state: documents COlLECTiON

lB i r. 1992

MONTANA STATE LIBRARY

1615 E. 6th AVE.
HELENA, MONTANA 59620

PROGRESS REPORT

Montana Mountain Goat Investigations
Along the East Front of the Rocky Mountains
Lewis and Clark National Forest

Prepared By:

Gayle Joslin
Ecological Services Division
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks

In Cooperation With

Lewis and Clark National Forest
USDA Forest Service

March 1981

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

List of Tables . ii

List of Figures iii

Introduction 1

Study Area 2

Methods 2

Results 5

Population Distribution and Abundance 5

Seasonal Use Areas S

Overall Mountain Goat Range 8

Winter Ranges 8

Kidding Areas 22

Breeding Areas 22

Summer Ranges 23

Nursery Areas 23

Mineral Licks 23

Physical Characteristics 24

Individual Movements 24

Habitat Description and Use 56

Seasonal Habitat Selection 56

Vegetation Analysis 56

Management Implications 57

Recommendations 57

Additional Data Needs 64

Literature Cited 66

Appendix 68

i

LIST OF TABLES

Page

.1. Location and classification of mountain goats observed during helicopter

survey of East Front, March 11 and 12, 1981 6

2. Location and classification of mountain goats observed during helicopter
survey of East Front, July 11, 12 and 18, 1981 7

3. Information collected from six mountain goats captured at the Blackleaf

Lick site during July 1981 25

4. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, no. 52. 26

5. Relocations of six-year-old female mountain goat, no. 82 28

6. Relocations of six-year-old female mountain goat, no. 72 30

7. Relocations of five-year-old male mountain goat, no. 85 32

8. Relocations of ten-year-old male mountain goat, no. 23 34

9. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, no. 22 36

10. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 26 38

11. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 30 40

12. Relocations of yearling male mountain goat, no. 13 42

13. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 12 44

14. Relocations of two-year-old male mountain goat, no. 88 46

15. Relocations of three-year-old female mountain goat, no. 14. 48

16. Mountain goats observed along the East Front during 1981, excluding
helicopter surveys 50

17. Habitat information collected during mountain goat helicopter surveys

of the East Front, March and July 1981 52

18. Location and description of mountain goat feeding sites examined during

1981 54

19. Plant species recorded at mountain goat feeding sites from March through
September 1981 58

APPENDIX

Appendix 1. Mountain goat observation form and code sheet. • 68

ii

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

1. East Front mountain goat study area, Lewis and Clark National Forest. 3

2. Locations of mountain goats observed within the East Front study area. 9

3. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981. n

4. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 12

5. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 13

6. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 14

7. MouYitain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 15

8. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 16

9. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 17

10. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 18

11. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 19

12. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 20

13. Mountain goat key winter ranges, nursery areas and minc;ral licks occurring

on the East Front, Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1981 21

M. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, no. 52 27

15. Relocations of six-year-old female mountain goat, no. 82. 29

16. Relocations of six-year-old female mountain goat, no. 72 31

17. Relocations of five-year-old male mountain goat, no. 85. 33

18. Relocations of ten-year-old male mountain goat, no. 23. 35

19. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, no. 22. 37

iii

List of Figures, Continued

Page

20. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 26 39

21. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 30. 41

22. Relocations of yearling male mountain goat, no. 13. - • ., 43

23. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 12 45

24. Relocations of two-year-old male mountain goat, no. 88 47

25. Relocations of three-year-old female mountain goat, no. 14 49

iv

INTRODUCTION

The East Front of Montana's Rocky Mountains is experiencing a surge
of oil and gas exploration activity, as well as recreational demands and
impacts from other commodity extraction. The majority of activity has
occurred along the East Front of the Sawtooth Range - an area rich in
wildlife diversity and abundance, but limited in site-specific information
for individual species. In order to avoid or minimize impacts from
energy exploration and other human activities, both state and federal
agencies felt it was necessary to initiate intensive wildlife studies
along the East Front to gather knowledge about habitat needs and population
status. One species of particular concern is mountain goats, because they
are native to this area and occur entirely on Forest Service land. For
these reasons, the Lewis S, Clark National Forest (LCNF) and Montana Depart-
ment of Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MDFWP) entered into a contract to monitor
mountain goats along the Front and develop management recommendations to
ensure their continued survival where human activities encroach upon
mountain goat range.

Mountain goat research throughout the northwestern United States and
Canada has demonstrated that mountain goats are particularly vulnerable
to human activities. Mountain goat herds have declined or disappeared in
Idaho, Alberta, Montana and British Columbia due to mining (Brandborg 1955,
Pendergast and Bindernagle 1975), logging and road access (Chadwick 1973,
Joslin 1980, Phelps et al . 1975).

Mountain goats are native to the East Front of northern Montana's
Rocky Mountains. The first investigations of this mountain goat population
were conducted by Casebeer et al . in 1950. Aside from occasional aerial
counts of goats by the Montana Department of Fish and Game, no other study
of this population was conducted until 1979 when a graduate thesis (Thompson
1960) was prepared on this herd to provide an update to the early 1950 's
information. A brief follow-up to that endeavor was conducted by Tomasko
(1980) and carried on by Joslin (1981).

Under the auspices of the Rocky Mountain Front Interagency Group,
mountain goat monitoring work was continued in order to address potential
impacts to mountain goats from energy exploration and other human activities.
This report presents preliminary findings of mountain goat monitoring
during 1981. This work was funded by the MDFWP and Forest Service under
contract No. 53-0115-1-57. The goal of this project is to provide recom-
mendations to both wildlife and land managers to minimize human disturbance
upon mountain goats and their habitat. The following objectives are
listed in order to meet this goal:

- delineation of mountain goat seasonal ranges

~ determination of relative population levels and structure

- understanding of mountain goat behavior and population response
when confronted with human disturbance.

This document reports findings to date and outlines areas of additional
needed information. As such, it should be considered a progress report,
and the conclusions and recommendations tentative.

STUDY AREA

The East Front mountain goat study area extends over approximately
600 square miles and is bounded on the south and west by the Sun River
and Continental Divide, and on the north and east by Birch Creek and the
Lewis and Clark National Forest boundary (Figure 1). The area lies approxi-
mately 25 miles west of Choteau, Montana. Major drainages within the
study area include the Sun and Teton rivers, Blackleaf Creek (a tributary
of the Teton) and tributaries of the Marias River including Dupuyer and
Birch creeks. Relief varies from 4,400 feet at the Sun River to 9,392
feet atop Rocky Mountain. A complete description of land types and
climate occurring within the study area as described by Holdorf (1981)
is provided in Thompson (1980) .

METHODS ;

Mountain goat monitoring along the East Front during 1981 included
seasonal helicopter surveys, trapping and marking individual goats,
locating radio-marked animals from the air and ground, food habits analysis
and ground reconnaissance. Mountain goat surveys of the study area were
completed with a Bell helicopter during March and July. All drainages
within the study area were systematically inventoried. All goats were
classified as follows: adult, subadult, kid, yearling, 2-year old,
unclassified, unclassified nonkid (and male or female if possible).
Ground observations were made with the aid of a 7x35 power binocular
and a 15-60 variable power spotting scope.

Mountain goat observations were collected during aerial surveys,-
ground reconnaissance and aerial radio tracking. Locations of all ob-
servations were recorded according to quarter section, township and
range. A list of data was collected from each observation and is pre-
sented in Appendix 1. The code sheet in Appendix 1 describes the data
collected; however, certain items must be further described.

All sign and observations of mountain goats were recorded according
to one of eight terrain types. The following four terms describe rocky
terrain types: cliffs and cirque basins - rock faces several feet in
height; bluffs - benches with rock drop-offs, often in step-like formation;
talus - masses of shale or boulders, generally not capable of supporting
vegetation to climax stage due to instability or poor edaphic features;
broken - those areas which are not bluffs, cliffs or talus, but which
were obviously difficult to traverse because of rocky substrates. If
an area could not be defined by one of the rocky terrain types, then it
was classified as one of the four remaining types, including: ridge -
the line of land separating two drainages; creekbottom - bottom of a

3

drainage or line of land where opposing sidehills meet; park - a non-
timbered flat or sloping area; sidehill - a catch-all term used to
categorize any nonrocky area which would not fit any of the other terrain
types. The talus and park type by definition were not timbered, but the
six remaining terrain types could support any cover type.

Cliff, bluff and broken terrain types provided escape terrain which
is defined as those areas providing maximum terrain security to goats.
The cover type at the immediate site of an observation was assessed
either quantitatively at sample sites of mountain goat use by pacing out
a 1/10 acre circular plot or by making an ocular estimate from the air.
Combinations of cover types were the norm. For example, a site having
all four types would be recorded as timber or timber and shrub, depending
on whether timber in itself was sufficient to conceal a goat. The grass/
forb or rock/bare ground categories did not afford cover and were listed
only if they composed at least 1/3 of the plot area. In lieu of habitat
type, which was not readily available from forest maps, land type was de-
rived from 1:24,000 topographic maps which have been delineated into
land types on the basis of patterns of habitat type (Pfister et al . 1977,
Mueggler and Handl 1978), landform and soil family occurrence according
to Holdorf (1981) . Elevation of observed goats was interpreted from
1:24,000 topographic maps or when flying, the estimated elevation was
derived from the aircraft altimeter. Slope is not listed on the data form
but slope of the terrain for each observation was obtained from a slope
grid used on appropriate topographic maps.

The mountain goat capture and marking program was conducted using a
60x40 foot cannon net set up at the Blackleaf lick site. The net was
hauled to the Blackleaf lick on June 23. Trapping efforts began on
July 10 and terminated September 3. The lick was used regularly by goats
from May through July. Although tlie trap was attended for 2 months,
all goats were captured during 3 days in July. Captured mountain goats
were fitted with either plastic PVC pipe collars containing an AVM radio
transmitter and antennae or a l-inch wide elastic expandable Wildlife
Materials collar with transmitter and antennae attached; the former were
placed on goats 2 years of age and older, while the expandable type were
placed on yearlings. The frequency range was 150.700 through 151.900.
All captured goats were marked with metal ear tags and the following
information was taken: date of capture, tag number(s), transmitter fre-
quency, collar color, sex, age, horn circumference and length, ear length,
rostrum length, neck circumference, shoulder height, chest circumference
and zoological length.

Telemetry tracking of radio-marked animals was generally accomplished
from the air using a Piper Supercub fitted with a rotating belly-mounted
three element Yagi antennae and a TR-2 Telonics receiver-scanner. Ground
tracking was done using a Telonics two element hand-held Yagi antennae.

