Wintering areas: Bald eagles are known to winter on the Bitterroot River, 

 however no known high concentration areas or communal roosts occur within 

 the project or Analysis Area. Wintering bald eagles generally roost and 

 concentrate activity near open water (MBEWG 1991). Wintering eagles can 

 also concentrate activity in areas with high densities of wintering ungulates 

 where they forage on winter killed carrion, especially in late winter. 

 However, the project and Analysis Areas generally contain low to moderate 

 concentrations of wintering animals and therefore would not attract 

 concentrations of wintering bald eagles. 



3.2.11.2 Grizzly Bears 



Grizzly bears are currently classified as Threatened in Montana under the 

 ESA. Grizzly bears are a wide ranging species and therefore a larger Analysis 

 Area was necessary to assess effects. The Analysis Area used in this 

 assessment was the area encompassed by the following Townships: 

 T12NR21W, portion of T12NR20W west of the Bitterroot River, 

 Tl 1NR21W, and portion of Tl 1NR20W west of the Bitterroot River. This 

 area generally encompasses a large portion of the Lolo Creek drainage to the 

 west of Lolo, Montana and the Bitterroot River. 



Grizzly bears utilize a wide range of habitats, from low elevation riparian 

 areas to high elevation berry fields, however habitat use is greatly influenced 

 by the presence of human activity, which can result in bear-human conflicts 

 that can increase grizzly bear mortality risk. Human access to preferred 

 habitats, as represented by total and open road densities, is therefore an 

 important factor in grizzly bear habitat use. The proposed harvest activities 

 are approximately 10 miles to the northeast, and separated by a major 

 highway (Montana Hwy. 12), from the Bitterroot Grizzly Bear Ecosystem. 

 This ecosystem is currently not occupied by grizzly bears (USFWS 2000). 

 Therefore, the likelihood that grizzly bears would occur within the Analysis 

 Area in the near term is very low. However, grizzly bears are a wide ranging 

 species and it is feasible that grizzly bears, especially in the future if 

 reintroduction to the Bitterroot Ecosystem occurs, could utilize habitats within 

 the Analysis Area. Grizzly bears utilize low elevation riparian areas in the 

 spring, where they feed on grasses and forbs. In addition, grizzly bears forage 

 in big game winter range areas in the spring in search of winter-killed carrion. 

 The Lolo Creek and Bitterroot Rivers in the central and eastern portions 

 respectively of the Analysis Area are high quality low elevation riparian areas 

 that would be preferred by grizzly bears. However, the presence of a major 

 highway complex and dispersed but extensive human development in and near 

 the Project Area and in the eastern portion of the Analysis Area greatly 

 reduces the value of these habitats and likely precludes the use of these areas 

 by grizzly bears. Within the Project Area, Deadman Gulch generally does not 

 contain riparian habitat features that would attract grizzly bears and do not 

 provide extended foraging opportunities for grizzly bears. 



Deadman Gulch Timber Sale Environmental Assessment 3-13 



