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~- ~. Long-tailed weasels are relatively abundant in the :Jilliams Fork Mountains (Lechleitner, 1969 and Ar^:strong, 1972) and the study site is good c•+easel ~_ habitat. No trapping was conducted to census the weasel population, however, and no individuals cuere seen. The '- long-tailed weasel is classified as a fur bearing animal ~ in Colorado and zs such is legally trapped only seasonally, ; Nove~.ber 1 to January 31. Fur trapping data for the - Williams Fork I•fountains are not complete enough to be useful as an indicator of population treads. Striped skunks are common in the Williams Pork Mountains, but ire most abundant along the Yzmna River where stznding rater and agriculture provid= optimal habitat (Hector, 1976). No ~. skunks were seen on the study site; tricks were seen in Hayden Gulch zpproximately a mile fro-: the site. Due to the xeric conditions of the study site, few skunks are ~_ expected to occur or. the site. -,- Badgers rznge throughout Colorado and occur in low numbers in the 4ii11izms Fork Mountains. No signs of bzdgers (burrow sites} were seen in the study arez. However, they are probably presen*_ in open country in ' the vicinity o= the zrea and may rany-c onto the site to ~ feed. ' The 4Ji.11iams For:: ,IOUntains ire generally considered y ~+ goo3 bobcat habitat and the recion of the study site is _ considered excellent bobcat habitat (Hector, 1976; hoover, • 1976; an3 4Thite, 1976). Existing high prices for bobcat ~ pelts have mzrkedly increased trapping pressure on the ' bobcat population ir. the :4illiams Fo;_k I•?ountzins; as a result, the bobcat population is currei:tly depressed (Hector, 1976). No bobcats •aere see.. on the study site, nor is it known if any bobcats hao-e recently be_n trapped on the study site. j•_ Mountain lions are historically rare in the Williams Fork Mountains (FIector, 1976) . No recently confir:,.ed - sightings of mountain lions are reported in the Hayden i Gulch area, and it is doubtful if any mountain lions would '~• utilize the area of the study site (Hector, 1976). • ~'- 2.6.7 Artiodactyla {Elk and Deer) - Elk occurring in the Williams•Fork Dountains are pant of a larger herd -- the White River elk herd -- ~_ which ranges beer portions of Routt, Moffat, Rio Bianco -• and Garfield Counties. Historically, this herd experienced a sharp decrease in population numbers following settlement tttttt ~ of the area in the 1880s. Protection by state liens in 1903 _ and mznagement by the Colorado Division of Wildlife have ~~~ . - i -69-