Lee Metcalf

Lee Metcalf NWR https://www.fws.gov/refuge/lee_metcalf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Metcalf_National_Wildlife_Refuge Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is located along the Bitterroot River in southwestern Montana. About 235 species of birds have been documented on the refuge, with over 100 nesting there. Additionally, 37 species of mammals, and 17 species of reptiles and amphibians also have been documented. The refuge's wildlife viewing area covers 160 acres (65 ha) of wetlands and riparian woodland. It includes two nature trails and a paved, wheelchair-accessible trail from the parking lot to the picnic area. The viewing area is equipped with a viewing and fishing structure, outdoor restroom facilities, benches, and an information kiosk.

Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge 4567 Wildfowl Lane Stevensville, MT 59870 406 / 777 5552 406 / 777 2498 fax leemetcalf@fws.gov http://www.fws.gov/refuge/lee_metcalf For State relay service TTY / Voice: 711 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov For Refuge Information 1 800 / 344 WILD For Climate Change Information http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange June 2013 Willow Flycatcher USFWS U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” – Rachel Carson Bitterroot Mountains reflected in Refuge wetland USFWS This blue goose, designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, is the symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Valley Formation Early Inhabitants Cradled between the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountain Ranges and adjacent to the Bitterroot River, the setting for Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is truly spectacular. The Refuge is located in the scenic Bitterroot Valley 25 miles south of Missoula, Montana, and just north of the town of Stevensville. This 2,800-acre Refuge is one of over 560 refuges that form the National Wildlife Refuge System - an extensive network of lands and waters protected and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) specifically for wildlife and its habitat for people today and for generations to come. The Bitterroot Valley evolved under dramatic geologic influences between 70 and 90 million years ago. The unstable upper portion of the developing Bitterroot Mountains separated from the rest of the mountain range and slid eastward. The eastern front of the ancient Bitterroots became the Sapphire Mountain Range. Glaciers followed, carving out rugged drainages in the Bitterroot Range. Over time, waters draining from these mountains deposited sediment onto the valley floor, creating a rich foundation for plant and animal life. The Bitterroot Valley was a travel route for several Indian tribes that passed through this area on their way to the eastern plains to hunt bison. Only the Salish people considered the valley their home. They were hunters and gatherers who lived off the area’s abundant native plants and animals. In the 1800s, it became evident that the Salish would have to share the abundant resources of this lush valley. On September 9, 1805, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, leading the Corps of Discovery, crossed the Continental Divide and traveled through the Bitterroot Valley with their Shoshone guide, Toby. Thereafter, the fur trade rapidly developed, followed by economic development of mining, agriculture, homesteading, and transportation. Three Stevensville structures reminiscent of this time are still standing today - St. Mary’s Mission (1841), Fort Owen (1850), and the Whaley Homestead (1885), which are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. USFWS About the Refuge Whaley Homestead located on the Refuge With the establishment of new missions, homesteads, and settlements, innovative land uses were introduced. The settlers harvested trees and grew crops such as corn, potatoes, and apples in the fertile valley soils. Livestock displaced elk and moose; wolves and grizzly bears were eliminated. Plants and animals important to the Indians became scarce, and traditional lifestyles were changed forever. In 1871, an executive order was signed by President Grant to move the Salish people to the Jocko reservation in the Mission Valley, which is located to the north of the Bitterroot Valley. Today, the Salish culture and way of life are still centered around a relationship of respect with the natural world. Wetland impoundments were originally created throughout the Refuge to provide open water and marsh habitat for waterfowl “and shorebirds. The Refuge staff now manages the Refuge to mimic natural flooding and drying processes by seasonally raising and lowering water levels, in an effort to mirror naturallyoccurring wetlands. As farms, ranches, and logging businesses flourished in the valley, people became aware of dwindling wildlife numbers. Local residents About 267 species of birds are present in the Bitterroot River watershed and 242 have been recorded at Lee Metcalf NWR with 105 species documented as nesting on the Refuge. The National Audubon Society officially recognized the biological importance of this area to birds by designating it as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Two representative species of this IBA are - Lewis’s woodpecker and Red-naped sapsucker. USFWS Refuge Establishment to provide optimum nesting, feeding, and cover habitat for these birds. Refuge Management recognized the need to set aside land in the Bitterroot Valley for the specific benefit of wildlife. Using money generated from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased lands to establish the Ravalli National Wildlife Refuge in 1964. Senator Lee Metcalf of Stevensvi

