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MONTANA

£C£IVLC|

NOV 14 194.3
STATE UHITERSITY

LIBHAUY

MAY 2 3 1970

Wildlife

LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY of MONTANA

BULLETIN

Published by the Montana Fish and Game Commission

Volume One

August. 1944

No. 4

Native Upland Game Birds

Female Franklin's Grouse or Fool Hen.

Upland Game Birds native to Montana are the Sharp-
Tailed or Pintailed Grouse, often erroneously called
Prairie Chicken, Sage Grouse or Sage Hen, Blue Grouse,
Ruffed Grouse, Franklin Grouse, commonly called Fool
Hen, and Ptarmigan.

They are characterized by feathered legs, except in
the case of the Ruffed Grouse, and the toes are naked
except in the Ptarmigan. Grouse subsist upon seeds, buds,
berries, insects and the leaves of plants found in their
environment. They generally depend upon the colors of
their plummage for concealment and when they do take
to flight, it is with a whir of wings, which is decidedly start-
ling. Except for the Ptarmigan they are polygamous and
during the mating season the cocks put on peculiar per-
formances of strutting and dancing.

The range of the Sharp-Tailed Grouse, our most
abundant native upland game bird, is confined mostly
to the Ce<ntral and Eastern portions of the State. However,
there are a few areas in Western Montana where this

game bird is found. It prefers open grass land with
patches of brush and areas adjacent to grain fields.

The Sage Hen is the largest of our native grouse and
is generally confined to the Southeastern and Central
parts of the State. There are a few scattered ranges of
importance in Southwestern Montana east of the Con-
tinental Divide. This heavy, slow-flying bird frequents
high and dry alkali prairie regions and is seldom
found far from sagebrush. Their plummage varies from
black to gray and yellowish white, which completely
blends with their environment.

The Blue Grouse habitat is confined mostly to the
mountainous areas in Western and Southwestern Mon-
tana. This dusky grouse is an inhabitant of coniferous
forests and haunts thickets of fir, pine and cedar and is
most often found along timbered mountain ridges. The
Blue Grouse is our second largest native game bird.

(Continued on Page 6)

Blue Grouse on her nest.

Page 2

MONTANA WILDLIFE BULLETIN

Along the Yellowstone With Rod and Reel

Native Cutthroat Trout.

The Yellowstone River heads in Yellowstone National
Park in Wyoming and flows down through Yellowstone
Park into Montana, following a northeasterly course until
it crosses the boundary into North Dakota, at which place
it joins the Missouri a few miles after crossing the Mon-
tana-Dakota State line.

The Yellowstone, as viewed from a fisherman's eye,
is a mighty stream and one of which you cannot become
too intimate with or ever conquer. At the present time
this River is declared open the year around by legislative
action throughout Montana and fishing for all species in
open waters and through a hole in the ice is permitted
throughout the entire year. However, the waters within
Yellowstone Park are governed by the regular Park fish-
ing seasons.

Within its waters can be found practically all of the
game species of fish that exist in Montana, with the ex-
ception of two, namely, the Landlocked Salmon and the
Dolly Varden .trout which are found on the Western
slope only. In the headwaters can be found the Native
Cutthroat, Grayling, Whitefish, Rainbow, Eastern Brook,
Lock Leven and Mackinaw. Most of the headwater
streams, especially those originating in Yellowstone Park
and the Beartooth Mountains, afford splendid Native
Trout fishing.

Mountain Lakes

There are many lakes lying high in the Beartooth
Plateau region. While some of these have been stocked
with Natives and Rainbow, the large majority contain
Eastern Brook as it has been found that this species prove
more adaptable to those lakes lying at high altitudes
than either the Rainbow or the Natives. Machinaw Trout
have been stocked in the deep waters of Heart Lake.
The majority of these lakes are accessible only by trail
and some by no trail at all and are reached only by those

Montana Grayling.

hardy individuals possessing the ambition and curiosity to
explore the out-of-the-way places. However, anyone con-
templating a trip into the Beartooth Region even in the
middle of the summer should take along plenty of warm
clothing. Most of these lakes are situated at altitudes
ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 feet and many have had the
experience of having to break a half inch of ice out of a
water bucket on an early August morning.

