■

Eg ^H ■

mwMM

TS-.f

V;r

iMI

dn	9ra^ IfAfl	PTOsS	^•■wy.w-A&uxM
	H^^^Hi	mmsaoK
^5on	1 H 1 v€iKf^	%3sSHSi§	1 ;■#*$$ yffifi
l5S	9 Urn
/Jpfc,	^•SlE^^HS		. ,; ■ uuuuuuu\
■'i-J,'			1 ■ ■ :>'V.M\ I ■ /.■-Vl.','J,v:^.^''VUV.

^H "

$Bi«3J

Keep an eagle eye open for color, light, and action.

Coming in January . . .

the Seventh Annual Special Photo Issue.

Stale of Montana Ted Schwtoden/Govemor

Fish and Game Commission

Bob Jensen/Chairman

Don Bailey '"Vice Chairman

F.W. Howell

Dan Oakland

Jim Olson

Department of Fish. Wildlife and Parks

James W. Flynn/Director

Dick Johnson/Deputy Director

Ronald G. Marcoux/ Associate Director

Conservation Education Division

Ron Aasheim Administrator

Vince Yannone/ Assistant Administrator

Magazine Staff

Dave Books/Editor

Kay Morton Ellertioff Associate Editor

Donita Sexton/ Art Director

Montana Outdoors (USPS 360 280), the official publication of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, is published bimonthly (January, March, May, July, September, and November). Contributions (manuscripts or illustrations) are welcome with the understanding that the department or the editor cannot be responsi- ble for loss or damage. All contributions will be published at the discretion of the editor. For subscription information, phone 800/678-6668 (toll-free). Subscription rates are $7 for one year. $12.50 for two years, $17 for three years. (Please add $3 per year for Canadian subscriptions. All other foreign subscriptions, air mail only, are $22 for one year.) Individual copies and back issues cost $1 .50 each, plus 25 cents for postage and handling. Although Mon- tana Outdoors is copyrighted, permission to reprint articles is available by writing our office or phoning us at 406/444-2474. All correspondence should be addressed: Montana Outdoors, Depart- ment of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 1420 E. Sixth; Helena, MT 59620. ©Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 1987. All rights reserved. Indexed by States' Periodical Index, 1660 Srmthville Rd.; Havre, MT 59501.

Postmaster: Send address changes to: Montana Outdoors, Depart- ment of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 1420 E. Sixth; Helena, MT 59620. Second-class postage paid at Helena, MT 59620, and additional mail- ing offices.

ONTAN

OUTDOORS

Nov. /Dec. 1987 Volume 18, Number 6

FEATURES

2 Clark Fork Rx — Prescription for Renewal?

by Liter Spence

The Clark Fork River in western Montana is a troubled stream. How did the

destruction happen, and is there hope for the future?

9 Montana Outdoors Index

The line-up from 1987.

11 Identification of Montana's Birds of Prey

see page 35 by Kristi DuBois and Dale Becker

illustrated by Joe Thornbrugh

A guide to help you identify Montana's diurnal (active during the day) birds of prey — hawks, falcons, eagles, and vultures.

32 The Wolf at My Door

by Rand Robbin

The wolfs image and the sound of a door opening are still vivid, even after 45

years.

35 On the Road to Fort Peck Lake

by Tom Palmer

The infamous gumbo may become an inconvenience of the past.

40 Perspectives— "Old and Young"

by Don Laubach and Mark Henckel

illustrated by Robert Neaves

The young hunter has much to learn; the older hunter has much to share.

DEPARTMENTS

7 The Catchall

7 Book Reviews

8 Nongame News 31 Readers Respond 39 Contributors

(OVERS

Fall is the season of color, sometimes golden, bronze, blinding. At other times, the season's shades are subtle, somber, melancholy even. Inspiration for Joe Thorn- brugh's front cover painting of a northern goshawk came during a late fall elk hunt south of Hamilton, and it suggests that winter's icy starkness cannot be far behind. It's also an invitation to this issue's identification guide to Montana's birds of prey, for which Thornbrugh did the art. Mark Van Donsel's inside front cover shot of a bald eagle could also be an introduction to the birds of prey guide; instead, it's the preview of a coming attraction: the Seventh Annual Special Photo Issue, coming in January. For some who believe fall is the only season, the antelope is also the only animal; Rodney Schlect's back cover photo of the pronghorn shows you why.

