the fastest land mammal in North America, theyare poor jumpers and, unlike mule deer andelk, usually will not jump fences. Pronghornresearch indicates that fencing in migrationroutes should therefore be minimized to allowaccess to vital winter grounds (Sheldon, 2005).Same-sex herds live together most of the year,with large mixed herds congregating on winterranges and during migration. <strong>The</strong> pronghorn isclassified as a big game species with harveststrategies that vary by state.Moose (Alces alces)Moose occur in cool, moist boreal and mixeddeciduous forested areas where there is 60 to 70cm of snow cover in the winter. Conifer cover,uneven plant age and the composition of willowsare important habitat components; closedcanopy stands may be important in winter(Mattson, 1985). If adequate riparian habitat isavailable, moose may make substantial use ofmid- to high elevation sagebrush habitat. <strong>The</strong>yare the most able of any ungulate to negotiatedeep snow. Snow accumulation is shown toaffect populations even more strongly thanwolf density (Mech et al., 1987). In naturallyregulated ecosystems, predation by bears andwolves is often limited (Van Ballenbergie andBallard, 1994). Moose are non-migratory inNorth America, with an average home range of5-10 km 2 . Moose are primarily browsers, eatingtwigs, bark, and leaves/needles of conifers,but prefer willows and aspen. When available,moose also eat water plants. Moose are knownto be capable of altering the structure anddynamics of boreal forest by their browsing(McInnes et al., 1992), preventing young saplingsfrom growing into tree canopy, creating a forestwith a more open canopy and a well-developedshrub understory.Moose are generally solitary, but maycongregate in small groups on winter habitats.In some areas, small breeding groups will formduring the fall rut. Moose are a big game specieswith individual harvest strategies in each statethroughout the Northern Rockies.Bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadensis)Bighorn sheep prefer semi-open and openvegetation types in rugged terrain with minimalsnow depth in winter and high quality greenforage in growing seasons. Bighorns spend mostof their time close to escape terrain such ascliffs and talus slopes (Pallister, 1974), withcliffs, rocky outcroppings, and very steep slopesnecessary for lambing security. Bighorn sheepdepend on bunchgrasses and shrubs in winterand summer ranges consisting of grasses, sedgesand forbs. <strong>The</strong>y make local movements betweenseasonal ranges and do not readily disperse intonew habitat. <strong>The</strong>ir home range averages 17km². <strong>The</strong>y form same-sex herds during breedingseason (Shakleton et al., 1999). Bighorn sheepare classified as a big game species, with variousstate harvest and management strategies.Ancillary Species:General references for ancillary species includethe following sources. Specific references arelisted within text.Montana Fish, <strong>Wildlife</strong> and Parks Field Guidewww.fieldguide.mt.govNature Serve www.natureserve.orgU.S. Fish and <strong>Wildlife</strong> Service Species website;www.fws.gov/speciesMathews, D. 2003. Rocky Mountain NaturalHistory: Grand Teton to Jasper. Raven Editions,Portland, OR.Sibley, D. 2000. <strong>The</strong> Sibley Guide to Birds. AlfredKnopf Publishers, New York City, New York.Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)Mule deer prefer sagebrush and forest edgehabitats. <strong>The</strong>y are browsers, with winterdiets largely dependent upon sagebrush. Muledeer are non-migratory, but make seasonalelevational movements. Mule deer live inrelated herds, while males may disperse andlive together in unrelated herds. Mule deer areclassified as a big game species, with harveststrategies that vary by state.45
Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus)Mountain goats prefer precipitous terrain andoccasionally enter subalpine forests. Snowcoveris an important influence on winter distribution.Winter habitat includes steep, south-facingcanyon walls, and windblown ridge tops. Springhabitat includes south and west facing cliffs,while summer habitat consists of meadows, cliffs,ravines, and forests. <strong>The</strong>ir diet varies by rangeand season, and includes grasses, sedges, forbs,coniferous trees, mosses and lichens. <strong>The</strong>y haveseasonal movements of 8-13 km between winterand summer ranges, and may travel even fartherin springtime to access salt licks. <strong>The</strong>ir averagehome range size is 23 km 2 ; although males showlittle home range fidelity and are usually solitary.Female mountain goats form nursery bandsconsisting of females, kids and outlying juvenilemales. Mountain goats may congregate at minerallicks. Mountain goats are classified as a big gamespecies, with harvest strategies that vary bystate.Mountain lion (Puma concolor)Photo by Phil KnightPhoto by Lance CraigheadMountain lions are extremely adaptable, andoccupies almost all habitats in the NorthernRockies except open prairie. Research indicatesa preference for rock formations such asprecipices, canyons, and dense brush. Preferredprey is deer and elk, but may also include othersmall mammals such as mice, rabbit, beaver,porcupine, and grouse. <strong>The</strong> mountain lion isnon-migratory but disperses widely:
- Page 5 and 6: Executive SummaryMaintaining the ec
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- Page 38 and 39: may not provide functional connecti
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- Page 51 and 52: Absaroka to CraziesSpeciesGeographi
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- Page 65 and 66: Elk move within this linkage for wi
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- Page 80 and 81: Clinton to DrummondSpeciesGeographi
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FleecerSpeciesGeographic BoundaryFl
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negotiated grazing agreements on th
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traffic volumes are increasing sign
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pack in the linkage. The large size
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Garnets to BouldersSpeciesGeographi
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persistent spring snow and may be k
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Garnets. The Clark Fork River Corri
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Horseshoe HillsSpeciesGeographic Bo
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Hound CreekSpeciesGeographic Bounda
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Jefferson SloughSpeciesGeographic B
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Willow packs moved here from the po
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the high potential for conflict wit
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the Castle Mountains south of Whets
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Lolo to TurahSpeciesGeographic Boun
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path; this could further fragment w
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Lost TrailSpeciesGeographic Boundar
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MacDonald Pass toFleecer/Mt. Haggin
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claims within the area and 75 are b
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Conservation ThreatsDevelopment cou
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MaxvilleSpeciesGeographic BoundaryT
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Norris HillSpeciesGeographic Bounda
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PipestoneSpeciesGeographic Boundary
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persistent snow pack.Lynx: Boles Cr
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Potter BasinSpeciesGeographic Bound
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Mountain goats exist in small pocke
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Rocky Mountain Front to Big BeltMou
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Disease between bighorn sheep and d
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the linkage, grizzly bear forage in
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influencing how wildlife connectivi
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Several bighorn sheep herds form am
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Silver StarSpeciesGeographic Bounda
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controlled. In recent years, approx
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esulting from livestock depredation
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StickneySpeciesGeographic BoundaryT
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SulaSpeciesGeographic BoundaryThe S
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Tom Miner to Mill CreekSpeciesGeogr
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development. Subdivision, fencing a
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Townsend from 1000 to 300 animals.
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These appear to be important for gr
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Other existing packs include the Wo
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Creek and the Boulder River south o
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Harestad A.S., and F.L. Bunnell. 19
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Trakhtenbrot, A. R. Nathan, G. Perr
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Appendix 1 (cont.).Table 1Mammals o
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Appendix 2 (cont.).Table 2Home Rang
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Appendix 3 (cont.).Table 3Migration
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Appendix 4 (cont.).Table 4Dispersal
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Appendix 5 (cont.).Studies Demonstr
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American Wildlands ~ Winter 2008