Fish & Gome                                        Whnite Creek R. S.

Challis-PayTette-Salmon                            -April 10, 1931 
 
 
 
                                 _1930.-!31 
                             PRO G'RSS REPORT 
                     MIDDLE FORK SALMON RIVER GAUM STUDY 
 
 
 
                               Introduction 
 
        The Middle Fork of the Salmon River Canyon, from near the mouth 
of Marble Creek to the vicinity of Wilson Creek, flu)rishes winter ranMge.

for several thousand deer, most of which find sum~ier range .along the 
higher elevations of the Middle Fork and. possibly other adjacent drain-

ages. Several bands of mountain sheep a-.nd so.ae goats also range within

the limits of the winter deer range. 
 
        Observations during past years heave led to a belief that certain

of the more choice fora7ge species on the slopes adjincent to the river 
have been very closely grazed, and in some of the areas of deer concen- 
tration, perhaps overgrazed. As a result of these observations a game 
management study was initiated during the winter of 1928-29. This study 
is carried as a cooperative, project by the Challis, Payette and Salmon 
National Forests, the Intermounta.in Forest and Range Experiment Station

and the Biological Survey. Until the past winter the assignment has 
been handled alone by a member of the Challis Ranger force. Beginning 
in January 1931, Raniger Gutzmrna of the Salmon NTational Forest, was also

assigned to the study. Since that time, such work as has been accom-. 
plished, has been done. on a cooperative basis by Ranger Gutzman and my-

self. 
 
        The work during the winter of 1930-31 was initiated December 1, 
discontinuedDecember 10 until after the first of the year when it was 
again resumed, and carried on until early in April. 
 
                         Objective of the Study 
 
        ,The objective of the present study is to determine the proper 
utilization of the forage, the sustained carrying capacity of the range,

and other facts essentitl to the proper management of deer and other 
geame animals on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River game range. 
 
 
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