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4 ~ 24 <br />• The habitat showing the highest deer use was again the ectone between the pinyon-juniper <br />woodland and the bottomland sagebrush. Unstructured observations of tracks in this area <br />showed the deer were bedding within the pinyon-juniper and moving out into the big sagebrush <br />to feed. However, some feeding was evident within the pinyon-juniper as well. <br />1996 UPDATE <br />The preceding text was part of the original submittal for the permit application in 1980. At <br />this writing, populations of large mammals in the permit area have changed somewhat. Though <br />the population of deer in the area has remained relatively constant, the population of elk in the <br />permit area has increased. The elk typically follow a migration pattern to the higher elevations <br />near Douglas Pass and the Roan Cliffs during the warmer seasons. During the colder seasons, <br />the elk have been migrating to the lower elevations. The permit area contains habitat that <br />supports wintering elk. During the winter, elk typically use the agricultural areas near McClane <br />Canyon; as well as, the most valley bottoms from Douglas Pass and the pinion•juniper benches <br />on the desert to the south of the bookcliffs to feed during the evening, night, and morning. <br />• During the daylight hours the elk move to the thick cover on the ridges or the denser areas of <br />pinion•juniper woodland. Though elk may be present in large concentrations in the permit area <br />at some times, typical movement patterns include use of areas outside of the pem-iit area. <br />The influx of elk to habitat near the permit area may be a result of increasing populations of <br />elk in the region, overall management strategies of the Colorado Division of Wildlife and <br />landowners in the region and increased hunting pressure in areas that were previously <br />inaccessibly for the average hunter. These factors contribute to the elk relocating to the <br />relatively protected areas that were not being used at the time of the initial wildlife surveys of <br />the permit area. <br />Additionally, the population of black bear in the area may be increasing. Recently, bear <br />tracks have been noted on the mine facilities in both McClane and Munger Canyons. <br />Examinations of the ridges and hill sides on the permit area have revealed bear sign and scat in <br />quantities that indicate higher use. Conversations a local rancher indicate that the influx may <br />be due to the relocation of "problem "bears by the DOW from mountain communities in the <br />. Colorado high country to the relatively sparsely populated region of Douglas Pass. <br />M~ Volume 1 4 ~ 29 - 96 <br />