CLARK FORK Rx—

PRESCRIPTION

FOR RENEWAL?

by Liter Spence

"Before there was man, there was the river. It preceded the mountains, the trees and virtually all other forms of life. A healthy river, in its natural condition, is a complete ecosystem, vibrant with energy and life. It is a vital link to creation, to the longevity of the planet Earth. Without it, our society— indeed, all living things — would perish. ' '

—Bill Thomas "American Rivers, A Natural History"

he Clark Fork River in western Montana is a troubled stream. A century before "ecology" and "ecosystem" became household words, destruc- tion of the river's ecosystem began. How did it happen? What about the future? The story begins with. . .

The Miners

In 1852, Francois Finlay, also known as "Benetsee," discovered gold nuggets in Gold Creek, a small tributary of the Clark Fork upstream from the town of Drummond. Benetsee decided the quantity was insufficient to be profitable, so he did not pursue the find. About five years later, James and Granville Stuart, brothers wintering in the Beaverhead Valley, heard about the discovery and decided to investigate. They prospected the creek and were convinced there was sufficient gold to mine. They left the territory in search of mining equipment and returned in late summer 1860. Word spread, and within two years, a small group of miners had settled at Gold Creek. Miners worked there until the rich strikes at Bannack and Virginia City caused most of them to leave for the Beaverhead country.

However, those who remained continued to mine. As placer mining faded in the late 1860s, the miners turned to hydraulic mining as "the ultimate form of placering." This involved the use of high pressure hoses to wash away entire stream banks and beds. Historian Otis Young observed the consequences of such activities on the streams of the area: "Hydraulic mining dealt effectively with remarkable quantities of low grade gravels, but had the drawback of putting into circulation vast tonnage of slickens, or sluice tailings. The easiest and cheapest way of disposing of this effluvium was to drain it into the nearest major watercourse."

"The nearest major watercourse" was ultimately the Clark Fork River, and the effects of "hydraulicking" were soon apparent. James A. Garfield Qater a U.S. president) traveled down the Clark Fork in 1872 and wrote in his diary: "The beautiful river has been permanently ruined by the miners; and

has been for three years as muddy as the Missouri. Before the discovery of gold, it was as clear and pure as any mountain stream could well be."

With discovery of gold at Gold Creek, miners began prospecting other areas in the vicinity. Two miners, Humphreys and Allison, discovered enough gold on the hillsides above Silver Bow Creek in the very headwaters of the Clark Fork to entice other miners into the area. By 1865, three mining districts had been established near Butte. Miners built several ditches to supply water to their claims. One ditch even brought water from east of the Continental Divide. A.K. McClure, a correspondent for the prestigious Engineering and Mining Journal, described the Deer Lodge Valley as one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. However, he soon came upon Silver Bow Creek where "the muddy waters tell it is employed to aid the miner to produce precious metals."

In the 1870s, the easily mined gold had mostly run out in the Butte area. The real wealth— copper and silver ore— remained, awaiting the coming of the railroads, heavy equipment, and capita] investment. In the mid 1870s, the silver boom hit. Railroads allowed miners to ship the silver ore to smelters outside the area, and Montana became the second largest silver supplier in the nation.

One of the most important silver-producing areas in the early 1880s was around Philipsburg. Historians suggest that, in its time, the Granite Mountain Mine may have been the world's greatest silver mine. However, as it goes with the mining industry, the "boom" was followed by a predictable "bust"— the bottom dropped out of the silver market when the government stopped supporting silver prices. Miners left the silver camps, and the remnants are today's "ghost towns."

Also left along Flint Creek and the upper Clark Fork were mine tailings and smelter slag, laced with heavy metals and the toxic by-products of chemical ore processing.

Copper found during silver mining in Butte in the 1870s did not attract much interest because it was not particularly valuable. However, this changed with the advent of electricity and the telephone, which created a demand for copper wire and other copper products. It became extremely valuable and made rich men of W.A. Clark and Marcus Daly who had wisely invested in the copper deposits.

As the copper industry expanded, reduction works and smelters were established on Silver Bow and Warm Springs creeks where water was plentiful. For almost 100 years, wastes from these smelting activities were carried into the Clark Fork River. In addition, other pollutants were dumped into nearby creeks, including raw sewage and wastes from timber treatment and packing plants. The Clark Fork River, its beauty so impressive to earlier travelers, soon bore little resemblance to those early descriptions. "Red water," rusty-colored water produced when untreated metals in mining wastes (particularly iron) are carried in suspension, occurred frequently. According to early accounts, there were major fish kills between 1890-1900, and the only fish in the upper Clark Fork were found in some tributary streams and side sloughs of the river. This apparently was the situation until the 1950s when the Anaconda Company constructed treatment

Clark Fork River (photo: JACK TUHOLSKE)

ponds on Silver Bow Creek in which wastes were settled out of the water before it entered the upper Clark Fork. Company officials also began adding lime to the river near Warm Springs to reduce the acidity of the water, causing toxic metals to precipitate and settle out.

