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<br />-24- <br />Wyoming. As in the .case of elk, deer damage to agricultural crops has <br />been a long-standing problem here (Figures 8 & 12). Deer are year-round <br />residents of the project area and deer damage is not solely confined <br />to the winter period. There simply are many more deer in the project <br />area during the winter. Increased crop production, some direct loss <br />of winter range, and interdiction of historical migration routes with <br />fences and project structures will cause deer to do even more crop <br />damage. <br />Consequently, the Colorado and Wyoming game and fish agencies will <br />have to reduce the wintering deer herd to a level compatible with <br />project agriculture--or face greatly increased monetary payments for <br />crop damage. Wyoming estimates that a reduction of approximately 1,700 <br />wintering deer will be necessary to bring the herd into a reasonable <br />balance with project agriculture. The Colorado Division of Wildlife <br />~ estimates that they will also have to reduce the wintering deer herd <br />in the project vicinity by about 600 head. Here again, there is more <br />available deer winter range adjacent to project lands in Colorado than <br />~ in Wyoming because of the topography (Plate III). In addition, there <br />may be some direct loss of deer in project siphons. <br />~ Another adverse impact on available winter range for both elk and deer <br />should lie mentioned here. That is the planned increase in numbers of <br />livestock which development of the project is expected to support. <br /> <br /> <br />