ONTANA and Game Commission QUARTERLY REPORT Not for Publication I Volume VI Number 3 July - September 1956 J 9£r5~ Pittman- Robertson Federal Aid Projects Helena, Montana October 15, 1955 Regional Director Fish and Wildlife Service P. 0. Box 3737 Portland, Oregon Dear Sir: . We are herewith submitting completion reports in connection with the projects carried out through use of Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration funds. This Quarterly is a supplement to the Quarterly covering the period from July 1, 1954 to April 30, 1955, Volume VI, Number 2. For chronological purposes we are designating this our October 15, 1955 Quarterly, Volume VI, Number 3. Submitted by: Robert F, Cooney, Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division Approved by: A. A. 0«Claire State Fish and Game Director I REPORTS FOR THE WILDLIFE RESTORATION DIVISION STATE OF MONTANA FISH AND GAME COMMISSION Chairman - Manson H. Bailey, Jr., Glasgow H. W. Black, Poison R. D, Shipley, Miles City E. J. Skibby, Lewistown William T. Sweet, Butte State Fish and Game Director Deputy Director Coordinator, Wildlife Restoration Division - A. A, O'Claire - W, J. Everin - R. F. Cooney Volume VI Number 3 July - September 1955 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page W-38-R-6 UPUND GAME BIRD SURVEY AND INVESTIGATION (Abstract) 1 Population Trends and Breeding Potential Studies. .... .Robert L. Eng 2 W-39-R-6 WATERFOWL SURVEYS AND INVESTIGATIONS Aerial Waterfowl Census (Segment I) ..Dale Witt 8 A Production Study of Canada Geese on Nelson Reservoir - Phillips County, Montana (Segment I).... Dale Witt and Lynn Williamson 11 Continue a Comprehensive Study on Winter Populations of Waterfowl.. Gerald J. Salinas 31 Study of Hunter Harvest of Waterfowl (Segment I) Dale Witt 34 Study of Hunter Harvest of Waterfowl (Segment Il)..Dwight Stockstad 37 Waterfowl Movements and Migration (Segment I) .Dale Witt 39 Waterfowl Movements and Migration Study (Segment II) Dwight Stockstad 44 Pre-development Study of Freezout Lake Gerald J. Salinas 46 Pablo Refuge Management Investigation Dwight Stockstad 47 Blackfoot-Clearwater Habitat Development Investigations on State Lands.... Gerald J. Salinas 49 Sun River Waterfowl Habitat Investigation on State Lands , Gerald J. Salinas 50 Investigation of Potential Waterfowl Habitat for Future Development (Segment I) Dale Witt 51 Investigation of Potential Waterfowl Habitat for Future Development ! (Segment II) John Morrison 55 Wildlife Evaluation of State and Federal Lands in Fifteen Counties in Northeastern Montana Dale Witt 70 W-5-D-13 GENERAL WILDLIFE RESTOCKING PROJECT Final Report James McLucas 74 W-27-D-7 SUN RIVER EUi RANGE DE^/ELOPMENT Final Report Bruce Neal 78 W-S6-D-2 FREEZOUT UKE DEVELOPMENT Gerald J. Salinas 79 W-61-D-2 mix RIVER GAME MANAGEMENT AREA Final Report Dale Witt 85 1 k * Page W-62-D-2 GALLATIN G.Uffi RANGE (Barn Segment) Final Report... Joseph E. Townsend 87 W_47_M-4 MAINTENANCE OF SUN RIVER ELK RANGE DEVELOPMENT Final Report Bruce Neal 89 V_57_M-2 MAINTENANCE OF GALLATIN GAME RANGE (Porcupine Ranch) Final Report Joseph E. Townsend 91 r STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-38-R-6 DATE October, 15. 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Project: Upland Game Bird Survey and Investigation Leader: William R. Bergeson Job Completion Report Job No. IV-B • Investigations Project Title of Job: Population Trends and Breeding Potential Studies ABSTRACT Weekly brood counts were conducted along the established routes used in 1952 and 1953. Generally cooler temperatures and normal precipitation characterized the weather throughout the nesting and early brood season. The hatching peak appeared to be one week later than in 1953. A 47.3 per cent decrease was indicated in the adult population from 1953 to 1954. Favorable production was shown by the percent of adults in the total (45,2) and the per cent of successful females (75.6) observed on the routes during the last week the counts were conducted. The most favorable period for efficiently obtaining production daia is discussed* I -1- I 1 STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-38-R-6 DATE October 15. 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Project: Upland Game Bird Survey and Investigations * Leader: William R. Bergeson Job Completion Report Job No. IV-B Investigations Project Title of Job: Population Trends and Breeding Potential Studies SAGE GROUSE BROOD STUDIES — 1954 Production studies were continued in 1954 to better evaluate present methods and to be used in conjunction with other seasonal population checks to determine yearly trends. The counts and observations were made primarily by the writer and student assistant, Ancel M. Johnson. Supplemental observa- tions were made by other members of the Restoration Division and cooperating members of the Enforcement Division. METHODS: Procedures employed were the same as those described in Montana P-R Quarterly Report, Vol. V, No. I, 1954. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION: Precipitation and temperature data for the Fergus-Petroleum trend area are presented in Table 1 for 1952, 1953 and 1954. Tempera- tures were generally cooler than normal \d.th no appreciable departure from normal amounts of precipitation. A snowstorm occurred in early May on the Fergus-Petroleum trend area with a maximum depth of eight inches being recorded. A daily minimum temperature of below freezing was recorded for the first ten days of the month. The first and last hatching dates recorded were May 20th and July 12th respectively. The distribution of the observed seasons hatch by half-month intervals is presented in Table 2. These data were obtained primarily from occurrence of newly hatched young on established routes and secondarily from nest observations. Data in Table 2 suggest that the peak of hatch occurred during the first two weeks in June, one week later than in 1953. This retarded activity may have been due to the adverse weather on the area in late April and early May. -2- TABLE 1 TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION DATA FOR THE FERGUS-PETROLEM TREND AREA, 1952, 1953 and 1954-::- Temperatiire Precipitation Depo from Normal Dep. from Normal Month Average F (Degrees) Total Inches (Inches) 1952 1953 1954 1952 1953 1954 1952 1953 1954 1952 1953 1954 April 49„3 37.7 39.3 4.3 -7.3 -5.7 .49 2.16 1.17 -.53 1,14 .15 May 53.7 48.2 49o6 -0.8 -6.3 -4,9 3.65 5.24 2,06 1.39 2.98 -.20 June 62.2 58.7 56,0 2,6 -0.9 -3.6 .85 2c56 4.28 -3.28 -1,57 .15 July 66.6 67.8 69.1 -3,2 -2.0 - ,7 .68 .87 1.02 - .82 - .63 -.48 I U, S, Weather Bureau Reports TABLE 2 DISTRIBUTION OF HATCH BY HALF-MONTH INTERVALS Date No, Observations % of Total May 16-31 2 10.5 June 1-15 11 57,9 June 16-30 4 21.1 July 1-15 2 10.5 f Total 19 100.0 -3- A comparison of the production data from the trend areas for 1952, 1953 and 1954 is presented in Table 3o The total average number of adults observed per hour suggests a decrease of 47,3 per cent in the adult population from 1953 to 1954« This decrease in adult birds is substantiated by the indicated decrease of 33 o 3 per cent sho™ in the strutting ground counts for the same area (Eng, Robert Lo)-'-. I Favorable production occurred on the areas in 1954 as shown by the increase in per cent of successful hens and the decrease in per cent of adults observed as the season progressedc Again, as was observed in comparing data for 1952 and 1953 (Montana P-R Quarterly, Vol„ IV, No, 1, 1954), the greater productivity observed in 1954 over 1953 was indicated to a greater degree in the per cent of successful hens observed and to a lesser degree in the average brood size. A summarization of the age composition and the per cent of suc- cessful hens observed on the established routes is presented by weekly intervals for 1952, 1953 and 1954 in Figure lo The per cent of successful hens was not obtained during 1952 as the adult birds observed were not sexed. The sharp rise in successful females for June 15-21 in 1954 is believed due to the small sample obtained for this period. A comparison of the per cent of the adults in the population and the per cent of successful females observed shows considerable cor- relation, with changes in one being to a similar degree in the other. It is believed that observations of either the per cent of adults in the total or per cent of successful females would provide comparable indications of the seasons productivity. On the basis of this indication, non-technical personnel who are not sufficiently familiar with the species to accurately sex all adults may be used to conduct brood counts on established routes to obtain production data by recording the adiits and juveniles observed. The per cent of adults observed in the population for 1952, 1953 and 1954 displayed considerable variations in weekly I changes from June 8 to July 5, The greatest weekly increase in broods observed fell in the week of July 6-12 for the three years. Newly hatched broods may account for some of this change, but as is suggested in Table 2, a small per cent of the seasons hatch occurred during this period. It is the writers belief that greater mobility of and a change in cover use by the broods more closely explains this increase in brood observations and cor- responding decrease in per cent of adults in the population. Eng, Robert L„, Population Trends and Breeding Potential Studies (Sage Grouse Strutting Ground Counts, 1954) P-R Quarterly, Vol, VI, No, 3, 1955. -4- TABLE 3 STOIMARY OF NTOIBER OF JUVENILES AND ADULTS OBSERVED ON ESTABLISHED ROUTES ON TREND AREAS - 1952, 1953 and 1954 1952 JUVENILES ADULTS Number Average Number Number % Adults Ave. No. Date Broods No, /Brood Brood/Hr, Adults In Totals Adult s/Hr June 8-14 9 6.4 2.7 69 54.3 20.7 June 15-21 19 4.5 2.5 72 45,6 9.6 June 22-28 June 21- July 5 28 4,4 4.9 112 47,4 19.7 July 6-12 15 4,3 8.3 32 33.3 17.7 Total 71 4,7 3.9 285 46.1 15.6 JUVENILES ADULTS Ave, No. Per Cent Ave . No . Per Cent Number No./ Brood No. Adults Adults Adults Successful Date Broods Brood /Hour M F In Total / Hoiu" Females 1953 June 8-14 2 6 0.4 21 14 74.4 6.6 14,3 June 15-21 3 5 0.3 47 55 87.1 9,8 5.5 June 22-28 5 3o5 0.6 87 52 88.5 15,8 9.6 June 29- July 5 6 6o2 0.6 107 35 79.3 15.2 16,7 July 6-12 6 3.5 1.1 15 18 61.1 6.2 33.3 July 13-19 July 20-26 30 3.9 126 106 66.5 17,6 28.3 Total 52 4.2 1.0 403 280 76,4 13.1 18.6 1954 June 8-14 3 5.3 0,5 57 11 80.9 11.0 27.3 June 15-21 3 5.7 0.4 53 5 77.3 7.3 60.0 June 22-28 8 5,3 0.5 104 26 75,6 7.4 30.8 June 29- July 5 4 3 0,7 18 13 72.1 5.3 30.8 July 6-12 21 4.9 1.2 47 38 45,5 4.8 55.3 July 13-19 31 5.4 1.7 96 41 45.2 7.5 75.6 Total 70 5,1 1.0 375 134 58.9 6,9 52.2 I -5- '0 _8£ 60 70 65 60 50 30 2^ 20 15 10 1953 1952 / I95I1 1953 \ 1 \ July 6-12 July 13-19 1 1 — 1 1 June 8-lU June 15-21 June 22-28 June 29-5 Counts not conducted during that week. Percent Adults in Total Percent Females Successful Figure 1. Weekly summarization of age composition and successful females on trend areas, 1952, 1953 and 1954. -6- f i The change in cover preference from June to July is quantita- tively expressed in the Montana P-R Quarterly, Vol. Ill, No. 4, 1952o The high occxirrence of broods in sage brush types in June when many of the broods are hatching is in accordance with Pattersons (1952) listed high preference for sagebrush nesting cover. Increased use of cultivated areas (including pioneer stages in plant succession of i/nich many roadside ditches are an example) would place the broods in areas where they are more likely to be observed. Since observations of flock compositions suggest a similar movement by groups of broodless or unsuccessful hens, with a grouping of all hens and young beginning in raid or late July, the period just pre- vious to this grouping would appear to be the most advantageous time to conduct road counts to obtain data relative to the seasons productivity. Patterson (Op. Cit.) lists a post-breeding movement of adult males to higher elevations away from the breeding areas as an explanation for the paucity of males found along the brood count routes. With the exception of a few mountain valleys in the western half of Montana, the sage grouse range in this state is in areas where this elevational difference is almost non-existent. The sex ratios of adults observed throughout June and July are in reverse to those recorded by Patterson. This is probably a result of the males being larger and more conspicuous and the larger groups of males present at this time being easier to observe. The refinement of sage grouse roadside brood covmts along estab- lished routes for determining yearly production trends could be assisted materially by a more detailed study of a population of birds marked previous to or during the strutting season. Con- tinued observations of marked individuals should provide some of the needed information regarding any differential movement of sex and age classes, changes in cover preference and use and additional life history data such as renesting incidence, brood mortality, etc. Patterson, Robert L. 1952. The sage grouse in Wyoming. Sage Books, Inc., Denver. 