River conditions began to improve, but the red water still frequently occurred in the river .as far downstream as Bonner, where it was somewhat diluted by the clean waters of the Blackfoot River.

In 1955, the Montana Water Pollution Act was passed by the 34th Legislature. Until its passage, water pollution was primarily a health problem as far as the state was concerned. No recognition was given to its effects on other uses such as fish and wildlife. The new act changed this. A water pollution council was established, and by 1958 it had developed water quality classifications for the streams of the state. The classifications recognized fish and aquatic life as important water uses.

However, Silver Bow Creek and the Clark Fork received the council's lowest classification— "agricultural and industrial uses"— all the way to Bonner. To allow the various water users time to develop improved waste treatment measures, a schedule was established to upgrade this classification, by reaches, between 1964 and 1969. Silver Bow Creek and the Clark Fork between Warm Springs Creek and the Little Blackfoot River would retain their original classifications. However, from the Little Blackfoot to Bonner, the Clark Fork could be upgraded to include fish and wildlife uses. Various water users were given time to develop improved waste treatment measures.

At least it was a start. However, red water continued to flow down the Clark Fork during the 1960s. In 1967, the state adopted new water quality standards in response to the Water Quality Act of 1965. These new standards were approved by the federal government in 1968. The standards required a reclassification of portions of the upper Clark Fork. Silver Bow Creek retained its original classification. However, the mainstem Clark Fork was upgraded so that most of the river was classified to allow for the "...growth and propagation of salmonid fish and associated aquatic life...." The river between Warm Springs Creek and the Little Blackfoot River was classified somewhat lower— to allow for "growth and marginal propagation of fish and associated aquatic life. ... " Thus, the potential for improvement continued.

Today the river has basically the same classifications. There are, however, two classifications between Warm Springs Creek and the Little Blackfoot. The river between Deer Lodge and the Little Blackfoot has been upgraded to remove the term "marginal." The upper reach from Warm Springs Creek to Deer Lodge continues to contain this term; however, an upgraded classification is certainly appropriate considering the greatly improved stream conditions.

The upgrading of stream classifications and the hint of legal recognition of the importance of fish and wildlife were great strides forward and perhaps provided the impetus for eventually reclaiming the river. The classifications were goals, but the principal problems remained.

In 1969, the state established implementation schedules for pollution abatement in the upper Clark Fork which included the cleanup of mining wastes. The Anaconda Company was given

until July 1972 to comply with the existing water quality standards, which meant it had to adequately treat all its wastes. New treatment facilities were installed and the real cleansing of the river began.

Red water soil occurs occasionally during high flows which are not retained by the pond treatment system. As recently as July 1987, a fish kill occurred in the upper river due to a thunderstorm which washed tailings directly into the river. Compared with the past, these are infrequent events, but the potential is still there.

Effects of Anaconda's new waste treatment facilities soon became apparent. River fish populations made a significant comeback. During the late 1960s and as recently as 1972, Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (DFWP) biologists found no fish in the Clark Fork River when they sampled a two-mile section of stream immediately below Warm Springs Creek (and the Anaconda settling ponds). Since then, the population has increased substantially. By 1986, biologists estimated 2,300 brown trout per mile in the same reach— the highest concentration per mile of brown trout in the entire upper Clark Fork. This illustrates the great resilience of biological populations when habitat conditions improve. From a water quality standpoint, the river has made a dramatic recovery.

The Ranchers

Early travelers in the upper Clark Fork repeatedly mentioned the fine grasslands, particularly in the Deer Lodge and Flint Creek valleys. Wildlife apparendy flourished in these valleys, and it was not long before settlers took advantage of the areas for livestock production. By the mid- 1860s, cattle were thriving in the upper river valleys. Naturally, the first ranches were established along the most sheltered and best water courses, many bordered by natural hay meadows. In 1865, Conrad Kohrs purchased the holdings of Johnny Grant and soon had the largest

cattle holding in the Northwest. Kohrs first visited the Deer Lodge Valley in the early 1860s and made the following observation about the stream which flowed through the valley: "It [the Deer Lodge River] was a beautiful stream, the water clear and sparkling and alive with the finest trout, and the same was true of every stream we crossed. The valley was full of antelope and many herds of fat cattle belonging to the mountaineers who lived there."

