Q>U<ffilif, /leal Survey 



SUN RIVER - FLATHEAD - ABSAROKA UNITS 

 Introduction: 



The grizzly bear is now classed with the rare 

 species of big game. According to a recent na- 

 tionwide survey conducted by the Fish and Wild- 

 life Service, there are only three states left in 

 which over 10 of these animals are found. Mon- 

 tana is one of the three. 



It is recognized that this big bear is dis- 

 tinctly a wilderness type of game animal. To ex- 

 tend the grizzly range into areas of important 

 agricultural activity would not be practical or de- 

 sirable. Montana is fortunate, however, in possess- 

 ing a substantial amount of distinctly wilderness 

 type range. It is upon these areas that the Com- 

 mission hopes to maintain a substantial grizzly 

 bear population. It is further hoped that, under 



careful management, a take by hunters of a 

 limited number may be maintained. 



With the realization that this valuable game 

 species was dangerously close to extinction over 

 much of its range, the Commission inaugurated 

 a detailed series of investigations. 

 Procedure: 



The three principal grizzly bear ranges in the 

 state have now been covered. On July 1, 1941, 

 a two-man crew began work on the Sun River- 

 Flathead Unit. This comprised a coverage of ap- 

 proximately 2,300,000 acres. Besides the Sun River 

 drainage and the remaining drainages east of the 

 Continental Divide, north to Glacier Park, the 

 work covered the South Fork and the Middle Fork 

 of the Flathead River west of the Continental 

 Divide. The field work on this unit was concluded 

 with the hibernation of the bears in November. 



In July, August and Septem- 

 ber of 1942 a two-man field crew 

 covered approximately 380,000 

 acres of range in the drainage of 

 the North Fork of the Flathead 

 River, as well as approximately 

 140,000 acres in the Whitefish 

 Range area. In both cases the 

 work progressed north as far as 

 the Canadian boundary. 



During the same period an 

 additional two - man crew was 

 working in the Slough Creek-Hell- 

 roaring area north of Yellowstone 

 Park. The primary objective of this 

 latter crew was to gain information 

 pertaining to moose; however, as 

 much time as possible was spent 

 in working with grizzly bear. 



re Inr move nbnmlnnt 

 lore widely distributed 

 the grizzly. 



