THE STUDY AREA 



The planting was done on a deteriorated segment of potentially productive deer winter 

 range. This range once supported large stands of shrubs, mostly bitterbrush, that are now 

 gone from many parts of the area (Holmgren and Basile 1956). The 30-acre (12-ha} test area 

 is a topographic unit varying from lower toe slopes to a major ridge at the top (fig. 1) and 

 located between Nelson and Carpenter Creeks on the South Fork of the Payette River in Boise 

 County. 



.^Figure 1. --Pilot planting area between 

 ^ Nelson and Carpenter Creeks on the 



South Fork of the Payette River, Boise 

 National Forest (photo taken October 

 1968) . 



Topography is t}'pieall\' steep and dissected. Slope gradients are between 25 and 80 per- 

 cent with generally south facing exposures. The elevation is from about 5,500 ft (1 010 m) to 

 5,800 ft (1 150 m) . Soils are of granitic origin, coarse textured and loose, with low water- 

 holding capacity. Average annual precipitation is about 25 inches (60 cm), most of which falls 

 as snow in the winter. Summer rains generally occur as infrequent, scattered, high- intensity 

 thundershowers . Soil surface temperatures in the summer are high, with 140° to 158° F (60 to 

 70° C) common and maximums reaching 168° F (76° C) (Ferguson 1972) . 



Vegetation is dominantly annual with cheatgrass the most abundant component. Broad-leaved 

 annuals include storksbill [Erodium cicutarium [L.] L'Her.), ground smoke (Gayophytum 

 diffusum Torr. and Gray), prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola L.), and Douglas knotweed 

 {Polygonum douglasii Greene). Bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum [Pursh] Scribn. and 

 Smith) and arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata [Pursh] Nutt.) are the most common 

 perennials . 



Although deer had yearlong access to the planting area, few were present during the summer 

 and early fall. Livestock grazing was not permitted. 



Treatments, listed in top-to-bottom order of establishment within planting blocks, were 

 as follows: 



1. Bitterbrush, direct seeding, southwestern Idaho seed source. 



2. Bitterbrush, transplants, northwestern Nevada seed source. 

 5. Bitterbrush, transplants, southwestern Idaho seed source. 



4. Wedgeleaf ceanothus, direct seeding, north-central California seed source. 



5. Bitterbrush, direct seeding, northwestern Nevada seed source. 



6. Wedgeleaf ceanothus, transplants, north-central California seed source. 



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