Assessment Forest Plan Revision Draft Terrestrial Wildlife Report Prepared by: Bev Dixon, Custer Gallatin National Forest Revision Team Wildlife Biologist Jodie Canfield, Custer Gallatin National Forest Wildlife Program Manager Joseph Barnett, AB Zone Biologist Chad Stasey, East Zone Biologist for: Custer Gallatin National Forest November 29, 2016 Contents Location ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Landscape Areas ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Process and Methods ................................................................................................................................ 4 Scale .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Existing Information .................................................................................................................................. 6 Current Forest Plan Direction ................................................................................................................... 7 Reference Conditions ................................................................................................................................ 8 Existing Condition ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Species Diversity ................................................................................................................................. 10 Habitat Diversity ................................................................................................................................. 11 Habitat Connectivity ........................................................................................................................... 11 Key Benefits to People ............................................................................................................................ 19 Risks and Stressors .................................................................................................................................. 20 Trends and Drivers .................................................................................................................................. 20 Information Needs .................................................................................................................................. 21 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 22 At-Risk Species: Threatened, Endangered, Proposed and Candidate Species ....................................... 22 Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos): Threatened ............................................................................................. 22 Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis): Threatened ...................................................................................... 44 Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis): Threatened ........................................................ 57 Threatened and Endangered Species Not Analyzed in Detail ................................................................. 60 Wolverine (Gulo gulo): Proposed for Listing as Threatened .............................................................. 63 At-Risk Species: Potential Species of Conservation Concern ................................................................. 76 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 76 Process and Methods.......................................................................................................................... 76 Species Identified as Potential Species of Conservation Concern .......................................................... 80 Greater Sage-Grouse .......................................................................................................................... 80 White-tailed Prairie Dog ..................................................................................................................... 87 Species of Public Interest ........................................................................................................................ 92 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 92 Big Game Species: Ungulates .............................................................................................................. 92 Moose ............................................................................................................................................... 105 Bighorn Sheep ................................................................................................................................... 108 Mountain Goats ................................................................................................................................ 116 Bison.................................................................................................................................................. 121 Mule Deer ......................................................................................................................................... 134 White-tailed Deer ............................................................................................................................. 135 Pronghorn Antelope ......................................................................................................................... 136 Upland Game Birds ........................................................................................................................... 137 Literature Cited ......................................................................................................................................... 142 Wildlife .............................................................................................................................................. 142 Appendix A: Species Evaluated and Not Identified as a Wildlife Species of Conservation Concern ....... 155 i List of Tables Table 1. Landscape area acreage ................................................................................................................................... 1 Table 2. Secure habitat for Custer Gallatin Bear Management Subunits, 1998 and 2014 ......................................... 30 Table 3. Secure habitat in Custer Gallatin Bear Analysis Units in 2008 and 2014 ....................................................... 33 Table 4. Threatened and endangered species not analyzed in detail ......................................................................... 62 Table 5. NatureServe conservation status ranks1 ........................................................................................................ 78 Table 6. Terrestrial wildlife species identified as potential species of conservation concern ..................................... 80 Table 7. Estimated elk population and trend by landscape area ................................................................................ 95 Table 8. Characterization of hiding cover in the planning area ................................................................................... 98 Table 9. Comparison of security paradigms across the planning area during archery and rifle seasons .................. 101 Table 10. Bighorn sheep herd hunter opportunity and potential habitat issues ...................................................... 111 Table 11. Bighorn sheep herd hunter opportunity and potential habitat issues in the Pryor Mountains ................ 113 Table 12. Mountain goat population and herd characteristics for the Greater Yellowstone Area portion of the Custer Gallatin National Forest.............................................................................................................. 118 Table 13. Mountain goat population and herd characteristics for the Bridger and Crazy Mountains areas of the Custer Gallatin National Forest ....................................................................................................... 118 Table 14. Bison management from 2008 through 2016 ............................................................................................ 125 Table 15. Domestic livestock allotments within or nearby Bison Management Zones ............................................. 125 Table A-1. Species evaluated, but not identified as potential wildlife species of conservation concern .................. 155 ii Location The Custer Gallatin National Forest (or Custer Gallatin) is located in southern Montana and western South Dakota. It consists of several geographically isolated land units extending from the Montana/Idaho border near the tri-state corner of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming across southern Montana and into western