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• Pellet Group Transects. Pellet group transects were employed to provide an indication of <br />the relative amount of big game use of various habitats within the study area. <br />Twenty-five circular plots, each 100 square feet in area, were located at 100 -foot <br />intervals along a line through major vegetation types. Each plot was cleared of existing <br />feces, and then periodically inspected for fresh pellet groups. The number of these fresh <br />groups was recorded, and the plot was cleared again in preparation for the next pellet <br />group accumulation period. The relative amount of big game use of various habitats on <br />the study area was calculated from normal big game defecation frequencies (Rodgers, <br />Julander, and Robinette, 1958) and the time intervals between plot inspections. Plots <br />were established and cleared on three transects during May 1974. These plots were <br />reinspected three times throughout the summer. <br />Locations of the pellet group transects are provided on Exhibit 11-2. Pellet group <br />transect PG -1 traversed forb and sagebrush types on a southern exposure. Transect PG -2 is <br />located in mixed brush habitat, predominately serviceberry and Gambel oak, near a <br />natural water impoundment. Transect PG -3 sampled a quaking aspen stand. <br />• Browse Transects. Browse transects which quantify vegetation utilization were established <br />to provide an indirect measure of big game population density as well as an indication of <br />relative use of various sites. The selected method was modified from Passmore and Hepburn <br />(1955) and involved tallies of 1) the number of stems killed by browsing; 2) number of <br />stems mutilated by previous browsing; 3) number of living stems; and 4) percentage of <br />twigs with some part of their length removed by browsing on two tagged branches of each of <br />10 shrubs spaced at approximately 60 -foot intervals. Utilization measurements on browse <br />species were completed for three transects on the study area during May 1974 to assess the <br />level of browse utilization during the previous winter. Utilization measurements were <br />taken on the same branches during September 1974 to assess summer use of current annual <br />growth. <br />Locations of these browse transects are provided on Exhibit 11-2. Browse transect B-1, <br />located on a southerly exposure, sampled utilization of scattered serviceberry. Southerly <br />exposures receive more direct solar radiation than did northern exposures, and, <br />consequently were drier in the summer and retain less snow during the winter. Browse <br />transect B-2, which also sampled serviceberry, was located in a sheltered northern <br />. exposure. This arca was covered by deep snow during the winter; and small, scattered <br />patches of snow were still present on May 5, 1974. Browse transect B-3 sampled Gambel <br />9 <br />