From March through September, efforts were made to observe foraging
mountain goats in order to locate five feeding sites per month. After
hiking to specific sites, a feeding site exam was conducted which consisted
of laying out 15 2x5 -decimeter frames at 2 meter intervals along the

4

approximate course which the feeding goat took, then recording the
relative canopy coverage of all vegetation species occurring in the
frames. Samples of all vegetation species encountered over the study
period were collected for reference specimens to be used in the identi-
fication of vegetation found in mountain goat fecal samples. Plants
were identified according to Hitchcock and Cronquist (1976] . Five
mountain goat pellet group samples were collected per month from March
through September, and along with vegetation samples were sent to
Montana State University for identification of vegetation in fecal
samples through microhistological methods (Kasworm 1982) .

RESULTS

Population Distribution and Abundance

During 1981, a population of at least 185 mountain goats occurred
from the Sun River to the Badger -Two Medicine divide, west to the Con-
tinental Divide and North Fork Sun River. Although a total of 700 goats
was- observed on the study area from March through October, the greatest
number counted was during March 1981 when all drainages within the study
area were systematically surveyed from a helicopter. The Badger and Two
Medicine areas were not inventoried at that time, however, making the
estimate conservative. During July, even though these drainages were
inventoried, the total number of goats observed was 50 less than during
March. Classification data and location of all goats observed during
March and July are presented in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. The un-
classified component was 11.9 and 9.6 percent of the March and July
survey, respectively. Keeping this in mind, the kid and subadult ratios
must be interpreted cautiously. The kid per 100 nonkid ratio during
March was 32.5 and during July was 25.7. The subadult per 100 adult
ratio was 11.8 in March and 34.7 in July. The high March kid -.nonkid
ratio reflects good survival of the kid component, probably as a result
of the mild 1980-81 winter. The high subadult to adult ratio during
July reflects recruitment of the March kid component into the population.
The relatively good July kid:nonkid ratio may also be a reflection of
the previous mild winter.

The current population levels along the East Front are considerably
lower than those reported by Casebeer et al , (1950) during the late
1940's. Casebeer et al. (1950) estimated over 200 goats in the Teton
drainage alone, as compared to the intensive March 1981 survey when only
63 goats were observed in the same area.

Distribution maps given in Casebeer et al . (1950) reveal a signifi-
cantly broader distribution of goats in the southern portion of the study
area than that which currently exists. Their distribution figures along
the exterior Front, however, from Choteau Mountain to Split Mountain
are more restrictive than now. They also omit from their maps the area
to the north and south of Mount Lockhart where goats were observed during
this study. A refined distribution of mountain goats within the study
area for the 1980 's will be a product of current research.

Table 1. Location and classification of mountain goats observed during
helicopter survey of East Front, March 11 and 12, 1981.

Drainage

s

T

R

Total

Adult

Aault K]

Mt Pnia

SE%

15

28

11

11

8

2 2

Mt. Poia

NE^

22

28

11

4

2

1 1

Fami 1 v Pk

Sk

28

28

11

12

5

2 3

Mt Field

11

28

11

1

1

Mt Richmond

31

28

10

6

4

2

Mt Sentinel

5

27

10

6

4

1 1

Lost Horse

SE%

14

27

10

3

2

1

M Fk Birch

sh

13

27

10

1

1

Mt Drewyer

sw%

17

27

10

5

5

Crooked Mtn

SE%

9

27

10

13

5

1 3

Mt Drewyer

20

27

10

3

2

1

Pinto Cr

NW%

29

27

10

3

3

Crazy Cr

3

26

10

2

1

1

South Cr

sw%

31

27

9

2

2

Hoy Gul ch

32

27

9

1

1

Walling Reef

NE%

7

27

9

2

2

Walling Reef

17

27

9

2

1

1

Ear Mtn

19

24

9

4

3

1

N Fk Deep Cr

NE%

12

23

9

2

1

1

Miners Basin

SWJ4

9

23

9

4

2

2

Ftti ^ i nn Hi 1 1 f*Ti

15

23

9

1

1

16

23

9

1

1

9WJ^

?4

q

4

2

1

12

22

9

1

1

ii-LiLV-rXiO LJ J- IL

5

23

9

2

2

iiXli^X J iJCl-.DJ.il

<J 2

29

24

9

7

4

2

2

30

24

9

2

2

Hda Pass

2

19

24

9

15

4

rvcL y v_j X

14

24

10

1

1

Old Baldv

NW3-4

7

24

9

10

5 ■

2

PVi n "f p p n Mt" T\

12

25

9

11

8

1 2

I'll, Werner

1 /I

ZD

1

1

1
x

Mt Frazier

NE%

15

26

9

4

2 ■

1

Fright Cr

NW%

8

26

9

6

4

1 1

Old Man/ Hills

4

26

9

5

4 ■

1

Old Man/Hills

33

27

9

5

3

1 1

Bruce Cr

3%

13

26

9

6

4

2

Bruce Cr

15

26

10

2

2

Bruce Cr

Nis

15

26

10

1

1

Jones Cr

4

25

9

7

3

1 3

Mt Wright

SWJ?

36

26

10

1

1

Mt Lockhart

12

25

10

2

1

1

N Fk Teton

30

25

9

2

2

Sub-

Uncl

11

6

Table 2. Location and classification o£ mountain goats observed during
helicopter survey of East Front, July 11, 12 and 18, 1981.

Location

Drainage

S

T(N)

R(W)

Total

A J. , 1 -4-

Aaui L

JS-i-U

Family Pk

SE%

28

28

11

3

1

1

1

Mt Field

SE%

2

27

11

1

Mt Field

NEh

11

27

11

2

1

1

Mt Drewyer

SW%

21

27

11

5

2

Pat Gass

SW%

3

26

10

1

Bum Shot

mh

26

27

10

1

1

Walling Reef

SW%

16

27

9

2

Walling Reef

mk

17

27

9

1

1

Walling Reef

SE%

20

27

9

6

2

1

1

Walling Reef

SEk

20

27

9

5

2

1

N Fk Dupuyer

SW%

36

27

10

2

■4

Old Man/Hills

SE%

33

27

9

3

1

1

S Fk Dup.uyer

SE54

8

26

9

6

2

2

Z

S Fk Dupuyer

SE%

8

26

9

2

1

I

S Fk Dupuyer

SW%

8

26

9

7

2

3

1

Mt Werner

NE%

22

26

9

2

1

1

Choteau Mt

NE%

35

26

9

2

1

1

Choteau Mt

NE%

35

26

9

1

1

Choteau Mt

NE%

13

25

9

9

4

3

2

Pat Gass

mk

10

26

10

1

1

S Fk Nanny

SW%

10

26

10

1

1

S Fk Nanny

mk

14

26

10

2

1

1

Mt Wright

NE%

27

26

10

2

2

Mt Wright

nej^

27

26

10

3

3

Mt Wright

NE%

27

26

10

2

2

Mt Wright

SW^^

27

26

10

1

1

Mt Lockhart

11

25

10

7

5

Waldron Cr

SW%

14

25

10

4

3

I

Cave Mtn

SEk

22

25

9

2

1

I

Cave Mtn

SEk

22

25

9

1

1

Rocky Mtn

sw%

20

24

9

4

2

2

Ear Mtn

13

24

9

1

1

Limestone Cr

sw%

15

28

11

1

1

Scar Face

NE%

21

28

11

4

1

2

1

Scar Face

NE%

16

28

11

2

1

1

Morning Star

9

28

11

2

1

1

Scar Face

svk

15

28

11

1

1

Spotted Eagle

7

28

11

3

2

1

Spotted Eagle

18

28

11

4

2

2

Spotted Eagle

18

28

11

6

3

1

2

Spotted Eagle

18

28

11

1

1

Curly Bear

7

28

11

3 .

1

1

1

Badger Cr

nh

5

28

12

3

1

1

1

Slim Gulch

35

24

9

2

1 •

1

S Fk Teton

: Eh

28

24

9

2

2

S Fk Teton

18

24

9

9

8

1

1

2

Distribution of mountain goats within the East Front study area
favors the central and northern portions, as illustrated in Figure 2.
Although the land area which is drained by Deep Creek and Sun River
accounts for roughly the southern 30 percent of the study area, less
than 16 and 2 percent of the goats observed during aerial surveys were
noted in these drainages. The Badger Creek and Two Medicine River
drainages were not surveyed during March 1981, but 93 goats were ob-
served in the two most northerly drainages which were inventoried
(Dupuyer and Birch creeks). In comparison, 90 goats were observed in
the Dupuyer, Birch and Badger drainages during July 1981. Goats were
not observed in the Two Medicine drainage during the July survey.

Although poor flying conditions exist during winter, aerial surveys
at this time appear to provide the most accurate census information.
Tracks in the snow often lead observers to goats which would not other-
wise be observed. Summer surveys may be less efficient in counting
goats, since goats tend to seek timber or shrub cover to escape the heat.

Seasonal Use Areas

Overall Mountain Goat Range

Overall mountain goat range includes all seasonal use areas, as
well as the land area in between. As such, overall mountain goat range
along the northern portion of the East Front is synonymous with the de-
scribed study area. Within overall mountain goat range, mountain goats
may be expected to occur at any given location at some time during the
year. Six seasonal use areas should be described and mapped if mountain
goat habitats and needs are to be properly managed. These seasonal use
areas include winter range, kidding areas, breeding areas, summer range,
nursery areas and mineral licks.

Throughout the following discussion, the term "key" is used to ,
emphasize those portions of mountain goat range on which goats concentrate
at some time during the year. The kidding and breeding areas are key
use areas which generally occur within winter range, while the nursery
areas and mineral licks are key use areas which occur within summer range.
Seasonal use areas have been delineated to the extent that they are
known. Winter range, nursery areas and mineral licks have been tentatively
identified from ground reconnaissance, helicopter surveys and tracking of
12 radio-marked goats.

Winter Range

Winter ranges on the East Front study area were defined on the basis
of the March 1981 helicopter survey and radio locations of collared
individuals. Aerial photo and topographic map interpretation will be
necessary to more distinctly define known key winter range and identify
probable winter range. Currently, 20 ranges are known to support wintering
goats. Areas delineated in Figures 3-13 are based on observations of 159
goats, on relocations of 2 radio-marked goats and on aspect and slope criteria.

