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<br />< <br /> <br />f~' (j . ':: ; <br />l.._...V...l <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />availability of winter range in the area. <br /> <br />Presently, the winter range in <br /> <br />Colorado and Wyoming is utilized at near capacity even without livestock <br /> <br />use and there is no intent to increase the population. <br /> <br />About 20 to 25 black bear live in the Encampment River drainage year <br /> <br />round. <br /> <br />Hunters take several bear each year and they are an occasional <br /> <br />nuisance at carnpgroun?s. <br /> <br />One bear with an unusual color phase, platinurn, <br /> <br />was observed about twenty years ago west of this area by retired WCO <br /> <br />Hurd. <br /> <br />Bighorn sheep are historical residents of the general area and in 1976 <br /> <br />observations south of the Encampment drainage and near Hog Park Reservoir <br /> <br />attest to their presence. <br /> <br />The Wyoming Game and Fish Department trans- <br /> <br />planted bighorn sheep in Douglas Creek in 1968 and in the Encampment <br /> <br />River drainage about 10 miles north of the state line in 19 <br /> <br />It is believed <br /> <br />that some of these sheep will or have established themselves on Black <br /> <br />Mountain and the north slope of Mount Zirkel during the summer. <br /> <br />A few mountain lion are present in the area during the summer but no <br /> <br />estimate of their number is available. Generally, these animals follow <br /> <br />deer migrations and winter in areas supporting deer during the winter <br /> <br />111011 ths. <br /> <br />About 25 antelope live south"/est of the town of Encampment and three <br /> <br />were observed in the study area during the summer of 1975. <br /> <br />Antelope were <br /> <br />never indigenous to the area and their presence is considered rare. <br /> <br />,3, <br />