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<br /> <br />of the upper Rio Grande watershed and will further emphasize the <br /> <br />ever-inoreasing need for preserving big-game winter range. The <br /> <br />winter range now is barely adequate to maintain existing herds of <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />big-game animals and any further reduotion will neoessarily deorease <br /> <br />the number of animals that oan be suocessfully carried through the <br /> <br />winter. This. in turn, will further limit hunting opportunity. <br /> <br />Land acquisi tion <br /> <br />72. The magnitude of the big-game losses and the impaot of <br /> <br />these losses upon the economy of the upper Rio Grande communities <br /> <br />warrants a oontinued study of all possible means of reducing them. <br /> <br />At present, it appears desi~able to acquire in fee simplEJal~. the <br />-- -----~--.- - ,- ..- '~'" ~ . -. .. ",.- <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />patented lands be~~,,-n_tll~,-_12.\,-1;.tQll:u'Li;he .iXlviola!~ flood oontrol <br /> <br /> <br />P?ol on Wag~m_VJhee.l. Ql.p .Re~~r.voir, elevation 8.683. and the National <br /> <br /> <br />Forest land in Township 41 North. lIange 1 East. and in Seotions 1. <br /> <br /> <br />11, 12. and 14 in Township 41 North. Range 1 West. situated adjacent <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />to the reservoir site. (See Plate II). If these areas. totaling <br /> <br />about 1.900 acres. were purchased as an integral part of the projeot <br /> <br />costs, and were administered and managed by the Colorado Game and <br /> <br />Fish Department primarily for the use of wildlife, big-game habitat <br /> <br />losses would be materially reduoed. Under proper management these <br /> <br />areas oould furnish twioe as muoh big-game forage as they do under <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />present oonditions. This would reduoe the big-game losses assooiated <br /> <br />wi th hunting by about $7.100 annually. The estimated costs of <br /> <br />obtaining this annual benefit of $7.100 are as follows: <br /> <br />40 <br /> <br />1148 <br /> <br />