481 pp. LITERATURE CITED Submitted bys Approved by; Neirae Robert L. Eng Montana State Department of Fish and Game Title Biologist By Wynn G. Freeman. Ass't Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -7- STATE Jfontar.a. PllOJECT NO. DATE OctoberJSjtJL955 VOLo VI Title of Projects Waterfowl Svirveys and Investigations Leaders Gerald Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. I-A Investigations Project Title of Jobs Aerial Waterfowl Census Segment I - 1954 Aerial Census of Canada Geese in Phillips County^ Montana PERSONNELS Dale Wittj Junior Biologist To gain information on the extent of Canada goose migration in the Phillips County area, to estimate the numbers and the periods that the geese were available to the hunters and to establish a basis for future trend counts. Key reservoirs and marshes were selected tliroughout Phillips County and were censused at approximately two week intervals. These censuses were made during the raid-day period, 10s30 A. If, to 2330 P. M. The counts were started one month before the hunting season (October 9 - December 7) and continued until freezeup (December 4). A light two place airplane mth the same pilot and observer was used. A buildup of geese occurred prior to the hunting season. Im- mediately following the opening of the season the number of geese on the sample areas declined sharply (Figure l). Hunting pressure, either dispersing the geese from censused to uncensuse( waters or actually inducing many to migrate from the area, may accotint for this decline. As the area sampled represents the majority of the goose resting areas in the county it is believed this decline was probably a result of migration. Mild weather and no storms till late in tlie season appeared to lessen the importance of this factor at this time. Geese were available to hunters until December 4, three days before the end of the hunting season. During the 1953 season geese were present until after the season ended, December 6. PURPOSES METHODS DISCUSSIONS I SFPr SEPT OCT OCT NOV N0\/ DATE CENSUSED Figure 1, Aerial trend census of Canada geese on selected areas in Phillips County by two week periods during the fall of 1954. -9- I According to local people weather conditions during 1953 and 1954 were somewhat abnormal o Apparently freezeup usually occurs about the middle of November » RECOMMENDATIONS s Flight counts should be made during stable weather conditions. Moving storm fronts and cloudy or windy weather may cause the geese to remain feeding in the fields throughout the dayo A count made under these conditions in 1954 proved unreliable and the results were discarded. This count was made again at a later date. Future trend counts should be started at least one month earlier to determine the beginning of the migration. The census route should be reduced in length so that a complete count can be made in one day rather than two as done in 1954. This will lessen the chance of counting the same birds twice. Submitted bys Approved hji Name Dale Witt Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Junior Biologist By Wynn G. Freeman, Ass't Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -10- 1 STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-39-R-6 DATE October ..15. 1955 VOL. VI NO 3 Title of Project: Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leader: Gerald Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. I-B Investigations Project Title of Job: Ground Waterfowl Census Segment I: A Production Study of Canada Geese on Nelson Reservoir — Phillips County, Montana PERSONNEL: Dale Witt and Lynn Williamson INTRODUCTION: Since the advent of grain farming and reservoir construction in Phillips County, field hunting of the common Canada goose (Branta canadensis) has been increasing in quality. The best hunting has been in the vicinity of large bodies of water used as resting areas by the geese. With the increase of these water areas migrating geese appear to have spent more time in this area. In addition local nesting has apparently been on the increase. It is believed that a combination of such habitat factors has allowed the number of geese to gradually increase until in recent years the Malta area has become kno\m as one of the best goose hunting localities in Montana. With each hunting season bringing a greater influx of hunters, it was considered imperative that knowledge be gained concerning the status of this Canada goose population — whether the apparent increase is still in progress and if so, whether it is rapid enough to id-thstand a progressively increasing hunting pressure. A detailed investigation of the complete population was impossible during the study period. Therefore, until fxirther investigation could be made, it was decided to conduct a nesting study of a single breeding population on Nelson Reservoir. OBJECTIVES: The major objectives of the study were: 1. To determine the breeding population on Nelson Reservoir and the production of that population. 2. To determine and evaluate the mortality factors affecting nesting success. -11- DATES: The investigation was begun in March of 1954 and continued through the nesting season and part of the brood period until July 9. FINDINGS: HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA Nelson Reservoir is part of the Milk River Irrigation Project, con- / structed and administered by the Bureau of Reclamation „ Located in east-central Phillips County inimediately south of the >Iilk River, it is fed by a canal system talven from the Milk River approximately 38 miles upstreanio The canal and reservoir dikes were constructed prior to 1916 and water was first released into the basin in April of that year. The present bed is a natural basin previously occupied by three small lakes of a temporarj^ nature c It is now a long, slender, crescent shaped lake approximately ten miles long and one and three-fourths miles id-de (Figure l). An irrigation reservoir, it is subject to radical changes in iirater levels over a compara- tively short period of time, varying the acreage and giving the shoreline quite changeable dimensions « The highest water level attained in the history of the lake was in June 1954, when it reached the 2220.3 elevation with a shoreline of 28,70 miles, an acreage of 4,390 and a maximum depth of approximatelj'' 45 feet. According to information received from the Bureau of Reclamation, the reservoir will probably never exceed this level. Although the capacity of the present dikes mil allow a water elevation of 2,230 feet, increased seepage tlirough gravel strata into surrounding lowlands will probably hold it below the record level of 1954. The basin is encompassed by rolling liills which approach the lake in some areas and form small bluffs at the waters edge. In other areas a gently sloping plateau from the hills to the shoreline is formed. The shore vegetation is predominantly grass with a scattering of sage and weed types. There are thirteen islands in the lake, some of which become penninsulas during low water. Others become submerged when water levels are high. Those is- ^ lands which are emergent most of the year are also grass covered and six of them have scant stands of cottonwood and willow. It is not knoTO when Canada geese first began using Nelson Reser- voir as a nesting area. It is knoim, however, that nesting in the surrounding region has gradually increased \n.th the develop- ment of more large water areas. Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, three miles south of Nelson Reservoir, is another development carried out in conjunction mth the Bureau of Reclamation project mentioned above. In 1935 when this series of lakes was established there \irere seven knoim nesting pairs on the refuge. The population has no\7 increased to approjcimately 200 nesting pairs (personal communication from Leon Snyder, Refuge Manager). -12- Nelson Reservoir and Bo\vdoin Refuge are both used extensively as resting and feeding areas during spring and fall migration. However, during the cold winter months when the lakes and rivers are frozen over, the area is devoid of geese. The first small flocks of migrating geese arrive in mid-March before the larger bodies of water are free of ice. Nesting activities are also begun before the ice and snow are gone. The first egg laying was observed on both Nelson Reservoir and Bowdoin Refuge on April 13 in the spring of 1954. These lakes were all free of ice on April 17. METHODS OF STUDY An attempt was made to locate and keep under observation all active nests on the reservoir. Active nests here termed are those shoTiring definite signs of attendance by an adult pair on the first observation. Repeated nest searches were made of the complete shoreline and islands hj boat, foot and car. Due to the open terrain of the shoreline, it was not difficult to locate territorial pairs and consequently the nest, if there was one. Geese \f±th nest sites defended them. Wxen approached, they were hesitant to leave and would fly only a short distance, alighting and honIre the amount of water level fluctuation during critical months in past years. The danger to nesting would also depend on the choice of nest sites diu'ing years \Aien the reservoir is very low. At very low water, extensive mud and gravel areas would be exposed which do not present the most favorable nest sites, although a few such areas were used in 1954, On the other hand, with the lake below the 2210 elevation the Central Island would probably be the only nesting island present. More geese might concentrate there due -22- h/ATER ELEl/ATION ABOl/E SEA LEVEL IN FEET 2J0« 03 O* OS 06 07 oa 10 II « li I* IS 16 17 18 19 10 1331 1954- J9S5 I95Z I9SI i960 194-9 /948 mi ^/94S I94i /94Z /94I /94o /939 /937 Figure 6. Water level of Nelson Reservoir at end of each month (March, April, May, June) to 1954 from 1936. -23- to its increased size and consequently nest at lower elevations near the water line. On April 28 and 29 the temperature dropped to 16 degrees above zero. Accompanying this was a snow fall of four inches. This combination was believed to have brought about the desertion of one nest over which the snow had drifted to a depth of approxi- mately one foot . (Figures 7 and 8). The low temperature is thought to have affected the eggs in at least one other nest in which the clutch was complete but not under incubation. The eggs were incubated for a week afterwards with no apparent signs of development. DESERTION AND THE CENTRAL ISLAND Nesting on the Central Island appeared to be under considerable strain and the actual production was appreciably higher than was anticipated. The island is cigar-shaped, measuring 430 feet long, 114 feet wide and occupies approximately three-foxu'ths of an acre (Figure 1). The closest mainland is one-half mile away. The principal vegetation comprising the dense stand remaining from the pre- vious year consisted of four types: mustard, smartweed, ragweed and cane. A stand of small cottonwoods occupied one end of the island. In an effort to keep disturbance as low as possible and yet obtain sufficient data, only three visits were made to the island during the peak of the incubation period. Each visit required approximately an hour during which all geese were off their nests. There were 23 nests on the island, two of which were second clutches deposited in previously occupied nests. The breeding population was estimated at a minimum of 18 pairs. Five nests were considered renesting attempts. Of the 23 nests, eight were deserted as compared to five desertions of the 34 nests on other areas of the lake. Two possible reasons are advanced for this high rate of desertion. 