en 



sites were located. 



American kestrels were the most common falcon and raptor in 

 the Sweeney-Snyder study area. They were so numerous that 

 individual sightings were not recorded. 



One prairie falcon aerie was located in the study area (Table 

 20) on a sandstone cliff. In 1980, the adults abandoned eggs 

 in the nest. In 1981, one bird was fledged from four eggs 

 which had been laid. 



Several great-horned owl observations were made but no nests 

 were found (Figures 42 and 43). 



Non-game Mammals 



Fifteen mammal species were observed on the study area (Table 21). 

 The only non-game species of special interest or concern is the 

 black-tailed prairie dog (Flath 198I). Five prairie dog towns 

 were located primarily in the Cow Creek drainage (Figure 44 ). 

 No sign of black-footed ferrets was discovered during examination 

 of these prairie dog towns. 



Results of summer and fall small mammal trapping are shown in 

 Table 22. Three rodent species were captured. The deer mouse 

 {Pe.xomyica& man^cutatu^] was the most common, occurring in all 

 three habitat types both seasons. The house mouse (Mu4 ma.&calu&) 

 was captured only during the summer season in the riparian 

 habitat type. A single prairie vole [Mic^otai ochKoga6te.>i) was 

 captured in the sagebrush-grassland fall season trap line. The 

 number of captures per 100 trap nights was very low compared to 

 those observed in similar habitat types in the Otter, Hanging 

 Woman and Prairie Dog Creek areas (Martin 1980a) the previous 

 year. The prolonged drought may have been responsible for the 

 low rodent populations. 



Amphibians and Reptiles 



Two amphibian species and two reptilian species were encountered 

 on the Sweeney-Snyder study area (Table 23). None of them are 

 species of special interest or concern (Flath 198I). 



Greenleaf-Miller 



Mule Deer 



Population characteristics; During the field surveys, 738 

 mule deer observations were recorded in the Greenleaf-Miller 

 study area (Table 24), Average group size was greatest during 

 the winter and spring seasons. No large groups were formed due 

 to the mild weather conditions. December and March had the 

 highest average group sizes with 11.5 and 10.2 mule deer per 

 group respectively. As expected, the summer months saw the 

 greatest dispersement and lowest group sizes. June was the lowest 



