Wildlife Watching

 

The northeast Montana prairie is home to large and small animals and birds.  Elk, deer, pronghorn, antelope, bighorn sheep, foxes, coyotes, prairie dogs, turkeys, burrowing owls, white pelicans, osprey, blue herons, Canada geese, sandhill cranes, ducks, eagles, pheasants, Hungarian partridge, grouse and more than 200 species of birds can be seen on the Northeast Plains of Montana.

There are eleven areas that are part of the National Watchable Wildlife program in Missouri River Country. Designated places are Bitter Creek just 20 miles north of Hinsdale, Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge out of Malta, Elk Island at Savage just south of Sidney, Fox Lake Wildlife Management Area at Lambert west of Sidney, the road between Jordan and Hell Creek, the Little Rocky Mountains around Zortman, Manning Corral Prairie Dog Town near Zortman, Medicine Lake National Refuge south of Plentywood, the Missouri River Downstream Recreation Area at Fort Peck, the Pines Recreation Area 30 miles southwest of Fort Peck and the UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge south of Malta.

 

 

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Just south of Plentwood, this body of water is home to more than 100,000 migratory waterfowl. Open year-round for walking tours and photography, this 14 mile self guided auto tour provides ample access to the refuge. Call
406-789-2305 or visit the web at: medicinelake.fws.gov for more information.

 

Located eight miles east of Malta, this refuge is best known for its nesting colonies of white pelicans. It is home to more than 230 different species of birds and waterfowl. Enjoy a 90 minutes auto tour to see the refuge and all it has to offer. For more information call 406-654-2863

 

The CMR is one of America’s great wilderness regions. It surrounds Fort Peck Lake, 125 miles long and consumes about 1.1 million acres of land. It consists of prairies, pines, breaks and badlands. The canyons are 1,000 feet deep with elk, bighorn sheep, antelope, deer, prairie dog towns, and more than 200 species of birds. Forty species of mammals have been identified on the refuge. A two-hour, 20-mile auto tour of the Refuge begins and ends on US 191 north of the river. For maps and information call the CMR at 406-538-8706

 

This isolated and beautiful refuge is located deep in the Missouri River Breaks about 50 miles south of Malta and 40 miles southeast of Zortman.  Consult weather conditions before traveling to the refuges, as roads may be impassable. For more information on the UL Bend call the CMR office at 406-538-8706