1. Antagonism between pairs. Miller and Collins (1953) attri- buted a high rate of desertion to intraspecific strife on refuges in Northeast California. Activities on the Central Island appeared to indicate this, particularly after the geese had been flushed and were returning to their respective nests. Considerable chasing and mild fighting were observed on these occasions. It is probable that dominant pairs were able to expand their defence area to include an adjacent nesting site only a few feet away and thus cause that nest to be deserted. -24- \ 2„ Human dist-urbance. Recreational activity on the lake includes boatings fishing and summer cabin sites. Most of the boating originates from two areas ^ the north and south shore cabin sites (Figure l)o Although cool weather, strong winds and rough water probably reduced most of the boating and fishing during the major portion of the 1954 nesting season, there was still some evidence of disturbance. Any boat circling close to the Central Island would cause the geese to flush from their nests. Docking and fishing from the island kept the birds off their nests as long as the fishermen were pre- sent. This was the most serious disturbance observed. On May 30 of Memorial Day weekend considerable recreational acti- vity was expected. Therefore, prolonged observations were made of the island through binoculars. At first no geese were present, indicating that they had been flushed earlier. The watch ivas continued for three hours and fifteen minutes during which time the geese did not return. During this time seven boats docked, one party made a tour of the island and another fished for at least 45 minutes. Three nests iirere still under incubation on this date. The extent of damage caused by recreational activity is questionable. However, if such disturbance as that recorded above had taken place earlier in the season at a more critical stage of incubation, ex- tensive chilling of eggs and desertion of nests may have been the result, BROOD COUNTS Data obtained from the brood counts gave further indication that all active nests on the reservoir had been under observation (Table 5). T\to brood counts were made by boat, one on May 20 and the other on May 24. The first count indicated five broods and 25 goslings, A check on the hatching records gave the same total for that date. On the second attempt it was found that as the goslings grew older and more active, an accurate count could not be made by boat. Therefore, on June 7, a complete circuit of the lake was made in a pickup truck. This proved to be the better method. At that time 132 goslings were counted with 19 pair of adults, several of them being combined broods. According to a post-hatch check of nests it was found that 27 had hatched producing 132 goslings by June 7, These figures show that eight pairs had apparently lost their goslings to other broods. On June 15 a second ground count was made after 31 nests had pro- duced 147 goslings. This count totaled 143 goslings with 22 pairs of adults, indicating that 9 pairs may have lost their broods to others. Two aerial brood counts were made. The first was unsuccessful but the second, made on June 25, proved to be as accurate as the ground counts. This cotint indicated 142 goslings were present after 150 had been produced in the area. -26- TABLE 5 BROOD COUNTS OF CANADA GEESE ON NELSON RESERVOIR Date Pairs of Adults Number of Broods Total Gosling Count No. of Nests Hatched to Date Hatched Eggs to Date May 20 5 5 25 5 25 June 7 19 15 132 27 132 June 16 22 16 143 31 147 June 25 142 32 150 (Aerial) The difference between actual gosling counts and the hatched egg totals on the last two dates may possibly be attributed to either of two causes: post-hatch mortality or inaccuracy in brood counting. Later in the season, as the broods begin to combine, a bird for bird count was more difficult. If the discrepancy was mortality, it was quite low, 2.7 and 5.3 per cent on the last two counts respectively. Williams and Marshall (1938) found gosling mortality to be negligible in the Bear River marshes of Utah. BROOD REARING AREAS Broods tended to remain near the nest area the first few days. They then moved to one of three rearing areas: the west end of the lake, the bay formed by the large peninsula and the bay west of the north shore cabin sites (Figure 1). Three broods were found in Beebe^s Slough near the east dike during the course of the study and may have spent most of the brood period there. Observations of broods were discontinued on June 25 and resumed during the banding period. At that time most of the geese had congregated in the west end of the lake in combined broods of mixed ages. This region of reduced human activity appeared to be the most important brood area. BANDING On July 9 a poultry wire wing trap was erected on the shoreline near the west end of the lake (Figure l). One-hundred-fifty-one flightless geese were herded into the trap with the aid of boats. The geese were sexed, aged (adult or juvenile), and banded with Fish and Wildlife Service bands. The capture included: 15 adult males, 18 adult females, 45 juvenile males and 67 juvenile females. -27- Six goslings died during the operation and their sex was not recorded. This represents the first attempt at banding on Nelson Reservoir » PRODUCTIVITY The potential productivity of the population was considerably- higher than the actual. If the 45 nesting pairs had hatched an average clutch of 5„3 eggs (Table 2), a total of 238 goslings would have been produced. The actual productivity was 150 goslings or 63 per cent of the potential. Each breeding pair produced an average of 3,3 young or an increase of 166 per cent over the breeding population. Compared to that of other study areas, the productivity was approximately the same or slightly higher. Barraclough (1954) in a study of Canada Geese in the Flathead Valley of Montana, found the actual production in 1953 to be 57 per cent of the poten- tial with an average clutch of 5,5. The average nimiber of young per adiolt pair reaching the flying stage was 3.16 and 2.32 in 1953 and 1954 respectively, Craighead and Craighead (1949) found pro- ductivity on the Snake River in V^oming to be 1.2 yoiing per nesting pair. In Utah, Williams and Marshall (1938) found 3.9 young pro- duced per nest and Kossack (1950) found 3.5 and 4,6 goslings pro- duced per nest on refuges in Illinois, MANAGEMENT SUGGESTIONS: The most important mortality factors took place in the nest prior to hatching. Desertion was the primary reason for nest failure, accounting for 13 of the 25 unsuccessful nests. Intraspecific strife and human distiH'bance \fere believed to be the principal causes of desertion rather than weather. Posting of the Central Island and approximately 50 yards of water surrounding the island for one nesting season would show whether boating and fishing had an effect on nest desertion. If posting did not reduce the desertion and crowding was still evident after the season's study, perhaps measures could be taken to discourage nesting on the island altogether and entice the geese to use other areas. The latter may be an unsound move and perhaps difficult to carry out. However, by making other areas on the lake more desirable for nesting this may be possible. The construction of nest boxes similar to those used in the Flathead Valley (Barraclough, 1954) may prove of value if placed in key areas such as the peninsulas and along the shoreline of the west end of the lake. The con- struction of more islands might be possible but probably not feasible unless water level control was voider the jiu'isdiction of the game managers. Flooding, which destroyed nine nests, was the second most important reason for nest failure and has the potential of becoming more serious. If raising of the water level could be delayed until June 1 of each year most of the flooding could be avoided. However, -28- in years of very low water levels at the outset of the nesting season, as those experienced in the past (Figure 6), delay in filling the reservoir would very likely be prohibitive in res- pect to irrigation management , These same years would also be most serious in respect to nest flooding. Although the breeding goose population on Nelson Reservoir is only a small part of the Phillips County total, the production of 150 young in 1954 is probably a substantial contribution to the harvest- able population. Band returns, along with a study of the harvest should give an indication of its value. In order to determine the Canada goose population and productivity of the Highline studies similar to this one would probably be neces- sary on other major breeding areas in this region. It is possible however, that the information obtained from Nelson Reservoir may help in making estimates on those areas. Considerable information on the status of the geese might be obtained by means of periodic aerial census if the other nesting habitats are found to be sufficiently similar to Nelson Reservoir. LITERATURE CITED Barraclough, >lary E, 1954. Biology of Canada geese (Branta canadensis moffitti) in the Flathead Valley of Montana. Unpublished M.S. Thesis. Montana State Univ. Library, Missoula, Montana. Craighead, Frank C, and Craighead, John J. 1949. Nesting Canada geese on the upper Snake River. Jour. Wld. Mgt. 13(l): 5]t64. Ellig, LeRoy J. 1953. Waterfowl relationships to Greenfields Lake, Teton County, Montana. Unpublished M.S. Thesis. Montana State College, Bozeman, Montana. Kossack, C. W. 1950, Breeding habits of Canada geese under refuge conditions. Amer. Mid. Nat. 43(3): 627-649. Miller, A. W, , and Collins, B, D„ 1953. A nesting study of Canada geese on Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges, Siskiyou County, California. Calif. Fish and Game. 39(3): 385-396. Patterson, Robert L, and Ballou, Robert M. 1953. Game bird surveys. Wyoming Fish and Game Dept. Project W-50-R-2, (2)4. Williams, S. S., and >5arshall, W. H, 1937. Goose nesting studies on Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Jour. Wld. Mgt. 1: 77-86. _^ . 