The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

Elk move within this linkage for winter range,and move between Mission Creek and theBoulder River, up into the Absarokas andBeartooths for summer range. Dry Creek, on theeast side of Livingston, is also a winter range.There is a small resident herd around Elk Creekthat winters along the West Boulder River. Someof the elk within this linkage originated from theYellowstone northern range herd.Moose occur along the main stem of BoulderRiver, which is great habitat. They also moveseasonally into the McLeod area and up into theAbsarokas.Pronghorn are found in the northern part of thislinkage, particularly between Springdale andLivingston, which has great sage steppe habitat.Bighorn sheep: The Haystack herd exists inUpper Boulder River.Mountain goats live in the Absarokas, in the PineCreek area, and are expanding their numberssuch that a new hunting district for mountaingoats has opened inCooke City.Harlequin ducksalso occur in thislinkage, whichrepresents theeasternmost(known) population.191 has a number of animal-vehicle collisions,particularly with pronghorns.Disease: There is some threat of diseasetransmission to bighorn sheep, but the numberof active grazing allotments near bighorn sheeppopulations is dwindling.Conservation OpportunitiesThe Federation for North American Wild Sheephas been buying out sheep allotments in thislinkage.There are many conservation easements in themain Boulder River stem.There is a watershed group in McLeod and BigTimber; this may be an avenue for living withwildlife programs.ConservationThreatsConflict: Due tothe high number ofsheep producers,and the existingwolf activity, thereis a history ofconflict betweenlivestock producersand wolves withinthe Big Timber andLivingston areas,particularly aroundthe Springdale.Highways: Highway64