Sage grouse habitat use in the Brown's Bench area of south-central Idaho

34 Pages·1993·1.2 MB·English

by  Klott, James H

BLMLIBRARY
88032637
SAGE GROUSE HABIEVT USE IN
THE BROWN'S BENCH AREA
OF SOUTftCENTRAL IDAHO
,S
by
JamesH.Klott
BureauofLandManagement
JarbidgeResourceArea
TwinFalls,ID
RandallB.Smith
IdahoDepartmentofFish&Game,Region4
Jerome,ID
CharleneVullo
BureauofLandManagement
JarbidgeResourceArea
TwinFalls,ID
IDAHOBUREAUOFLANDMANAGEMENTTECHNICALBULLETINNO.934 DECEMBER1993
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DENVER,CO 80225-0047
SAGE GROUSE HABITAT USE IN THE BROWN'S BENCH AREA
OF SOUTH-CENTRAL IDAHO
James H. Klott
Bureau Land Management
Jarbidge Resource Area
Twin Falls, ID
Randall B. Smith
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
Region 4,
Jerome, ID
Charlene Vullo
Bureau Land Management
Jarbidge Resource Area
Twin Falls, ID
December 29, 1993

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The majority of the sage grouse habitat in the Jarbidge Resource Area is
girmapzoerdtanbty sleivaessotnoaclk.habiRteastesarcahndonregsiagoenalglryousiempoisrtapnrtovisdaigneggrionussieghtwinitnetro areas
bseotttehratipdoetnetnitfiiaeld canodnflaiscstesssewdi.th gThreazicnugrresnetasornesseaorfchuseisanpdrouvtiidliinzgatmiuocnh nceanedebde
dcahtaaraocnt:eri(s1)ticsseasofonasleamsoovnealmenhtasbitaantds,dis(t3)ribduattiaono,n n(e2)stivneggetaantdiobnraolod habitat,
(4) preliminary data on population dynamics for sage grouse in this part of
Idaho.
STUDY AREA
Research was conducted primarily in the Brown's Bench/Monument Springs
area of south-central Idaho located about 40 miles southwest of Twin Falls,
SIhdaohsohon(eFiBgausrein1)a.reaSoambeouteff2o0rtmilwaess mdaudeeeatsotfooflloBwrowan'fsewBesnacghe.groTuhseemaijnorthe
habitats in the study area include low/black sagebrush/grass, Wyoming
sagebrush/grass, mountain sagebrush/grass, and crested wheatgrass seedings.
Other habitats present in small amounts are aspen woodland, mountain mahogany
woodland, and wet meadow/riparian. Shrub species on Brown's Bench are
pbwntsiehrosrivleitiaeoamduwtaes)grnuaritan6iaaldln5styl0say0aerlleevoff(aavwAeorsaequ.ttrns.iwdoaoiwpgntyyea.hortMbmoroniuuesnsnlChqhteocaeavmlrniamli(stnoAosiinrwtBotabneitog)smrgurimaisssors)isvoa.aecgfrkeosyGbuaprnrre6adubc5ssusi0oss0hieiclsnsufs/.lAeaapaerrre)tetec.WaieseymbasoinomdswAtliiitalnatblrgheleabtscbrrdvekiueiaegsedrdhpieisnnaasgbtgassslaegoqetbieualrbicsurrdosuvrenhaseptarhtlea.-ni(tdneA(aeilyrAidnaetrlsgveteamecytimoraisinenoissanaitt)saehde
v((aASrqiirtaoabpnliyeornonahndvsspticrchiaaxntgu)em,)wSiaatnnhddbecsrihgteea,tbglrueaelsgesrvaats(isBorno(,mPuosaandtseacnstdeoabsreournmq.i)i.)C,oFbomrlmbousnebuafnrocerhbshwihgiehnalctylgurdaesds
bm((aiCEllrrskeiapvgimeesrrtooconhstpps.pA()psB,.ta)rl,pasegaanmdlsoautrishesimyzosanp(pA.ss()tpP.pee.rns)Ats,peppmc.uoo)nsm,spyls-epItptn.oed)ei,salnips(thpAlanoiotxfnetnbgn(rraPuarhssilsahoexss(,pCsppa.psf.to))ir,,lbslheafjwlaaknesdabbseapsapnh.rer)dubsand
found ate s(age grouse nest sites, brood sites, and random plots are contained
in the Appendix.
METHODS
Trapping
Sage grouse were captured using a spot light and nets (Giesen et al.
1982, Wakkinen 1990) on or near known leks in March and April. All sage
grouse captured were marked with aluminum leg bands and aged (Beck et al.
1975). All females captured were also fitted with poncho-mounted 18 to 20-g
radio transmitter (Amstrup 1980). All grouse were released at the point of
capture. Females were radio-tracked to determine nest sites and brood

Figure 1. Study area for sage grousehabitat
research in south-central Idaho.
±
sage grouse lek.

West Segment - Study Area 3b