1938. Survival of Canada goose goslings, Bear River Refuge, Utah. Jour. Wld. Mgt. 2:17-19, Submitted bys Name^ Dale Witt Title Biologist and Name Lynn Williamson Title Student Assistant Approved bys Name Gerald J. Salinas Title Senior Biologist Approved by; Montana State Fish and Game Department By Wynn G. Freeman, Ass't Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -30- STATE Montana PROJECT NOo W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Project: Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leader: Gerald J„ Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. I-D Investigations Project Title of Job: Continue a Comprehensive Study on Winter Populations of Waterfowl OBJECTIVES: A sound inventory of the waterfowl wintering in Montana is needed. Refinements in the census methods and the coordination of personnel in making of the census are to be explored. FINDINGS: The time of the inventory is set by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 1955 winter inventory was conducted during the period Januarj'- 11 through January 15, 1955. A set date such as this poses some problems on certain years as to weather conditions. However, with the exception of localized snow and fog, weather conditions were excellent for the 1955 census. The census was conducted by utilizing two methods. An aerial census was made of concentration areas. A ground census was made on all areas that did not lend themselves to a census by air. Six airplanes were used dviring the inventory. These were flown a total of 23,5 hours for an estimated distance of 1,650 miles. Unusual concentrations of certain species were as follows: Clarks Fork of Flathead River 1,500 Canada Geese 8,000 Mallards . Flathead Lake 20,000 Coots The total number of waterfowl observed in the State of Montana and including Yellowstone Park was 155,065. This figure can be compared to the 1954 figure of 125,813, The greater part of the indicated increase was in the populations of mallards, goldeneyes, coot and Canada geese, A considerable decrease was noted in the population of redheads (see Table 1). -31- Table 1. Totals by species of waterfowl censused in Montana and Yellowstone Park during January of 1954 and 1955 Species Number Censtjspd Difference 1954 1955 1954 to 1955 Mallard 97,749 112.982 + 15,233 Gadwall 10 + 10 Baldpate 70 97 + 17 Green-winged Teal 82 666 + 584 Pintail 222 324 + 102 Redhead 1,750 68 1,682 Canvasback 4 4 0 Scaup 0 1 + 1 Ringneck 0 1 + 1 Blue-winged Teal 3 0 3 Goldeneye 6,928 9,438 + 2,510 Bufflehead 115 75 40 Merganser 1,377 2,132 + 755 Unidentified 1,269 1,190 79 Coot 13,060 23,662 + 10,602 Canada Goose 3,075 4,239 + 1,164 Snow Goose 1 4 + 3 Whistling Swan 44 2 42 Trumpeter Swan 64 170 + 106 Total 125,813 155,065 + 29,252 RECOMMENDATIONS S The census has been carried out by all field personnel in the Fish and Game Department. There is a need for instruction in identification of the minor species of waterfowl found in the State. This instruction was started during the past year and will be continued. It is felt that the accuracy of the census could be greatly improved in this way. Sex ratios should be taken on as many areas as, possible. If this were done in all states it could yield valuable information on the differential migration of the sexes and possibly to more intensive management of the species. It is recommended that this census be carried on in the suc- ceeding years. SUMMARY: 1. The annual winter inventory of waterfowl was conducted in Montana during the period January 11 through 15, 1955. -32- 2. An increase of 29^252 waterfowl were observed over the 1954 population, 3. The major increase was attributed to the following species? mallard, goldeneye, cootj Canada geese. 4. A considerable decrease (l„682) was noted in the redhead population. Submitted by? Approved by? Name Gerald J, Salinas Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Senior Biologist By Wynn Go Freeman^ Ass*t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -33- STATE Montana PROJECT N0„ W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOLo VI NO.. 3 Title of Project: Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leader: Gerald Jo Salinas Job Completion Report Job No, II-A Investigations Project Title of Job: Study of Hunter Harvest of Waterfowl Segment I: 1954 Canada Goose Kill Survey for Phillips County PERSONNEL: FINDINGS; During the 1954 waterfowl hunting season field checks were made by Fish and Game Department personnel. Dale Witt, L3mn Williamson Charles Crunden and Lloyd Townsend, in the more popular goose hunting areas of Phillips County, Sex, age and weight were recorded for the geese checked. These statistics are presented in Tables 1 and 2, Table 1, Weight classes by sex and age of Canada geese checked in Phillips County Sex and Age Class No. of Birds Sexed Average Weight Adult 9 26 9 lbs, 5 oz. Junvenile 2 6 8 lbs. 3 oz. Adult cf 19 11 lbs. 0 oz. Junvenile d 10 9 lbs. 1 oz. Total Geese 61 -34- Table 2„ Sex and age composition of Canada geese checked in Phillips County Say ^inr! Actp mpQc; k^CA. CtllVJ. /^gv; OXCLO o Adult 9 27 42.2 Juvenile 9 7 10.9 Adult d" 20 31.3 Juvenile d 10 15.6 Total Geese 64 100.0 At the time of the field checks a list of hunters names and addresses was obtained for use in a post-hunting season post card survejo Cards were sent out to each of 307 hunters approxi- mately one month following the end of the hunting season. One month after the cards were sent out, 162 had been returned, of which three were returned because of improper address. Of the 159 cards received from hunters (52.3 per cent return) 145 were used to compile the data in Table 3. Table 3. Goose kill of reporting hunters Area Hunted Total Canada Total Other Total Geese Geese Bagged Geese JBagged Lost Malta Area 278 11 38 All Areas 297 28 38 These data from the 146 usable returns, indicate that the average hunter accounted for 278/146 or 1.90 Canada geese and 289/145 or 1.98 geese of all species in the Malta area throughout the season. The average goose kill for all areas hunted by reporting hunters amounted to 2.04 Canada geese per person and 2.22 geese per person for all species of geese. Only 128 of the returns could be used to get number of days hunted. These indicated that 128 hunters spent 1,057 days to bag 216 geese or 4.89 days were spent bagging a Canada goose in the Malta area. This figure may be somewhat high because no provision was made on the post card to separate duck hunter days from goose hunter days. This subjected the -35- data to the inclusion of time spent in the field hunting ducks only. Table 4, Distribution of goose kill throughout the season in the Malta area.* -1 — t— r-"- — II .——Ml. I Mil. I I II ■ Period No, of Geese Killed Per Cent of Total October 9-18 120 50,8 October 19 - 28 33 14.0 October 29 - November 7 35 14.8 November 8-17 20 8,5 November 18- 28 20 8.5 November 29- December 7 8 3,4 Total October 9 - December 7 236 100,0 * Hunters did not indicate 10 day period of kill for remainder of geese bagged. A greater number of birds were killed in the first ten day period than during the remainder of the season. Migration trend counts made in this area during the fall of 1954 indicated that the greatest number of geese were available to hunters at the beginning of the season. Since hunting pressure declined with declining numbers of available birds throughout the season a correlation between trend counts and kill may not be too significant, A smaller number of birds available and a decreasing kill per unit of hunting effort undoubtedly discouraged many hunters from taking to the field in the latter part of the season. It is recommended that all future post card surveys for determining the goose kill be sent out immediately following the hunting season. This will tend to decrease the chances for error on the part of the reporting hunters. A followup card about two weeks later should greatly increase the per- centage of returns. The information asked for on the card should be limited to the species or species in question and be designed for the easiest and most accurate interpretation. Submitted by; Name Dale Witt Title Biologist Approved bys Montana State Fish and Game Department By Wynn G. Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -36- STATE Montana PROJECT NO, W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Project: Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leader: Gerald J„ Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. II-A Investigations Project Title of Job: Study of Hunter Harvest of Waterfowl Segment II: Hunter Harvest of Canada Geese in Flathead Valley, 1954 OBJECTIVES: 1. To determine economically and accurately the statistics of waterfowl hvinting. 2. To determine the sex and age composition of the bag of waterfowl. 3. To determine the physical condition of birds at that season of the year, PROCEDURE: An intensive study of the hunter harvest of Canada geese in the Flathead Valley was made in cooperation with the Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. Field checks and post-season hunter interviews were used to determine the desired information. FINDINGS: Data collected showed that 754 geese were killed or crippled in the Flathead Valley. Crippling loss amounted to 119 geese or 15.6 per cent of the total hunting loss figxire. Kill records show that intensive hunting accounted for a large proportion of the kill. For example, it was not uncommon for a few hunters to take between 10 to 20 geese. Four per cent of 357 interviewed hunters accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the total goose kill and approximately 8 per cent of the hunters accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the kill. The average weight of 86 hunter killed geese weighed during the season was 9.85 pounds. Maximian weight was 14 pounds. Minimum weight was 6.50 pounds. -37- Out of a total of 182 field checked geese, 88 were adult birds and 94 were juvenile birds. Calculated as to percentage, 48.3 were adult geese and 51o7 were juvenile geese. There is little doubt that the hunting pressure on the Flathead geese will increase greatly in the years ahead. The local goose population, even under intensive management, cannot be increased to meet this demand „ . Regulations based only on annual flyway surveys will not be specific enough to insure effective harvesting of the Flathead geese o To do this \n.ll require an annual inventory of breeding success, periodic censuses and an accurate record of the hunter harvest. The intensive studies on the hunter harvest of the Canada geese in the Flathead Valley should be continued. Only by intensive study over a period of years can the true effect of hvinter take be determined. The Flathead Valley Canada goose population is of such importance to waterfowl hunters in Montana that all measures possible should be taken to insure its perpetuation on a shootable basis. There were 764 Canada geese killed or crippled in the Flathead Valley during the 1954 waterfowl season. Crippling loss amounted to 15.6 per cent of the total loss due to hunting. Approximately 8 per cent of the hunters killed 60 per cent of the geese. The average weight of 86 hunter killed geese was 9.85 pounds. Very little differential kill was evidenced with 88 out of 182 birds being adults and 94 being juveniles. Intensive study will be necessary on an annual basis to effec- tively manage the Flathead Valley goose population. DISCUSSION: RECOMMENDATIONS i SUMMARY: Submitted by: Approved by: Name Dwight S. Stockstad Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Biologist B^'- tfynn G. Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Approved by: Wildlife Restoration Division Name Gerald J, Salinas Title Senior Biologist -38- STATE Montana PROJECT NO, W-39-R-6 DATE October 15 , 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Project; Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leader: Gerald Salinas Job Completion Report Job Noo III-A Investigations Project Title of Job: Waterfowl Movements and Migration Segment I: Preliminary Analysis of Recoveries of Canada Geese Banded at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge 1950, 1951 and 1953, INTRODUCTION: Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most important breeding and moulting areas for Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in Montana, Banding efforts on Bowdoin Refuge by the Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with Montana Fish and Game personnel netted 604 geese during the years 1950, 1951 and 1953. The geese were banded during the flightless period with the aid of drive traps and dip nets. