UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
FOREST SERVICE 
INTERMOUNTAIN DISTRICT 
 
ADDRES$ "EPMY TO 
DISTRICT FORESTER 
AND REFEnR TO 
G(L) 
Fish & ame 
 
FWRS SERVICE IUILDING 
OGDEN, UTAH 
 
a 
 
July 3, 1950. 
 
Mr, Aido Leopold, 
421 Chemistry Bldg., 
Madison, Wisconsin. 
Dear Leopold: 
Reference is made to your letter of Tune 4 which 
was received while I was on insect control work In Wyom- 
ing: 
Sage hens have been observed by me In localities 
where it is very improbable if visits to water were made. 
However in late s       when the young are traveling con- 
siderable there seems to be a very definite restriotion 
of these birds to the vicinity of water. I have had very 
little personal contact with sharp tail grouse. In view 
of the difference in seasonal requirements I find it 
somewhat difficult to indicate on your sheet just what 
the requirements will be for the different species. 
Specific observations were made,after the receipt of your 
letter, on Grays River and I observed nests where it is 
very improbable that the mother birds left to fly or 
travel the distance of not less than one-half mile to 
water. Since frost and heavy dews were connon it is 
quite probable tlat these would enter into consideration. 
It is my opinion that the same thing ooours regarding 
sagehens. We have areas in Idaho heavily used by nest- 
ing birds where it would certainly seem improbable if 
visits were made to water. As a matter of opinion I 
would say that the ruffed grouse and blue grouse during 
the nesting season could depend on dew, succulent vegeta- 
tion, or insects for water but later were limited in 
their distribution by a specific water supply. With the 
mule deer tee ts a very similar seasonal variation. 
It was a surprise to me to find that for a good part of 
 
the summer season deer winn the Kaib 
 
A4~