fritz, Mayor of Ronan 3 hr. T. Lommasson, Forest Service 6 hr. R. DeNio, Forest Service 6 hr. C. H. Dexter, Indian Irrigation Service 1 hr. Leo L. Laythe, Service 18 hr. Robert Lambeth, Dep. State Game Warden 2 hr. Chas. M. Smith, WPA General Foreman 4 hr. B. Joe Wilson, WPA Engineer 6 hr.
Meetings attended in official capacity:
Phi Sigma meeting and initiation Montana Wildlife Federation Montana Fish and Game Commission, Helena Montana Fish and Game Commission, Great Falls,
Violations.
No violators of game laws have been apprehended. -13-
V, Economic Uses of Hefuge.
^ E. Fur Harvest/
1. On January 31, shipment was made to the Seattle Fur
Exchange of 34 coyote skins and one bobcat skin.
This included furs taken by refuge personnel through
December 31. We will hereafter make monthly shipments,
"TT. each for the month preceding.
VI, Field Investigation or Applied Research.
A. Further conferences have been had with the Forest Service
officials, in relation to their work on the range survey
here; and such additional useful information as we could
furnish has been made available to them. Recent informa
tion indicates that the range survey report will be avail
able shortly.
VII. Other Items.
B. Photographs.
1. (see following pages) -14-
Views of road realignment and bank sloping in vicinity of office, recently completed under WPA landscaping project. The slopes, which have been covered with a rich topsoil, will be seeded with desirable forage grasses. It is planned to remove most of the un sightly rock wall and replace with a sod terrace. Mule deer at headquarters. Note prong, growing at base of antler on the little buck in the foreground. This fellow had his legs badly injured this winter by going through a cattleguard, but is now recovered, though having two badly scarred legs.
A sleepy three-point mule deer buck, absorbing the sunshine. -16-
nToots,w a bottle baby. While hand-raised this white-tail fawn has never been confined and although she roams at large is a frequent visitor, when she craves such delicacies are are not found in the woods. Now eight months old and a fine animal.
Mule deer buck. Note excellent condition at mid-winter. All of the deer are in a much better condition at this time than they were at the start of winter of 1939-4C. y
-17-
mule,deer buck. looking for a "handout," which he evidently does not need greatly.
A white-tail buck about ready to take off. The white-tails are much more timid than are the mule deer. Although about 20 held are reguiar headquarters visitors, they resent too close approach -18-
Three-point and spike mule deer bucks, looking things over.
A contented four-point mule deer buck, munching a hunk of cotton seed cake. -19-
"Peanuts," a large white-tail yearling with an exceptionally small set of spike horns. He was evidently brought to the Range by some unknown person in the fall of 1939.
A pair of spike mule deer.
•» -20-
Clothes-line posts, replacing the former unsightly ones. A set for each residence is being installed.
New concrete grease and wash ramp, built by VilPA.
** -21-
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