8

PARALLiEL

^^ Goat ^ ^.^Z'

a iF^uriqing Owl

^ -I

i' 36 ] Veather^Woman

I

■ ^ -// —

, . ^ , U^ 'jsi, ';i*fi

\ y„ iii, J Cruiser'^ J i

I

Ml .

: Warner ) j

Figure 2. Locations of mountain goats observed within the East Front study area

during the March (circles) and July (squares) 1981, helicopter surveys.

RiOW R9W

Figure 2, continued.

10

Figure 3. Mountain goat key winter range, nursery areas and mineral licks

occurring on the East Front, Lewis ^ Clark National Forest 1981.

J.' Mapped, ediled. anO published by ihB Geological Survfly ^ SCALE 1 Jfl 000 -V

Figure 4. Mountain goat key winter range, nursery areas and mineral licks

occurring on the East Front, Lewis & Clark National Forest 1981.

12

Mapped eOiled anu (n;hliihpd hy tuc Geological Survey I SCALE j

Figure 5. Mountain goat key winter range, nursery areas and mineral licks

occurring on the East Front, Lewis f, Clark National Forest 1981.

Meoped, edited, and Dubltshed by |he GeOloeical Survey

Figure 6 . Mountain goat key winter range, nursery areas and mineral licks

occurring on the East Front, Lewis 5 Clark National Forest 1981.

14

Figure 8. Mountain goat key winter range, nursery areas and mineral licks

occurring on the East Front, Lewis S Clark National Forest 1981.

Figure 9. Mountain goat key winter range, nursery areas and minerai licks

occurring on the East Front, Lewis 5 Clark National Forest 1981.

GLOLeXJItAL KUKVi-Y

tJCW-APHUl

scAir I ?.inoo

( 1

Figure 10. Mountain goat key winter range, nursery areas and mineral licks
occurring on the East Front, Lewis fi Clark National Forest 1981.

Although 185 goats were observed during the March survey, only those
animals which appeared to be using a defined area were used to outline
key winter range. The average group size of wintering goats was 8.8.
Nine groups were comprised of 4-7 goats, while nine groups were comprised
of 10-15 goats. The remaining 26 goats which are not accounted for were
observed along ridges in groups of 1 or 2, These goats were thought to
be moving between areas, which would have been possible during the mild
winter of 1980-81. Within each of the major drainages of the study area,
the following numbers of key winter ranges are known to occur: Birch
Creek 6, Dupuyer Creek 3, Teton River 8, Deep Creek 2, Sun River 1.
The average group size for each of these areas is 10.5, 9.0, 9.0, 4.0 and
7.0, respectively. The Old Baldy, Rocky Mountain, Miners Basin and Deep
Creek ranges were identified on the basis of individual wintering groups,
although in Figures 9 and 11 they were fused together to form one large
wintering complex. The Mount Richmond and Mount Sentinel ranges were
also fused together (Figures 3 and 4). This information reveals that
not only are the greatest number of winter ranges in the north portion
of the study area, but also that these areas support the majority of
wintering goats. This is not to say that the southern portion of the
study area is not good goat habitat, however. The fact that prior to
the 1970 's, the area south of the Teton River received significant
hunting and trapping pressure contributed to the overall population decline
of the Continental Divide mountain goat herd. In 1948, Brandborg (1950)
counted 110 goats in the South Fork Teton and Deep Creek drainages, which
is significantly more than were observed during this study. Trapping
from the Deep Creek herd has not occurred since 1970, and this area has
been closed to mountain goat hunting for several years, so continued
monitoring of the southern portion of the study area will indicate
whether this herd is recuperating.

Kidding Areas

Kidding areas will be particularly difficult to locate, because,
groups of goats dissipate during the parturition period as females seek
solitude in remote, extremely rugged portions of their home range. Females
remain at or near the birth site from 1-2 weeks after the young are born.
Smith (1976) indicates that kidding takes place on winter range, although
a given female may not necessarily use her winter range for kidding - she
may move to a different area specifically to give birth. Chadwick (1973)
felt that certain areas were traditionally used during kidding. Since
parturition occurs during approximately a 4-week period from mid-May to
mid-June, and because females adopt a solitary existence in particularly
rugged terrain, it may require several years to identify most kidding
areas. It is predicted that several will be found on the steep, broken,
north faces of the major peaks within the study area.

Breeding Areas

It has not been determined whether specific breeding areas exist,
but if they do, helicopter surveys conducted during the November-December
rutting period should identify them. Goats tend to form large groups

during the breeding period (Brandborg 1950) and since males are attending
females, sex ratios are best determined at this time of year. Unfortunately,
high winds and inclement weather are the norm during November and December,
making surveys difficult.

Summer Range

All primary ridges within the study area are considered to be key
summer-transitional range, because portions of them are not only used for
daily activities, but the system of ridges as a whole provides major travel
corridors between seasonal ranges. Because of their ubiquitous distribu-
tion and dendritic pattern, ridges are not outlined on the attached figures,
but they are summer range and they should be managed accordingly. All
nursery areas constitute key summer range, and those which have been
identified are delineated. ^ ^

Nursery Areas ^

Nursery areas are defined as those portions of overall goat range
which were used from June through October by groups of goats containing
at .least one young-of-the-year . Thirteen nursery areas identified through
aerial surveys and ground reconnaissance are shown in Figures 3-13.
Of the 13 known nursery areas, 3, 4, 5 and 1 occurred in the Birch,
Dupuyer, Teton and Deep Creek drainages, respectively.

Past distribution of nursery areas indicates that the southern portion
of the study area contains important nursery habitat, even though only one
nursery area has been identified during the present study. Brandborg (1950),
during a June-July 1948 survey, counted 87 goats quite evenly distributed
over the area from the Sun River north to the South Fork Teton, and east
of the Deep Creek-Sun River divide. Brandborg (1950) and Martin (1969)
observed nursery groups in the area between North Fork Deep Creek and South
Fork Teton, but in 1979 Thompson (1980) did not make similar observations.
In the southern portion of the study area, during the present study, only
a single nanny and kid were observed in the North Fork Deep Creek during
July. Another nanny and kid were observed in the southern portion of
the study area at the junction of Billie Creek and the North Fork Deep
Creek. The area was not considered a nursery area because the observation
was made during March.

Mineral Licks

Eight known mineral licks occur on the study area, and are identified
in Figures 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11. They include North Fork Deep Creek, Head-
quarters Pass, Our Lake, Frenchy Gulch, Blindhorse Gulch, Blackleaf Creek,
South Fork Dupuyer and Walling Reef. During this study, goat use was ob-
served at the Blackleaf and South Fork Dupuyer lick sites. Although ob-
servations were not made at the remaining six sites, all are known to be
used by goats (Thompson 1980 and pers. com., McCarthy pers. comm.,
McLucas pers. comm.). Capture data during this study and Thompson's (1980)
study, as well as information from numerous researchers (Hebert 1967,
McCrory 1965, DeBock 1970), indicate that adult males are likely to use
licks during spring and early summer while females and young frequent licks
during summer after parturition.

Other mineral licks undoubtedly occur on the study area, particularly
in the less observable interior portions of the area, but additional recon-
naissance will be needed to locate them.

Physical Characteristics

Measurements of six goats captured during July are presented in Table
3. Casebeer et al. (1950) cites the average kidding period to be between
May 15 and June 6. Based on an average date of June 1, the ages listed
in Table 3 are minimums and may be 1 month younger than the actual age.
Comparison of measurements from each age group with measurements taken ,
from Montana mountain goats by Brandborg (1950) are very similar. Horn
lengths 'and circumference of 13 to 14 month old goats measured during this
study were sligl^tly larger than similar measurements from 12 month old
goats taken by Brandborg (1950) . Comparison of the four yearlings captured
during this study show that measurements of the male were nearly always
larger than those of the three females. In body size, the 3-year old fe-
male was consistently larger than the 2-year old male; however, comparison
of horn circumference and length shows the male's horns to be slightly
larger. Neck circumference is not comparable, since the six animals
were at various stages of molt.

Individual Movements

In addition to the six goats which were captured during 1981, six
other goats which had been marked from the previous 2 years were also
followed. A total of 165 radio locations was collected during 1981 on
these 12 marked individuals. During 1980, 52 relocations of the first
six goats were obtained by Tomasko and Olson (Tomasko 1980) . These data
were recorded along with those obtained during 1981 in Tables 4-15.
These tables correspond to Figures 14-25, which depict each relocation
chronologically. A discussion of each goat's movements, with information
provided for 1979 and early 1980 provided by Thompson (1980), follows:

Female mountain goat number 52 was captured June 27, 1979 as a 3-year
old. She used the Blackleaf lick during June and/or July during each of
3 years. Her home range occurred along the line of peaks from Mount
Frazier to Werner Peak south along Choteau Mountain (Table 4 and Figure
14) . Summer use tended to be concentrated along the north end of Choteau
Mountain, while winter use occurred along the ridgeline and the southern
end of the mountain. The 1981 kidding period was spent on the east face
of the rugged peaks north of Choteau Mountain. The breeding period was
spent in the same area.

Male mountain goat number 85 was captured July 14, 1979 as a 3-year
old. His movements seem to have shifted^ from 1979 when he used the Muddy
Creek, Jones Creek and Choteau Mountain areas, to 1980 when he appeared
to be making a transition northward. By 1981 his center of activity was
around Walling Reef and west to Bruce Creek (Table 7 and Figure 17). He
used the Blackleaf lick during July of all 3 years. Rutting period move-
ments during 1979 and 1980 were in the Muddy and Jones Creek drainages and
along the east face of Choteau Mountain. A single. November 1981 location
was on Walling Reef.

#

Table 3. Information

collected from

six mountain

goats captured

at the Blackleaf

lick site during

July, 1981.

Date captured

7/10

7/20

7/20

7/27 ,

7/27

7/27

Ear Tag Right
Ear Tag Left

A 10573

A 6264
A 6265

A 10554

A 10574

A 10553

Collar Color

■l\ihite
Expandable

Black

Expandable

Red

Expandable

Green

Expandable

Red § Yellow
PVC Pipe

Red 5 Yellow
PVC Pipe

Sex

Female

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Age

13 Months

13 Months

13 Months

13 Months

25 Months

37 Months

Horn Circumfer-
ence 1/

Right

Left

3.00
3.00

3.25
3. 00

3.50
3.00

2.75
2. 75

4.125
4 . 125

4.00

3.75 ■ -'

Horn Length
Right
Left

4.00
4. 00

5.00
4.75

5.50
5. 00

4.00
4. 00

8.00
8.00

8.00
7. 75

Ear Length

4. 00

4.25

4.25

4. 00

4.25

5 . 00

Rostrum Length

6. 75

7.00

6. 75

7. 625

9. 75

Neck Circumfer-
ence

12 . 00

10. 50

12.50

9. 25

14.00

13. 00

Shoulder Height

25. 00

26. 00

27.00

24.00

28.00

32.75

Chest Circumfer-
ence

28. 00

26.50

34.50

38.00

Zoological Length

35. 00

39. 00

40. 00

37.00

38.00

47.00

1/ All measurements are in inches.

