While attending the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, I partook in two
exciting summer internships in order to gain experience in my areas of interest
and become familiar with the American West, which I have always been drawn
to. I pursued both independently and organized an agenda with the agencies of
whom I was employed under. My first internship (summer 2000) took place in
Montana and Wyoming under the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the
Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range (PMWHR). I was a Wild Horse Program
Field Intern and studied predation by black bears and mountain lions on the
wild horse herd, and predator distribution throughout the wild horse range.
This was my first time away from family (other than being away at college),
and my first time out west.
Located in south central Montana and north central Wyoming, the Pryor
Mountain Wild Horse Range was set aside in 1968 to protect a unique breed of
mustang derived from Spanish ancestry. It covers over 30,000 acres of land,
which consists of a very diverse, remote, and rugged landscape (high
meadows, rugged juniper-covered foothills, and colorful desert-like badlands).
Overlooking the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming, the wild horse range is a
mysterious place that few have ventured to, and a place that one can never
forget.
Daily activities involved driving on backcountry roads in rugged terrain,
extensive hiking in moderate to high elevations, and outdoor work in extreme
weather. My research partner and I were responsible for locating evidence that
predation was occurring within the Pryor Mountain wild horse herd. This was
done by responding to leads provided by fellow interns following the horses
themselves for other study-related purposes. They would let us know when a
foal turned up missing, and the location the foal was last spotted. Then we
were off to investigate!
Unfortunately we were not able to recover all missing horses, but from the few
we did find, mountain lion predation was definitely evident. Various data and
photographs of the deceased were collected as proof of lion predation
occurring. And we frequented known carcass sites to document scavenger
activity. Most scavenger activity involved monitoring black bears at horse
carcasses. Other scavenging species included coyotes, insects, and vultures.
My first time observing black bears in the wild occurred while checking on a
deceased mare that fell from a cliff after being struck by lightning. The bears
were seen several times feeding upon her carcass until all that remained were
bones and hair from her mane and tail.
My research partner and I learned how to track mountain lions with the
assistance of an accomplished lion hunter. We also set up various scent stations
throughout the wild horse range to record predator tracks as further evidence
of their use of the area. And we interviewed local ranchers, hunters, and
members of the Crow Tribe (who gave us a tour of the Little Bighorn
Battlefield, telling us the story from a Crow’s perspective) about predation
events that took place in the area and mountain lion sightings. We also
participated in a raccoon hunting excursion, the purpose being to witness
hound dogs in action (use of a firearm) while on a mountain lion hunt.
General maintenance of the Britton Springs Administrative Site cabin and wild
horse corrals encompassed other duties. A data summary report was submitted
to my supervisor and to my college internship adviser upon completion of the
predator study.
exciting summer internships in order to gain experience in my areas of interest
and become familiar with the American West, which I have always been drawn
to. I pursued both independently and organized an agenda with the agencies of
whom I was employed under. My first internship (summer 2000) took place in
Montana and Wyoming under the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the
Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range (PMWHR). I was a Wild Horse Program
Field Intern and studied predation by black bears and mountain lions on the
wild horse herd, and predator distribution throughout the wild horse range.
This was my first time away from family (other than being away at college),
and my first time out west.
Located in south central Montana and north central Wyoming, the Pryor
Mountain Wild Horse Range was set aside in 1968 to protect a unique breed of
mustang derived from Spanish ancestry. It covers over 30,000 acres of land,
which consists of a very diverse, remote, and rugged landscape (high
meadows, rugged juniper-covered foothills, and colorful desert-like badlands).
Overlooking the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming, the wild horse range is a
mysterious place that few have ventured to, and a place that one can never
forget.
Daily activities involved driving on backcountry roads in rugged terrain,
extensive hiking in moderate to high elevations, and outdoor work in extreme
weather. My research partner and I were responsible for locating evidence that
predation was occurring within the Pryor Mountain wild horse herd. This was
done by responding to leads provided by fellow interns following the horses
themselves for other study-related purposes. They would let us know when a
foal turned up missing, and the location the foal was last spotted. Then we
were off to investigate!
Unfortunately we were not able to recover all missing horses, but from the few
we did find, mountain lion predation was definitely evident. Various data and
photographs of the deceased were collected as proof of lion predation
occurring. And we frequented known carcass sites to document scavenger
activity. Most scavenger activity involved monitoring black bears at horse
carcasses. Other scavenging species included coyotes, insects, and vultures.
My first time observing black bears in the wild occurred while checking on a
deceased mare that fell from a cliff after being struck by lightning. The bears
were seen several times feeding upon her carcass until all that remained were
bones and hair from her mane and tail.
My research partner and I learned how to track mountain lions with the
assistance of an accomplished lion hunter. We also set up various scent stations
throughout the wild horse range to record predator tracks as further evidence
of their use of the area. And we interviewed local ranchers, hunters, and
members of the Crow Tribe (who gave us a tour of the Little Bighorn
Battlefield, telling us the story from a Crow’s perspective) about predation
events that took place in the area and mountain lion sightings. We also
participated in a raccoon hunting excursion, the purpose being to witness
hound dogs in action (use of a firearm) while on a mountain lion hunt.
General maintenance of the Britton Springs Administrative Site cabin and wild
horse corrals encompassed other duties. A data summary report was submitted
to my supervisor and to my college internship adviser upon completion of the
predator study.
| Summer Internship Wild Horse Program Field Intern (Predation Project) Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, Bureau of Land Management, Montana & Wyoming (Summer 2000) |
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