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The reclaimed plant communities, dominated by herbaceous species, will greatly enhance the • <br />forage diversity of the area habitat for wildlife by providing succulent forages. Succulent <br />forages are high in digestible protein and digestible energy and may remain palatable and <br />nutritious even after they have completed their growing cycle (Cook et al., 1977). Also, animal <br />performance is related to the amount of digestible energy and digestible protein in forages. <br />This is especially true for livestock and big game nearing the end of the gestation cycle (spring), <br />and during lactation (spring through early fall). The succulent herbaceous forage in the <br />reclaimed plant communities will provide nutrient levels to meet these increased needs for both <br />livestock and big game. The large numbers of deer and elk present on reclaimed areas at the <br />Seneca II Mine appear to demonstrate the utility of a herbaceous forage resource to big game. <br />It has been determined that early greening spring grasses contribute significantly to mule deer <br />diets in the Rocky Mountain and Intermountain regions (Willms and McLean, 1978). Yoakum <br />and Dasmann (1971) also reported that pregnant does benefit directly from the availability of <br />green forages during the critical early spring period. I£ the winter has been severe, the need for <br />succulent and nutritious spring forage is even more critical. Big game select out those forages <br />highest in nutritive quality when available and also those that are greening and succulent <br />(Mereszczak et al., 1981 and Armstrong, 1975). • <br />Various studies show mule deer and elk prefer succulent forages other than Woody species <br />during various times of the year. Miller et al. (1981) found that big game selected up to 52 <br />percent grasses in their diets during the period of March through June. Forbs accounted for 38 <br />percent. The big game in this study also tended to congregate in areas where palatable forages <br />occurred. The study site was in forested areas with brush understory and clear cut areas seeded <br />with palatable forages. While these opened areas covered only 31 percent of the area, 66 <br />percent of the big game diet came from them. They determined that the value of forage plants <br />available to deer and elk is an important consideration in addition to structural characteristics <br />of a habitat. Carpenter et al. (1979), in a study near Kremniling, Colorado, found that mule <br />deer selected a large amount of grasses and £orbs during the winter months of January and <br />February when snow cover was minimal. Over 50 percent of their diets consisted of grasses <br />and forbs in a 30 -day grazing trial. In a study by Willms et al. (1979) on big sagebrush range in <br />British Columbia, it was found that deer selected 68 percent of their early spring diet as grasses <br />and forbs. <br />While big game and livestock will benefit from the increase in herbaceous cover, various bird • <br />species and small mammals will also benefit from the addition of this habitat component. <br />■ <br />Revised 1199 <br />