The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

Creek and the Boulder River south of Boulder,and have often been converted from woodyriparian habitat. The large Golden Sunlightopen pit gold mine is located on the south endof Bull Mountain above I-90 and the JeffersonRiver. Residential development and subdivisionis widespread on private lands, particularlyin the southern and eastern portions of thelinkage. With this level of human occupancyand the proximity to larger population centersof Helena and Butte, recreational use of thislinkage is high, and off-road vehicle use issignificant.WildlifeThis area currently functions as a movementcorridor for both carnivores and ungulatesmoving off the Continental Divide. Much theentire northern end of the linkage area, fromBoulder to Walkerville, is intact, open, greatwildlife habitat. The area between Basin andBernice along the Boulder River is great habitatfor elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and mountaingoats. Homestake Pass, in the southern end ofthe linkage area, has naturally high potentialfor wildlife connectivity between the Huband High Divide conservation areas, but isfragmented by I-90.Grizzly: There is a historical level ofoccupancy. There is potential for grizzly bearhabitat in the Basin area, and there is a highpotential for north-south movement alongthe Continental Divide, particularly aroundHomestake Pass.Wolves are moving across the Elk Park areabetween the west and east sections of theBoulder mountains. They are also moving northsouthalong the Continental Divide.Wolverines are moving through the area. Thereis potential for wolverine habitat in the Basinarea, although most of this linkage area is toodry, has a low carrion base, and therefore, notthe best wolverine habitat.Lynx tracks were verified by a Montana Fish,Wildlife and Parks biologist along the LittleBoulder River south of Basin.Elk winter in the lower areas of the WestBoulder Mountains and move into the Elk190Park area in the summertime. Many elk movebetween the towns of Bernice and Basin, acrucial calving area within the linkage. Elkuse Little Whitetail Creek to move betweenthe Boulder and Bull Mountains. The UpperWhitetail Creek connects the Bull Mountainswith the Whitetail basin and there is yeararoundelk movement between those areas.In the south end of the linkage area, elkinhabit the Pipestone -Whitetail Creek area.Ratio Mountain is an important movementcorridor for elk between these two areas. Inlate summer, elk move back and forth. TheWhitetail Reservoir is an important calvingarea. The Boulder River corridor is importantfor elk movement between mountain ranges.Moose winter range occurs primarily east ofI-15 in the south and west side of the linkagearea. Moose also occur between the LittleBlackfoot River and Basin, and throughoutthe Whitetail Peak and Little Boulder Rivercorridor, which has significant, but declining,willow habitat. Moose also occur throughoutthe Pipestone -Whitetail Creek area.Pronghorn occur in the Pipestone area, butthe habitat is marginal; the herd currentlyexists on private land. There are also about300-400 pronghorn living between the eastBull Mountains and Highway 69; this is the bestpronghorn habitat in the linkage.The westernmost population of white-tailedprairie dogs occurs in this linkage.Conservation ThreatsDevelopment: Within this linkage area, manyprivate in-holdings and old mining claimswithin the Forest are beginning to develop. TheForest is required to provide access, and anyopportunities to close roads and create blocksof unroaded, secure habitat can be eliminated.Expanding development in the creek drainagesalong Highway 69 in the east side of the linkagearea could fragment pronghorn habitat. In theLittle Whitetail Creek area, there is privateland subdivision in the Bull Mountains near thevalley bottom.Recreation: Social pressure is mounting toopen up the entire area to recreational vehicle