By the mid- 1860s, cattle ranchers in the Deer Lodge Valley were prospering. Ranchers sold their cattle to local miners, Indians, military personnel, and wagon trains. With the coming of the railroad, cattle were sold in distant markets. The cattle industry boomed during the 1870s and early 1880s. The Deer Lodge Valley supported large herds, but the business also began to center on the vast ranges east of the mountains.

The mountain valley ranges eventually became overcrowded and subsequendy overgrazed. The combination of an extremely severe winter in 1886-87, overstocked ranges, and a depressed cattle market destroyed the open-range cattle industry. Ranchers who survived, like Conrad Kohrs, rebuilt their operations on a smaller, more diversified, scale, similar to that of the 1860s.

Sheep production was also important in the upper Clark Fork. From the beginning of settlement in the valleys, sheep provided mutton to the mining camps. Several large cattle operations also had bands of sheep, including Conrad Kohrs and W. A. Clark. By 1875, Deer Lodge County had over 5,000 sheep, most of them owned by Peter Valiton. Again, railroad access encouraged raising sheep for distant markets. Sheep operations expanded in the 1890s. By the 1950s, Deer Lodge was the Rambouillet sheep capital of the world, due primarily to the early efforts of the Williams and Paully (later Williams-Tavenner) Ranch. However, sheep imports from Australia after 1950 soon became too competitive, and large-scale sheep production declined after the

mid-1950s.

Today, ranching is still important to the social and economic structure of the upper Clark Fork valleys, despite the ups and downs of the weather and livestock markets.

Grain crops and hay were well established in the Deer Lodge and Flint Creek valleys by 1870. Commercial agriculture appeared in the 1880s and by the 1890s, the area was known for its progressive farming practices, including many "firsts" in farming techniques. Beginning in the late 1800s, irrigation played an important role in development of agriculture in the upper Clark Fork valleys. However, despite the many streams, water shortages occurred, the worst during the drought of the 1930s. Because the doctrine of prior appropriation was the water law of the mining camps, the same rules applied to the use of water for irrigation. "First in time" was "first in right," and water users who had first priority controlled the available water.

The earliest water rights recorded were those of the ditch companies in the 1860s and '70s, of which Conrad Kohrs' Rock Creek Ditch Company was a major one. Continuing into the 20th

Fisheries surveys in 1972 found no fish in a section of the Clark Fork immediately below Warm Springs Creek. The most recent survey (1986) showed 2,300 brown trout per mile. From a water quality stand- point, the river has made a dramatic recovery.

century, other water users organized into irrigation companies for more effective control and utilization of water. Water was diverted from numerous tributaries as well as from the Clark Fork itself. In those early years, all water was distributed by gravity ditch systems.

Today, appropriation and diversion of water continue in the upper Clark Fork Basin. Sprinkler systems, using pumped water, have opened new lands to irrigated crops. Thus, stream depletions, which began in the mid- 1800s, continue today. Many streams, including portions of the Clark Fork itself, become severely dewatered; in dry years, irrigation takes practically all of the water out of some streams.

Water rights for many of these diversions have priority dates going as far back as the 1860s and '70s, and they are as valid today as they were then.

Fish populations and, consequently, fishing and recreation, cannot be maintained under conditions of frequent stream dewatering. Fish and other aquatic life require a continuous water supply.

The water supply in the upper Clark Fork is limited and always has been. Ever since man arrived in the upper valleys, water shortages have existed, some more severe than others. Even today, competition for available water continues. New permits for diversion rights are issued by state government on streams already heavily utilized by those claiming earlier rights. Although these new permits do not have the senior priority dates of those earlier water rights, they have a higher priority than any right existing for fish and wildlife. Fish and wildlife currently have no water right in the mainstem Clark Fork or most of its tributaries (the Big Blackfoot and Rock Creek near Clinton are exceptions). And the only legal means of securing such instream rights is through a process known as water reservations.

The Reservations

Water reservations are a form of water right granted by the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation to any agency or political subdivision of the state of Montana or the United States for existing or future beneficial uses, or to maintain a minimum flow, level, or quality of water. Water reservations were authorized by the 1973 Water Use Act, Montana's current water law. The act also declared (for the first time by statute) that fish, wildlife, and recreation were legal beneficial users of the state's waters.

Water reservation applications are submitted to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The DFWP has prepared and submitted an application for instream flow reservations in the upper Clark Fork River and 17 tributary streams from Warm Springs Creek to Milltown Dam near Bonner (see map and table).

