- Suggested treatment of 180 acres of winter range to 

 stimulate browse production to replace that lost to the 

 reservoir. Also suggested terracing or furrowing as a 

 possible management practice for browse stimulation. 



U.S. Forest Service - Wildlife Management Plan, Fisher River 

 District (U.S. Dep. Agric. 1965. b). 



- Reported the white-tailed deer have historically 

 been the most important big game species in the area. 

 The herds increased so they were over-populated from 

 the 1930's and 40's to present. 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Dep. Inter. 1965) 



- :istimated 1450 white-tailed deer and 1800 mule deer uti- 

 lize the 12,000 acres of essential winter range to be in- 

 undated by the Libby Dam projecc. 



- The reservoir will also impede the seasonal movements of 

 the big game populations. 



- Railroad relocation will farther reduce the white-tailed 

 deer winter range by 1800 acres and will cause increased 

 mortality. 



1966 U.S. Forest Service - Wildlife Plan - Rexford Ranger Dis- 

 trict (U.S. Dep. Agric. 1966). 



- Reported that when the Libby Dam is completed the reser- 

 voir will inundate at least 25 percent of the critical 

 winter game range. 



- Big game animals use the Kootenai River bottom and 

 benches even in a normal winter. 



1967 Couey and Weckwerth (1967) - MDFG 



- Made a check along the Great Northern railroad between 

 Fortine and Rexford and found 5 dead deer in the tv/o, 

 five-mile sample areas. 



1968 Weckwerth (1968) - rOFG 



- Found 0.4 deer/mile along the Great Northern railroad 

 during the annual check between Fortine and Rexford. 



1969 Couey and V7eckwerth (1969) - MDFG - 



- Found 4.0 deer/mile of railroad track in the sample sec- 

 tion south of Rexford. 



Bll 



