ZaAtesut Matdcwa Bif Qatne Sww&tf, 



A decided lack of information exists concern- 

 ing the possibilities of big game development on 

 the eastern half of the state. 



In order that this type of work might be car- 

 ried on wisely and with due regard to other 

 land uses, a man was assigned to the area in the 

 fall of 1942. His job has been to inspect the ranges 

 upon which either deer or antelope or both may 

 be developed in substantial numbers. Plans for 

 the trapping of deer from overcrowded ranges in 

 the western portion of the state, and the trans- 

 planting of these animals upon desirable ranges 

 in eastern Montana, is an important phase of the 

 work being outlined. The possibility of reintro- 

 ducing mountain sheep in the breaks along the 

 Yellowstone and Missouri is also being investi- 

 gated. 



Strategic locations for closed areas are being 

 mapped out. It is felt that a pattern of carefully 

 selected sanctuaries will aid materially in the 

 development of the big game resources on that 

 vast area. 



Atitelofie, Survey 



During the summer of 1941 six men made a 

 systematic coverage of all counties where ante- 

 lope are now found. This survey was incidental 

 to the regular upland game bird investigation, 

 but since in their work it was necessary to cover 

 all of the areas in which antelope are found, the 

 men were instructed to obtain the numbers of 

 antelope and map their present range. The data 

 was recorded progressively as the work advanced 

 through the counties. The map included in this 

 report indicates their present range. Counties in 

 which the heaviest concentrations of antelope 

 were found during the summer of 1941 were: 

 Carter, Stillwater, Powder River, Choteau, Mussel- 

 shell, Hill, Golden Valley, Wheatland, Custer and 

 Garfield. 





Time did not permit intensive studies rela- 

 tive to their life history, sex ratio, per cent of 

 young, condition of range, or conflict with other 

 uses of the lands. The result of the survey, how- 

 ever, does indicate that Montana now has ap- 

 proximately 14,000 antelope which are distributed 

 throughout the eastern and central section of the 

 state. 



Under ideal conditions and complete protec- 

 tion, antelope will increase approximately 25 

 per cent annually; that is, antelope possess the 

 highest potential rate of increase of any of our 

 big game species. A general open season would 

 prove fatal to numerous small herds. The only 

 safe way of harvesting the surpluses from de- 

 sired areas would be to permit only a given num- 

 ber to be taken from certain carefully designated 

 localities. Because of the limiting factors con- 

 trolling the maximum numbers of antelope that 

 can be raised, and the comparative ease with 

 which this species may be killed by hunters, it 

 is doubtful if it will ever be possible to harvest 

 a crop of antelope in any other way. The limited 

 license system has worked out very satisfactorily 

 in the hunting of antelope in neighboring western 

 states. 



The antelopo has increased rapidly 



throughout many portions of eastern 



and central Montana. 