DFWP INSTREAM FLOW REQUESTS
Stream	Flow Requests (cfs)
Clark Fork River
Reach #1	180
Reach #2	400
Reach #3	500
Reach #4	600
Warm Springs Creek
Reach #1	50
Reach #2	40
Barker Creek	12
Cable Creek	10
Storm Lake Creek	10
Twin Lakes Creek	13
Lost Creek	16
Little Blackfoot River
Reach #1	17
Reach #2	85
Snowshoe Creek	9
Dog Creek	9
Racetrack Creek
Reach #1	26
Reach #2	3
Dempsey Creek	3.5
Gold Creek	34
Flint Creek
Reach #1	50
Reach #2	45
Boulder Creek	20
North Fork Flint Creek	6
Stuart Mill Creek	14
Harvey Creek	3

The requests are intended to protect fish and wildlife populations by (1) preventing further depletion of the stream flow and (2) maintaining existing water quality.

If granted, the reservations will not make more water occur in the streams. But they will prevent further dewatering through use of the miners' old doctrine "first in time is first in right." The priority dates of the reservations would be senior to any permits issued by the state after the reservations are granted. In other words, the department would have a "prior right" to use the water instream. THIS "RIGHT" WOULD IN NO WAY INTERFERE WITH WATER RIGHTS ALREADY IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THE RESERVATIONS ARE GRANTED. The law simply does not allow that to happen. Older water rights will always have priority over instream reservations. This means that in a dry year, with low stream flow, senior water users could still take all the water from the streams. The reservations preserve the status quo; they do not increase water availability.

The water quality situation is similar to that of water quantity. Since the reservations will only maintain the streams' existing flow conditions (as they vary from year to year), they will only help maintain existing water quality by diluting the lingering toxic mining wastes still entering the streams. High flows each spring cause the toxic deposits along the Clark Fork River's floodplain to be resuspended and carried in the water. Toxicity due to copper is believed to suppress river fish populations. Copper concentrations commonly exceed the Environmental Protection

Agency's criteria for some fish species in the river. This situation will persist as long as mining wastes are present in the drainage.

The extent of mining wastes contamination and methods of dealing with the problem are being evaluated through the "Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act," the so-called "Superfund." Silver Bow Creek, the old Anaconda Smelter site, Milltown Reservoir, and the upper Clark Fork River's floodplain are on the Superfund cleanup list. But cleanup is a long-term process— it may be decades before ultimate recovery of the river and its fisheries will be achieved. Yet, the potential is there— to improve the Clark Fork and establish a first-class fishing and recreation stream throughout its length. Of concern, however, is the danger of stream flows falling even lower because of new depletions, causing the fisheries to be even more hard-pressed to survive than they are today.

The instream flow reservations will protect existing stream flows and water quality, thus ensuring at least the current level of use and enjoyment of the river. These water reservations, combined with eventual reclamation of mining wastes, should allow the Clark Fork of the future to be an even better recreational stream.

In fact, without instream flow reservations, the benefits of reclamation may not be fully realized.

Thus the story continues. Perhaps historians will recall the next hundred years as a time when the Clark Fork regained life, when it shed the yoke of the previous century's uncaring attitude and became again "...a beautiful stream, the water clear and sparkling and alive with the finest trout.... "■

• The author is indebted to Man' C. Horstman, Missoula, who compiled the historical information about mining and ranching presented in this article, through an agreement with the department's Missoula office. Her 1984 paper, "Historical Events Associated with the Upper Clark Fork Drainage, ' ' is available free from the Conservation Education Division, Depart- ment of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 1420 East Sixth; Helena, MT 59620.— Liter Spence

REFERENCES

Environmental Protection Agency, "A Water Quality Study of the Upper Clark Fork River and Selected Tributaries," Region Vm, Denver, 39 pp. plus appendices, 1972.

Horstman, Mary C, "Historical Events Associated with the Upper Clark Fork Drainage." prepared for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Region 2, Missoula, Montana, under Project 8241, 1984.

Spindler, J.C., "An Extensive Chemical, Physical, Bacteriological, and Biological Survey— Columbia River Drainage in Montana," State Board of Health, Water Pollution Control Report No. 59-1, 111 pp., 1959.

Thomas, Bill, "American Rivers, A Natural History," W.W. Norton & Co., Inc., pp. 9-19, 1978.

Thomas, W.P., "Clark Fork River Pollution Problems— A Chronolo- gy," Montana Department of Fish. Wildlife and Parks, Missoula. Montana, 2 pp. mimeo. not dated.

Thomas, W.P., "The River That Represents Montana," Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Missoula, Montana, 9 pp. mimeo, not dated.

