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<br />CHAPTER 1 <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The peregrine falcon, bald eagle, whooping crane, and black-footed <br /> <br />ferret are four endangered species potentially occurring within the <br /> <br />study area. <br /> <br />Peregrines are sporadically sighted during migration <br /> <br />o <br />w::.- <br />o <br />....... <br /> <br />periods, and there are historic nesting sites near the confluence of the <br /> <br />Green and Big Sandy Rivers. <br /> <br />Whooping cranes occasionally migrate <br /> <br />through with sandhill cranes. <br /> <br />Although bald eagles are frequently sighted in the unit area, they <br /> <br />appear to winter mostly along the Green River. The black-footed ferret <br /> <br />has been documented in Sweetwater County with confirmed sitings as <br /> <br />recent as 1976 (USFS 1981). Since well-developed prairie dog towns are <br /> <br />) <br /> <br />numerous throughout the unit area, the probability of ferrets occurring <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />is high. <br /> <br />A small amount of recreation activity occurs in the study area. <br /> <br />This use includes big game hunting, fishing, off-road vehicle use, <br /> <br />hiking, camping, and sightseeing. <br /> <br />Camping and hiking activities <br /> <br />generally take place at a few limited sites where both water and trees <br /> <br />are found. <br /> <br />Many tourists travel U. S. Highway 191 to Yellowstone and <br /> <br />Grand Teton National Parks. <br /> <br />The primary months of use by recreationists are May through December <br /> <br />with two separate seasons--a summer season for camping, sightseeing, and <br /> <br />fishing, and an autumn season for hunting. Recreation access is avail- <br /> <br />able to nearly all public lands within the unit area. <br /> <br />Cultural resources identified in the study area reflect aboriginal <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />use of the region from the Paleo-Indian through the Historic Periods. <br /> <br />7 <br />