Table 4. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, no. 52

Relocation

Location

NO .

Date

Drainage

b

T

R

X

7 / 1 n / Q n
// J.U/ SU

Muddy Creek

/ /

26

9

•5

7/71 /on

Mt Frazier

1 n
lU

Zb

9

X

o/ oU/ OU

S Fk Dupuyer

iU

Zb

9

A

y/ 1 o/ o u

DiacKiear L.r

XD

ZD

9

c

y/ ^ u/ o u

IN 1 ri. it? LUIi

1 7

Zu

y

O/ H-/ OX

LjIlULCcLLl 1*1 Lll

1 ■?
i 0

9 R
ZD

y

7

J/ c^O 1 OX

LfllULCctLl IM Lll/ U J- dX y L^OUXtJc

9

ZO

y

s
o

o/ Z. / / O X

1"* Vi f~\ "t* £5 o 1 1 Ayl"l"n

i_<noLcd.u ivitn

9/1

9 C

Zb

9

9

J / J/ o ±

Mnrlrlv r*T*
rltlvJLly L*X

Z D

9^;
ZD

y

10

6/11/81

M FV RT T Ti rill nT*c; p

o o

9fi
Z D

0

11

6/18/81

N Fk Blindhorse

35

26

9

12

7/ 5/81

N Fk Blindhorse

36

26

9

13

7/10/81

Choteau Mtn

12

25

9

14

1/2Z/%1

Mt Frazier

SE 10

26

9

15

Ill's/?.!

Mt Frazier

SE 10

26

9

16

8/ 5/81

Square Top

26

26

9

17

8/19/81

Muddy Cr

26

26

9

18

9/ 8/81

Muddy Cr

26

26

9

19

9/27/81

Muddy Cr

26

26

9

20

10/10/81

Mt Werner

SE 22

26

9

21

10/22/81

Blindhorse

36

26

9

22

11/13/81

Jones Cr

SW 26

26

9

N

T
26
N

T

25
N

Figure 14. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, no. 52

Table 5. Relocations o£ six-year-old female mountain goat, no. 82.

Relocation

No. Date

1 7/10/80

2 7/31/80

3 8/30/80

4 9/26/80

5 10/3 /80

6 10/28/80

7 11/12/80

8 11/24/80

9 1/ 3/81

10 2/28/81

11 3/27/81

12 5/ 3/81

13 ■ 5/24/81

14 6/11/81

15 6/19/81

16 7/10/81

17 7/23/81

18 8/ 4/81

19 8/19/81

20 9/ 2/81

21 9/ 8/81

22 10/10/81

23 10/22/81

24 11/13/81

Drainage

Blackleaf Lick
Blackleaf Cr
Blackleaf Cr
Rival Cr
S Fk Dupuyer Cr
E Fk/N Fk Teton
Rival Cr
Rival Cr
Mt Frazier
Massey Cr
Choteau/N Fk Teton
N Fk Teton
N Fk Teton
N Fk Teton
Mt Frazier
Blackleaf Lick
Mt Frazier
South Cr
Blackleaf Cr
Massey Cr

Massey Cr/Jones Cr
N Fk Teton
Fright Cr
Fright Cr

Location

S T R

10

26

9

15

26

9

15

26

9

17

26

9

8

26

9

26

9

16

26

9

16

26

9

10

26

9

NW

33

26

9

25

25

9

19

26

9

19

26

9

19

26

9

10

26

9

11

26

9

SE

10

26

9

6

26

9

SE

16

26

9

4

25

9

NE

19

26

9

18

26

9

NW

18

26

9

28

Figure 15. Relocations of six-year-old female mountain goat, no, 82,

Table 6. Relocations of six-year-old female mountain goat, No. 72.

Relocation Location

No.

Date

Drainage

S

T

R

1

7/10/80

S Fk Dupuyer

10

26

9

2

7/31/80

Blackleaf Lick

11

26

9

3

8/30/80

Blackleaf Cr

15

26

9

4

9/13/80

Blackleaf Cr

15

26

9

5

9/26/80

N Fk Teton

17

26

9

6

10/ 3/80

N Fk Teton

17

26

9

7

10/28/80

Rival Cr

9

26

9

8

11/12/80

E Fk/N Fk Teton

28

26

9

9

11/24/80

Muddy Cr

21

26

9

10

1/ 3/81

Mt. Frazier

10

26

9

11

2/28/81

Nanny Cr

SE

1

26

10

12

3/10/81

Blackleaf Cr/Mt Frazier

NW

15

26

9

13

3/27/81

S Fk Dupuyer

5

26

9

14

5/ 3/81

N Fk Teton

19

26

9

15

6/11/81

Mt Frazier

10

26

9

16

6/19/81

Mt Frazier

10

26

9

17

7/10/81

Mt Frazier

10

26

9

18

7/20/81

Mt Frazier

SE

10

26

9

19

7/23/81

Mt Frazier

SE

10

26

9

20

8/ 5/81

Rival Cr

16

26

9

21

8/19/81

Blackleaf Cr

SE

16

26

9

22

9/ 2/81

Massey Cr

23

9/ 8/81

Blackleaf

16

26

9

24

9/27/81

S Fk Dupuyer

5

26

9

25

10/10/81

N Fk Teton

NE

19

26

9

26

10/22/81

Mt Frazier

SE

10

26

9

27

11/13/81

Rival Cr

17

26

9

30

Figure 16. Relocations of six-year-old female mountain goat, no- 72.

Table 7. Relocations of five-year-old male mountain goat. No. 85.

KeiocdLion

Location

NO .

Ucll-C

UI ct XI icl^C

o

T

R

1
i

1^1 u rxcLZiXcx

11

X X

26

9

0

7/ 1 n/RD

Rlaclcleaf Cr

15

26

9

J

7/ '^1 /Rf)

N Flc DiiTinvpT

J, 1 IV LJ U- M

16

27

9

A
t

8/30/80

Massev Cr

33

26

9

C

Q/?fi/8n

N Fk Teton

17

26

9

0

in/ ■^/sn

N Flc Tptnn

8

26

9

7

1 f)/?R/8n

1 1 1 n cr Rpp"f

iVCtXXXli^ ivct-x

20

27

9

o

11/ Q/sn

PVlOt'Pfill M1"T1

12

25

9

Q

1 1 /I 1 /RD

12

25

9

1 0

11/24/80

XX/ ^T/

rhoteaii Mtn

20

25

9

11

1/ 3/81

Old Man of the Hills

33

27

9

1 ?

7/?8/R1

/ c.\J 1 OX

NW 20

27

9

1

'^/l D/RI
o/ X u/ ox

M niTmivPT*

IN 1 iV U "-H U-^ G X

SW 21

27

9

1 d
It

Of £^ 1 1 OX

rV CLX X XX LX iXCiC; X

21-28

27

9

%j } Oj O X

W^i 1 1 1 n CT Rpp"f

IICLXXXIX^ I v*-- C -1-

SW 21

27

9

16

5/24/81

Bum Shot Mtn

22

27

10 ■

17

6/11/81

Bruce Cr

13

26

10

18

7/10/81

Mt Frazier

10

26

9

19

7/23/81

Walling Reef

NE 20

27

9

20

8/ 4/81

Old Man of the Hills

33

27

9

21

8/19/81

Walling Reef

W 21

27

9

22

8/22/81

Walling Reef

E 20

27

9

23

9/ 8/81

Walling Reef

E 20

27

9

24

9/27/81

N Fk Teton

20

26

9

25

10/10/81

Bruce Cr

NE 22

26

10

26

10/22/81

S Fk Nanny Cr

NE 14

26.

10

27

11/13/81

Walling Reef

SE 20

27

9

32

Figure 17. Relocations of five-year-old male mountain goat, no. 85.

Table 8. Relocations of ten-year-old male mountain goat, No. 23

Relocation Location

No.

Date

Drainage

S

T

R

1

7/10/80

S Fk Dupuyer

10

26

9

2

7/31/80

S Fk Dupuyer

10

26

9

3

8/30/80

Mt Frazier

10

26

9

4

9/26/80

Cave Mtn/N Fk Teton

21

25

9

S

10/ 3/80

N Fk Teton

21

25

9

6

11/12/80

Blackleaf Cr

8

26

9

7

• • 11/24/80

Rival Cr

16

26

9

8

1/ 3/81

Mt Frazier ' . ■

10

26

9

9

2/28/81

Jones Cr

NE 15

25

9

10

3/10/81

N Fk Teton/Cave Mtn

NW,SW23

25

9

11

3/24/81

N Fk Teton/Cave Mtn

NW,SW23

25

9

12

3/27/81

N Fk Teton/Cave Mtn

NW,SW23

25

9

13

4/10/81

N Fk Teton/Cave Mtn

NW 26

25

9

14

5/ 3/81

S Fk Teton/Mill Falls

NE,SW 4

24

9

15

5/24/81

S Fk Teton

34

25

9

16

6/11/81

Cave Mtn

22

25

9

17

6/19/81

Cave Mtn

NE,SE22

25

9

18

7/10/81

Blackleaf Lick

11

26

9

19

7/23/81

S Fk Dupuyer/Mt Frazier

SW 10

26

9

20

8/ 4/81

Mt Frazier

10

26

9

21

8/19/81

Rival Cr

SE 16

26

9

22

9/ 2/81

Cave Mtn

NE 22

25

9

23

9/ 8/81

Cave Mtn

22

25

9

24

9/27/81

N Fk Teton

33

26

9

25

10/10/81

Cave Mtn

22

25

9

10/22/81

Cave Mtn

SE 22

25

9

34

Figure 18. Relocations o£ ten-year-old male mountain goat, no. 23.

Table 9. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, No. 22.

Relocation Location

No.