THE CATCHALL

Pheasants Forever

During spring of 1987, the first Pheasants Forever (PF) chapter in Mon- tana, the Flathead Chapter, was orga- nized at a fund-raising banquet in Kali- spell. Soon after, fund-raising banquets were conducted in Ronan (Mission Val- ley Chapter), Choteau (Teton Chapter) and Rudyard (Northcentral Chapter). Many more communities throughout the state have expressed an interest in organizing chapters.

According to PF's quarterly publica- tion, Pheasants Forever, the purpose of the organization is to restore pheasant populations throughout the United States, to develop and restore habitat for use by pheasants, and to educate the public about the need and benefits thereof. PF has a national membership of more than 25,000 sportsmen, spread among some 140 chapters. To date, these chapters have completed more than 3,300 projects on thousands of acres across the country.

In Montana, PF chapters are in the process of raising funds for local needs. PF allows the majority of money raised by a chapter to remain within that chapter for its own projects. Immediate concerns of Montana's four PF chapters include habitat enhancement and public education and awareness programs. Current habitat projects are directed toward establishing woody cover, nest- ing cover, and food plots. In addition, a percentage of funds raised will be available for statewide programs, such as promoting legislation to aid in pheas- ant habitat restoration.

As PF chapters increase in member- ship and initiate more projects across the state, an increase in the amount of habitat available to the wily ringneck may truly mean... Pheasants Forever!— Brian Giddings, research aide, Kali- spell

Safari Club Donates Dollars

Safari Club International (SCI) is an organization that backs up promises with cash. The SCI has been pumping dollars into preserving Montana's wild- life for years. The club recently funded construction of bear traps and purchase

of a capture gun to help game wardens in southern Montana. Ron Carlson, Big Timber game warden, said the club was asked for materials for two traps ($2,400) and a complete capture gun kit (about $800). Carlson said if the club would donate the material, wardens would build the traps. It did— and they did.

The traps were designed by Carlson and Livingston warden Hank Fabich, and Fabich did most of the construction. Carlson said it took almost a year to complete the traps which are being used to trap both grizzly and black bears. One went to Region 3 (Bozeman) and the other to Region 5 (Billings).

The request for funds went first to Dennis Moos, a Big Timber resident active in the Montana Chapter of SCI. Roger Warwick was club president at the time and was succeeded by Dr. Lance Parker, who continued to support the grant.

As Carlson notes, thanks is overdue,

ALL BOOKED UP??

MO's binders will ensure less of a mess

Order yours today— just $6, prepaid, from MONTANA OUTDOORS, Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Helena, MT 59620.

*0i^

but the thanks that goes out to Moos, Warwick, Parker, the SCI board, and general membership is nonetheless sin-

cere.

BOOK REVIEWS

ELK TALK, by Don Laubach and Mark Henckel, E.L.K., Inc., Box 85, Gardiner, MT 59030; 1987, 202 pages, $12.95 (plus $1.50 postage), soft cover.

As the title suggests, "Elk Talk" is primarily a book about calling elk— about duplicating the sounds that bulls, cows, and calves make. But it's much more than that— it's a valuable refer- ence on elk biology and behavior, a comprehensive digest of elk hunting tactics and techniques, and a tribute to a majestic animal that many people con- sider to be Montana's ultimate big game trophy.

Don Laubach and Mark Henckel are uniquely qualified to write such a book. Laubach, a dedicated archer, has taken 12 elk in the last 12 years with bow and arrow, the last of them a six-point bull. A few years ago, he invented a cow call which has added a whole new dimen- sion to elk hunting; he has also designed a new bugle call that is effective and easy to use. Henckel, who has been outdoor editor of the Billings Gazette for the past 15 years, is an avid elk hunter in both archery and rifle seasons. He's an award- winning writer and au- thor of "A Hunter's Guide to Mon- tana."

In "Elk Talk," the authors drew on their extensive experience hunting elk in Montana, but also marshaled the exper- tise of several elk biologists and expert hunters— including Terry Lonner and Dr. Richard Mackie in the former category, and Bill Hoppe, Vince Yan- none, and Jim Zumbo in the latter. The result is a practical, easy-to-read guide to finding, calling, and hunting elk with a rifle, bow and arrow, or camera.

In addition to chapters on calf talk, cow talk, and bull talk, the book includes sections on reading sign, stand-

ing and stalking, map work, care of downed game, and planning your hunt. Whether you're new to the elk hunting game or a seasoned veteran, this book should be in your library.— Dave Books

RESTORING AMERICA'S WILD- LIFE, U.S. Department of the Interi- or, Fish and Wildlife Service, Super- intendent of Documents, Government Printing Office. Washington, D.C. 20402-9325; 1987, 394 pages, $15 hard cover (includes postage).