Along the Upper Yellowstone

As the Main Yellowstone flows down through its nar-
row canyon walls and into the broader valleys below,
the Native trout give precedence to the Rainbow and
Loch Leven. These species will be found to inhabit the
River all the way from Gardiner to Laurel. In other words,
all the waters within the counties of Park, Sweetgrass
and Stillwater may be considered prize fishing waters
for these species if the angler will but choose the right
season and the correct river levels. Whitefishing com-
prises no small part of the fishing in this particular area.

Major Tributaries

No description of the Yellowstone would be com-
plete without some mention of a few of the major tribu-
taries to be found within this area, such as Hellroaring,
Buffalo Creek, Slough Creek, Shields River, Boulder River,
Sweetgrass Creek, Stillwater, Rock Creek, the East and
West Rosebud and the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone.
All of these streams and many others afford excellent
fishing for Loch Leven, Rainbow, Natives and Eastern
Brook trout.

There are located on these tributaries, not including
those lakes lying within the Beartooth Plateau region,
over 47 lakes varying in area from 200 to 700 acres and
containing Eastern Brook, Rainbow, Cutthroat and Gray-
ling.

MONTANA WILDLIFE BULLETIN

Page 3

The Lower Yellowstone

As the Yellowstone flows toward the Dakota line, it
gradually changes in many of its characteristics and by
the time it has reached Yellowstone county it is biological-
ly a much different stream than when it left Yellowstone
Park. The reason for this is the combination of several
factors — the chief among these being the existing higher
temperatures during the summer months and the increas-
ing amounts of silt which the river has picked up from
the many irrigation diversions and overflows and for this
reason it is not considered a suitable habitat for any of
the trout species. However, this does not mean that fishing
must be confined only to the upper stretches. In fact, it is
to the contrary for this part of the River is inhabited by
many of the warm water species and among those which
are caught very successfully are the Pike, Pickerel, Fresh
Water Drum and Ling. There has been a decided increase
noted in the migrations of warm water species the last
four or five years and this increase in migration has no
doubt been brought about by the completion and opera-
tion of the huge Fort Peck Reservoir located on the Mis-
souri River above its confluence with the Yellowstone.
Due to the exceedingly low temperature of the water
emerging from Fort Peck Lake and the insurmountable
barrier to migration, many of these species have instinc-
tively turned to the Yellowstone for their spawning runs.

Fish Planting

The responsibility of keeping the Yellowstone River
amply stocked with trout is delegated to the Emigrant and
Big Timber Hatcheries.

The Emigrant Hatchery assumes the burden of stock-
ing some of the headwater streams within the Park and
the Main Yellowstone with all of its tributaries as far
down as the Shields River below Livingston.

The Big Timber Hatchery assumes the responsibility
of stocking the remainder of the Yellowstone from the
Shields River junction to the confluence of the Clark's
Fork. This is indeed a large territory as it embraces all
of the Beartooth Plateau region in addition to many lakes
and tributaries in the Crazy Mountain area.

The stocking of the Lower Yellowstone with warm
water species is delegated to the Miles City Pond Culture
Station at Miles City, Montana. From this station are
planted Bass, Crappies, Bream, Bullheads and Catfish.
The introduction of these species is in no small part re-
sponsible for the splendid fishing to be found in the lower
waters.

Of the game fish found in these waters, the Native
Cutthroat and Grayling in addition to the Whitefish are
the only three species native to Montana. The other trout
species such as the Eastern Brook, Loch Leven, Rainbow
and Mackinaw have been introduced. It is also worthy
of mention that our Montana Grayling is the only fish of
this species in existence in the United States today. Many
years ago this species was also found in Michigan but
due to heavy logging operations and other disturb-
ing factors, the Grayling in that state completely disap-
peared and today those Grayling which are found in
some of the Eastern States and several of the Western
States have all been reared from eggs produced from
Montana Grayling.

It would be folly to attempt to recommend the best
type of tackle for the various waters of the Yellowstone
as the fishing conditions vary from one extreme such as
just plain 'nigger fishing' for some of the warm water
species to the supreme accomplishment of whisking a
dry fly out over some of the crystal lakes and streams
near its headwaters. As one Yellowstone fisherman put it,
"It isn't so much the type of tackle you use, but how you
use it and when."