Date

Drainage

S

T

R

1

7/24/80

S Fk Teton

18

24

9

2

7/29/80

S Fk Teton

18

24

9

3

7/31/80

S Fk Teton

7

24

9

4

8/30/80

S Fk Teton

7

24

9

5

9/ 9/80

Biggs Cr

19

24

9

6

9/10/80

Biggs Cr

18

24

9

7

9/26/80

Biggs Cr

18

24

9

8

10/ 3/80

Biggs Cr

19

24

9

9

10/28/80

Biggs Cr

19

24

9

10

11/ 3/80

Biggs Cr

19

24

9

11

11/12/80

Biggs Cr

20

24

9

12

11/24/80

Biggs Cr

20

24

9

13

1/ 3/81

Miners Cr

SW 33

24

9

14 ,

2/28/81

Miners Cr

NW 33

24

9

15

3/10/81

Miners Basin/Rocky Mtn

NW,NW33

24

9

16

3/27/81

Miners Basin/Rocky Mtn

31

24

9

17

5/ 3/81

Billie Cr

NW 1

23

9

18

5/24/81

Billie Cr

NW 36

24

9

19

6/11/81

Miners Basin

29

24

9

20

7/10/81

Headquarters Pass

NW 20

24

9

21

7/23/81

Rocky Mtn

NW 20

24

9

22

8/ 5/81

Rocky Mtn i

NW 20

24

9

23

8/19/81

Headquarters Pass

19

24

9

24

9/ 8/81

Rocky Mtn

SW 20

24

9

25

10/10/81

Headquarters Pass

NE 20

24

9

26

10/22/81

N Fk Deep Cr

33

24

9

27

11/13/81

Rocky Mtn

NE 30

24

9

36

RlOW

R8W

Figure 19. Relocations of five-year-old female mountain goat, no. 22.

Table 10. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat. No. 26.

Relocation

Location

No.

Date

Drainage

b

1

K

1

7/10/81

Blackleaf Lick

11

26

9

2

7/23/81

Blackleaf Cr

1 r
iD

ZD

Q

3

8/ 5/81

Massey Cr/JonesvCr

NW

33

26

9

4

8/11/81

Frazier Mtn

10

26

9

S

8/12/81

Frazier Mtn

10

26

9

6

8/13/81

Frazier Mtn

15

26

9

7

8/19/81

Massey Cr

NW

4

25

9

8

9/ 8/81

Massey Cr/Jones Cr

4

25

9

9

9/27/81

Waldron Cr

24

24

10

10

10/10/81

Mt Lockhart

SE

14

25

10

11

10/22/81

Mt Lockhart

NE

14

25

10

12

11/13/81

Mt Lockhart

SE

14

25

10

38

Figure 20. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 26.

Table 11. Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 30.

Relocation Location

No.

Date

Drainage

S

T

R

1

7/20/81

Mt Frazier

11

26

9

2

7/23/81

Mt Frazier/ Black leaf

NE 16

26

9

3

8/ 5/81

Massey Cr/ Jones Cr

NW 33

26

9

4

8/19/81

Massey Cr

NW 4

25

9

5

9/ 2/81

Massey Cr/Jones Cr

33-34

26

9

6

9/ 8/81

Massey Cr/Jones Cr

33-34

26

9

7

9/27/81

N Fk Teton

4

25

9

8

10/10/81

Massey Cr

NE 32

26

9

9

10/22/81

Massey Cr

SE 28

26

9 .

10

11/13/81

Massey Cr

NE 33

26

9

40

Figure 21. Relocations

of yearling female mountain goat, no. 30.

Table 12. Relocations of yearling male mountain goat, Jio- 13.

Relocation

No. Date Drainage

1

7/20/81

2

7/23/81

3

8/ 4/81

4

8/19/81

5

8/23/81

6

9/ 2/81

7

9/ 8/81

8

10/10/81

9

10/22/81

10

11/13/81

Mt Frazier

S Fk Dupuyer

S Fk Dupuyer

Mt Frazier

Mt Frazier

Jones Cr/Massey Cr

Mt Werner

S Fk Dupuyer

Hoy Gulch

Mt Frazier

Location

S

T

R

11

26

9

NE

5

26

9

NW

5

26

9

SE

10

26

9

10

26

9

33-

■34

25

9

22

26

9

NW

5

26

9

SE

31

27

9

NE

16

26

9

42

Figure 22. Relocations of yearling male mountain goat, no. 13.

Table 13. Relocations o£ yearling female mountain goat, no. 12.

Relocation
No.

Date

Drainage

S

Location

T

R

1

7/27/81

Mt Frazier

11

26

9

2

8/ 5/81

Massey Cr/ Jones Gr

NW

33

26

9

3

8/11/81

Frazier Mtn

15

26

9

4

8/19/81

Massey Cr

NW

4

25

9

5

9/ 2/81

Massey Cr/Jones Cr

33-

■34

25

9

6

9/ 8/81

Massey Cr/Jones Cr

33-

■34

25

9

7

9/27/81

N Fk Teton

4

25

9

8

10/10/81

Massey Cr

NE

32

26

9

9

10/22/81

Massey Cr

SE

28

26

9

44

Figure 23.

Relocations of yearling female mountain goat, no. 12.

Table 14. Relocations of two-year-old male mountain goat, no. 88.

Relocation
No.

Date

Drainage

Location
S T

R

1

7/27/81

Blackleaf Lick

11

26

9

2

8/ 4/81

Mt Frazier

15

26

9

3

8/ 5/81

Mt Frazier

15

26

9

4

8/ 5/81

Mt Frazier

15

26

9

5

8/18/81

Mt Frazier

15

26

9

6

8/19/81

Mt Frazier

NW 15

26

9

7

8/23/81

Blackleaf Cr

NW 22

26

9

8

9/ 2/81

Muddy Cr/Jones Cr/ Teton

27

26

9

9

9/ 8/81

Blackleaf Cr

22

26

9

10

9/27/81

Walling Reef

17

27

9

11

10/10/81

Canyon Cr

NE 19

27

9

12

10/22/81

Walling Reef

SE 20

27

9

13

11/13/81

Walling Reef

NW 17

27

9

46

Figure 24. Relocations of two-year-old male mountain goat, no. 88.

Table 15. Relocations of three-year-old female mountain goat, no. 14.

Relocation Location

No.

Date

Drainage

S

T

R

1

7/27/81

Mt Frazier

11

26

9

2

8/ 5/81

Massey Cr/Jones Cr

NW 33

26

9

3

8/11/81

Frazier Mtn

15

26

9

4

8/19/81

Massey Cr

NW 4

25

9

5

9/ 2/81

Massey Cr/Jones Cr

33-34

26

9

6

9/ 8/81

Mt Werner

N 22

26

9

7

9/27/81

N Fk Teton

4

25

9

8

10/10/81

Massey Cr

32

26

9

9

10/22/81

Massey Cr

SE 28

26

9

10

11/13/81

Massey Cr

NE 33

26

9

48

Figure 25.

Relocations of three-year-old female mountain goat, no. 14.

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Table 17. Habitat information collected during mountain goat helicopter surveys
of the East Front, March and July, 1981.

March July

1981 1981

CLASSIFICATION Ij

Total 185 135

Adult 110 72

Subadult 13 25

Kid 40' 25

Unclassified 22 13

SLOPE 21

70 % or less 42 30

80 % 39 53

90 % or greater 19 17

ELEVATION TJ

6,000-6,500 ft 1

6,600-7,000 ft 13 4

7,100-7,500 ft 16 33

7,600-8,000 ft 39 44

Over 8,000 ft 31 19

ASPECT 21

N ^ .3 17

NE 3 8

E 9 38

SE 6 6

S 26 13

SW 13 10

W 35 7

NW 5 2

LAND TYPE

VI Peaks, cirques 54 23

Vila Very steep, N, forested 1 2

18 Scree 3 2

182 PSME/ARUV . 4 . 1

202 Rockland 38 72

TERRAIN TYPE 2/, 3_/

Bluffs ' ■ 7

Cliffs 33 52

Cirque headwalls 2

Talus 52 33

Broken 9 4

Ridge 14 6

Park . 13

Sidehill 3 32

52

Table 17, Continued.

COVER TYPE 21 , Ij

Timber 29 32

Shrub 1 1

Grass/Porb 21 22

Rock/ Bare ground 52 73

DISTANCE TO TlfffiBR 2j

Less than 10 yd 29 28

10-50 yd 3

50-100 yd 14

Over 100 yd 71 55

DISTANCE TO ESCAPE _2/

Less than 10 yd 49 61

10-50 yd • . 1 ' 13

50-100 yd - ■ 5 5

Over 100 yd ■ ^ , 45 21

DISTANCE TO ROAD
Less than 0. 25 mi
0.25-0.50 mi

0.50-1.00 mi 8

Over 1.00 mi 100 92

1/ Figures given for classification are actual counts.
21 Results are given in percent.

3/ Totals are greater than 100 percent because data categories often overlapped;
therefore a single observation may have been counted more than once.

Table 18. Location and description of mountain goat feeding sites examined
during 1981.

DATE

LOCATION

DRAINAGE

ELEVATION

ASPECT

T

R

S

(Feet)

March

15

26N

low

25

W Fk, N Fk Teton

7450

SW

15

26N

low

25

W Fk, N Fk Teton

7400

SW

16

25N

9W

12

Jones Cr

8200

SW

28

25N

9W

14

Jones Cr

7700

w

28

25N

9W

14

Jones Cr

7650

s

April

2

25N

9W

34 SW

S Fk Teton

6000

SW

2

25N

9W

34SW

S Fk Teton

6100

SW

11

25N

9W

26

M Fk Teton

6400

E

30

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

6600

SE

^'Iay

23

25N

9W

34SW

S Fk Teton

6400

S

24

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

6400

SE

25

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

6600

SE

25

26N

9W

11

Blackleaf Cr

6900

SE

25

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

6300

S

June

2

27N

9W

35SE

S Fk Dupuyer

6200

SE

5

26N

9W

14NW

Blackleaf Cr

6000

SE

5

26N

9W

15

Blackleaf Cr

6400

SE

5

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

6800

E

22

25N

9W

7SW

Frenchy Gulch

6800

SE

July

5

25N

9W

1

Blindhorse

7700

E

5

25N

9W

1

Blindhorse

7700

E

22

24N

9W

20SW

S Fk Teton

7200

E

22

24N

9W

20NW

S Fk Teton

7000

NE

27

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

6800

E

August

19

26N

9W

15NW

Blackleaf Cr

7200

SE

20

'24N

9W

19

Headquarters Cr

7700

N

20

24N

9W

19

S Fk Teton

7700

E

21

27N

9W

21NW

N Fk Dupuyer

7500

N

21

27N

9W

21NW

N Fk Dupuyer

7500

E

September

11

25N

9W

7SW

Frenchy Gulch

6600

* SE

11

25N

9W

12

Frenchy Gulch

7400

NE

26

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

7000

E

26

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

7500

E

26

26N

9W

10

Blackleaf Cr

7000

E

S4

Male mountain goat number 23 was captured July 23, 1979 as an 8-year
old. His home range' centers around Cave Mountain with July use of the
Blackleaf lick (Table 8 and Figure 18) . The fall rutting period was
spent divided between the head of Jones and Muddy creeks and the head of
Blackleaf and South Fork Dupuyer.

