Was an unusual population - they were not associated with any meadow, but instead in thick, tall, waist-high sage. There was some grass understory, so there probably had been some meadow in recent decades, but none where these animals were.
They were also strangely non-vocal - or at least way, way less vocal than the usual meadow ones that become an annoying at times background sound to montane meadows of the Sierra. I had to check physical field marks to identify! Many would pop up and watch us. on west slope to Beauty Peak.