Rainbow Trout.

Eastern Brook Trout.

Page 4

MONTANA WILDLIFE BULLETIN

Reservoir Development . . .

Sportsmen realize that the success or failure of game

bird development depends chiefly upon the presence of

food, water and cover. If one or more of these require-

. __ . ments is lacking,

game resources in
the area will suf-
fer.

In the develop-
ment of reservoirs,
chiefly for the bet-
terment of water-
's^ f » wfcT\ fowl conditions,
mHp yK these three factors
/r y were kept in mind.

Ducks might light
for a short resting
period upon reservoirs devoid of food and cover. These
same reservoirs planted to the proper species of vegetation
would present not only feeding and resting places but
also provide nesting sites for many species of water-
fowl.

During the last three years the Fish and Game Com-
mission has carried on a restoration project entailing the
development of 24 reservoirs. Through a cooperation
agreement, these reservoirs have been leased to the
Department by the Montana Water Board and Soil Con-
servation Service for the purpose of Wildlife Habitat
Development.

A typical development of this kind consist of fenc-
ing an area at the upper end of the reservoir. Within
this enclosure food and cover-type shrubs are planted.
These consist of Caragana, Russian Olive, Buffalo Berry,
Wild Plum, Chokecherry and others. Out on the reser-
voir itself, aqatics are planted .The more important con-
sisting of bullrushes, duck potatoes, sego pond weed,
millet and wild rice.

One important benefit which is not as obvious as
the development of food and cover, is the actual length-
ening of the life of these reservoirs. This is accomplished
by silt settling effect of the introduced vegetation at the
upper end or intake of the reservoir.

The work has been carried on principally in the
eastern half of the State. It is here that the greatest need
for this type of development has been found.

Pheasant Liberation . . .

Liberation of Chinese Pheasants will be made from
the Fort Peck Game Farm during the month of August.

Several thousand pheasants from the Farm have been
moved to the holding pens at the Billings Game Farm
where they will be held until ready for liberation in the
Southern Montana counties.

Sportsmen will be called upon by Deputy Game
Wardens to help liberate the pheasants in their disiricts.

Melstone Reservoir in Musselshell County.

MONTANA WILDLIFE BULLETIN

Page 5

Live-Trapping and Transplanting of Beaver

Few wild creatures are more interesting than the
beaver. Their ability to construct sturdy dams under a
variety of conditions places them high among the "en-
gineers" of the wilds. The chief function of these dams is,
of course, the creation of ponds where the beaver may
live relatively safe from predation. Often an elaborate
system of canals is dug, leading out from the pond proper
toward the various sources of food. Limbs and small trees
may then be floated quite easily along these canals to
the food cache in front of the lodge.

These habits which are so interesting to observe have
proven to be both beneficial and harmful to man. When
beaver living in agricultural districts flood a pasture
or hay meadow with their ponds, the results are distinctly
harmful. On the other hand, dams and the resultant ponds
well back along mountain streams, creates conditions
which benefit fish life. Spring run-off is also controlled.
Water which would otherwise rush down out of the moun-
tains in the early spring is checked by, the series of beaver
dams, to be released more evenly throughout the summer
season. The water level in the vicinity of the ponds is
raised so that a more luxuriant growth of both willows
and grasses is developed. These meadows present im-
portant additional forage for game animals and livestock.

Several cases have been observed where streams
had so dcreased in flow that trout were no longer able
to survive in them. A year following the introduction of
beaver, these same streams had been restocked and are
now producing desirable catches of fish.

The problem is then chiefly one of distribution. Beaver
in some areas are a nuisance while in many others their

presence is highly desirable. For this reason, the possibility
as well as the practicability of live-trapping and trans-
planting beaver has been viewed with keen interest.

Several Deputy Game Wardens have done some very-
important pioneering work along this line. With the advent
of Restoration funds in 1941, it became possible to carry
on the live-trapping program upon a larger scale. During
the following three seasons approximately four hundred
beaver were trapped and moved to desirable new loca-
tions.

