expected to be affected by this project. 

 Canada lynx will no longer be considered in 

 this document. 



> GRAY WOLF 



The gray wolf is listed as "threatened" under 

 the Endangered Species Act. Currently, the 

 gray wolf population that inhabits Montana, 

 Wyoming, and Idaho meet the recovery 

 standards listed in the Northern Rocky 

 Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan (USFWS 

 1987). Delisting this species in Montana is 

 hinged upon the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service's (USFWS) approval of each state's 

 management plan. Presently, the Montana 

 and Idaho wolf-management plans are 

 approved, but Wyoming's wolf-management 

 plan has not yet been approved. The 

 delisting process will be initiated following 

 approval of Wyoming's wolf-management 

 plan. 



The gray wolf is a wide-ranging, mobile 

 species. Adequate habitat for wolves 

 consists of adequate vulnerable prey and 

 minimal human disturbance, especially at den 

 and/or rendezvous sites. Primary prey 

 species in northwest Montana are white-tailed 

 deer, elk, moose, and mule deer. The 

 distribution of wolves is strongly associated 

 with the winter ranges of white-tailed-deer. 

 Wolves in northwest Montana typically den in 

 late April. Wolves choose elevated areas in 

 gentle terrain near a water source (valley 

 bottoms), close to meadows or other 

 openings, and near big game wintering areas 

 for dens and rendezvous sites. 



The project area contains elk winter ranges, 

 which could provide winter prey for wolves. 

 Within the project area, the topography, 

 access to water, and proximity to the big 

 game winter range adhere to the description 

 of denning and/or rendezvous-site habitats. 

 Wolves could use the project area as part of 

 their home range or enable them to be 

 transient to the area; however, no recent 

 denning or rendezvous sites or recent use 

 has been documented in or near the project 

 area (T. Meier, personal communication, 

 USFWS, 1/28/04). Wolves or their habitat 

 are not expected to be affected by this project 

 because wolves presently do not use the 

 area. If wolves used the area, the timing of 

 this project avoids critical denning periods 



and would be unlikely to affect denning 

 behaviors. If a den or rendezvous site were 

 discovered within 1 mile of the project area, 

 DNRC would follow the stipulations outlined 

 in ARM 36. 1 1.430 to protect the den or 

 rendezvous site. Since wolf use of the area 

 is not suspected, the gray wolf was not 

 considered further in this document. 



> GRIZZLY BEAR 



Grizzly bears are listed as "threatened" under 

 the Endangered Species Act. The Grizzly 

 Bear Recovery Plan defines 6 recovery areas 

 {USFWS 1993). This project is proposed in 

 grizzly bear habitat in the North Continental 

 Divide Ecosystem Recovery Area, which is 

 divided into subunits. Each subunit 

 approximates the size of a home range for a 

 female bear and is separated from other 

 subunits based on landscape features. This 

 project is proposed in the South Fork Lost 

 Subunit. 



Commitments made in the SVGBCA apply to 

 this project (ARM36. 1 1.431(1)(a)). This 

 project is proposed to be completed during 

 the denning period of 2004/2005. If the 

 harvests cannot be completed during the 

 winter period, a 30-day harvest period during 

 the summer period (June 16 through August 

 31 ) could occur. The project would affect 

 approximately 3 acres of grizzly bear 

 preferred habitat. All stipulations in the 

 SVGBCA would be upheld. 



Effects to Grizzly Bears 



• Direct and Indirect F^ectn qf the J\o-,lcti(m 

 Mtematice to Grizzly liear« 



No additional direct or indirect effects would 

 occur. 



• Direct and Indirect tiffectuqf the tlction 

 Jlltemative to Grizzly liearn 



If the proposed project were conducted 

 during the winter period, no direct effects 

 would be expected. If an extension into the 

 summer period were granted, the proposed 

 harvesting and associated road construction 

 and use could result in direct effects to grizzly 

 bears by displacing or preventing bear use of 

 important habitats and indirect effects by 

 altering habitat components. However, any 

 displacement would be short term and affect 

 a relatively small area. These effects are 



Page C-6 



Wildlife Analysis 