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this job include the determination of the proportion of Montana reared birds taken by Montana hunters, the migration routes of the birds and eventually their longe- vity. The list of recoveries, although incomplete, have fur- nished some indications to migration patterns and distribution and intensity of the harvest, FINDINGS: The Rio Grande River in New Mexico, the apparent wintering grounds of this population, accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the total recoveries. Another 40 per cent of the recoveries were reported from the breeding grounds. The distribution of these and remaining recoveries for any one year are shown in Table 1. First year recovery rates for 1950 and 1951 were 13.38 and 21.24 per cent respectively. See Tables 2 and 3 for second, third and fourth year recovery rates. These figures may vary slightly when the complete list of recoveries have been confirmed by the central banding office. -39- TABLE 1 SroO'IARY OF RECOVERIES OF GEESE BANDED AT BOWDOIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE DURING 1950, 1951 AND 1953""- 1950 1951 1953 Totals Number Banded 142 113 349 604 Area Recovered No. Recovered % of Total Recoveries % of Total Banded No. Recovered % of Total Recoveries % of Total Banded No. Recovered % of Total Recoveries % of Total Banded No . Recovered % of Total Recoveries % of Total Banded Saskachewan 1 2.86 ,70 2 6.25 1.77 1 1.88 0.29 4 3.33 0.66 Montana 16 45.71 11.27 11 34.38 9.73 20 37.74 5.73 47 39.17 7,78 Wyoming 3 8.57 2.11 2 6.25 1.77 1 1.88 0.29 6 5.00 0.99 Colorado 1 2,86 0,70 2 6.25 1.77 6 11.32 1.72 9 7.50 1.49 New Mexico 12 34.29 8.45 14 43.75 12.39 23 43.40 6.59 49 40.83 8,11 Old Mexico 2 5.71 1.41 2 1.66 0.33 Nevada 1 3.13 0.88 1 0.83 0,17 Arizona 1 1.88 0.29 1 0.83 0,17 California 1 1,88 0.29 1 0.83 0,17 Totals 35 100.0 24,65 32 100,0 28.31 53 100,0 15.19 120 100,0 19.87 Recoveries include those reported through February, 1955. -40- TABLE 2 RECOVERY RATES OF GEESE BANDED AT BOWDOIN IN 1950* Year Recovered Number Recovered % of Total Banded % of Total Recoveries 1950 19 13.38 55.88 1951 6 4.23 17,65 1952 6 4,23 17.65 1953 3 2.11 8.82 Total 34 23.94 100.00 * A total of 142 geese were banded. TABLE 3 RECOVERY RATES OF GEESE BANDED AT BOWDOIN IN 1951-- Year Recovered Number Recovered % of Total Banded % of Total Recoveries 1951 24 21.24 77.42 1952 3 2.65 9.68 1953 4 3.54 12.90 Total 31 27.43 100.00 A total of 113 were banded. -41- TABLE 4 SEX AND AGE COMPOSITION OF TOTAL GOOSE KILL FROM DIRECT RECOVERIES Year Banded Number Banded by Sex and Age Class Recoveries by Sex and Aee Class Adult Male Adult Female Juv. Male Juv. Female Adult Male Adult Female Juv. ^lale Juv. Female 1950 47 45 25. 25 3 4 5 7 1951 20 26 31 36 2 4 8 10 1953 87 89 63 110 8 12 7 14 Totals 154 160 119 171 13 20 20 31 Total by Age Class 314 290 33 51 TABLE 5 AGE COMPOSITION OF GOOSE KILL FROM DIRECT BREEDING AND WINTERING GROUND RTCOVERIES Year Banded Number Banded Number Recovered Breeding Ground Wintering Ground Adult Juvenile Adult Juvenile Adult Juvenile 1950 92 50 5 6 3 5 1951 46 67 3 6 2 11 1953 176 173 10 7 8 10 Totals 314 290 18 19 13 25 -42- In some goose populations there is a high differential mortality between juveniles and adults. In the Horseshoe Lake flock, Hanson and Smith (1950) found juveniles to be 8.34 times as vulnerable to shooting as adults. These workers, computing the vulnerability quotient, used the following formula: Number band recoveries from juveniles Number of juveniles banded before end ( Number band from adults Nimiber of adults banded before end of hunting season ^ . ^.,«„^T,,,m xr before end of hunting season VULNERABILITY QUOTIENT V = Number band recoveries Substituting the data from Table 4, 51 ir - 290 _ 17.59 _ -. ^ - lOlsl " ^'^^ 314 indicating that juveniles are 1.67 times as vulnerable to shooting as adults. This figure pertains to the kill of Bowdoin banded birds throughout the entire flyway. Breaking this down further between the breeding grounds and the wintering grounds, the quotients are 1.14 and 2.08 respectively (Table 5). This difference may be attributed to a greater vulnerability to the gun by single geese than those in flocks (Op. Cit,). As the hunting season progresses there should be more family groups disrupted causing a higher proportion of single geese in the population, the majority of which should be juveniles. So the wintering grounds may be expected to have a higher proportion of single juvenile geese in the population than the breeding grounds. LITERATURE CITED Hanson, Harold and Robert H. Smith. 1950. Canada geese of the Missis- sippi Flyway Illinois Natural History Survey, Vol. 25, Article 3. Submitted by: Approved by: Name Dale Witt Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Biologist By Wynn G. Freeman. Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division Approved by: Name Gerald Salinas Title Senior Biologist -43- I STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Project; Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leader: Gerald J. Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. III-A Investigations Project Title of Job: Waterfowl Movements and Migration Study OBJECTIVES: Summer A, To determine proportion of Montana reared birds taken by hunters. B. To determine migration routes. Winter A. To determine homing instincts of winter residents, B. To determine longevity of waterfowl. C. To determine incidence of shot in captured birds. PROCEDURE: 1. Trapping and Banding: A summer banding crew will trap and band during the flightless period. The banding will be delineated on a basis of established ecological units. As many birds as possible will be banded in each ecological unit. During the winter period, traps will be located in areas of waterfowl concentration. An attempt will be made to band an adequate sample in at least three areas of con- centration. 2. During hunting season an effort will be made to recover banded birds taken by hunters. Checking stations and news releases will be used to stimulate retvirns. 3. Data \d.ll be analyzed, plotted on maps and appropriate re- ports will be made. Segment II: Goose Banding in Flathead Valley During Summer of 1955 Four hundred seventeen geese were banded during the summer flight- less period. This number represented geese from the Flathead River, Flathead Lake, Pablo and Ninepipe Reservoirs. Banding was done in cooperation with a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service banding crew. -44- Hunters were field contacted and post-season interviewed to obtain as many band returns as possible from locally banded geesco Fifty-seven bands were returned during the 1954 hunting season from the 417 locally banded geese. Calculating the percentage of local birds killed from these band returns, we find that 13 064 per cent of the local goose population was kiUed during the 1954 waterfowl season. Of the 57 bands rettirnedj only two were returned from other than the immediate Flathead Valley areao These two were re- turned from the State of Idaho. The large number of bands returned from the immediate Flathead Valley indicated that the Canada Goose population in this area is more resident in nature than is commonly believed. This would indicate that locally reared birds are furnishing the bulk of goose shooting to be had in the Flathead Valley » Study should be continued on the Flathead Valley Canada Goose popula- tion to determine if it can stand up under increased hunting pressure . Banding studies shoiild be continued on the Flathead Valley Canada Goose population. This banding should be done in con- jtinction with the overall study of the Canada Geese in the Flathead Valley by the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research IMit and the State Fish and Game Department. Four hxmdred seventeen Canada Geese were banded in the Flathead Valley in 1954. Hunters collected 13.64 per cent or 57 of the banded geese during the 1954 waterfowl season. Only two of the 57 bands were returned from out of the immediate Flathead Valley area. Banding studies should be continued to determine if the Flathead Valley Canada Goose population could withstand increasing hunter pressure. FINDINGS: DISCUSSION; RECOMMENDATIONS s SUMMARY: Submitted by: Approved by? Name Dwight Stockstad Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Biologist By V?ynn G. Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -45- STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Project; Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leaders Gerald J. Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. IV-A Investigations Project Title of Jobs Pre-development Study of Freezout Lake Personnel were not available for detailed study of the work outlined in this project job. However, most of the objectives of this job closely parallel the pre-development analysis of changing habitat and waterfowl popu- lations accomplished under Project No. W-56-D-2 (Freezout development). This has been reported in the completion report for W-56-D-2. Submitted by; Name Gerald J. Salinas Title Senior Biologist Approved by; Montana State Fish and Game Department By Wynn G. Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO, 3 Title of Project: Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leader: Gerald J. Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. IV-B Investigations Project Title of Job: Pablo Refuge Management Investigation OBJECTIVES: Gather biological data on the Pablo Refuge area to be used in formulating a workable plan for a game restoration area and a public shooting grounds. PROCEDURE: The majority of hunters using the area are interested in the Canada goose. Initial studies were set up to determine the extent of hunter use of this area and the resulting hunting statistics. Pablo Reservoir was zoned into two areas. An observer was assigned to each area. During 18 days of the 60 day hunting season, these observers recorded goose movements from daylight to darlf, counted the number of geese killed or crippled, and estimated the hunting pressure exerted. FINDINGS : The results of these observations will be statistically analyzed and projected for the 60 day season in order to determine: 1, The total number of geese flying and available to hunters. 2„ The total hunting pressure, 3, The total number of geese killed or crippled. DISCUSSION: The hmting use made of the area during the sample period pointed out the desirability of a development project designed to insure that some of this area will remain open to goose hunting in the future, Diu'ing 18 days of hunting pressure during 1954 a total of 1,649 hunters spent 4,914 hours to bag 126 geese. This indicates -47- the value placed upon this area by these hunters. With the increased hunting pressure that is certain to be evidenced in future years, Pablo Reservoir will becrane more and more important in the management of the Flathead Valley Canada goose populatiouo Biological studies on the Pablo Refuge should be continued. Projects such as this can be sold to the sporting public only through the possession of sound information. Particular emphasis should be placed on the Canada geese since economically and biologically they offer the best use which can be made of the Pablo area. An 18 day sample of hunting pressure and goose kill and crippling loss revealed that 1,649 hunters spent 4,914 hours to bag 126 geese. This sample will be statistically analyzed and projected in the entire 60 day hunting season. Biological studies should be continued on the area because of its economic and recreational value to the sporting public. RECOMMENDATIONS: SUMMARY: Submitted by: Approved by: Name Dwight S. Stockstad Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Biologist By Wynn G. Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division Approved by: Name Gerald J. Salinas Title Senior Biologist -48- STATE_ Montana PROJECT NO. W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Projects Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leaders Gerald J. Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. IV-C Investigations Project Title of Jobs Blackfoot-Clearwater Habitat Development Investigations on State Lands It was planned that management recommendations for waterfowl habitat development on this area would be completed for submission. However, due to transfer of personnel assigned to the work, this could not be accom- plished. Submitted bys Approved by: Name Gerald Jo Salinas Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Senior Biologist By Wynn G. Freeman. Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -49- STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 Title of Projects Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leaders Gerald J, Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. IV-D Investigations Project Title of Jobs Sun River Waterfowl Habitat Investigation on State Lands Due to transfer and termination of employment of personnel assigned to project W-39-R-6 the work outlined in this job could not be accomplished. Submitted by? Name Gerald J. Salinas Title Senior Biologist Approved bys Montana State Fish and Game Department By Wynn G. Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -50- V STATE Montana PROJECT NOo W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOLo VI NOo 3 Title of Project? Waterfowl Survey and Investigation Leaders Gerald Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. IV-E Investigations Project Title of Jobs Investigation of Potential Waterfowl Habitat for Future Development Segment 1% Outlet Marsh as a Potential Waterfowl Area Outlet Marsh lies in Section 5^, 6j Township 37 North, Range 49 East and Section 1, 12, Township 37 North, Range 48 East. The marsh is approximately 1,000 acres in srze (Figure l)o The land is entirely in private ownership and the tracts are held by eight individuals or companies o A small portion of the marsh lies in Canada, This marsh is quite attractive to waterfowl in the spring of the year when it is full of water. An appreciable depth of water is present in the marsh - but for a very short time during spring rimoffs. The area once had a dike to impound the runoff but this has since been washed out or has been destroyed by other means. There is also a ditch that has been dug to hasten the drainage of the area in the spring. The majority of the marsh bed is now being used for summer and fall pasture of livestock. The actual development of the area would be minor compared to size and value of the area. It appears that the rebuilding of the short dike which was approximately 100 yards long (see Figure 2) would be all that is necessary to impound about 1,000 acres of water. The acquisition of the land would involve a minimum of 1,400 acres to control the marsh. These lands consist of marsh, short grass " prairie and wild hay land at the present time. This should cost a maximum of $28,000,00. Still another factor to be considered is the manner in which the international boundary between the United States and Canada traverses the northern portion of this marsh. There has been some correspondence with the Canadian wildlife officials regarding the possibility of re-establishing this marsh also regarding the status of the lands on the Ceinadian side. A further check will be made as to the land status on the Canadian side. Also with a little additional diking it may be possible to develope this marsh without flooding the Canadian side. -51- Figure 1. Outlet Marsh Looking East at Main Body of Marsh -52- Figure 2. Outlook Marsh Showing Washed-out Dike -53- producing marsh and a good d be taken g lo More correspondence with the Canadian officials to learn of all the problems involved in this situationo 2„ Obtain additional information regarding estimates of costs and feasibility of acquisition„ 3o It is recommended that the method of development of the area without flooding the border be further . explored as the feasible approach to the project „ Submitted byg Approved byg Name Dale Witt Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Biologist By Wynn Go Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -54 i STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-39-R-6 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL, VI NO. 3 Title of Project: Waterfowl Siirvey and Investigation Leader: Gerald J. Salinas Job Completion Report Job No. IV-E Investigations Project Title of Job: Investigation of Potential Waterfowl Habitat for Future Development Segment II: Survey of Bitterroot Valley Waterfowl Habitat and Hunter Usage INTRODUCTION: The constantly increasing number of waterfowl hunters and the ever decreasing amount of available public hunting area in the Bitterroot Valley poses a difficult game management problem. The need is to provide more and better shooting areas for the general public; the problem is to determine the most economical methods of efficiently accomplishing this need. This survey was conducted to inventory present habitat and to seciu-e the basic information needed to evaluate the area for possible management or development in the future. OBJECTIVES: 1„ To map and measure the extent of the different Abater types. 2. To describe the physical characteristics of the water areas and their adjacent land types. 3. To estimate the species composition and relative abundance of waterfowl present during each season of the year. 4. To estimate the value of each area for waterfowl feeding, nesting, resting and wintering. 5. To determine the extent of area available for hunting by the general public, the comparative quality of hunting in each area, hunter behavior on private property and landowner attitudes toward hunters. -55- PROCEDURE: 1, Preliminary preparations — June, 1953 The initial step ims to secure maps ivhich delineated with reasonable accuracy the size, shape and location of all water areas. The aerial photographs of the Production Marketing Association and the Soil Conservation Service were used for this purpose. They accurately portray groimd detail on a scale (eight inches to one mile) that discloses even the smallest ;irater areas, A general reconnaissance was conducted to learn the gross characteristics of the over-all area. 2. Field work — June, 1953 to December, 1954 Landowners were interviewed to secure the following informa- tion: (a) Availability of each landowner's property to hunters. (b) Past history of hunting on each ownership and the owner's attitude to hunters. (c) Nature of landowner-hunter conflicts. (d) Owner's impression of hunter success and ivaterfowl numbers, nesting and wintering on his property. Water areas and adjacent terrain were examined to determine the following: (a) Topography changes in the water areas and river channels since the date of the aerial photography (1940). (b) Source, quality and permanence of water in each area. (c) Description of the general feattu'es of the land adjacent to or including a water area, and ease of accessibility to the area. (d) Species composition and comparative abundance of waterfowl present. (e) Types and relative abimdance of food and cover plants presents (f) Occurrences of predation, poaching, nest destruction and other harmful influences upon waterfowl. (g) Occurrence of other forms of game or fur bearers in each vi/ater area. General Description of the Study Area: The Bitterroot River is located in Ravalli, and Missoula Counties. It is a geologically new river flowing through a once glaciated mountain valley. Formed initially by its east and west forks, it flows in a northerly direction to its confluence with the Clark Fork River at Missovila, Its valley is bordered on the west by the Bitterroot mountain range and on the east by the Sapphire range. Along its entire length it receives additional content from small streams vdiich drain the canyons in the adjacent mountains . The upper portion of the Bitterroot Valley, south of Hamilton, is narrow. It confines the river to a relatively permanent stream bedc Very few other water area types exist, and the region is used by fewer waterfowl than is the lower Bitterroot. The lower part of the valley, north of Hamilton, becomes very wide and the valley floor is more flattened. Here the river constantly shifts about forming new channels and abandoning old ones. It is comparatively shallow at its normal level and has numerous large sand and gravel bars in its bends and abandoned channels. In addition to the river, many other types of water areas exist that are very attractive to waterfowl. It is in this area, the forty-seven miles of river bottom between Missoula and Hamilton, that this survey was conducted in 1953 and 1954, Throughout the sxirvey area, the river bottom is predominantly wooded \d.th a Cottonwood and pine overstory. The under growth consists of alder, hawthorn, willow, red ozier and other trees and slirubso In the upper part of the survey area, the main river channel branches into several smaller channels which have formed a wide river bottom area. In the lower part, the river tends to occupy a main channel but has many side channels of lesser capa- city. Some of these side channels carry a significant quantity of water only during the spring flood and contain only serai- stagnant pools during the remainder of the year. Other side channels habitually contain deviated river water that compares with the main channel in velocity. The most valuable side chan- nels are the oxbows that were formerly the bed of the main river flow. They retain a high water content but little velocity and become well vegetated with plant species that are commonly utilized by waterfowl. The total number of hunters who use the Bitterroot Valley each year was not determined. Field trips into the area during the 1953 hunting season disclosed that practically all waterfowl shooting was done by residents of the valley and of the cities of Missoula (pop. 22,000) and Hamilton (pop. app. 4,000) wliich terminate each end of the survey area. FINDINGS : A preliminary reconnaissance of the area at the beginning of the survey disclosed general categories into which the water areas could be classified. For descriptive purposes, the following titles were applied to the categories: marsh, river channel, oxbow, pothole, creek, slough and irrigation ditch. A marsh was defined as any shallow body of water which had little or no current. Many marsh areas were completely filled with -57- cattails vhile. others had cattails only on the perimeter and sub- mergent plants in the open parts <, River channel included the main channel and all subdivisions of the main stream which currently carried flowing water„ This also appliesj, in some cases^ to channels whose flow is artificially regulated by small dams for irrigating purposes a An oxbow is any former river channel which no longer carries rapid stream flow but maintains a highj stable level of water from the river » A pothole is any small^ naturally formedj, usually circular body of rater which is isolated from any other water type and receives its content from run-off or seepage „ Creeks are those small drainages which originate in moimtain can- yons or from valley springs and often meander about the valley floor for some distance before entering the river » A slough is any small., narrow^ ditch-like body of water which can- not be classed as a creek or marsho It may originate from springs or from a creek indirectly^ has a slow current^ is well vegetated with submergent aquatic plants, and in many instances cattails and other marsh- type cover plants « All of the rater areas ^^hich proved to be suitable for raterfoi^l contain fresh, clean,, rater and except for the main river channels have very stable year around rater levels o The main channels rise considerably in the spring flood and often overflow into fields and marshes o Considerable nest damage is indicated by this flooding „ The bulk of the water areas appearing on the aerial photographs have not changed in shape or size since the