66 Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Figure 23. Public use map for lee metcalf national Wildlife Refuge, montana. 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge Hunting and Fishing Hunting Regulations Table Hunting is allowed in accordance with Federal and State regulations. The following Refuge-specifc regulations must be followed and are listed in the table below. Turkey hunting and fshing are allowed in accordance with State regulations, but do not have any Refuge-specifc regulations. Activity Season Dates Other Regulations Waterfowl Coots, ducks, geese State regulations Hunting must occur from within an established blind. The use of a portable apply ground blind within the immediate area around feld blind #13 is allowed. The waterfowl hunting area is closed to waterfowl hunting on Mondays and Thursdays. Each hunter must set the appropriate blind selector (metal fip tag) before and after hunting. Attempting to “reserve” a blind for use later in the day by depositing a vehicle or other equipment on the refuge is prohibited. A hunter must be physically present in the hunting area in order to use a blind. No more than four hunters or individuals may use a blind at one time. All hunters must have a visible means of retrieving waterfowl, such as a foat tube, waders, or a dog capable of retrieving. Falconry hunting is prohibited. Big Game Archery White-tailed deer State regulations Archery hunting in the waterfowl hunting area is allowed in September, except apply during the youth waterfowl hunt weekend. Archery hunting is allowed on Mondays and Thursdays in the waterfowl hunting area during waterfowl hunting season. Use of portable tree stands or ground blinds is allowed. A tag displaying the owner’s Automated Licensing System (ALS) number must be attached to each tree stand and/or ground blind you place on the refuge. Hunters must use or remove blinds every 72 hours. Use of nails, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree, or hunting from a tree into which metal has been driven to support a hunter is prohibited. Hunters may not enter or retrieve deer from closed areas of the refuge without the consent of an authorized offcial (Refuge Manager (406-777-5552) or Refuge Law Enforcement Offcer (406-214-6415). Organized drives prohibited. A “drive” is defned as an organized or planned effort to pursue, drive, chase, or otherwise frighten or cause game to move in the direction of any person(s) who is part of the organized or planned hunt and known to be waiting for the game. The Blue Goose is a symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a network of lands and waters managed for the beneft of wildlife and people. Welcome Welcome to Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge is located along the Bitterroot River in western Montana’s scenic and historic Bitterroot Valley, surrounded by the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountain Ranges. Established in 1963 to provide habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife, the Refuge’s 2,800 acres are home to 235 species of birds, 37 species of mammals, and 17 species of reptiles and amphibians. General Information The Refuge is open from dawn to dusk. Refuge headquarters is open, when staffed, Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, and is closed on Federal holidays. An accessible restroom is available at Refuge headquarters during staffed operating hours. An accessible outhouse is available in the Wildlife Viewing Area, Waterfowl Hunting Area, and in the overfow parking area, near the Refuge headquarters. Refuge Regulations The following is a list of prohibited activities that apply to all visitors to the Refuge. Additional regulations apply to hunting on the Refuge (see the Hunting Information Table in this brochure). Please report all violations to the Refuge Law Enforcement Offcer (406-214-6415) or 1-800-TIP-MONT. • The Refuge is open from dawn to dusk, except that hunters may enter the Refuge no more than 2 hours before legal hunting hours and must exit the Refuge no more than 2 hours after legal hunting hours. • Wildlife observation, scouting, or loitering in the hunt areas (Only hunters actively engaged in hunting may use the hunt areas). • Accessing the hunt areas from other than a designated hunter parking area (Hunters must enter and exit the hunt area from the designated hunter parking area). • Use of motorized and mechanized vehicles, to include bicycles, except on Wildfowl Lane and the designated parking areas. • Boat launching or take-out of any kind. • Littering, to include leaving spent shot shells. • Camping, overnight parking, and open fres. • Target shooting. • The use of electronic or photographic monitoring cameras, commonly known as game cameras. • Trail marking, to include the use of paint, tape, or refecting markers. Safety The Kenai Nature Trail extends northward from the Refuge headquarters for 1¼ miles to a turn-around point on the bench directly west of the South Rathbun hunter access point. The trail is open to visitors from dawn to dusk. Visitors must stay on the trail. Please exercise caution when hunting in th