' ' Restoring America ' s Wildlife " chronicles 50 years of wildlife conser- vation in America. Its publication marks the 50-year anniversary of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, a far-sighted program created in 1937 by some far-sighted individuals who helped engineer the world's most remarkable rebound of native wildlife. Under this conservation program, popularly known as the "Pittman-Robertson" program, dozens of the nation's wild birds and mammals have re-emerged to record levels.

Sportsmen and women alone have funded this assistance to state wildlife management, land acquisition, and re- search programs through Pittman- Robertson 's unique funding arrange- ment. President Ronald Reagan's intro- duction to the book emphasizes the importance of those dollars: "Pittman- Robertson 's 50th anniversary is an ideal time to take stock of what this remark- able program has accomplished, what still needs to be done, and what the future seems to hold for our wildlife in a period of rapid change."

"Restoring America's Wildlife" fea- tures conservation luminaries such as Joe Linduska on the wood duck and Maurice Hornocker and Howard Quig- ley on the mountain lion. Montanans are not ignored: Dr. Richard J. Mackie, coordinator of statewide deer research studies for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, wrote the mule deer chapter; Dr. L. Jack Lyon, research project leader at the Inter- mountain Research Station in Missoula, collaborated with Dr. Jack Ward Thomas on the elk section.

To anyone seeking illumination of the "big picture" of wildlife conservation in the United States during the past 50 years, "Restoring America's Wildlife" should go in the "must-read" stack.

NONGAME NEWS

THOSE LONG WINTER NIGHTS

Many nongame animals have devel- oped special adaptations to survive Montana winters. Not everyone can leave and head to the sunny climates of Arizona or Mexico. Temperature regu- lation during the short winter days and the long winter nights becomes a serious factor when the temperature drops be- low zero. Most of the larger mammals and overwintering birds have good insu- lation with long, dense fur or feathers and a thick layer of fat. The legs of the ptarmigan and the snowy owl become heavily feathered in winter.

Many animals, such as the otter, mink, and muskrat, spend considerable time in cold water even during the winter months. Although they lose heat through their foot pads and nose, their bodies are insulated by a layer of air trapped by their fur.

Some animals avoid the cold tempera- tures by spending as much time as possible beneath the snow. Voles, mice, and shrews use runways and nests under the snow (called the subnivean environ- ment) to insulate them from the cold.

Ptarmigan dig tunnels as roost sites into the snowbanks to avoid the cold.

A few species avoid the cold months altogether by hibernating. Ground squirrels and marmots are true hibernat- ors and spend long periods of dormancy in their burrows. They do not store food but use stored fat as their energy source.

Although not related to temperature change, a few animals change color during winter. The short-tailed weasel or ermine changes from the brown coat of summer to all white with a black- tipped tail. The color change is trig-

gered by the decrease in daylight and is independent of temperature. The white- tailed ptarmigan also changes from brown to white in the winter. The snowshoe hare's winter coat appears white but is actually tricolored— from dark gray to tawny brown to white. The hare's dense coat also provides good insulation; the heat retention capacity is 27% greater in winter than in summer.— Marilyn Wood, DFWP biologist, Kali- spell

AROUND THE STATE

In an effort to reduce the problems of feral/stray cat predation on small birds and mammals in the Billings area, the Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society donated funds to the city of Billings to purchase 3,000 cat bells. The double bells are provided on request, free, to people licensing their cats. "Bells for Birds' ' will attempt to decrease losses of birds and mammals to free-roaming cats, and raise the consciousness of cat owners around the state's biggest city.

Another service available from the city of Billings is an extensive Wildlife Damage Control Library. This library contains a large collection of reprints and pamphlets on non-lethal and humane capture techniques for control- ling nuisance wildlife in urban and agricultural areas. For more informa- tion or reprints, contact Dave Pauli, superintendent, Department of Animal Shelter, City of Billings, P.O. Box 1178; Billings, MT 59103.

DISCRIMINATING TASTES

Many of us feed birds during the winter, and everyone has his or her own

ptarmigan

JAN BONHAM METZMAKER

ideas about what birds prefer. While most agree that sunflower seeds are an excellent choice, those who feed birds disagree about which type our most common feeder visitors favor— the large, striped variety, or the smaller, black (oil) seeds.

