Helena National Forest

LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUND REQUEST 2004
REGION 1 – PRIORITY #_:
ELKHORN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT UNIT PROPERTIES

2001-2002: $345,000 acres acquired: 264 acres. Phase I and II of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) parcel (Kleinschmidt Mine) purchase complete.

2004 request: $ 3,000,000 acres proposed: 6,280 acres. Phase III includes the Iron Mask Ranch, final RMEF parcel, Crow Creek Falls, and several isolated east flank inholdings.

Future Needs: $ 3,000,000 for 2 additional years to purchase lands in and around the Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit from willing sellers.

This package is proposed as a 3-year program requiring about 9 million dollars to purchase all available lands adjacent to and within the Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit. Each request includes a “feature” parcel with additional properties added on with whatever money is remaining after the “feature” parcel is purchased.

The 160,000-acre Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit (EWMU) is the “only” designated Wildlife Management Unit in the National Forest System. This unique situation resulted from the final decision on the Elkhorn Wilderness Study in 1981 as a creative compromise between pro-wilderness and pro-multiple use advocates.

This year’s request features one large parcel on the east flank of the Elkhorn Mountains outside of Townsend Montana on the Townsend Ranger District. It is adjacent to the Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit and several large blocks of Bureau of Land Management Lands (BLM). It is also adjacent to a large Conservation Easement with the Hahn Ranch, which was purchased by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in 1998.

This year’s request also features a unique 20-acre inholding in the “wilderness study area” portion of the Elkhorn Mountains. The Hawkeye Placer features the 40-foot Crow Creek Falls, which has been a high priority to acquire for the Helena National Forest for many years.

Any remaining funds would be used to purchase, by priority, mining claims within the critical winter range on the east flank of the Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit (EWMU). These include properties in Kimber Gulch, Whitehorse Creek, and Weasel Creek.

The east flank of the Elkhorns contains a variety of habitat types that supports a diversity of wildlife species. Public and private lands combined provide winter range for approximately 700 elk. Elk wintering on private lands in the Elkhorns has been a contentious issue. In some areas elk numbers have been reduced due to lack of landowner tolerance for the number of elk in a particular area. The proposed Iron Mask acquisition is uniquely suited, because of dissected topography and ample forage, as year round habitat bighorn sheep. Sheep were re-introduced into the EWMU beginning in 1996. The current sheep population includes about 100 sheep with a population goal of 250. The property also provides spring, summer and fall range for mule deer and year-round habitat for antelope.

The property is used by a number of bird species, including a variety of raptors and short-grass prairie associates including long-billed curlews. There is some potential for the habitat to support mountain plover, a “proposed” threatened wildlife species. There are several springs on the property that provide water and vegetative diversity that supports neo-tropical migrant birds.

Conflicts between livestock producers and sportsmen have been elevated by long-term drought conditions and other factors. The Iron Mask parcel could be used to help balance grazing on adjacent BLM or Forest Service allotments in years of drought or when enhancements such as prescribed burning require 2-3 years rest from livestock to be effective. The group of citizens helping to solve elk/cattle conflicts in the Elkhorn Mountains, “the Elkhorn Working Group” has formally recommended to the agencies that they implement “an active lands program to acquire/exchange critical wildlife habitat from and with willing participants as a partial solution to enhance the forage base for livestock and wildlife.

The Elkhorn Mountains provide more hunter recreation opportunity than any other hunting district in Montana. Currently, there is no public access to this private land for hunting or other recreational pursuits. Acquiring this property would open up access to almost 6,000 acres for use by the general public, the elderly, and physically challenged individuals. The property would also enhance access to existing Forest Service and BLM lands. Consistent with the current Travel Plan for public lands in the Elkhorns, travel on any of the “east flank” properties would include winter travel restrictions.

All of these east flank properties have a high potential for recreation or residential development. On three sides of the Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit, subdivision and residential development is occurring. This is most noticeable in recent times on the east flank adjacent to public lands. However, many of the east flank parcels within the Forest Boundary could be developed as seasonal or year-round residences and then require year-round access through and on critical winter range. The public ownership of these properties would prevent residential development and keep the inherent agricultural nature of this property intact as productive rangeland. The Iron Mask parcel may also help, as a source of forage for existing permitted livestock, keep local ranching operations viable. The east flank of the Elkhorn Mountains is important culturally both pre-historically and through its rich mining history.

Current partners include the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Broadwater Rod and Gun Club, Russ Alm Real Estate, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) and BLM. Because of its high wildlife values, there are many other potential partners such as the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep and the Mule Deer Foundation.

Always on the list of desired properties since it was patented in the 1920’s, the Hawkeye Placer and Crow Creek Falls were “out of reach” because of active mining, multiple owners and a lofty price tag. The parcel has been consistently threatened by development and motorized access. In 2001, the land ownership was consolidated and in 2002 a non-profit group, American Land Conservancy (ALC), stepped in and purchased the parcel with the intent of selling it to the National Forest for use and enjoyment by the general public. ALC, in partnership with the Montana Mining Association and the Montana Wilderness Association, is now in the process of cleaning up old mining debris and equipment and reclaiming this popular recreational destination. The tract will likely cost 100% of the agency approved estimate, but through this purchase, ALC is likely to become a partner on other lands projects in this local area and enhance the efficiency of the Forest Service in securing additional critical areas. Although not located near a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area, more and more people are using the EWMU, and Crow Creek Falls is a special recreational destination for residents of Bozeman, Townsend, Butte, and Helena. Reached by any of several trails, the Hawkeye patent is within a large “roadless” portion of the Wildlife Management Unit, which provides high quality non-motorized recreation opportunities. If the parcel is not purchased, it may be difficult to maintain the “wilderness character” of the area, as previous owners have been insistent that they be allowed motorized access.

Crow Creek is the largest watershed in the EWMU. The falls is a significant natural feature and a sanctuary for many wildlife species, including habitat for threatened lynx and the Regionally sensitive, goshawk. The intact riparian habitat along Crow Creek is critical for wildlife and fisheries and the falls itself is part of a long-term plan to isolate native, sensitive westslope cutthroat trout from downstream non-native fishes.

Elkhorns Wildlife Management Unit

LWCF REQUEST 2004