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probably owing to the combination of cover, water, and a favorable <br />• mixture of shrubs, oaks, conifers, and aspen. Past studies suggest that <br />the permit area is used less extensively during winter than at other <br />seasons. This trend is not surprising in light of the fact that over <br />one-half of the area is a rather steep, north facing slope. Decreasing <br />sunshine and prolonged snuwcover on these slopes significantly reduce <br />its use by both deer and elk. The southern exposed faces of the North <br />Fork of the Gunnison River generally are not as steep and contain <br />greater numbers of deer and elk from late fall through early spring. <br />Back Bears (Eursus americanus) are known to occur in the area and may <br />be relatively common on or adjacent to the permit area. Sylvester <br />Gulch, about one mile east of the permit area, apparently is <br />particularly favored by the bears. The game management units around <br />Somerset frequently produce among the highest number of black bears <br />during hunting season. <br />• Mountain Lions or Cougars (Felis concolor) are possible stragglers <br />throughout the permit and adjacent areas, but none has been taken during <br />recent hunting seasons. <br />Medium Size Mammals <br />These species, including small predators, rabbits and hares, and large <br />rodents, that may be expected to occur in the permit and adjacent areas <br />include Coyote (Canis latrans), Bobcat (Felis refus), Raccoon (Procyon <br />lotor), Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata), Short-tailed Weasel <br />(Mustela erminea), Striped Skunk (Me hitis mephitis), Nuttalls <br />Cottontail (~lviiagus nuttallii), Snowshoe Hare (Lepus amercianus), <br />Rock Squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus), Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel <br />(Spermophilus lateralis), Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), <br />Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmots flaviventris), and Porcupine (Erethizon <br />dorsatum). <br />• <br />2.04-46 <br />