owned ranches and farms. Small, medium and large-sized communities also occupy several 

 thousand acres of low-elevation river-valley habitat. 



Special Management Areas 



Several federal and state special management areas are located in the seven-county area. In large 

 part, these areas are protected from human development and provide long-term habitat for a 

 variety of wildlife species, including grizzly bears. Five National Wilderness Areas lie within 

 mountain ranges in the seven-county area: the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (936,000 acres) 

 in the Custer and Gallatin national forests, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness (261,000 acres) in the 

 Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge national forests; Bear Trap Canyon Wilderness (5,600 

 acres). Bureau of Land Management; and approximately half of the Anaconda-Pintler 

 Wilderness (159,000 acres) in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. National forest 

 Wilderness Areas have the greatest restrictions on human use and development resulting in the 

 least disturbed habitats available and are important in ensuring long-term grizzly bear survival. 



Other special management areas include Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refiige (32,000 

 acres) located in the Centennial Valley in Beaverhead County and eight FWP Wildlife 

 Management Areas (approximately 86,000 acres) in Carbon, Park, Gallatin, Madison and 

 Beaverhead counties. 



Agricultural Interests 



The seven-county area supports a large agricultural economy. In 1997, there were 3,472 farms 

 and ranches in the seven-county area. By far the most common activity of these farms and 

 ranches is raising beef cattle and growing forage (hay) for cattle. In some areas, small grain 

 crops (wheat, oats, barley) are intensively grown. Horses, sheep, hogs and dairy cattle are also 

 raised in smaller numbers on ranches and farms in southwestern and south-central Montana. 

 Beef cattle and sheep are grazed on privately owned grassland and on publicly owned (USFS, 

 BLM, DNRC) grazing allotments. Some of these allotments occur in higher elevation habitats 

 occupied by grizzly bears. Livestock depredation by grizzly bears is an issue that will continue 

 to affect grizzly bear numbers, management and distribution. 



Based on Montana agricultural statistics for 2000, there were an estimated 502,000 head of cattle 

 (all cattle and calves) in the seven-county area (Table 1). Beaverhead County had the most cattle 

 (157,000 head) while Park County had the lowest number (44,000 head). In terms of cattle 

 production, Beaverhead and Madison counties ranked 1^' and 7'*^, respectively, out of Montana's 

 56 counties. Since 1940, total cattle numbers statewide have increased from 1 .2 million to 2.6 

 million head with a peak of over 3.2 miUion head in the mid-1970s. 



In 2000, there were an estimated 63,800 sheep (adults and lambs) in the seven-county area 

 (Table 1). Beaverhead County had the largest number of sheep (17,500) while Park County had 

 the fewest sheep (3,100). In terms of sheep production, Beaverhead and Sweet Grass counties 

 ranked 5"^ and 6'^, respectively, statewide in sheep production. Statewide, since 1940 sheep 

 production has steadily declined from over 4.2 million to about 370,000 head. 



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