A circular trapline, 1,000 feet in circumference, was established on November 16, 1961, in a stand of big sagebrush, and was operated for 30 consecutive nights.
The vegetation of the trapping area was predominantly Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush), interspersed with a few scattered seedlings of pinyon and juniper. This stand was burned in 1858 (tree-ring date by David Smith) and some charred juniper snags still stood. The deep sandy soil also supported a variety of grasses and a few other small plants. The following species were common in this area:
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Bromus inermis Oryzopsis hymenoides Poa fendleriana Sitanion hystrix Solidago petradoria Orthocarpus purpureo-albus |
The 15 to 20 acres of sagebrush were surrounded by pinyon-juniper forest. The trapping station closest to the forest was approximately 100 feet from the edge of the woodland. More P. truei than P. maniculatus were caught here ([Table 1]).
The trapping area lies north of Cliff Palace, eastward of the loop road, at elevations of 6,875 to 6,925 feet. Two pairs of traplines were run from January 9, 1962, to January 12, 1962, and from February 13 to 15, 1962.
Vegetation was pinyon-juniper woodland with an understory of mixed shrubs. One to four inches of old snow covered the ground during most of the trapping period, but the ground beneath trees and shrubs was generally clear, providing suitable location for traps.
Numerous juncos and jays were seen in this area; deer and rabbits also were present.
Individuals of P. truei and of P. maniculatus were taken ([Table 1]).