Public Comment. Volume III - Montana Legislature

DRAFT, 4/9/85 28
footed :. Ferrets ..."3 Ferret. presence,: is most .easily.. . . ...
detected in late. summer - --. and ' dur i:ng.. winter .. tDecembe-r.-?.: ..
1 - A 1 5 . The search along the Tongue River Railroad
ROW should occur during the winter period, when
evidence is most e'asily discerned.
Colonies affected by the right-of-way should be
searched at least once and preferably three times. ~ll
colonies should be surveyed on foot, by walking transects
spaced approximately 50 m apart back and forth
across the colony, Any evidence of ferrets, such as
digging, tracks, scats, skulls, etc., Epfiould be photographed
and, where appropriate, collected. Scats and
skulls s-hould be identified following the keys in the
"Handbook." If ferret evidence is found, the proper
authorities should be notified following procedures of
the Endangered Species Act,
(8) Similarly, although it is highly unlikely that nesting
peregrine falcons will be found along the ROW, any
occurrence of nesting activity should be properly
recorded and reported,
10,2,1 Mitigative Measures
(1) Construction Timing, The primary method of impact
mitigation for wildlife is timing construction activities;
All reasonable attempts should be made to avoid
construction at big game winteri'ng sites from December
through March.
(2) Fawning Sites, Timing of construction may be less
effective in mitigating disturbance at "fawning sites,"
because this term cannot be consistently applied to a
given geographic location, That is, a site where deer
or antelope fawns are born in one year may .not be used
in the ., following year.
Most fawns are born during the period May 15 - June 30.
Late in the reconnaissance period, any single female
deer or antelope that are observed should be assumed to
be at or near a potential fawning site, The locations
3 ~ , Clark, ~ . T.M. Campbell 111, M.H, Schroeder, and L.
Richardson, "Handbook of Methods for Locating Black-footed
Ferrets, " U. S. Bureau of Land Management, wiidlif e Technical
Bulletin No. 1 (19831, Cheyenne, ~yoming,
EQC Eminent Domain Study -21 1 -