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<br />FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE REPORT <br /> <br />Wildlife Section <br /> <br />25. Preproject wildlife resources.- The status of wildlife resources <br />in the project area is discussed in the following paragraphs. <br /> <br />26. Big !l:ame.- The Rocky Mountain mule deer is the only big game species <br />found in the project area. From the head of the proposed Lemon Reservoir <br />to Florida Mesa, the project area is for the roost part deer range, while <br />the northern portions of Florida Mesa are also used occasionally. The <br />value of the deer range within the proposed reservoir limits is not high, <br />but a few deer are killed annually. The annual preproject value of big <br />game habitat within reservoir limit s is estimated to be $300. The remain- <br />der of the deer range has not been evaluated as it will not be signifi- <br />cantly affected by the project. <br /> <br />27. Upland !l:ame.- The upland-game species hunted in the Florida Project <br />area are cottontail rabbits, pheasants, mourning doves, and band-tailed <br />pigeons. Study of the ecology and management of the band-tailed pigeon <br />is not sufficiently advanced to determine the effect Florida Project <br />would have on the species; for this reason, no attempt has been made to <br />evaluate in monetary terms the preproject or postproject population of <br />that bird. <br /> <br />28. Cottontail rabbits are fairly numerous throughout the irrigated <br />areas and some rabbit hunting is done. Preproject harvest is estimated <br />to be 500 cottontails in the project area, having an annual value of <br />$500. <br /> <br />29. There is no pheasant hunting season at the present time, but assum- <br />ing an estilll'l.ted harvest of 20 percent of the fall population, an annual <br />preproject pheasant value of $1,400 is indicated. <br /> <br />30. Mourning doves utilize the entire project area to a moderate extent <br />and are hunted on the farmlands. Based on data compiled by the Colorado <br />Game and Fish Department, the value of mourning doves harvested in the <br />project area is estimated to be $1,000 annually. <br /> <br />31. Fur animals.- Fur is not an important resource in the reach of the <br />Florida River affected by the project. The only fur animals that occur <br />in significant numbers are muskrats and beavers. The annual value of <br />these species in the project area is estimated to be $1,000. <br /> <br />32. Waterfowl.- Small numbers of mallards, green-wing teals, mergansers, <br />buffleheads, and ring-necked ducks migrate through the Florida River drain- <br />age during the spring and fall months. A few ducks are killed every year <br />by local fanners. An occasional pair of mallards or green-wing teals will <br />nest in the project area. The total annual preproject waterfowl value of <br />the project area is negligible, and no evaluation has been III'l.de. <br /> <br />7 <br />