Large woven wire, basket-shaped traps are used.
These open in much the same fashion as a suitcase. One
half of the trap is submerged under eight to ten inches
of water; the other half is firmly anchored down on the
shore or stream bank. The beaver swims over the sub-
merged half, lured by a beaver castor scent. Here he
comes in contact with a trigger. As the trap closes the
beaver is scooped up out of the water and sits high and
dry awaiting the arrival of the trapper. The animals are
gathered in a holding pen where they are fed on their
favorite food, consisting of aspen and willow bark. When
the proper number has been obtained, they are trans-
ported by truck or pack horse to their new home.

The work is seasonal. The majority of the beaver are
moved between July 10th and September 10th. At this
time the kits are sufficiently large to move and plenty of
time remains for the building of the necessary dams and
lodges as well as the gathering of a food cache for the
coming winter.

Here then is an example of man's use of one of na-
tures own tools in the never-ending job of restoration.

Beaver caught in live-trap

A Beaver liberated near the edge of a mountain stream.

Page 6

MONTANA WILDLIFE BULLETIN

A LICENSE YEAR REPORT

STATE OF MONTANA FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT

FROM

MAY 1,1943 TO APRIL 30,1944

TRAPPERS LICENSE 2.33*

MISC. PERMITS 1.65 <

MISC. RECEIPTS 0S6<t

WHERE THE INCOME DOLLAR CAME FROM

COMMISSIONERS

0.74 <t !

MISC. EXPENSES

0 58 « :

CHECKING STATIONS

0.39*

HOW THE INCOME DOLLAR WAS USED

NATIVE UPLAND GAME BIRDS

(Continued from Page 1)

The Ruffed Grouse range is siimlar to that of the
Blue Grouse. However, it is found at much lower eleva-
tions, and haunts heavily wooded creek bottoms and
along small mountain streams. The drumming of the
Ruffed Grouse is one of the common sounds of the deep
woods and has a ventriloquial effect so one cannot ac-
curately determine the distance or direction of the sound.
The Ruffed Grouse is a wily bird and if an intruder
stumbles upon a mother bird during the nesting season,
she will attempt to entice the enemy away by fluttering
and dragging a wing helplessly, like a wounded bird.

The Franklin Grouse is found mostly in the Northern
and Western portions of Montana. It inhabits heavily tim-
bered wilderness areas. The popular name, Fool Hen,"
is applied to this grouse because of its friendly curiosity
when man approaches. The male of this species is
rather strikingly marked with patches of red over the eyes.

The Ptarmigan is the least known and rarely seen
of our game birds. It has a limited range confined to high
mountains along the Continental Divide from Canada
to Sun River and in other scattered high mountains in
Western Montana. Its plummage varies from patches of
grayish brown, black and white in summer, which blends
in with its surroundings, to a pure white in winter, camou-
flaging it effectively against a snowy background.

The Canadian Lynx is one of the handsomest of the
cat family. It may be distinguished from the Bobcat by
its unringed tail, tufted ears and larger size.

The two large chisel-like teeth on the upper and lower
jaw of the Beaver are self-sharpening because the inner
softer surface wears away faster than the harder outer
surface.

White-tail Ptarmigan — Winter plumage.

MONTANA WILDLIFE BULLETIN

Page 7

HARRY N. MORGAN

WITH THE WARDENS . . .

Harry Morgan was appointed a Deputy Game War-
den April 1, 1913. He began work under Jake DeHart,
who was then the State Game Warden. The District

assigned him was the
northern part of Powell
county and the Clear-
water and Swan River
drainage in Missoula
county, with headquar-
ters at Ovando, Mon-
tana— his present head-
quarters.

In telling of his
early life in Montana,
Mr. Morgan relates:

"I was born Janu-
ary 6, 1863 at Fort Ben-
ton in the old Doby Fort,
the son of Captain John
Morgan. When my
mother died in the
spring of 1871, Dr. J. S.
Glick of Helena came to
Fort Benton and took me
back to Helena with
him. He was a great friend of my father.

