The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

e using the Little Belt Mountains, CastleMountains, and Crazy Mountains as a homerange.Wolves have been reported in both the LittleBelt and Castle Mountains. This area providespotential linkage between the two mountainranges.There is an important elk winter range northof Highway 12 between the Park Hills andVolcano Butte. There is another winter rangesouth of Highway 12 on the north side of theCastle Mountains between Willow Creek andCheckerboard Creek. There are several hundredelk in this winter range. Many of these same elksummer in the Little Belt Mountains. Several elkcalving areas are also located in this linkage.Moose are seen along the north fork of theSmith River.Pronghorn: At White Sulphur Springs alongthe east and west side of Highway 89 there ispronghorn winter range. This area has goodsagebrush habitat. There is general pronghornmovement between White Sulphur Springs andCheckerboard across open prairie land. Theyfrequently move north-south across Highway 12.Volcano Butte sage grouse lek is within thislinkage on private land. There are about 12male sage grouse currently using this lek but thepopulation has declined over the last 40 years.the next ten years.Highways: Elk move between the Park Hills andButler Hill across Highway 89. Elk also moveacross Highway 12. There is an increasing risk ofanimal-vehicle collisions, but currently trafficvolumes are low.Conservation OpportunitiesElk are tolerated by landowners in this areaand they own very large ranches that are wellused for winter range. Opportunities exist forconservation easements in the future.The Volcano Butte sage grouse lek is on privateland and there may be opportunity to preventthe further decline of the sage grousepopulation.Conservation ThreatsDevelopment is limited in this area.Hunting access is a concern in portions of thislinkage area.Conflict occurs between cattle and elk, whichcompete for grazing. There are also domesticsheep allotments near this corridor, whichincreases the risk of livestock-carnivore conflict.Landowner tolerance for wolves is expected to below in this area.Disease: In the Studhorse Creek area there is ahigh concentration of beetle killed trees.Energy Development: Though there is noproposal project yet, wind power on Highway 12is a threat because of high windfield potential.Power lines could impact corridors here within74