10 



of the southern and eastern sections join Little Pumpkin Creek 

 and finally Pumokln Creek, which Is the nearest perennial stream. 



Most of the study area Is characterized by rolling terrain 

 dominated by sagebrush and grassland habitats (Figure 6). 

 Ponderosa pine breaks are prominent In the central, northeast and 

 northwest portions. Terraces adjacent to Little Pumpkin Creek In 

 the southeastern portion are cultivated. The remainder of the 

 area is used predominantly for livestock grazing, with some 

 agricultural development adjacent to larger drainages. 



T.* 



Landowner permission to conduct field investigation was not 

 granted for a portion of the designated study area. Wildlife 

 Inventory and baseline information cannot be considered complete 

 on that Dortlon of the tract. Description of the affected area 

 is as follows: Sections 15, 22, 27, 28, 33 and 3^ (TIN Ril8E) and 

 Section 2 (TIS R48E). 



Sand Creek 



The Sand Creek study area (Figure 7) is located east of 



Highway 312 and Pumpkin Creek, about 22 miles northwest of Broadus . 



It comprises approximately 8, §60 acres in Custer and Powder River 



counties. 



Sand Creek, an Intermittent drainage which was dry during the 

 study period, flows north through the center of the study area to 

 join Mizpah Creek. The study area is situated on a plateau which 

 drops off steeply along the southern and southeastern boundaries. 

 The interior terrain, most of it cultivated, is flat to rolling 

 (Figure 8). The remainder is characterized by sagebrush and grass- 

 land habitats and is used for livestock grazing. The northwest 

 corner section of the area is predominately ponderosa pine breaks. 



Landowner permission to conduct field investigation was not granted 

 for a portion of the designated study area. Wildlife inventory and 

 baseline information cannot be considered complete on that portion 

 of the tract. Description of the affected area is as follows: 

 Sections 6, 7, 8, (W 1/3), l6 and 17 (TIS R50E) and Section 35 

 (TIN Ril9E). 



Birney 



The Birney study area is about 32,64o acres in size, located west 

 of the Tongue River and south of the Northern Cheyenne Indian 

 Reservation near Birney, Montana (Figure 9). The topography 

 consists of high, rugged hills rising 500 feet above the Tongue 

 River. Vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine-Juniper forest with 

 sagebrush parks on the slopes and sagebrush on the tops of 

 Plateaus and along the larger creekbottoms (Figure 10). Deciduous 

 tree and shrub riparian vegetation Is well-developed along the 

 creekbottoms in the study area. Agriculture consists of hayflelds 

 along the Tongue River. 



