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pinyon-juniper and agricultural habitats during the summer and <br />• primarily the mountain shrub habitat during the winter. The browse <br />species in the wintering areas are generally in very poor condi- <br />tion, especially on the south-facing slopes, which are most <br />utilized by deer because of shallow snow depth in winter and early <br />melting in the spring. Some use is made of north-facing slopes <br />during the winter months primarily by a small number of resident <br />animals. <br />Populations may fluctuate greatly from year to year depending <br />primarily upon weather conditions. However, mule deer populations <br />in the mine permit area are relatively high with overall estimated <br />populations being approximately 14 deer per square mile (DOW, <br />1978c). Populations also appear to be on an increasing trend. DOW <br />has set-up an aerial observation plot of 10 acres just to the <br />southeast of the previously proposed disposal area as a tool to <br />determine relative abundance of deer. <br />• The mine permit area is located in the northern portion of Big Game <br />Management Units 42 and 43. Harvest data for mule deer from 1978 <br />to 1982 are shown in Table 3.7-1. An average of approximately <br />21,110 and 10,098 recreation days for Units 92 and 43, respective- <br />ly, were spent hunting deer with an annual average harvest of 2201 <br />and 953. Units 42 and 93 are 609 and 744 square miles, respective- <br />ly, with the project area occupying 0.5~ of Unit 42 and 0.9~ of <br />Unit 43. <br />Total area to be disturbed by the project is 0.02 of the area of <br />these units. The project facilities area is located along the <br />northern border of the units where human activity and disturbance <br />is greater than in the more valuable wildlife habitat which exists <br />further to the south. As a result, the Grand Hogback acts as a <br />buffer zone between human activity and major wildlife populations. <br />For example, on the south side of the Hogback, the land owner <br />leases his land for hunting and during a good deer production year, <br />• 50 to 70 deer are taken (Wills, 1983). <br />NCEC - Coal Ridge #1 3-79 ABC/1145/900301 <br />