photography date of 1940 but in a few places the river channels have moved so much that very intensive examination was necessary to re-establish them on a map. The quantities of water in each type are given in Table I. The upper valley area is the section between Bass Crossing and Hamil- ton; the lower valley area is north of Bass Crossing to Missoula. In evaluating the water areas for management purposes^, acces- sibility to the sportsmen is also important. For the purposes of this survey, "accessibility" is used to designate the ease of entering an area from a.n open entrance roado The proximity of the area to conditions which are incompatible to shooting must also be considered » Table I has been constructed to illustrate this as tirell as rater area amounts and accessibility. The categories of accessibility are as follows? Cato 1 - Water area remote from main highway, town^ farm buildings^ school^ etc.j but easily reached by a passable road. -58- TABLE I QUANTITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF WATER AREA TYPES WATER TYPE VALLEY AREA AREA A>IOUfJT % OF TOTAL WATER AREA IN EACH CATEGORY OF ACCESSIBILITY Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4 Category 5 Marsh Upper Lower 93 acres 638 acres 81^ 55^ 19^ 22;^ River Channel Upper Lower 51.1 mi, 6.9 mi. 40 99 15 37 22 8 13 Oxbow Upper Lower 5.3 mi, 6,8 mi. 12 2 62 33 24 22 Pothole Upper Lower 3 acres 10 acres 100 100 Creek Upper Lower ±t3.o ml, 18.5 mi. 11 30 17 63 35 26 18 Slough Upper Lower 8,4 mi. 11,5 mi. 13 26 3.5 5 80 34 3.5 35 Irrigation Ditch Upper Lower 3,4 mi. 29 9 53 9 Cat. 2 - Water area remote, not easily reached by a passable road . Cato 3 - Water area remote, no access road whatsoever. Cat, 4 - Water area not remote from highway, farm, town, school, but not so close as to prohibit shooting. Cat, 5 - Water area so close to highway, farm, town, etc., as to prohibit shooting. It is evident in Table I that each ivater type except pothole has the greater portion of its area located where the public can find easy access and few conditions which shooting would disturb. The method of land use being practices on the land adjacent to a water area has various effects upon waterfowl. It was found that all adjacent land types in the study area could be classified into the following categories: crop, pasture, hay and non-productive o As a simple method for establishing a unifrom limitation to the extent of each land type being considered, all forty acre plots of land adjacent to or including any part of a water area are included in the classification for that area. The acreages of each adjacent land type are totalled in Table II. Although the upper area contains a much greater total acreage of adjacent land types, it is approximately equal to the lower area in linear north - south length. The additional acreage is due to the greater width of the survey area in this section. The relation- ship of water type to adjacent land type in the lower area is shorn in Table III. Food and cover plants for waterfowl which grow in the water areas and adjoining regions were not intensively evaluated because of limitations in time. The most commonly occurring plant species which appeared to be usefixl were noted, but no attempt was made to gain a specific record of iraterfowl usage for any plant species. Distribution of some species varied widely throughout the survey area while others were common throughout. The most prevalent cover plants along water areas in open fields were: willow (Salrx sp.), hawthorn (Craetaegus sp.), cattail (Typha s£, ), roundstem bulrush (Scirpus sp.) and several species of tall grasses. Cover plants most prevalent along water courses in the wooded river bottom were: ha^rthorn, cattail and alder (Alnus sp. ). Food plants predominating throughout the area in general wre: bulrush, sedge (Carex sp.), short spikerush (Eleocharis sp.), smartweed (Polygonum sp.). elodea (Anarchis sp.) and various grasses. -60- TABLE II SUMMARY OF LAND TYPES ADJACENT TO WATER AREAS Missoula To Bass Crossing Total Acres Acres Crop Acres Pasture Acres fiay Acres Non- productive 8,375 220 3,400 1,970 2,785 Bass Crossing to Hamilton Total Acres Acres Crop Acres Pasture Acres Hay Acres Non- productive 12,885 1,405 9,700 545 1,235 Totals for Entire Area Total Acres Acres Crop Acres Pasture Acres Hay Acres Non- productive 21,260 1,625 13,100 2,515 4,020 TABLE III QUANTITATIVE RELATIONSIIP OF WATER AREA TYPES TO ADJACENT LAND TYPES BASS CROSSING TO MISSOULA Total Water Amount Type Water Area Crop Marsh 638 acres River 6.9 miles Oxbow 6.8 miles .5 miles Pothole 10 acres Creek 18.5 miles Slough 11.5 miles Adjacent Land Type Amounts Pasture Hay Non-Productive 457 acres 160 acres 21 acres 6.9 miles 3.8 miles 2.5 miles 10 acres 10.5 miles 8 miles 7.5 miles 2.3 miles -61- Food plants occurring less frequently were s millet (Echinochloa sp.), water lily (Castalia sp.), horsetail (Equisetim sy,), pondweed (Potamogeton sp.), buttercup (Ranunculus sp.) and burreed (Sparganium sp.). Animal food types included abundant amounts of aquatic insects ^ minnows, small suckers, crayfish and snails. In addition to all of the above, considerable amovmts of grain are to be had in both the valley floor and the bench areas in the fall and early \idnter. In evaluating the survey area for improvement of public waterfowl hunting, it is important to ascertain migrant waterfowl usage of the area and the abundance of local waterfowl production. Several species of ducks nest in the Bitterroot. >iallards comprise the greatest proportion in numbers and are most widely dispersed tiiroughout the survey area o Numerous cinnamon teal nest in the marshes and sloughs in the Lolo-Florence vicinity as well as a few shovellers and blue-wing teal. Wood ducks were frequently seen throughout the entire area. Three pairs were known to be nesting in one five-mile portion of river bottom between Missoula and Lolo. The actual contribution to shooting by the local waterfowl is not completely understood and it should be given much study in relation to any development plans. The only data available which indicates hunter success and species killed ivith any objectiveness is contained in Table IV. The figures given are for recent years only, and are therefore unable to denote any long term trend in hunting success in the study area. As a method for securing the most complete comparison possible of the hunting value of each individual ownership, several items of criteria were compositely regarded. Sportsmen knoxm to be avid or long-time \ira.terfowl hunters in the area were contacted and their opinions noted o The landoAimers* evaluation of hunter success on their properties was considered. Periodic field trips were made in the 1953 hunting sea- son to observe where hunters tended to concentrate and where they were having the most success. The location in the study area, type and condition of water, abundance of food and cover, and proximity of disturbing factors to the individual areas was also compared. On the basis of the foregoing criteria, each ownership was rated as excellent, good, satisfactory, or poor. In general, excellent was applied to the areas where the habitat was optimtmi, the ducks most frequently found diu-ing hunting season, and the hunter success very high. Good areas are smaller in size, some- what poorer in habitat quality, less frequented by ducks, but still providing adequate shooting for several hunters. Satisfactory areas provide acceptable shooting for a few hunters only and may require more hunting effort to be successful even if habitat conditions are fairly good. Poor areas are those which offer hunting only in rare circumstances and even then only in limited quality. The preceding evaluation for hunting in the individual ownerships serves as a means of comparison within the survey area only, and cannot be used -62- TABLE IV A COMPARISON OF CHECKING STATION RETURNS BUCKHOUSE BRIDGE, MISSOULA Comparative Species Representation - Hunter Success - Annual Totals Year No. Days Checked No. Hunters No. Birds Birds Per Hunter Mallard Pintail G. W. Teal • Baldpate Scaup Shoveller Wood Duck Redhead Golden-eye Buffle- head a CO cio Snow- Goose o • tit Ruddy Duck Ring-neck Gadwall Coot 9 0 o u Canvas- back 1950 13 513 827 1.61 656 21 60 9 44 4 6 12 1 5 1 3 1 3 1 1951 14 284 493 1.38 348 14 40 5 54 2 7 5 1 5 2 1 4 2 1 1 1953^' 3 99 142 1.43 106 13 2 7 14 Three Y( ;ar Totals 1110 35 113 16 105 6 13 31 1 6 6 3 1 3 3 1 4 2 1 1 -"- The 1953 season data were obtained during the first three days of the season and therefore could not include figures for species not migrating until late season. to compare the survey area with other major waterfowl hunting localities. Table V for the upper survey area and Table VI for the lower survey area present the proportions of each water type in each category of hunting value. It will also be noted that both Tables V and VI are divided as to the quantities of water type that are available and that are not available for general public hunting. This will be referred to in another topic to follow. Any effort directed toward improving waterfowl shooting may include improving less productive areas or arranging for closed areas to be made publicly available. In either case it will be important to ascertain the maximum number of hunters \Aw can utilize any parti- cular area irregardless of the quality of hunting there. Each water type generally requires a characteristic hunting method to produce maximum hmter success and though two different water types may provide a similar average of ducks per hunter, they cannot support a like total of hunters at any one time. For example, marsh and large oxbows provide the best opportunity for shooting from a blind and they will support a larger number of hunters if so used. Creeks and small side channels of the river are usually hunted by jump-shooting and thus can support a lesser nuraber of hunters. Because of the importance of hunter-farmer relations to future im- provement plans, this survey included as complete an interview as possible with each- of the 119 landowners concerned. The interview was primarily intended for establishing the history of hunting, general and unusual hunter behavior, and the landowner's attitude to public hunting on his property. The results of the interviews substantiate some of the sportsmen's complaints, contradict others and provide much evidence that an effective program to establish better farmer-sportsmen relations would accomplish a great deal toward gaining public entrance to many of the presently closed shooting areas. The interviews disclosed that five general conditions could be used to classify all ownerships according to the manner in which the owner allowed other people to hunt waterfowl. The conditions are described as follows: 1. Open to unrestricted public hunting. 2. Open to the general public on the condition of securing the owner's permission. 3. Open only to relatives, or certain trusted acquaintances. 4. Leased to private parties. 5. Posted to everyone unconditionally. The acreage of land adjacent to the water areas in each of the above categories is given in Table VII to illustrate the proportional parts of the survey area included in each category. In the upper survey area, 58 per cent of the total is open to the general public. -64- TABLE V HUlx^TING VALUE OF WATER AlULi TYPES UPPER VALLEY - BASS CROSSING TO HAIULTON Water Type Unit Group 1 Completely or Conditionally Open to tlie General Public Group 2 Completely Closed to the General Public Tr-,rr.p1 'frnnrl S it-' *ieat in 1954 of which 17 acres were left unharvested as the state's share. In addition, 80 acres were planted to winter wheat and 55 acres were summer fallowed. In 1955, 14 acres were seeded to spring wheat, 72 acres seeded to spring barley, 43 acres seeded to flax, 97 acres summer fallowed for grain, 66 acres summer fallowed for grass reseeding, and 13 acres planted to an alfalfa-grass mixture. Of the 104 acres to be shared in 1955, the State will retain all grain on . 