then releasing the smaller fish) has occurred in the fishery, 

 regulation changes in 1981 restricted catch-and-release and 

 imposed a two-f ish-per-season limit. 



Wildlife 



The Yellowstone, Tongue, and Powder rivers greatly enhance 

 wildlife values of the Montana's southeast. Of the 26 river units 

 identified along the lower Yellowstone, 10 earned a final resource 

 value of II and one achieved a Class I final resource value (Tauie 

 61). Eighty percent of these Class I and II wildlife units were 

 along these three major waterways. 



The green and lush Yellowstone main stem from the Bighorn to 

 the Tongue forms one of the best examples of a naturally flooding, 

 braided river system within the lower 48 states. Scoring the 

 maximum number of habitat quality points, this section of the 

 Yellowstone contains abundant wetlands, backwater sloughs, 

 islands, and gallery forests. The condition of the island riparian 

 habitat is considered excellent. This reach supports nesting and 

 wintering bald eagles, colonial nesting herons, and high density 

 of breeding raptors including golden eagles. The river and 

 associated wetlands comprise an important waterfowl staging area 

 during migrations. Backwater sloughs support the spiny softshell 

 and snapping turtle, species of special concern in Montana. Key 

 game species include white-tailed and mule deer, beaver, pheasant, 

 nesting Canada geese, and sharp-tailed grouse. With the exception 

 of the 34-mile stretch between the Tongue and the Powder River 

 confluence, the rest of the 150 miles of the lower Yellowstone 

 also earned Class I habitat ratings as well as Class II or III 

 species values. 



To protect the productive floodplain habitat of the lower 

 Yellowstone, the MDFWP has acquired three wildlife management 

 areas: Issac Homestead, Elk Island, and Seven Sisters. With 

 combined acreage of nearly 2,150 acres, their acquisition is a 

 significant step toward protecting this dynamic river system. 



The meandering lower 87 miles of the Tongue River with its 

 Cottonwood forest, high vegetative diversity, and excellent 

 riparian condition also achieved outstanding habitat quality 

 ratings. For its support of species of special concern such as the 

 plains hognose and milk snakes, colonial nesting birds, golden 

 eagles and other raptors, the upper Tongue River above Hanging 

 Woman Creek earned outstanding species values. Other rivers 

 receiving Class II habitat and species values include two reaches 

 of the Powder River, Otter Creek, Sunday Creek, and northside 

 tributaries to the Yellowstone between Sunday Creek and the Powder 

 River. 



Cutting through the isolated southeast corner of Montana is 

 the Little Missouri River, which eventually flows directly into 



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