52 



subtype was 73 and occurred during the 1980 spring season. The 

 sagebrush/grassland vegetation type had antelope usage every 

 season of the study and was highest, 100^, during the 198O-8I 

 winter months. Antelope were observed on winter wheat fields 

 during the spring and summer of 198I for the only agricultural 

 type usage recorded during the study period. 



Activity : All antelope observed were either standing or running 

 (Table 12) at the moment of observation. Most of them were 

 running. This is in stark contrast to other studies (Martin 1980a; 

 1980c) where significant numbers were observed feeding and laying 

 down. Why these antelope were so flighty is uncertain. 



•^ Use of topography ; Every antelope seen was utilizing the dissected 

 mid-slope category (Table 13). Obviously these antelope are 

 avoiding the mesa-butte complexes and the creek bottom and flood 

 plain areas. 



Use of exposure ; Spring 198I was the season of greatest 

 dispersion (Table l4) as antelope were observed on all eight 

 aspects. No antelope were observed on northerly slopes during 

 fall and winter. Greatest usage occurred during the spring of 198O 

 when 73 percent were seen on northeastern exposures. Southerly 

 exposures received their highest usage in the summer and fall of 

 1980 with 47 and 48 percent respectively. Easterly slopes were ( 

 utilized in each season of the study and comprised 100^ of the 

 observations in spring 1980, fall 198O and winter 198O-8I. 

 Western aspects received their greatest usage during the summer 

 seasons with 54 and 42 percent for 198O and 198I respectively. 



Use of slope: Antelope avoided the flat and steep terrain 

 features (Table 15) during all seasons of the study. Usage of the 

 medium slopes was considerably higher in 198I than in 198O on 

 the Sweeney-Snyder study area. Usage Increased from to 67 

 percent from spring to summer respectively in 198O while increasing 

 from 92 to 100 percent from spring to summer respectively in I98I . 

 Usage of gentle slopes followed the opposite trend during the 

 spring and summer seasons. Usapce of gentle slopes was much 

 greater than medium slopes during fall and winter. 



Sharp-tailed Grouse 



Fourteen sharp-tailed grouse dancing grounds were located on or 

 adjacent to the Sweeney-Snyder creek study area (Figure 40). 

 Attendance by male birds at known grounds decreased from l4.5 in 

 1980 to 11.8 in 1981 (Table 16). This amounts to an I8.6 percent 

 decrease in this population trend parameter. While no broods 

 were observed on the study area in 198O, Knapp et al. (I98I) 

 reports the average young/brood in PWP Region 7 to be a dismal 

 1.7 in 1980 compared to a 10 year average of 6.1. Obviously < 

 reproduction was extremely poor in 198O. This Is most likely 

 related to the lack of cover caused by the extended drought. 

 Considering the lack of recruitement to the sharptail pooulation, 

 the overwinter survival rate must have been quite high to have 