"At that time, Fort Benton was the end of navigation
on the Missouri River. Stages and freighters took pas-
sengers and supplies on to Helena from there. I. G. Baker,
T. C. Powers and, I believe, Hugh Kirkendall, were then
freighting from Fort Benton to Helena. When we left Fort
Benton on the stage for Helena, we ran across a large
herd of buffalo about 26 miles from Fort Benton. The stage
driver estimated there were several hundred thousand
buffalo and we had to wait two or three hours for them
to pass. The buffalo were migrating north to their sum-
mer range and would not have stopped for anything.

"In the fall of 1873, Henry Schniple, a stockman from
Philipsburg, made his annual trip to Helena for supplies.
I went to Philipsburg with him to work on his ranch and
remained there until 1876. Then I left and attended school
in Philipsburg for one year.

"In 1879 I worked for William Wallace, a stockman
and rancher. I broke horses and helped round-up cattle
to take to the Judith Basin. On the trip it was necessary
to night-herd the cattle to keep them from straying. We
trailed them through Townsend, up Sixteen Mile Creek,
over the Divide and down to the American Fork of the
Musselshell River to Martinsdale. From Martinsdale we
travelled down the River, cut across to Judith Gap, then
to the forks of the Judith River, following close to the
Arrow Creek Trail to Fort Benton. The Brooks cattle outfit
was the only one ahead of us.

"Boles and Major Reed had a trading post close to
where Lewistown is now located and there I helped build
a cabin for winter.

"That fall a big prairie fire started at Judith Gap and
burned over most of the Basin, destroying a lot of cattle.
The fire was so bright that antelope could be seen running
at night in an attempt to escape the fire.

"Later in the fall, that same year, Pike Landusky
came to Fort Benton with a six-horse team and a trail
wagon. He asked me if I would like to live with him
at his trading post on Flatwillow. He said he would give
me $15 a month and since that was all I was getting
from Wallace and doing a man's work, I accepted as
I would have only about 30 head of horses to look after
so the Indians would not steal them. Pike Landusky did
a lot of trading with the Crow and Flathead Indians when
they came over from the Bitterroot in the fall to hunt
buffalo. In trading with the Indians, a tin cup of sugar
or 7 cartridges was traded for one antelope hide; one-half
sack of flour for one buffalo hide. The Indians also traded
Pemmican, which was made from dried buffalo meat, tal-
low, bone marrow and buffalo berries pounded and mixsd
together. Pemmican was then placed in sacks made out
of buffalo hides; the sacks were sewed up and the Pem-
mican would keep for years. It was prepared for eating
by placing in a skillet with water and made into a hash.
Tons of Pemmican were shipped on boats to St. Louis.

"Pike Landusky's trading post was 25 miles East of the
Snowy Mountains. I went hunting with him up on Warm
Spring Creek, over the Divide, down Chamberlain Creek
(sometimes called McDonald Creek) on up to Pike Creek.
However, we did not stay there long as a bunch of Sioux
Indians rose up out of the sage brush and I sure traveled.
They hung around two or three days and left for the Mus-
selshell and Yellowstone country to steal horses from
the Crow Indians. The Sioux were traveling afoot but did
not get our horses.

"Another time a party of Indians attempted to steal
our horses. We had quite a scrap and I was shot in the
jaw, but not seriously wounded, with an old cap and ball
pistol.

"It was necessary to corral the horses every night.
The corral was built by digging a trench two and one-
half feet deep, setting the posts up together and tramping
the earth solidly so that the Indians would not be able
to pull the posts up.

"In the spring of '81, I worked during the cattle round-
up for Two Dot Wilson at Martinsdale and then I went to
Philipsburg and worked on ranches for awhile. My next
job was driving a team for a contractor by the name of
Jack W. Hall. I then went to work on my own hook,
hauling wood and railroad ties for the railroad to Philips-
burg and also cut cord wood and props for the mines.

"In August, 1885, I married Ophie U. Rider from
Valipraso, Nebraska and we raised three girls and three
boys.

"At the time of the crash of silver, I went to Butte
and worked in the Pennsylvania mine. Later I went back
to Philipsburg and worked on different ranches, and did

(Continued on Next Page)

•Al

9i ft

Page 8

MONTANA WILDLIFE BULLETIN

WITH THE WARDENS

(Continued from Page 7)

quite a bit of hunting and trapping, as well as helped a
surveyor by the name of George Wilson survey mining
claims. Wilson was killed in an automobile accident near
Alhambra Hot Springs several years ago.

