Butte · Butte-Silver Bow
Bat removal in Butte, Montana
Bat exclusion for Uptown Butte, Walkerville, and the Richest Hill on Earth.
Bats and Butte homes
Butte sits just below the Continental Divide on the west slope of Homestake Pass — the 'Richest Hill on Earth,' built around copper mining. Its housing is among the oldest we serve: the median home was built around 1957, about 74% of units predate 1980, and roughly 36% were built before 1940. Uptown brick commercial blocks, densely clustered miners' houses toward Walkerville and Centerville, and wood-frame homes across the Flat give bats aging mortar joints, attic vents, chimney chases, and settled eaves.
Local bats & habitat
Montana has 15 confirmed bat species. The two most tied to buildings are the little brown myotis — the most common bat in the state — and the big brown bat, which readily uses attics, walls, and other man-made structures. Both are found across Montana. Butte's elevation (about 5,500–5,800 feet) and the surrounding Continental Divide country are laced with historic mine workings and headframes. Montana bats commonly use caves and old mines as winter roosts, and the Silver Bow Creek / Upper Clark Fork corridor provides insect foraging near town.
Butte animal control & health contacts
Public agencies — not us. Call them for an animal emergency, a possible exposure, or rabies testing.
Butte-Silver Bow Animal Control
Animal complaints and animal ordinances across the City-County, including after-hours high-priority emergencies through dispatch
Hours Mon 8–5:30, Tue–Fri 8–6, Sat 8–4:30. After hours, high-priority emergencies through police dispatch at (406) 497-1120. Email bsbac@bsb.mt.gov. Office at 699 Centennial Ave.
Source ↗Butte-Silver Bow Health Department — Communicable Disease Program
Public-health guidance on communicable disease, including possible rabies exposures
25 W. Front St., Butte. City-County health department main line for communicable disease.
Source ↗Butte-Silver Bow requires pets to stay current on rabies vaccine
Butte-Silver Bow Animal Control notes that Municipal Code ordinance 6.04.292 requires all dogs and cats to be kept current on rabies vaccine (most boosters are valid three years after the first-year shot), given only by a licensed veterinarian. That local rule sits alongside Montana DPHHS and FWP guidance that bats are a primary rabies reservoir statewide — so if a bat is found indoors, call Animal Control or the Health Department before releasing it.
Butte-Silver Bow Animal Control — Rabies Vaccination Requirement ↗Butte housing stock
More than one in three Butte-Silver Bow housing units predates 1940, and roughly three-quarters were built before 1980. On Uptown and Walkerville historic stock we focus on masonry joints, chimneys and flashing, attic and gable vents, and fascia that has pulled away; on mid-century homes on the Flat we add soffit returns and siding transitions.
- Housing units
- about 17,200
- Median year built
- 1957
- Built before 1980
- about 74%
- Built before 1960
- about 54%
Built before 1940: about 36%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates (see sources).
When bats can be excluded in Butte
The same statewide FWP timing applies here. See how our exclusion process works or the Montana bat guide.
Apr–Aug
Maternity season — no exclusion
FWP: never exclude bats May through August, when flightless young may be inside. FWP's exclusion guidance treats April 1–August 31 as the default maternity period.
Sep–Oct
Best exclusion window
By September the young can fly. Fall, before bats settle in to hibernate, is FWP's preferred time to exclude.
Nov–Mar
Hibernation — inspect & plan
Many bats winter in caves and mines, but big brown bats sometimes hibernate in buildings. Don't exclude bats hibernating in a structure.
Butte bat removal FAQs
Who do I call about a bat in my Butte home?
Butte-Silver Bow Animal Control at (406) 497-6527 handles animal calls across the City-County (after hours, high-priority emergencies go through police dispatch at (406) 497-1120). For possible human exposure, also call the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department at (406) 497-5020 before releasing the bat.
Why do so many Butte homes get bats?
Butte-Silver Bow has very old housing for Montana: about 36% of units predate 1940 and roughly 74% were built before 1980. Uptown brick, Walkerville miners' cottages, and mid-century homes on the Flat offer the narrow gaps — about 3/8 inch — bats use at chimneys, vents, and settled eaves.
Do abandoned mines around Butte matter for bats?
Yes as habitat context. Montana FWP notes that many bats winter in caves and mines. Butte's historic mining landscape on the Continental Divide includes extensive old workings, while little brown and big brown bats are the species most often tied to buildings in town.
When can bats be excluded from a Butte attic?
FWP advises never excluding bats from May through August, when flightless young may be inside. Late summer into fall, once the young can fly and before bats settle in to hibernate, is the preferred window.
Do my dogs and cats need rabies shots in Butte?
Yes. Butte-Silver Bow ordinance 6.04.292 requires dogs and cats to stay current on rabies vaccine, given by a licensed veterinarian. That is separate from what to do if a bat is indoors — for that, call Animal Control or the Health Department.
Nearby service areas
Sources
- Butte-Silver Bow Animal Control
- Butte-Silver Bow Health Department — Communicable Disease Program
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates via Census Reporter — Butte, MT (tables B25034/B25035)
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Living With Bats
- Montana Field Guide — Little Brown Myotis
- Montana Field Guide — Big Brown Bat
- MSU Extension — Bats in Homes
- Montana DPHHS — Rabies
Phone numbers and agency roles were checked against the linked pages in November 2026. Agencies change numbers — confirm on their site if a call doesn't connect.
Bats in your Butte home?
Humane bat removal and exclusion in Butte and Butte-Silver Bow. Call or send a request and we'll set up an inspection.
Or email wildlifespecialistsgroup@gmail.com