86 



Winter and fall observations are found In Figure 52. The antelope 

 were concentrated alons; Greenleaf Creek In relatively large herds. 

 Seven of the ten groups observed were of nine or more antelope. 

 No antelope were observed In February and the winter was mild 

 with no snow cover to speak of. If the winter had been harsh, 

 it is Dosslble that no antelope would have wintered on the study 

 area. 



Vegetation type usage : The importance of the sagebrush/grassland 

 vegetation types to antelope in various sections of southeastern 

 Montana has been documented (Martin 1980a, 1980c). The Greenleaf- 

 Mlller area is no exception (Table 3^). The sagebrush/grassland 

 type was heavily utilized in each season of the study, reaching 

 10055 in the fall and winter months. The lowest usage level was 

 recorded in spring 1980 at 75^. 



The ponderosa pine type received usage during spring and summer. 

 Agricultural sagebrush/grassland subtype was used in the summer 

 of 1981. No creek bottom usage was recorded. 



Grassland subtypes suooorted more antelope than sagebrush subtypes 

 in every season simply because there are more acres of grassland 

 than sagebrush in the study area. That is the main reason the 

 Greenleaf-Mlller area is not optimum antelope habitat. .. 



Activity ; The activity of antelooe at the time of observation 

 is shown in Table 35. The propensity of antelope to run away 

 when threatened is born out in the high percentages observed 

 running during the fall, winter and summer of 198I seasons (68, 

 67 and 73 percent respectively). Summer I98O and spring I98I, 

 with similar activity patterns, were the only seasons in which 

 antelope were observed in all four activity categories. Substantial 

 numbers were observed feeding, 26 and I8 percent respectively. 

 The standing category, ^7% in both seasons, had the most antelope 

 and were the only seasons in which antelope were observed laying 

 down. No antelooe were laving down or feeding at the moment of 

 observation during the fall and winter surveys. 



Use of topography : Antelooe were found primarily on the dissected 

 midslopes of the Greenleaf-Mlller study area (Table 36), reaching 

 100/J of the observations in the summer of 1980 and the winter 

 months. Only in the spring of 198O when only 8 antelope were observed 

 did any other topographic category receive more usage. The alluvium/ 

 terrace category supported 75^ of the antelope observed In spring 

 1980 and 20/? in spring 198I. This usage coincided with green-up 

 of agricultural fields. No antelope were eva' observed on the 

 steep mesa-butte slooes nor on the brushy flood plains. One group 

 was observed on a plateau top in the fall season. 



Use of exposure : Antelope were observed on all eight aspects 

 during both summer seasons and the spring of 198I (Table 37). 

 Antelope were in small groups and widely scattered during these 

 seasons. During winter and fall they were In large herds and 

 were not observed using all aspects. Northerly slopes received 



( I 