Female mountain goat number 72 was captured August 27, 1979 as a
4-year old. During each of 3 years she used the Blackleaf lick during
June, July and/or August. Her home range centered around the head of the
South Fork Dupuyer, with movements to the North Fork Teton and Muddy
Creek (Table 6 and Figure 16) . The 1981 kidding period was spent in the
vicinity of Mount Frazier. The 1979 and 1980 breeding periods were spent
in the East Fork North Fork Teton and Muddy Creek, respectively. A
November 13, 1981 location was in South Fork Dupuyer.

Female mountain goat number 82 was captured August 27, 1979 as a
4-year old. Her summer range centers around the common heads of East
Fork North Fork Teton, Blackleaf and South Fork Dupuyer, while her
winter range tends slightly toward the south into Blackleaf, Massey
and Jones creeks (Table 5 and Figure 15] . The kidding period was spent
in'the North Fork Teton in the area between East Fork North Fork Teton
and Kid Creek. The breeding period was spent in the South Fork Dupuyer,
East Fork North Fork Teton, Blackleaf area.

Female mountain goat number 22 was captured July 24, 1980 at Our
Lake as a 3-year old. Her home range centers around Rocky Mountain;
however, the month of May was spent about 5 airline miles to the southeast
in Billie Creek (a tributary of the North Fork Deep Creek) . By June 11
she had returned to the Miner's Basin area. If she had a kid, it is not
known where parturition took place. The breeding period was also spent
in the Rocky Mountain vicinity (Table 9 and Figure 19) .

July through November relocations were made on the six goats captured
during 1981. Female yearling goats number 30 and 12 and 3-year old female
goat number 14 used the same areas. Their center of activity focused
around the head of Massey and Jones creeks (Tables 11, 13 and 15 and
Figures 21, 23 and 25). Yearling female number 26 moved back and forth
between Blackleaf Creek and Massey Creek twice before moving across the
North Fork Teton to Mount Lockhart by late September, where she stayed
(Table 10 and Figure 20) . Yearling male number 13 moved from the Black-
leaf lick to the North Fork-South Fork Dupuyer divide back to the Black-
leaf lick and on south to Jones Creek, then Mount Werner and back to the
North Fork Dupuyer (Table 12 and Figure 22) . Two year old male mountain
goat number 88 used the Blackleaf Creek drainage for a full month after
being captured there, then he moved briefly to the head of Jones Creek.
By mid-September, he was on Walling Reef. He stayed in this vicinity for
the remainder of the relocations (Table 14 and Figure 24) .

Movements of radio-collared goats were monitored as a seismic line
was prepared along Blackleaf Creek during August 19-22. Activities of
a seismic exploration company were first noted on August 19 when a flight
was made to locate radio-marked goats. On that date, adult female goats

number 72 and 82 were located at the upper forks of Blackleaf Creek.
Two year old male goat number 88 was located along the southern base of
Mount Frazier and yearling male goat number 13 was found on the east
face of Mount Frazier. On August 22, the company was still setting up
its line. A trip was made to the head of Blackleaf Canyon to observe
the blasting and the response of goats. The seismic activities were
monitored all day, but the blasting which was planned did not take place.
The adult female goats had moved out of the drainage, since the locations
of 3 days previously. The 2-year old male was still present in the
drainage and he was monitored all afternoon. The signal was first picked
up along the base of Mount Frazier, then it was tracked as he moved out
of the drainage along the South Fork of Blackleaf Creek and over the
divide into either Jones Creek or the East Fork North Fork Teton. A
late afternoon survey of the east face of Mount Frazier revealed the
yearling male in the company of four other goats as they worked their
way up the east-northeast cliff face of Mount Frazier and over into the
South Fork Dupuyer Creek. These four radio-marked goats moved out of
the Blackleaf drainage as seismic line preparations were made in the
drainage. No blasting occurred, but the activity of about two dozen
people, two pack strings carrying lines and equipment and one all-terrain
vehicle appeared to have displaced the goats.

Habitat Description and Use

Seasonal Habitat Selection

During this investigation, observations of about 700 mountain goats
were made. Specific habitat data were noted for each observation. Three
hundred seventy nine goats were observed during ground reconnaissance
and in association with radio-collared individuals (Table 16). Since thes
observations were not systematically collected, they were not used to
describe habitat use. The aerial observations made during March and
July were collected systematically from throughout the entire study atea,
so habitat use information is compared between these two flights. Table 1
presents this information comparing March (winter) versus July (summer)
mountain goat use of the area. Mountain goat use of slope and elevation
were not markedly different between the surveys, although the lower eleva-
tions appeared to receive slightly more use during winter. Use of aspect,
however, does reflect a seasonal preference for south and west slopes
during winter as compared to north and east aspects during summer. The
remaining data categories do not appear to show much difference between
seasons, although it should be stressed that the winter of 1980-81 was
unusually mild and allowed wide dispersal of goats on sites which may be
unavailable because of snow conditions during a normal winter.

Vegetation Analysis

Mountain goat feeding sites were examined from March through Septembe
by observing goats feeding at five different locations each month (four
during April) , then hiking to the site and establishing 15 2x5 decimeter
frames along the approximate course the goats fed. Through this process
the canopy cover of each species within 510 frames was recorded. Table 18

56

lists the location of each feeding site conducted during 1981. Voucher
specimens of each species were collected for reference. A total of 162
species has been identified on feeding sites to date. Additional species
identification is continuing. Sixty-six species of plants showed some
evidence of having been fed upon by goats. Table 19 lists these species
and indicates which species occurred in fecal samples. A comprehensive
table will be prepared for a future report which gives canopy coverage
and frequency of each species present on each plot. Analysis of 35
fecal samples using microhistological techniques was completed. Forty-
five genera were identified in the samples, including trees - 3, shrubs -
8, forbs - 2, and grasses - 12. In addition, tliree unknown categories,
the family Crucifera and root plant parts were included. Table 19 notes
each genera which was identified in the fecal samples. Additional genera
which are not listed in Table 19, since they were not identified at
feeding sites, include Populus , Trifolium and Vicia. If the five monthly
samples are pooled and a comparison is made by month of the forage
categories browse, forbs and grasses, some seasonal preferences appear
to emerge. During the months of March, April and May shrubs and grasses
vied for first and second place in the diet, with forbs trailing far
behind in third. In June grasses were by far the most common type of
forage in the diet, followed by forbs and browse. During July, August
and September, forbs were most preferred with grasses and browse falling
far behind in second and third place. From March through June Festuca
was the species which ranked first in the samples. During July and
September Shepherdia ranked first, while Astragalus was first during
August. Since goats were observed feeding at each sampled site, it was
assumed that the vegetation which showed signs of having been fed upon
was consumed by goats, although bighorn sheep and mule deer were also
known to occur in the vicinity.

MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

Recommendations

The following management recommendations are based on research
findings from other areas and on current knowledge of mountain goats
in the East Front study area. It is anticipated that information will be
collected on this herd for at least 2 more years; therefore, the recommenda-
tions are preliminary and subject to change. The following chart illus-
trates the months in which each phase of the mountain goat's life cycle
occurs. Human activity should avoid these seasonal mountain goat use
areas, at least during those periods which are defined in the recommenda-
tions which follow.

Table 19. Plant species recorded at mountain goat feeding sites from March through
September, 1981.

SPECIES LIST 1/

Tree Species

Ahies lasioaarpa
Pinus albicaulis
Pinus flexilis
Pseudotsuga menziesii

Species Which
Have Been Fed
Upon

X
X
X

Species Occur-
ring in Jecal
Samples —

X
X

Shrub Species
Aoer glabrum
Amelanohier alnifolia
Aratostaphylos uva-ursi
Berberis repens
Douglasia mo?ttana
Dryas oatopetala
Juniperus communis
Juniperus horisontatis
Penstemon eriantherus
Penstemon frutiaosus
Penstemon spp.
Philadelphus lewisii
Physaria didymoaarpa
Potentilla frutiaosa
Prunus virginiana
Ribes sp.

Ribes viscosissimim
Rosa sp.
Rubus idaeus
Salix sp.

Shephevdia canadensis
Sibbaldia procumbens
Spiraea betulifolia
Symphoricarpos albus
Vaaainiim globulare

Forb Species

Achillea m.illefoliim
Androsace lehmanniana
Androsaae septentrionalis
Anemone multifida
Anemone nuttalliana
Antennaria alpina
Aquilegia sp.
Arenaria conges ta
Areiw.ria hookeri
Arnica cordifolia ■
; '^nica sp.

X
X

X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X
X

X
X

X
X
X
X

X
X
X

X
X

X
X

X
X

X

X

58

Table 19. Continued.

orb Species
Vister conspiauus
A.ster foliaceus
Astragalus euaosmus
Astragalus miseltus
Astragalus vexilliflexus
Balsamorhiza sagittata
Besseya Wyoming ensis
Campanula rotundifolia
Castilleja sp.
Cerastium arvense
Cerastium berringianum
Cerastium vulgatvm
Cirsium sp.
Claytonia megarhiza
Clematis colunbiana
Clematis hirsutissima
Clematis pseudoalpina
Collinsia pnrvi flora
Compo sitae
Delphinium sp.
Drdba sp.

Draba oligosperma
Draba oreibata
Draba rep tans
^pilobium alpinvm

ilobivm angusti folium
Erigevon aompositus
Erigeron humilis
Eriogonum sp.
Eriogonum ovalifolium
Eriogonum umbellatum
Erythmnium grandiflorum
Fragaria virginiana
Frasera speciosa
Galium boreale
Galium triflorum
Gentiana oalyaosa
Geranium viscosissimum
Geum triflorum
Eackelia floribunda
Hedysarum sp.
Eeracleum lanatum
Heuahera sp.
Heuahera parvi folia
Hydrophyllum oapitatum
Hieracium cynoglossoides
HieraaiwTi sp.
Hypericum formosum
Labia tae
Lilliaceae

Feeding Sites
X
X

Fecal Analysis

X
X
X

X
X

X
X
X
X

X
X

X

X
X

X
X

X

Table 19- Continued.

