INVENTORY 



METHODS 



General 



Field work was intermittent throughout the study period; Appendix A 

 summarizes the schedule of field work. Observations were aided by the 

 use of a 7 X 35 power binocular and a 15 to 60 variable power spotting 

 scope. Field data were recorded on standard data sheets (Appendix B and C) 

 which are on file with the DNRC. For purposes of this study, winter was 

 defined as the period January 1 to March 15, spring as March 16 to May 

 30, summer as June 1 to August 31, and fall as September 1 to December 31. 

 Systematic inventories were made as described below; observations of 

 species which were made during reconnaissance and incidental to the 

 systematic surveys were recorded and were used in compiling the species 

 list. Locations of animals observed in terrestrial habitats were plotted 

 on field maps and also recorded on data sheets using the number codes 

 shown in Figure 4. Locations of waterfowl and other aquatic animals 

 were recorded using the letter code shown in Figure 4. Habitat preferences 

 were recorded on standard data sheets using forest habitat types (Pfister 

 et aj. 1977) and the cover types and terrain types described earlier. 

 Since the vegetation study did not begin until July of 1979, more precise 

 habitat information was not available for most of the field work, and 

 habitat categories (Table 1) were assigned to wildlife species a^ posteriori . 



Large Mammal Survey 



Data were recorded on standard data sheets for each observation of 

 a carnivore or ungulate, and included the following information: date, 

 time of day, observer, mode of transportation, cloud cover, precipitation, 

 percent snow cover, temperature, wind speed, number of animals, group 

 composition, activity, slope, aspect, elevation, forest habitat type, 

 general cover type, terrain type (see Appendix B). Eight aerial surveys 

 were made over the study area in 1978, including three helicopter and 

 five fixed-wing flights. Locations of each animal or group observed 

 were plotted on field maps and were also recorded on data sheets using 

 the location codes shown in Figure 4. As shown in this figure, the land 

 area was coded using numerals from Surprise Gulch (1) to east of Pipe 

 Creek (15) on the north side of the river, and from west of Cedar Creek 

 (16) to the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 202 (26) souch of the 

 river. 



Monthly bighorn sheep surveys were conducted from Lynx Flats to 

 Quartz Creek from January through July, 1978, and incidental observations 

 were collected during the remainder of the study period. The surveys 

 were conducted from Highway 2 during early morning or late afternoon and 

 evening. 



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