The Flathead Audubon Society has honored both sides of the issue by offering both seed types during its annual sunflower seed sales. However, this changed in 1987, based on results of an experiment conducted by Brent Mitchell of Kalispell, who compared the selection of seed types by birds present- ed with a choice. The winner? Black, or oil, seeds were preferred, 5-to-l.

Mitchell tested preferences in two ways. In one test, he split a large window feeder into three compart- ments. He provided the two seed types, one cup at a time, in the end compart- ments, while he left the center unit empty. He alternated location of the two seed types. Then he recorded the type of seed taken by each bird which visited the feeder during a series of repeated 10-minute surveys. He conducted a similar experiment on two cleared areas on the ground; once again he provided the two types in equal amounts, alternat- ing between the two plots.

In both feeding situations, birds selected the black seeds far more often than the striped seeds. Red-breasted nuthatches and mountain and black- capped chickadees selected the black seeds 85%-90% of the time. When feeding on the ground, evening gros- beaks (infamous for their sunflower seed gluttony) always landed on the black seeds first and would not shift to the other seeds until the black seed area became too crowded or until few black seeds remained.

What are the reasons for this prefer- ence? Many of these birds may key in on the black seeds because they are smaller and closer in size to the seeds on which the birds naturally feed. (Black seeds averaged 1,727 seeds per cup, compared with only 815 striped seeds per cup.) While the edible portion of the striped seed is nearly twice the size of the black seed, the oil seeds could have a higher nutritional value, offsetting the additional effort the birds must expend to shell the seeds. While more experi- ments need to be conducted, the Flathead Audubon Society was con- vinced: They offered only black seeds during their 1987 seed sale.

MONTANA OUTDOORS INDEX

The major items published in Mon- tana Outdoors in 1987 are indexed below. Extra copies of all '87 issues are available— $1.50 each, plus 25 cents for postage. Some earlier back issues are available at the same price.

To inquire about or order a back issue write: Back Issues, Montana Outdoors, Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 930 Custer Ave. West; Helena, MT 59620.

BOOKS REVIEWED

Montana's Early-Day Rangers— by

Robert C. (Bert) Gildart (March/ April).

The Only Good Bear is a Dead Bear: A Collection of the West's Best Bear Stories— by Jeanette Prodgers (March/ April).

Clearing— by Matthew Hansen (May /June).

Prairie Wildflowers— by Dr. Dee Strickler (May /June).

Yellowstone Is...— by Mike Logan (July/ August).

Montana's Flathead Country— by Robert C. (Bert) Gildart (July /August).

The Madison River— by Craig Mathews and Gary LaFontaine (July /August).

Elk Talk— by Don Laubach and Mark Henckel (Nov. /Dec).

Restoring America's Wildlife— U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (Nov. /Dec).

FISH/FISHING/WATER

Perspectives— "Everyman's Old Man of the River"— If Dan Bailey was the high priest of fly-fishing, Pat Barnes is a most worthy deacon (Tom Palmer, March/ April).

The Search for Moby Pike- Searching for the toothy pike in Canyon Ferry Reservoir was only one research project undertaken by students at a summer science camp (Gil Alexander,

ABCs for a Season of Superlatives

Most Appropriate

Best Buy

Most Colorful

Montana Outdoors— the

Merriest Christmas ever

for you and yours

March/ April).

Piscatorial Prophecies— The number of theories to explain fish distribution trends on the Clark Fork are nearly as numerous as the trout (Glenn Phillips, March/ April).

Holton Named "Fish Pro"— George Holton is selected as "Fisheries Profes- sional of the Year." The Catchall (March/ April).

Thanks, Art Whitney— Art Whitney ends a 35-year career with the depart- ment's Fisheries Division. The Catchall (March/ April).

Skipper's Inspection List— Before the first launch of the season, all watercraft should be thoroughly in- spected. The Catchall (Tim Pool, March/ April).

Spring Creeks— Precious Secrets- Montana's spring creeks are special to many people, for many different rea- sons (Janet Decker-Hess, illustrated by Shirley Cleary, May /June).

Perspectives — "Are They at Melrose Yet?"— Unless you live near salmonfly streams, have a flexible schedule, and reliable informants, it's not easy to "catch the hatch" (Jim Belsey, illustrated by Harvey Eckert, May /June).

What's Bugging That Fish?— The department's Fish Health Lab has the answer— and they welcome calls from concerned fishermen (Jim Peterson, May /June).

The One-That-Didn't-Get-Away Club— 1986— Montana's 1986 record- setting fish (May /June).

How the Cutthroats Reached Mon- tana—What trout are really native to Montana, and how they got here (Jim Roscoe, May /June).

A Fish Called Cisco— The cisco is the long awaited