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Robb-Ledford Wildlife Management Area Motorized Travel Management Revision

Aug 21, 2024 12:54 PM

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) proposes to revise the routes open to motorized travel within the Robb-Ledford Wildlife Management Area (WMA) (Figure 1) to: 1) increase elk security and retention during the general rifle hunting season; 2) improve non-motorized hunting opportunity within the WMA; and 3) reduce soil erosion and noxious weed establishment.  Specific objectives include:

  1. Reduce the density of routes open to motorized travel during the general rifle season to less than 1.0 miles-per-square-mile as recommended by Lyon (1979) to minimize displacement of elk.
  2. Manage for ≥30% of the WMA to meet elk security criteria during the general rifle season as recommended by Hills et al. (1991). Elk security areas would be areas of high elk forage quality that are ≥1,535 m (0.95 mi) from the nearest route open to motorized vehicles as recommended by Ranglack et al. (2017). Proposed non-motorized areas would be aligned with portions of the WMA where undisturbed wintering elk are most frequently observed during population surveys. 
  3. Manage at least one contiguous area within the WMA during the general rifle season, that when combined with adjoining public lands, is ≥1,535 m (0.95 mi) from the nearest route open to motorized travel and ≥20.2 km² (5,000 acres) as recommended by Ranglack et al. (2017).
  4. Manage for at least one watershed within the WMA as a non-motorized-only hunting opportunity during the general rifle season.
  5. Reduce vegetation loss and soil erosion, resulting from motorized travel, by reducing the number of motorized routes that ascend steep aspects.
  6. Reduce user confusion regarding where motor vehicle use is and is not authorized by simplifying the network of motorized routes, installing motorized use informational kiosks at WMA entrances, and maintaining motorized-use signs on all routes.

 

As in the past, motorized use would be restricted to authorized routes only. No off-route motorized travel would be authorized. This would include instances where snowdrifts physically prevent motorized vehicle passage. If adopted, implementation would begin with public notification during Fall 2024. Motorized route signage installation would occur during spring 2025 prior to the WMA opening for recreational use.

 

 

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