The kitten was housed and fed at the Libby Field Station 

 until its release on May 10. Early in May the cat was fitted 

 with a radio-transmitter collar and the following measure- 

 ments were taken: weight 19.5 kg (43 lbs); tattoo number L8 



(black both ears) ; zoological length (tip of nose to base of 

 tail) 99.1 cm (39 inches); total length 149.9 cm (59 inches); 

 neck circumference at base of skull 30.5 cm (12 inches); 

 chest girth 55.9 cm (22 inches); front foot pad width 4.5 cm 



(1.75 inches), width toes 6.3 cm (2.5 inches), tip toe to 

 back of pad 6 . 3 cm (2.5 inches); hind foot length 22.9 cm 



(9 inches), width pad 3.8 cm (1.5 inches), width toes 5 . 3 cm 



(2.1 inches), tip toe to back of pad 7.0 cm (2.75 inches). 



The lion was released at the north end of Keeler Moun- 

 tain near the spot where its mother had been killed. It 

 stayed in the Keeler Creek drainage less than one month, then 

 crossed the Lake Creek Valley where it travelled throughout 

 the north end of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area for 

 at least 6 months. A total of 13 radio locations were ob- 

 tained. January 24, 19 79, was the last date on which the 

 radio signal was located. 



During a study in Idaho, Hornocker (1970) indicated 

 that about 70 percent of the mountain lion's diet consisted 

 of deer and elk, while snowshoe rabbit comprised 5.5 per- 

 cent. Mountain goat, bighorn sheep, small mammals and coy- 

 ote occurred occasionally in 198 mountain lion droppings 

 collected during the Idaho study. During the present sur- 

 vey, mule deer, white-tailed deer and elk were observed in 

 the Stanley Creek drainage. The remains of a male white- 

 tailed deer which had been killed by a lion were noted 

 along Lake Creek in January 1978. Snowshoe rabbit were 

 frequently seen along the Stanley Creek road and mountain 

 goat occur on Mount Vernon. Beaver colonies along Stanley 

 and Lake creeks are thought to be frequented by lions 

 (E. Vance and V. Blanchard, pers . comm. ) as evidenced by 

 the number of lions which are caught in beaver traps. 



As important to a mountain lion as its prey species is 

 the type of terrain in which the prey occurs. Moimtain 

 lions often use steep, rocky, brushy country to facilitate 

 their hunting techniques. The occurrence of this type of 

 terrain along Ross Creek, Stanley Mountain, Keeler Mountain, 

 Grouse Mountain and Camp Creek makes the Lake Creek area 

 an important hunting grounds for mountain lions. 



Furbearers and Predators 



The designation furbearer or predator is given to cer- 

 tain wildlife species for management purposes by the Montana 

 Legislature. Those species which are not so designated are 



41 



