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<br />
<br />Big game
<br />
<br />Habitat and Abundanoe
<br />
<br />49. The impoundment si te is located in an important wintering
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />range for elk and deer. The upper Rio Grande basin provides a good
<br />
<br />year-rotmd elk range and a fair habitat for mule deer. Some elk and
<br />
<br />deer use the impoundment site re gularly, but most of them usually
<br />
<br />Winter at somewhat higher elevations. Big-game forage present on
<br />
<br />the impoundment site oonsists principally of aspen, willow, rabbit-
<br />
<br />brush, mountain mahogany, snowberry, cinquefoil, skunkbrush, saltbush,
<br />
<br />fescue. and muhly. It is estimated that there is sufficient forage
<br />
<br />on the Wagon Wheel Gap Reservoir site to maintain a considerable
<br />
<br />nUll1ber of elk and deer for a short period during the severe winters
<br />
<br />
<br />whioh ooour on an average of onoe in 4 or 5 years. Available forage
<br />
<br />d\.U'ing these critical periods limits the nmnber of animals whioh the
<br />
<br />range can succe ssfully carry. ~he, impoundme~tJlit~is ,used ,~ab.\lH1;,
<br />500 elk and_.~.oQ.deer during severe'lliIlte.rs.
<br />-'..' ,', - . -,,,_,,,,.,,,~,,,,~'-"'~' -"-"'--' '''-'',' ,',", ...".'...
<br />
<br />Utilization and Harvest
<br />
<br />50. Elk and deer are hunted heavily in the upper basin but
<br />
<br />few are shot on the reservoir site. It is estimated that elk and
<br />
<br />deer attributable to wintering on the project area provide an
<br />
<br />average annual harvest of 30 deer and 50 elk, furnishing an estimated
<br />'-~,--".,-_.- ~._---"-'" ~- ---.~ --.. -~'-". -"'_~-'..>,-"..."-,,,,,,, ,,~.-t..'.,..,..
<br />
<br />~~o man-days and 350 man-days of hunting respectively.
<br />
<br />
<br />Need for Hunting Opportunities
<br />
<br />
<br />51. The Rio Grande Basin is the nearest elk hunting area to
<br />
<br />Texas and Oklahoma. as well as being one of the better deer areas in
<br />
<br />the region. There is deer hunting in these two States. but land
<br />
<br />30
<br />
<br />1158
<br />
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