Info

[Michael]

PRYOR MOUNTAINS WILD HORSE RANGE HMA
The Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range is unique in both its setting and for the wild horses that inhabit it. Many of the horses have primitive striping on their backs, withers and legs, and are reputed to be descendents of "colonial" Spanish horses.

Location: Montana-Wyoming border

Size: 38,000 acres

Topography/Vegetation: The Pryor Mountains are unique in many ways. Some of the more notable aspects are the precipitation zones and related vegetation from the south end in the Bighorn Basin to the highest elevations in the mountain range. The mountain range divides the Great Plains from the Bighorn Basin. Annual rainfall varies from less than six inches in the lowest elevations to more than 20 inches in the high country. This results in a confluence of ecotypes in a small area. Because of this, many species of locally rare and sensitive plants occur in the Pryor Mountains, especially at the lower elevations.

Wildlife: Larger mammal species that might be encountered include mule deer, bighorn sheep, black bears, and the elusive mountain lion. The bighorn sheep found in the Pryors are originally from a small herd that was reintroduced into Wyoming’s northern Bighorn Mountains. During the mid-1970s, the bighorns migrated across the ice of Bighorn Lake and remained on the west side of the Bighorn Canyon where their population increased. These sheep have persisted when several other deliberate attempts at reintroduction failed. Peregrine falcons, recovered from being an endangered species, have been nesting in the area since they were reintroduced in the early 1990s. Other sensitive species in the area include the rare spotted bat and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Numerous nongame species inhabit the area, including about 200 bird species. Blue grouse occupy the high elevation forests and meadow areas and are popular with hunters in the fall.