"In 1905 I guided and packed for Mr. Curt Dubois
of Washington, D. C, who was mapping the Hell Gate
Forest, now the Lolo Forest.

"In November, 1905, the officers were after Frank
Brady, a notorious horse thief who took his stolen stock
to Dakota. He was hiding out in Lower Rock Creek and
we located him in Welcome Gulch. I was appointed to go
with a marshal. I suggested that we both go inside the
cabin and grab Brady but the marshal figured we would
both be killed.

"We stayed there all night. At the barking of his dog,
Brady came out of the cabin with a gun in his arms.
When the dog started barking, I ran behind a tree and
the marshal behind a rock. Brady pulled up to shoot
but I was ready and let him have it. Brady's shot fell
20 feet short of us. Brady tried to shoot again but
I beat him to it and he died on the door steps. I looked
around for the officer but he was gone. I hollared and he
answered a quarter of a mile away.

"In 1906 I was appointed Forest Guard; in 1907 I was
appointed Assistant Forest Ranger and resigned in 1913.
On April 1, 1913 I was appointed a Deputy Game War-
den, the job I still hold.

"I am a member of the Society of Montana Pioneers
and we old timers are passing away fast and not many
of us are left."

cant should state in his application the number of his
Big Game License and the county in which he wishes
to hunt, with one county named as a second choice, and
enclose a $1.00 Money Order for the permit.

If there are more applications for antelope permits
than there are permits to be issued for each county, a
drawing will be held at the Fish and Game Office in
Helena on August 21 to determine to whom the permits
are to be issued. All unsuccessful applicants will have
their $1.00 deposit refunded and all successful applicants
will have their permits mailed to them. '2; AM

During the 1943 open season on antelope, a total of
659 antelope were killed by 750 permit holder^^
^T?(f

Sage Hen Season . . .

An open season on Sage Hens was declared in
Carter, Powder River, Blaine and Hill counties on Au-
gust 13, 1944 only, with a bag limit of three birds.

In these four counties, Sage Hens are reported as
plentiful and on an increase. It seems to be the con-
census of opinion, from recommendations submitted by
sportsmen, that in the remaining counties throughout the
State having a Sage Hen population, there be no
open season this year due to unfavorable hatching con-
ditions in most areas.

'50 10, pn

FORMER EMPLOYEES NOW IN THE ARMED FORCES

ANTELOPE SEASON . . .

The Fish and Game Commission has authorized the
taking of a limited number of antelope in the following
counties: Carter, Powder River, Hill, Valley, Blaine and
Phillips.

From September 24 to October 8, 1944, 400 buck
antelope may be taken in Carter county and 100 buck
antelope in Powder River county by permit holders.

That portion of Hill, Valley, Phillips and Blaine
counties lying north of Highway No. 2 will be open to
antelope hunting by permit holders from October 29 to
November 26, 1944, inclusive. Twenty-five antelope of
either sex may be taken in Blaine, Valley and Phillips
counties and seventy-five antelope of either sex may be
taken in Hill county by permit holders.

Since a successful antelope hunt in the above four
counties may be dependent upon a migration of antelope
from Canada, only local residents in these counties are
advised to place application for a permit.

All applicants for an antelope permit must be the
holder of a current Big Game License and must make
application to the State Fish and Game Warden at He I-,
ena, Montana, not later than August 15, 1944. The appli-^

J. P. Campbell
A. A. O'Claire
C. N. Lindsay
R. H. Lambeth
Lester Newman
Jack Thompson
Waldo Vangsness
C. E. Willey
Don Brown
Donald Wright
Ben Wahle
Leo LaTray
Emmett Colley

Bob Brink
Robert Casebeer
Wm. E. Schultz
Julius K. Stinson
Burke Thompson
Forest Keller
Ed Furnish
Bill Thompson
Ken Thompson
Gene Sherman
Raleigh Shields
Ross Snyder
Vern Campbell
Harold Fletcher

MONTANA WILDLIFE

Sec. 562, P. L. & R.
U. S. POSTAGE

BULLETIN

PAID

HELENA, MONTANA

Permit No. 8

^*-^C,

.