Forb Species
Linum perenne
Litkospermim rudevale
Lomatium cous
Lomativm dissectwn
Lomatium tritematm
Lupinus sp.

Mertensia obtongifotia
Mitella sp.
Mitella brewer
Osmorhiza oocidentalis
Oxytropis seriaea '
Pamassia fimbriata
Pedicularis gro enlandioa
Pedioularis sp.
Fenstemon attenuatus
Penstemon spp.
Fenstemon nitidus
Phaoelia hastata
Phlox sp.
Flantago sp.
Polemoniwm pulcherrimwn
Fotygonwn bistortoides
Potentilla sp.
Potentilla diversifolia
Potentilla gracilis
Potentilla ovina
Ranunculus esdhscholtzii
Ranunculus glaberrimus
Saxifraga bronchialis
Saxifraga rhomboidea
Sedwn lanceolatum
Sedvjn roseim '
Seneoio sp.
Se7iecio triangularis
Smilaaina racemosa
Solidago sp.
Solidago multiradiata
Taraxacum officinale
Fhalictrum occidentale
Toioiisendia parryi
Valeriana sitchensis
Vera,trum viride
Viola sp.

Woodwardia fimbriata
Zigadenus sp.
Zigadenus venenosus

Feeding Sites

X
X

Fecal Analysis

X
X
X

X
X

X
X

X

X

X
X

X
X

X
X

60

Table 19. Continued.

Grasses and Grass Like Species Feeding Sites Fecal Analysis

Agropyron aaninim X
Agropyron smithii
Agvopyvon spiaatum

Agvopyron sp. X .

Agrostis thuvberiana X
Bromus spp. X X

Calamagpostis puvpuresoens X
Calamagrostis rubesoens X

Cavex geyevi X
Carex rossii

Car ex sp. X

Danthonia intermedia ■ X

Desahampsia oaespitosa X
Festuaa idahoensis X X

Festuaa ovina X
Festuaa saabrella
Koeleria oristata
Luzula sp.

Phelum atpiniem X
Poa alpina X
Poa pratensis
vPoa sandbergii

Poa spp. X
Selaginetla densa

Stipa sp. X
Trisetvm sp. X
Unknown grass X X

1/ This is a tentative list which will be augmented when the vegetation work is
completed.

2/ Fecal plant material could be identified to genera only, therefore reference to
the plants in this column is to the genus name and not necessarily the special
species within the genus.

Months during which mountain goat key seasonal areas are used.

Mountain Goat Key Seasonal Use Areas

^1 iTnm (^T* —

Winter

kidding

Mineral

Nursery

Dreeciing i ra.ns ii.iona.1

Range

L i cks

J an

X

r eb

X

March

X •

April

X

X

May

x

X

X

June

X

X

X

July

X

X

Aug

X

X

Sept

X

Oct

X

X

Nov

X

X X

Dec

X

X

Habitat Integrity: Mountain goat herds within an area could be iso-
lated if travel corridors or seasonal ranges are bisected by human
activity (Joslin 1980).

Recommendation : Key seasonal use areas should not be bisected with
roads, helicopter flight paths, seismic lines, or other developments
which could segment the population. Seasonal travel routes of mountain
goats should be protected with timing restrictions and site-specific
considerations. Human activities in key mountain goat range should be
limited to temporary, short-term actions such as seismic lines and
recreational camping. Long-term activities such as livestock grazing,
energy or mining developments or developed recreational sites should not
be allowed. Energy exploration or development, if it must occur within
goat range, will require close supervision of state and federal wildlife
biologists .

Avoiding Displacement: Mountain goats may be displaced by human
activities (Chadwick 1973) .

Recommendation : Mountain goats were displaced by seismic activity
during this investigation. Since individual mountain goats use a de-
fined area year after year, and since portions of that area are important
on a seasonal basis, the placement and timing of human activities is
very important relative to the occurrence of other activities in the
general area. In order to maintain a required level of security,
energy exploration and other human activities should not occur simultane-
ously in adjacent drainages. At least one drainage between activities
sliould be left undisturbed and a period of a week should follow the
activity before a new activity is moved into the undisturbed drainage.
This will allow goats some security during the period of disturbance
jjIus a period of quiet after the disturbance which Will allow them to

A?

drift back into the areas from which they were displaced. For energy
exploration in particular, stress will be somewhat alleviated if a
period of quiet follows seismic activity in one drainage and before
it begins in another.

Winter Range: All mountain goats occur on limited winter ranges
which are defined by topographic and climatic conditions (Smith 1976) .

Recommendation: Human activities should not be allowed on or near
mountain goat winter ranges from November 1 through April 30.

Spring Green-up: Wildlife must be able to take full advantage of
the first spring green-up of grasses and forbs (Hebert 1973) . Female
mountain goats, like other species of ungulates, reach their lowest
point of energy deficit during the period of parturition and beginning
of lactation [Moen 1978) .

Recommendation: All forms of stress should be minimized during
this time. Special emphasis should be made to enforce all restrictions
on human activities from May 1 through June 30. Livestock grazing
should not be allowed on mountain goat range during this time period.

Kidding Areas: Mountain goats need security and seclusion during
the kidding period (Chadwick 1973) .

Recommendation: All kidding areas should be identified and delineated
with an adequate buffer zone and restrictions on human activity within these
areas should be imposed from May 1 through June 30.

Nursery Areas: Mountain goat nursery areas are extremely important
in that they provide the type of habitat, security and forage which
nursery groups are selecting (McFetridge 1977) . A large portion of the
mountain goat population occurs within nursery areas from June into
October.

Recommendation : Nursery areas are one component of key summer range.
Nursery areas have been tentatively defined. Human activities in nursery
areas should be kept to a minimum. Seismic activity in a particular
nursery area should be accomplished with few people and as quickly as pos-
sible. Activities should not occur in nursery areas during June.
Individual nursery areas should not be disturbed more than once per
month (1 week per month) from May through October.

Mineral Licks: Mountain goats have physiological requirements for
salt from May through August and are attracted to artificial lick sites
(DeBock 1970, Knight and Mudge 1967).

Recommendation: Efforts to identify all lick sites within the
study area should be made. Energy exploration or development should not
be allowed on mineral lick sites. Energy activities in the vicinity of
mineral licks should not be allowed from May 1 through August 31. Live-
stock use of mineral licks during this period should be should be staggered
so that all licks in an area are not used simultaneously. Mineral licks
established for livestock can create concentrations of mountain goats.
Consultation between biologists and those establishing lick sites should
be done in order to determine where licks might be placed so that goats
are not attracted into areas where they become vulnerable.

Road Access: The proliferation of road access into mountain goat
range has led to mountain goat declines (Phelps et al, 1975),

Recommendation: Roads constructed for any purpose within mountain
goat range should be of minimum standards and then obliterated and re-
claimed after they have served the purpose for which they were originally
constructed. Access into mountain goat range should be on foot, by
horseback or from the air, rather than by vehicles which require roads.

Helicopter Use: Wildlife will panic from the approach of aircraft,
particularly helicopters (McCourt et al. 1974, Miller and Gunn 1979).
Mountain goats have been observed falling from cliffs when approached by
helicopters (Joslin 1980).

Recommendation: Helicopters should strictly adhere to designated
flight corridors specified for each seismic line' by a team of state and
federal biologists with input regarding safety from the seismic company
or helicopter pilot. The flight paths should coincide with seismic line
placement. Flight variability within that corridor should not be more
than 1/4 mile either side of the line. More restrictive corridors may be
identified for local areas when more protection for mountain goats is
necessary.

Other Recommendations: Mountain goats are vulnerable because of
their inflexible behavior. This behavior should not be interpreted as
"adaptability." All measures should be taken to minimize observability
of goats by people through the previous recommendations. These recom-
mendations must be applied on an individual basis in order to adequately
protect mountain goats.

The Lewis § Clark National Forest's environmental assessment on oil
and gas leasing on nonwilderness lands should be amended to include
current information and recommendations concerning mountain goats.

Mountain goat seasonal range delineations should be incorporated
into the data base of the Lewis & Clark National Forest for use in forest
planning.

Additional Data Needs

Continued monitoring of mountain goats along the East Front is
necessary to fill the several information gaps which exist and to deter-
mine the effectiveness of the above recommendations. The six types of
mountain goat use areas described previously (knowledge of which is
essential to proper management of mountain goats) have not been fully
delineated for the East Front study area. In fact, none of the kidding
or breeding areas have been located and only some of the winter and
summer ranges, nursery areas and mineral licks have been mapped. In
addition to key winter and summer ranges which identify critically
important seasonal concentration areas, overall winter and summer ranges
must be mapped in order to provide the overall continuity of yearlong
goat distribution necessary to adequately manage the East Front mountain
goat population as a whole. Managing individual herd units rather than
the East Front population as a whole may risk isolation of individual herds

64

Efforts must be made- to identify the important use areas of years past
which, from a brief overview of the literature, are known to differ some- '
what from those of the present. Knowledge of past mountain goat dis-
tribution and abundance along the East Front will provide a basis to
compare current distribution and abundance and from which to set manage-
ment goals.

In order to specifically define mountain goat use areas and provide
recommendations to minimize conflict with people, individual mountain
goats should be monitored through:

1. Biotelemetry techniques in order to determine:

a. Life histories of individuals which should provide in-
sights into the population dynamics of the herd as a
whole (i.e., longevity, whether females reproduce each
year, whether female young adopt their mother's home
range, male's attendance in different female groups
during the mating season, etc.).

b. Seasonal use areas for specific individuals [winter
range, summer range, kidding areas, breeding areas,
mineral licks) .

c. Individual home range size.

d. Survival of young which are collared and the extent to
which yearlings pioneer new areas.

e. Delineation of herd units.

f . Movements in relation to human disturbances and modi-
fication of established use areas.

2. Seasonal mountain goat helicopter surveys to monitor seasonal

use areas, abundance, distribution and population trends and
dynamics .

3. Seasonal food habits analyses to identify vegetation species

occurring on goat range, mountain goat food items and insights
into food preference and feeding site selection.