34 acres. Engineering Planning - Three lines and levels were run in the northern part of the project area to explore the topography for dike locations. This will be the first part of the lake bed to be drained, Prelimnary planning was accomplished for several impoundment locations and elevations. -81- Miscellaneous Activities - Clean-up of considerable old fence and several old buildings was accomplished on state lands during the project period. All unneeded improvements were then disposed of through sealed bid sale* to local ranchers. Biological - Total classified waterfowl counts were made periodically during the spring and fall migratory flights. Most abundant migrants in the spring of 1955 were snow geese and pintails. Peak numbers present during the migration were approximately thirty thousand snow geese and twenty-three thousand pintails. In the fall of 1954, the peak count of snow geese was 9,400 and 55,000 mallards were present on December 2. Folloi,Q.ng the freezing over of the lake in early December, a count in nearby irrigation ditches showed a wintering population of approximately twenty-six thousand birds, ziearly all of which were mallards . An intensive search for waterfowl nests \fa.s conducted on a sample area to study the effect of predation by skunks and gulls. The three leading nesters at Freezout Lake were gadwall, mallard and pintail. Of the 625 eggs found in 72 nests, only 31.6 per cent hatched. Skunks destroyed 22.7 per cent of the eggs. The egg loss attributed to California and ring-billed gulls was 17.0 per cent. During spring and fall, movements of wterfowl between the lake and feeding areas were recorded and flight lanes mapped. This information mil be an aid in managing the area for hunting and in locating feeding areas around the lalce perimeter. Morning and evening flights to nearby agricultural land were largely north and east in direction. Return flights followed the same lanes. Little difference between the spring and fall seasons was noted in the established flight patterns. During the past hunting season an attempt was made to obtain an accurate estimate of the numbers of hunters using the lake, which portions were most heavily hunted, and the response of waterfowl to hunting pressure. (This information was arrived at by the use of postal card questionnaires, bag checks and car counts.) In 1954, approximately 2,500 hunters killed an estimated forty-eight hundred ducks averaging 1.94 birds per hunter per day (see Table No. 2). Table No. 2. Summary of post card questionnaire of waterfowl hunter success at Freezout Lake, 1954. Number of usable returns 305 Number of hunters 628 Hunters per party 2.06 Total ducks killed 1,173 Total geese killed 21 Total coots killed 22 Average number of birds per hunter per day 1.94 Average crippling loss .46 -82- In order of importance, the species sustaining the greatest kill were mallard, pintail, baldpate, shoveller and gadwall (Table No. 3). Table xNo. 3. Species composition of 859 waterfowl field checked at Freezout Lake, 1954. Species No. Percent of Total Mallard Pintail Baldpate Shoveller Gad\i?all Green-mng teal Lesser Scaup Snow goose Ruddy duck Unidentified teal Blue-wing teal Canvasback Redhead Goldeneye (Am.) Am. Coot Bufflehead Ringneck duck Cinnamon teal Canada goose 185 111 96 86 76 65 44 38 36 27 22 22 14 14 14 4 2 2 1 21.6 12.9 11.2 10.0 8.9 7.6 5.1 4.4 4.2 3.1 2.6 2.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 0,5 0.2 0.2 0.1 Total 859 100.0 Waterfowl hunter success and crippling loss at Freezout during 1954 compares quite closely to that as found by LeRoy Ellig in 1951 (see Table No. 4). Table No, 4. Hunter success from bag checks of waterfowl hunters at Freezout Lake, 1951 and 1954. 1951 1954 Number of hunters checked Average kill per hmter Average crippling loss 373^<- 1.79 .45 402 2.14 .49 Pre-Development - As development work proceeds, considerable emphasis will be given to various pre-development studies. One of the most important of these will be a study of condition and trend of the project range lands. To date, 14 permanent photo grid plots and 35 permanent shoreline photo points have been established and a photographic record begun. It is necessary to know what the seasonal availability of \^ater to the lake area will be and which are the most important sources of ivater into the lake. At weekly intervals, measwements were taken of the rate of water flow through each of the thirteen irrigation ditches and streams emptying into Freezout, Daily records of wind direction and velocity were also maintained. Wind, as it affects ^^ave action, will partially dictate the location, protection, required side slopes and freeboard of the dikes. Submitted by: Approved by: Gerald J. Salinas Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Senior Biologist By Wynn G. Freeman. Ass*t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -84- STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-61-D-2 DATE O&tober.lS. 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 FINAL REPORT For DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS As Required By FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACT 1. Title of Project: Milk River Game Management Area 2. Project Supervisor: Gerald Salinas Project Leader: Dale Witt 3. Location: Blaine, Phillips and Valley Counties 4 Supervisors: A. A. O'Claire, State Fish and Game Director Robert F. Cooney, Coordinator, Wildlife Restoration Division Vhmn Freeman, Ass»t Coordinator, Wildlife Restoration Division William Bergeson, Senior Upland Game Bird Biologist Gerald Salinas, Senior Waterfowl Biologist All of the items set up in this segment were advertised in one contract. Abnormal water conditions on Area No. 8 prevented the awarding of the bids. The Bureau of Reclamation kept the level of Nelson Reservoir- much higher than normal to facilitate dredging operations late m the fall. This created additional seepage in Area No. 8 and our planned construction could not be completed with the equipment and specifications advertised. Area No. 7 was advertised in the same contract as Area No. 8. Although water conditions did not affect the construction on Area No. 7 the time element was too short to split the contract and readvertise the remaining portion. The work planned in W-61-D-2 will be resubmitted in a future W-61-D segment with some modifications to fit the future budget. The project biologist made periodic observations on the several tracts of the Milk River project. Contact was maintained with neighboring ranchers interested in the eventual opportunity to sublease certain of these tracts for limited -85- grazing, A sublease form and method were designed and submitted to the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation for their approval. Submitted by: Name Dale Witt Title Biologist Approved by: Name Gerald Salinas Title Senior Biologist Approved by: Montana State Fish and Game Department By Wynn G. Freeman, Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Divi s i on -86- STATE Montana PROJECT NO. tf-62-D-2 DATE October 15. 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 FINAL REPORT for DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS As Required By FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACT 1. Title of Projects Gallatin Game Range (Barn Segment) 2 Personnels J» E. Gaab, Senior Biologist, Project Supervisor _ Norman Wortman, Jr. Fieldman, Game Range Manager, Project Leader 3o Completion Reports BUILDINGS Part of the metal storage building was partitioned off as a horse barn and a saddle room. This barn consists of one double and two single stalls. The saddle room is tight and rodent proof. The partitioned off part has a plank floor. The entire building was wired. All building construction is according to previously submitted plans. HEADGATES The culvert type headgates were installed in both Porcupine and Beaver Creeks. In Porcupine Creek one large 72 inch culvert was installed to hindle the creek flow and a smaller 48 inch culvert for the ^^igation ditch! In Beaver Creek two 36 inch culverts were installed side-by-side to take the stream flow. No culvert was installed m the adjacent head of the irrigation ditch, since its level was higher than the bottom of the culverts in the creek. RECOMMENDATIONS Since the 1955 spring high water was able to cause displacement of the large culvert in Porcupine Creek, and was further able to wash under the ^0 cu^^^ts carrying Beaver Cre^k, it is recommended that the irrigation Sadgatl SructuSs in both creeks be re-established with cement-bound rock fills. -87- It is reconiraended that, since the primary use of this game range is by elk all fences not necessary for the exclosure of livestock or operation of ' the game range be taken up. It is further recommended that all of the older buildings in need of repair and not necessary for the operation of the game range be removed. Submitted by: Name Joseph E. Townsend Title Biologist Approved by: Montana State Fish and Game Department By Fave M. Couey, Ass't Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division I -88- STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-47-M-4 DATE October, 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 FINAL REPORT for MAINTENANCE PROJECT As Required By FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACT 1. Title of Project: Maintenance of Sun River Elk Range Development Maintenance of Project: W-27-D Sun River Winter Elk Range Development 2. Personnel: Bruce Neal, Project Leader, Senior Fieldman Bob Neal, Junior Fieldman Dave Stonehouse, Fieldman Temporary Labor and Shop Personnel 5 . Buildings : New flooring was laid in the kitchen of the headquarters building and linoleum laid on all floors of the building. Some repair work was done on the chimney. Additional wiring was done following connection to R. E. A. electrical line. The headquarters building was painted inside and outside. The barn was painted outside. A new roof was placed on the Willow Creek side camp. 7. Ditches: Approximately three miles of ditch was cleared and maintained. 10. Fences: Boundary fences were repaired as well as four miles of fence around the Law lease. The two drift fences in the forest that control elk migration and the horse pasture were also maintained. Some corral maintenance was done. -89- 18. Firebreaks: Approximately four miles of fireguard and roads were dragged or bladed. 20. General Supervision: Four months were spent with the crew on elk patrol. Additional work included woodcutting and distribution to camps, hay hauling, trespass stock patrol and miscellaneous duties. Submitted by: Name Bruce Neal Title Senior Fieldman Approved by: Montana State Fish and Game Department By Fave M. Couey. Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -90- STATE Montana PROJECT NO. W-57-M-2 DATE October 15, 1955 VOL. VI NO. 3 FINAL REPORT For DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS As Required By FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACT 1. Title of Project: Maintenance of Gallatin Game Range (Porcupine Ranch) 2. Personnel: J. E. Gaab, Senior Biologist, Project Supervisor Norman Wortman, Project Leader 3. Completion Report: BUILDINGS Incidental repair (chinking, shelfing, floor stain, porch and step repair, banking, mouse-proofing) was carried out. DAMS. DIKES AND LEVEES Miscellaneous repair and cleaning of ditches was carried out, ROADS Roads and yards were dozed periodically during the winter to remove snow. FENCES Fence was repaired, and most of the north boimdary fence reconstructed and extended, HAYING OPERATION The usual haying operation was not carried out. Submitted by: Approved by: Name Joseph E. Townsend Montana State Fish and Game Department Title Biologist By Faye M. Couey. Ass^t Coordinator Wildlife Restoration Division -91- 4