The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

Jefferson SloughSpeciesGeographic BoundaryThe Jefferson Slough linkage spansthe Jefferson River valley from westof Whitehall to Cardwell. The area isbounded by the South Boulder River onthe east and from Point of Rocks to theWhitetail Road on the west.Importance of Linkage AreaThis linkage is a potential northern routefor grizzly bear moving out of the GreaterYellowstone Ecosystem toward theBoulder and Elkhorn Mountains.Mountain Ranges connected by thelinkage: the north end of the TobaccoRoot Mountains with Bull Mountain andthe Boulder MountainsEcological SettingThis linkage crosses the JeffersonRiver valley between Whitehall andCardwell. The area is widely developedwith small subdivisions, residences,farms and ranches. The Jefferson River,Highways 55 and 41, and Interstate90 bisect the linkage. Foothills in thelinkage support scattered stands ofDouglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii),limber pine (Pinus flexilis), and juniper(Juniperus scopulorum), along withscattered patches of sagebrush (Artemisiaspp.), black greasewood (Sarcobatusvermiculatus), and needle-and-thread(Stipa comata) grasslands. The Jeffersonand South Boulder River bottomssupport extensive stands of narrowleafcottonwood (Populus angustifolia) andjuniper, as well as irrigated pasture andhay land. The Piedmont Swamp is a largenatural wet meadow/wetland area on theJefferson River floodplain immediatelysouth of Whitehall that has remained ina natural condition while surrounded by115development. Average elevation in thislinkage is about 4,400 feet.WildlifeWildlife use in the Jefferson River valleybetween the Tobacco Roots and BullMountain is constrained by the amountof human development and highwaytraffic that is present. The JeffersonRiver corridor supports numerous sandhillcranes, waterfowl, songbirds and raptors,and is a major flyway for spring and fallmigrations of sandhill cranes, snow geeseand swans.Moose are present in the Jefferson andSouth Boulder river bottoms seasonally.White-tailed deer are overly abundantthroughout the Jefferson River bottom.Pronghorn antelope and mule deer:Foothills habitat supports yearlongantelope and winter mule deer use allaround the linkage.Elk: Some elk winter use occurs in theMayflower Mine area of the north TobaccoRoots, and around Bull Mountain to thenorth.Mountain lion and black bear appearoccasionally in the linkage area.Bald eagles and osprey: Cottonwoodhabitats in the Jefferson River corridorsupport numerous osprey nestingterritories and yearlong bald eagle use.River otter and beaver are present in theJefferson River.Merriam’s turkeys have beentransplanted into the area and areexpanding on both sides of I-90 within thelinkage.Wolves and wolverine: The linkageprovides a potential corridor for wolfand wolverine movement between twoareas of potential habitat in the Tobacco