Sage Grouse Habitat and Current Distribution in Montana, USA

Sage grouse habitat, current distribution, and early nesting/brood rearing areas in Montana. Broad habitat conditions are indicated for areas of occupied and unoccupied habitat. Areas of occupied habitat include a data quality rating based on biologist survey efforts. Current sage grouse distribution was originally mapped in 1999 by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) wildlife biologists at 1:100,000. Active leks (generated at 1:100,000 or larger in 2001) were buffered to delineate nesting/early brood rearing areas. The 1:100,000 current distribution and nesting/brood rearing areas were then displayed by MFWP administrative regions (scales ranging from 1:345,000 to 1:680,000) with vegetation/land cover types from the Montana GAP analysis database for biologist review and incorporation of habitat and nesting/brood rearing information between February 2001 and July 2001. Edits and additions to the layer were digitized at the regional review scales.