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Transit Mix Concrete Co. <br /> exceeds and improves upon the quality of the existing conditions. This approach addresses <br /> concerns previously expressed by the MLRB regarding impacts to wildlife and habitat by <br /> specifically protecting such habitat and encouraging development of habitat for wild turkey and <br /> other wildlife. <br /> The project area is within CPWs Elk Data Analysis Unit (DAU) E-23, the Eleven Mile Herd. This <br /> unit is broken up into Game Management Units (GMU). The project area is within GMU-59. A <br /> map of DAU E-23, including GMU-59 is included in Figure E-1. To manage the state's big game <br /> populations, CPW uses a "management by objective" approach. Big game populations are <br /> managed to achieve population objective ranges and sex ratio ranges established for DAUs <br /> (Grigg 2012). "A `Data Analysis Unit' or 'DAU' is the geographic area that represents the year- <br /> around range of a big game herd and delineates the seasonal ranges of a specific herd while <br /> keeping interchange with adjacent herds to a minimum... The purpose of a DAU plan is to provide <br /> a system or process which will integrate the plans and intentions of CPW with the concerns and <br /> ideas of land management agencies and interested publics in determining how a big game herd <br /> in a specific geographic area, DAU, should be managed." (Grigg 2012). <br /> The E-23 DAU plan describes elk distribution stating that"Elk are distributed throughout the DAU, <br /> though are most abundant in GMUs 59, 511, and 581. Some seasonal migrations occur within <br /> the DAU, with many elk using the higher elevation areas near Pikes Peak during the summer and <br /> fall months, then dropping to lower elevations during winter and spring... During summer, elk often <br /> utilize the aspen and alpine habitats at higher elevations where forage is abundant and <br /> temperatures are cooler. During winter, elk can often be found on the south facing slopes within <br /> the Phantom Canyon and Beaver Creek drainages in GMU 59 or feeding near the towns of <br /> Florissant and Woodland Park." (Grigg 2012). These south-facing slopes provide important winter <br /> habitat for elk, and these areas will not be disturbed in any manner by the mining plan. <br /> As detailed in the DAU plan, current population estimates indicate the E-23 herd is stable and <br /> fluctuating between 3,000 — 3,500 animals. "CPW does not currently advocate for a population <br /> increase, as fire suppression has resulted in much of the DAU reaching later-seral habitat stages <br /> that aren't necessarily highly productive for elk and limit their biological carrying capacity. Habitat <br /> improvement projects would be of great benefit in this DAU, particularly in GMU 59. Without such <br /> habitat improvement projects, a large increase to this elk herd could negatively impact available <br /> habitat, increase game damage issues on private lands, and increase competition with deer and <br /> other ungulates." (Grigg 2012). Also, "GMU 59, in particular, has the potential to be outstanding <br /> elk habitat, but has become heavily overgrown with pinion-juniper, ponderosa, and spruce-fir <br /> forests that currently aren't as productive for elk as they would be if treated with fire or thinning <br /> projects." (Grigg 2012) <br /> Within the DAU E-23 unit there are 2,201 km2 (543,879 ac) of designated elk winter range; 467 <br /> km2 (115,398 ac) of which are within the GMU-59 area. The project will disturb 239 ac which is <br /> Hitch Rack Ranch Quarry Permit Application <br /> March 20,2018 E-16 <br />