Assessment of abandoned mines for bat use on Bureau of Land Management lands in the Phillipsburg, Montana area, 1999
By: a report to Bureau of Land Management, Missoula Field Office; submitted by Paul Hendricks.
Contributors: Montana Natural Heritage Program.; United States. Bureau of Land Management.
Publisher: Montana Natural Heritage Program
Published: 2000
Place of publication: Helena, Mont
Language: eng
Number of pages: 13
Subjects: Bats -- Habitat -- Montana -- Granite County; Bats -- Montana -- Granite County -- Geographical distribution; Bats -- Hibernation; Abandoned mined lands reclamation -- Environmental aspects -- Montana -- Granite County; Western small-footed myotis -- Montana -- Granite County; Western Long-eared Myotis -- Montana -- Granite County; Little brown bat -- Montana -- Granite County; Long-legged myotis -- Montana -- Granite County; Plecotus townsendii -- Montana -- Granite County; Mist netting; Mine workings; Adits
Description: In July 1999, three groups of abandoned mine workings on BLM lands in the Philipsburg, Granite County, Montana area were inspected for their potential use by bats.  Site groups included the Russian Gulch Mine (2 adits), Frost Creek group adjacent to Philipsburg (5 adits), and the Cliff Creek group, also adjacent to Philipsburg (7 adits, 1 shaft).  Where possible, workings were inspected internally for bats and bat spoor; at sites suitable and with greatest potential, mist nets were set across portals and monitored for two hours after sunset.  All but the Russian Gulch Mine were shallow workings or inaccessible, and all workings exhibited low activity or low potential for significant use by bats.  The Russian Gulch Mine could be made more accessible to bats, and has the greatest potential for significant use, but another nearby working (Silver King Mine) showed current bat activity (as of 1997) and is preferable for bat-friendly reclamation if limited funds preclude management for bats at both mines.  Five bat species that use caves and mines as primary hibernation habitat have been recorded from Granite County, and have the potential to occur in abandoned mine workings in the Philipsburg area.  These species include the Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum), Western Long-eared Myotis (M. evotis), Little Brown Myotis (M. lucifugus), Long-legged Myotis (M. volans) and the Townsend Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii).  All but the Little Brown Myotis are U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Concern species, and the Townsend Big-eared Bat is also a BLM Special Status species in Montana.