Cougar Habitat Use and Food Habits on the Montana Rocky Mountain Front

Abstract

Cougar (Fe/is concolor missoulensis) habitat use and food habits were investigated in the Sun River area of norther n Montana. The food habits and habitat selection of twenty-three radio-collared cougars were monitored in 1991-1992. They selected closed-conifer, open-conifer, aspen-conifer, deciduous tree, and shrub/and cover types. Cougars avoided grassland and vegetated rock cover types. Cougars primarily killed deer, bighorn sheep, and elk. Bighorn sheep, elk, and mule deer were killed more often during winter. White-tailed deer, and smaller mammals were killed more often during summer.