An important aspect of mountain goat work along the East Front is
not only to provide detailed range use by mountain goats of the area and
provide recommendations to avoid unnecessary conflicts, but also to monitor
mountain goats as developments take place to determine whether the recom-
mendations are functioning to avoid or minimize impacts. It may be
determined that the recommendations are either inadequate, or overly
restrictive and in either case they should be modified. Up-dating and
refining the recommendations will ensure that mountain goats are receiving
a level of management concern which corresponds to the level of potential
human impact and habitat disruption. Monitoring of mountain goats resulting
in a better understanding of their ecology is a prerequisite to the continued
survival of the native mountain goat population along the East Front.

LITERATURE CITED

Brandborg, S.M. 1950. The life history and ecology of the mountain

goat in Idaho and Montana. MS Thesis, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow. 121pp.

. 1955. Life history and management of the mountain goat in

Idaho. Proj . Compl. Rept, PR Proj . 98-R, Idaho Fish S Game Dept.,
Wildlife Bulletin No. 2. 142pp.

Casebeer, R.L., M.J. Rognrud and S.M. Brandborg. 1950. Rocky Mountain
goat in Montana. Mont. Fish § Game Comm. Wildl. Rest. Div., PR
Fed. Aid Proj. Bulletin No. 5. 107pp.

Chadwick, D.H. 1973. Mountain goat ecology-logging relationships in the
Bunker Creek drainage of western Montana. MS Thesis, Univ. of Mont.,
Missoula. PR Proj. No. W-120-R-3,4. 262pp.

DeBock, E.A. 1970. On the behavior of the mountain goat (Oreamnos

americanus) in the Kootenay National Park. MS Thesis. Univ. of
Alberta, Edmonton. 173pp.

Hebert, D.M. 1967. Natural salt licks as a part of the ecology of the
mountain goat. MS Thesis, Univ. of British Columbia.

. 1973. Altitudinal migration as a factor in the nutrition

of bighorn sheep. PhD Thesis, Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver.
346pp.

Hitchcock, C.L. and A. Cronquist. 1976. Flora of the Pacific Northwest.
Univ. of Wash. Press. 730pp.

Holdorf, H.D. 1981. Soil resource inventory. Lewis § Clark National
Forest. Interim in-service rept. Nonwilderness portions. Great
Falls, MT. 70pp.

Joslin, G. 1980. Mountain goat habitat management plan for the Cabinet
Mountains, Montana. MT Dept. Fish, Wild!., ?^ Parks and Kootenai
National Forest. 122pp.

. 1981. Distribution and population characteristics of the

Rocky Mountain goat along the east slope of the Rocky Mountains in
northcentral Montana, Mont. Dept. Fish, Wildl. S Parks, PR Proj.
No. W-120-R-12. 12pp.

Kasworm, W.F. 1982. Dietary relations of mule deer, bighorn sheep,

elk and cattle along the East Front, northcentral Montana. Biology
Dept., Mont. St. Univ., Bozeman. Mimeo. 13pp.

Knight, R.R. and M.R. Mudge. 1967. Characteristics of some natural salt

licks in the Sun River area, Montana. J. Wildl. Manage. 31 (2) : 293-299 .

Martin, N. 1969. Antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bear,
1967-1968. Multil. Rept., Mont. Fish S Game Dept., Helena.

66

McCourt, K.H., J.D. Feist, D. Doll and J.J. Russell. 1974. Reactions of
caribou to aircraft disturbance. Pp. 183-208 in Jakimchuk, R.D. ed.
Disturbance studies of caribou and other mammals in the Yukon and
Alaska, 1972. Arct. Gas Biol. Rep. Ser, , Vol. 5. 246pp.

McCrory, W.P. 1965. Preliminary report on the study of natural licks
used by mountain goats and bighorn sheep in Jasper National Park.
Unpubl. report. Canadian Wildl. Serv., Edmonton. 55pp.

McFetridge, R. 1977. Strategy of resource use by mountain goat nursery
groups. Pp. 169-173 in Samuel, W. and W. G. MacGregor (eds) .
Proceedings of the First International Mountain Goat Symposium.
Kalispell, MT. Br. Columbia Fish § Wildl, Branch.

Mill er, F.L. and A. Gunne. 1979. Responses of Peary caribou and musk-
oxen to turbo-helicopter harassment, Prince of Wales Island, North-
west Territories, 1976-1977. Occasional Paper Number 40. Canadian
Wildl. Ser. 90pp.

Moen, A.N. 1978. Seasonal changes in heart rates, activity metabolism,
and forage intake of white-tailed deer. J. Wildl. Manage. 42(4):
715-738.

Mueggler, W.F. and W.P. Handl. 1978. Grassland and shrubland habitat
types of western Montana. USDA For. Serv. Gen. Tech. Rept. INT-66,
154p. Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden,
Utah.

Pendergast, B.A. and J. Bindernagle. 1977. Mountain goats and coal
extraction in northeastern British Columbia. Pp. 64-68 iia W.
Samuel and W.G. MacGregor (eds). The First International^Mountain
Goat Symposium. Kalispell, MT. Br. Columbia Fish S Wildl. Branch.

Pfister, R.D., B.L. Kovalchick, S.F. Arno, and R.C. Presby. 1974.

Forest habitat types of Montana. Intermountain Forest § Range Exper
Sta., Northern Region, USDA Forest Service, Missoula, MT. 213pp.

Phelps, D.E., R. Jamieson and R.A. Demarchi. 1975. Mountain goat manage
ment in the Kootenays, I. The history of goat management. II. A
goat management plan, 1975-1985. Fish & Wildl. Branch, Courthouse,
Cranbrook, BC. 59pp.

Smith, B.L. 1976. Ecology of Rocky Mountain goats in the Bitterroot
Mountains, Montana. MS Thesis, Univ. of Mont., Missoula. 203pp.

Thompson, M.J. 1981. Mountain goat distribution, population characteris
tics and habitat use in the Sawtooth Range, Montana. MS Thesis,
Mont. St. Univ., Bozeman. 79pp.

Tomasko, D. 1980. Distribution and population characteristics of the
Rocky Mountain goat along the east slope of the Rocky Mountains
in northcentral Montana. Mont. Dept. Fish, Wildl. 5 Parks. PR Proj
No. W-120-R-11. 26pp.

Appendix 1. Mounta.ln goat observation form OBSERVATION t^ORM

SPECIES and code sheets

OBSERVER

LOCATION NUMBER ■ SriE DSSipj^IPTIO^| WEATHER

DATE

TIME

DRAINAGE

SECTION

TOWNSHIP

1
1

RANGE

<
O

EH

ADULT

SUBADULT

KID

UNCLASSIFIEi:

ACTIVITY

TIME OBS

u
en

M

Q

K
m

s;

H
Eh

CQ
HI
Q

DIST. ROAD

TERRAIN typ:;

COVER TYPE

!

HABITAT typ:;

ELEVATION

ASPECT

1 TEMPERATURE 1

c

(— I

p
o

t— !

K
P-i

c

H

f-T f'-"
ft E-
>H PJ-
EH ft

E-
ft ft
ft ft

GROUND COND .

REMARKS

\

w

•

PAGE OF

Appendix 1. (Continued)

DATE 6-1-79
TIME 18:30
DRAINAGE N.
SECTION 2 6
WM'^^IIP 2 8
IGE 3 2

Fk, Bull R,

m

OBSERVATION CODE SHEET
TOTAL 9

ADULT Ml (preface each number

entry v/ith M, F, or U
for sex of animal)

ACTIVITY

F2
U2

SUBAD Ul
KID U2
UNCL Ul

TIME OBSERVED in minutes

DI-^TANCE TO ESCAPE TERRAIN (see terrain type marked
1 less than 10 yards with * which indicate

2 10 --30-

3 50 ~ 100

4 over 100
DISTANCE TO ROAD ( a

1 less than i/4 mi

2 1/4 to 1/2 mi

3 1/2 to 1 mi

4 over 1 mi

1 standing*

2 bedded

3 feeding

4 running

5 drinking

6 dead

7 track

8 hair

9 pellet group

(up to 3 ac
tivity cod
may be use
eg: 123 =
standing ,
bedded ,
feeding)

mountain goat escape
terrain)

road is defined as vehicle
right-of-way which is
passable at the time
which the animal was
observed)

DISTANCE
1 less
10 -
50 -
over

2
3
4

TO TIMBER
than 10 yards
50 yards
100 yards
100 yards

TERRAIN TYPE (see descriptions)
"1 bluffs

COVER TYPE

1 timber

2 shrub

3 grass/forb

4 rock/bare

■^2 cliffs

<.>3 cirque basin

4 talus sl9pe

5 broken

6 ridge

7 park

8 creek

9 sidehill

WIND SPEED (Beaufort Numbers)
ymber MPH Indicators

HABITAT TYPE (see list of codes and names below)
ELEVATION in hundreds of feet eg: 37 = 3700 feet

ASPECT

TEMPERATURE

1

N

6

SW

1

-OF

2

NE

7

W

2

0 - 32

3

E

8

NW

3

32 - 40

4

SE

9

flat

4

40 - 60

5

S

5

60 - 80

6

over 8 0

CLOUD COVER

1 clear

2 partly cloudy

3 mostly cloudy

4 overcast

1
2
3
4

5
6
7
8

9

rift

less than 1 smoke rises vertically
1 to 3 wind direction felt by smoke dr;
leaves rustle

leaves, small twigs in constant motion
raises dust and loose paper
small trees in leaf sway
large branches in motion
whole trees in motion
breaks twigs off trees
structural damage

4 to 7
8 to 12
13 to 18
19 to 24
25 to 31
32 to 38
39 to 46
above 47

PPT. TYPE

1 rain

2 hail or sleet

3 snow
0 none

PPT. RATE

0 none

1 light

2 moderate

3 heavy

GROUND CONDITION

1 dry

2 damp
wet, muddy
scattered snow
snow (less than
snov; (6 to 12")
snow (over 12")

HABITAT TYPES
210 PSME/AGSP
22 0 PSME/FEID
230 PSME/FSSC
250 PS ME /VAC A
2 60 PSME/PHMA
28 0 PSME/VAGL
290 PSME/LIBO
310 PSME/SYAL
32 0 PSME/CARU
35 0 PSME/ARUV
420 PICEA/CLUN

52 0 ABGR/CLUN
510 ABGR/XETE

53 0 THPL/CLUN
57 0 TSHE/CLUN
62 0 ABLA/CLUN
67 0 ABLA/MEFE
69 0 ABLA/XETE
83 0 ABLA/LUIII
8 50 PIAL-ABLA
8 60 LALY-ABLA

6")

I MARKS

lover and understory vegetation description
inportant if habitat type unknown
any other pertinent information

69