Only occasional isolated tracts of land are 

 suitable for winter elk ranges. Either singu- 

 larly or in the aggregate, these tracts can never 

 represent more than a relatively small area in 

 the state. Tracts as small as 4,000 acres have 

 solved long-standing problems of elk depreda- 

 tion over relatively large areas. Prior to the 

 acquisition of a game range, elk invariably win- 

 ter in scattered bunches along the foothills of 

 a mountain range. After a game range is ac- 

 quired, the animals wintering on private lands 

 are either forced into a game range or they are 

 harvested by extended hunting seasons. Under 

 these conditions, an elk herd soon "learns" to 

 use a definite range area. The best possible 

 forage conditions are also maintained on a 

 game range in order to attract and hold elk off 

 private lands. 



Since a state-owned game range simply 

 transfers elk use from private to public lands, 

 they cannot be expected to materially increase 

 elk populations. However, the benefits derived 

 from a state-owned game range cannot be 

 measured in terms of elk numbers alone. The 

 initial benefit is, of course, the alleviation of 

 conflict with livestock operations. Further 

 benefits relate to the fact that an elk herd may 

 be managed on the basis of its own forage sup- 

 ply rather than the intensity of its depredations 

 on privately-owned rangelands and haystacks. 

 This permits a relatively stable management 

 program where annual harvests can be gauged 

 to the carrying capacity of a definite forage 

 supply instead of variable or conflicting re- 

 ports of damage. 



Land for winter game ranges is purchased 

 or leased. Marginal rangelands of relatively 

 low value make the most satisfactory winter 

 elk ranges. High value rangelands or croplands 

 may be included in a purchase, but these lands 

 are either traded (for other lands more suitable 

 for elk) or sold to adjoining landowners. Per- 

 mits for grazing livestock on forest lands may 

 also be obtained as the result of a purchase^ 

 In e\'ory ca.se, these permits are wai\'ed for 

 redistribution or retirement, depending upon 

 the judgment of forest grazing administrators. 

 Since a permit is usually retired in lieu of ad- 

 justments needed to effect an improvement in 

 range conditions, the retirement of a permit 

 actually amounts to a redistribution of grazing 

 privileges to the other permit holders on a 

 forest. 



Annual payments, comparable to assessed 

 taxes, are made to the counties in which a 

 state-owned game range is located. Payments 

 are determined by local county assessors and 

 are equal to the taxes paid on adjoining lands 

 of comparable value. Local economies are also 

 supplemented by the sustained recreational use 

 which occurs as the result of a game range. 

 Most game ranges provide places for public 

 camping and fishing, as well as hunting. Local 

 businesses usually develop or expand facilities 

 to engage in the resulting recreational industry. 



WILDLIFE INVESTIGATIONS 

 LABOKAKHn 



In 1957 a laboratory was set up by the 

 Montana Fish and Game Department in coop- 

 eration with the State College at Bozeman. 

 The expanding facilities and services of this 

 laboratory are a\ailable to all wildlife per- 

 sonnel throughout Montana. 



At present, a primary function of the lab- 

 oratory is the preparation and analysis of big 

 game stomach samples. This function is car- 

 ried out for areas where important food habits 

 work is being conducted in order to know ex- 

 actly what kinds and proportions of foods are 

 being eaten by various animal species. 



A 1... ^.>-hcs l.iK K-'M.c 



liluni.ii.h ^.|1U|>ICT til ciiniili.ttc rcHiJuc too 

 small <or practical identification. 



Samples are obtained and .sent to tlie lab- 

 oratory for analysis. These collections are usu- 

 ally taken from hunter kills, ix>ad kills, and 

 wiiitei -kiili'd ;iniin;ils. The present work being 



20 



