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CHAPTER FOUR disease transfer. Bighorn sheep populatioos would increase to 500 over the life of the plan. Eliminating livestock grazing from allotment 6200 would increase forage on 837 suitable acres for bighorn sheep. Limiting fall livestock use to no more than four days in GMUs 55 and 551 in units D-11, D-14, and D-16 would improve conditioos on 65,970 acres of big game crucial winter on uplands and riparian zones (25 miles) and 42,306 acres of sage grouse nesting and high production areas. Herbaceous forage normally removed by livestock on these lands in the fall would be available to elk and deer during the spring and fall. Prohibiting domestic sheep grazing on 1,465 suitable acres in allotment No. 6056 would reduce competition for forage between deer and domestic sheep. Eliminating domestic sheep grazing in pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep ranges would reduce the competition for forage and would eliminate the transmission of diseases between domestic sheep and bighorn sheep. Developing grazing systems that exclude season-long grazing in units D-11, D-14, and D-16 within GMU 551 (allotments 6317 and 6318) would improve sage grouse and pronghorn antelope habitat on crucial big game winter range on 29,861 acres. Impacts from Foresl Managemenl. Development of additional roads in elk summer range would decrease hiding cover, and increase human activity, resulting in elk not using traditional areas. Eliminating timber harvest in riparian zones would protect large trees for non-game wildlife and maintain a variety of habitats. Timber harvests in elk-calving areas would reduce hiding cover and would force calving elk to use other less desirable areas. Maintaining sufficient elk hiding cover parallel to logging roads and along the perimeter of clear cuts would allow elk the opportunity to use forage produced in the clear cuts without being disturbed from activity on nearby roads, and would screen wildlife from human activity, Ihereby helping 10 reduce stress and disturbance 10 animals. The prescribed management in Appendix A for non- game wildlife regarding timber harvests would provide snags for nesting habitat, perch trees for raptors, and brush piles and logs for small mammals. Impacts from Recreation Management. Designating 600 acres of public land within the Sapinero Slate Wildlife Area as closed to OHV use would eosure OHV management consistency with the adjoining CDOW land and would improve management effectiveness of the general area. Limiting OHV use from December 1 through March 31 to designated roules on 56,297 acres of crucial elk and deer winter range, if necessary, would prevent disturbance to these animals during the most critical portion of the year. Development of campsites and the associated increased use along the Cochetopa Creek would eliminate bighorn sheep use within In mile of these areas. Impacts from Transportation and Access. Acquiring public road access into the Rock Creek Park area would disrupt bighorn sheep lambing areas and would force the herd on to marginal habitat. Development of roads in riparian areas would eliminate valuable forage and cover for both game and non-game species. Impacts from Acquisition of Non-federal Lands. The acquisition of private lands in crucial elk and deer winter range would prevent the loss of habitat through subdivision development and human activities. Impacts from Rights-of-Way Management. Prohibiting rights-of-way development within 1/4 miles of sage grouse leks in elk calving areas, and in bighorn sheep ranges would protect these areas from disturbance and possible destruetion. 4-46