2016-12-28_REVISION - C1994082 (8)

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forage (PUF = 50% of available forage as a proper use factor). Since 2009 sheep grazing has continued annually through 2014 on reclaimed areas. The sheep numbers have ranged from 620 (2012) to 850 (2014). Days of grazing have ranged from 20 (2014) days to 49 (2011) days. Utilization has generally been light to with rates from 11% of total forage (23% of PUF forage) in 2014 to 16% of total forage (32% of PUF forage) in 2012. Anecdotal comments by the livestock operators to reclamation management personnel indicate satisfaction with the reclaimed grazing resource and animal performance. Wildlife baseline and monitoring was conducted annually at the Yoast Mine from 1994 through 2010. Comprehensive monitoring included big game, upland game birds, raptors and predators and continued through 2007. From 2008 through 2010 monitoring centered on upland game birds, golden eagles and Sandhill cranes. From 2011 the general mine area has been included in annual raptor nest monitoring and Columbian Sharp -tailed grouse counts. The results of monitoring are presented in the annual reports submitted to CDRMS. Additionally, CDRMS inspection personnel note wildlife observations in their ongoing inspection activities at the mine. Yoast reclaimed lands provide excellent habitat for a number of wildlife species. Elk and mule deer make common use of the reclaimed areas where significant numbers of deer and elk can be observed in the reclaimed areas throughout the year. The reclaimed areas provide beneficial and nutritional forage resources throughout the year but especially in the spring and early summer as the elk and mule deer complete gestation and move to lactation cycles. Elk and mule deer numbers on the mine site during the period of monitoring for these species have shown year to year fluctuations as a result of regional trends, mining activities and climatic conditions. As mining activity moved to new areas and reclamation becarpe established, big game moved back into reclaimed areas and adjacent native habitats. This has been especially true for elk as the herbaceous forage quality is compatible with their foraging preferences. The presence of big game on reclaimed areas is significant and requires 8 foot fencing to protect aspen and tall shrub planting sites. Review of annual monitoring reports shows that mule deer and elk numbers have had a steady increase over the 1994 through 2007 period. This has been in part due to improved survey methods later in the period. In the latter part of the monitoring years elk and mule deer were SL -6 - 29