<Jit. A. W. FRANZMANN BIGHORN SHEEP IN IDAHO
,, j~,, i ' '( <Jite BIGHORN SHEEP IN IDAHO ::::::::::::=:::::::::::::=:::::::::::::=:::::::::::::=:::::::::::::=: Jû gtalu4.eïje.::#ü~ an.cl. MaH-cu:;emen.t C,L- - i -- s.!y s-tj! su ' )! ', l 0 0') 0') M N N 0.!).!),... M M r L. By ~~t R. g,uth STATE OF IDAHO Department of Fish and Game Boise, Idaho ARLIS Alaska Resources Library & Information Services Anchorage Alaska
..._ STATE OF IDAHO Department of Fish and Game PARTI The Bighorn Sheep in Idaho Its Status, Life History and Management PART II A Survey of Win ter Ranges along the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and on Adjacent Areas DWIGHT R. SMITH Game Biologist Illustratiol!s by Cecil Smith Wildlife Bulletin No. 954 Prepared and Published Under the Provisions of the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Act, Idaho Project 99-R
FOREWORD. A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE. CONTENTS Page 3 PART INTRODUCTION. THE PROBLEM. 7 9 HISTORY OF BIG HORN IN IDAHO. 20 Early numbers. 20 The initial decline............... 2 Origin of present-day herds. 22 Recent status...... 22 25 25 26 APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM.... Early studies in Idaho. Study methods. BIGHORN HABITAT.... Location Topographical features. Geology Climate. Summer range. Win ter range. Intermediate range. DISTRIBUTION. BIG HORN BEHA VIOR. Seasonal migration Non-migration. Local drifts. Herding characteristics. Daily routine. Reaction to man....... Inter-relationships with other species. REPRODUCTION Sexual development. Courtship and breeding.. Physical effects of the rut. -5-.... 29 29 29 30 3 32 38 39 4 43 43 46 47 48 49 50 52 55 55 56 58
Lambing ranges. Birth and early activities.... FOOD HABITS. Methods of study. General account of food preferences. Mineral requirements.... DISEASE AND PARASITES PREDATORS Page 59 59 62 62 62 67 72 77 Cougar 77 Coyotes. 77 &~. ~ Other predators............................... 80 ACCIDENTAL DEATHS.................. 83 ILLEGAL KILL. THE PRODUCTION PROBLEM.. Sex ratios and age classes. Basic requirements of habitat.................... 90 Significance of life habits................ 92 BIGHORN MANAGEMENT IN IDAHO... 95 Objectives Cens us Control of predators. Salting Hunting Trapping and transplanting. Preservation of wilderness habitat. PART II INTRODUCTION....................... 07 RANGE CONDITION AND TREND STUDIES... 08 Trend in range conditions as determined by the 3 step method.......... 08 An analysis of condition and trend through study of ex clos ures........... 5 BROWSE UTILIZATION STUDY... 23 Twig measurement method. ~...... 23-6- 85 86 86 95 96 98 99 00.... 03... 04
Page Availabiity-and its importance to utilization.... 28 \ Use of browse by species other than big game..30 COVER TYPE MAPPING........32 Methods 33 Open timber type. Browse type. Cliff type. Open grass type.. Waste Summary-cover type mapping. AN AN AL Y SIS OF CARRYING CAP A CITY..36.38 40.. 42 44.44.47 APPENDIX. LITERA TURE CITED..... 49 52-7-
Figure ILLUSTRATIONS. Twenty-four bighorn sheep at the base of a cliff.. 2. Boa ting the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. 3. A granitic type summer range in the Bighorn Crags. 4. A sedimentary type range in the Twin Peaks area west of Challis. 5. Harbor Lakes basin. 6. Aerial view of an area including both win ter and summer bighorn habitat. 8. Stoddard Creek win ter range... Ewes migrating in Dwyer Creek drainage. 2. Sheep, watching approach of man, display curiosity but notfear... 3. Big horn ram with herd of domestic sheep. 4. Lambing range on a southern exposure overlooking the Salmon River.. 6. Snow trenches where bighorn sheep have been pawing through snow to feed. 7. Utilization of balsamroot. 8. Four ewes visit Sammy Gulch salt lick. 9. A "mineral cafeteria". 20. A bighorn ram killed "by hanging" after falling from a 5 foot cliff. 2. Lamb on a ledge. Page 2 27 30 22. A young ram-about ; years old..... 87 24. Good bighorn sheep range along the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.................. 9 25. Big horn Ahead!.. 00 26. Employing 3 step method for measuring trend in range condition....... 09 27. Photographie record for Transect, Cluster9 29. Exclosures on Middle Fork of the Salmon River winter ranges... 6 33. "Hedged" chokecherry. 28 34. An avoided "island" of mountain mahogany...... 28 35. The effects of snow on availability of forage. 29 36. Topography and its relationship to availability..29 37. "Highlined" bitterbrush...29-8- 32 33 34 37 46 5 53 60 65 67 68 70 82 83
Figure Page 38. A complex intersrrersion of cover types common on Middle Fork winter ranges.............. 32 40. Open timber cover type.37 4. Browse cover type... 39 42. Cliff cover type. 4 43. Open grass cover type.. 43 MAPS 9. Distribution of bighorn sheep in Idaho....... 40 0. Estimated bighorn sheep population within the Intensive Study Area............. 42 39. Co ver type map of bighorn winter range along Middle Fork of Salmon River........34-35 GRAPHS 7. Comparison of the vegetation on two slopes within a subalpine range.......... 36 5. Forage classes utilized by bighorn sheep on Salmon River ranges......................... 64 23. Ewe-lamb and ewe-yearling ratios as indicators of productivity of bighorn sheep. 89 28. Correlation of vegetation condition with cover composition, desirability of plants and use......... 4 30. Scale drawings of Cabin Creek Study Plots......... 8 3. Scale drawings of Cow Creek Study Plots.... 9 32. Vegetation changes on Cabin Creek and Cow Creek exclosures and check plots during the past 2 years.. 20 44. Classification of 55,800 acres of usable bighorn winter range........................................ 45 TABLES. Bighorn sheep population estimates for the Salmon National Forest. 24 2. Contents of five bighorn sheep stomachs... 63 3. Bighorn feeding habits as determined by direct observation 66 4. Use by bighorn sheep and deer on different minerais at Short Creek and Sammy Gulch cafeterias.............. 69 5. Parasites found in 229 fecal specimans....... 75-9-
Figure Page 6. Classification of 937 occurrences of food items in 687 coyote droppings collected on Salmon River ranges. 78 7. Summary of 9 bighorn occurrences in 687 coyote droj}- pings........... 78 8. Bighorn sheep sex and age ratios.. 88 9. Composition of primary forage species as determined by 3 step method...................... 0 0. Form and age classes of primary browse species. 2. Desirable browse species and invader plant compared as to favorability of age classes. 3 2. Utilization of browse on Middle Fork of the Salmon River win ter ranges........ 25 3. Comparison of annual growth utilization of browse on a heavily and moderately used range..26 4. Relationship of cover types to area and use as determined by bighorn feeding observations...46-0-
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