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• (Table 5). According to the local CDOW biologist, sharp-tailed grouse <br />production in the Hayden ereas was very poor in 1993, due in part to <br />extended cold, wet spring weather (J. Haskins, pers. comm.). <br />Sharp-tailed grouse winter in brushy and wooded habitats, where <br />buds and fruits provide winter forage. Important shrubs such as <br />chokecherry and serviceberry are abundant throughout the proposed <br />permit area, and grow tall enough to remain above the snow. One <br />sharp-tailed grouse was observed at the southern edge of the permit <br />area in NW/4 NW/4, Section 29, in October 1992. No grouse were re- <br />corded during the January 1993 winter aerial big game survey. In <br />February, biologists snowshoed through the southern part of the permit <br />area, but found no signs of wintering sharp-tailed grouse. <br />• Blue Grouse <br />Blue grouse were observed on the proposed Yoast permit area <br />throughout spring and summer (Table 5). In Colorado, this species is <br />strongly associated with areas containing aspen trees as well as <br />berry-producing shrubs (Rogers 1968). Territorial males were observed <br />hooting regularly at several locations. These displays were generally <br />at the edge of an open area of grass-forb meadow, adjacent to mountain <br />brush cover. Males were first observed hooting in mid-May, after snow <br />cover was completely gone from the area. Hooting displays were re- <br />corded as late as mid-July, although it is very unlikely that breeding <br />was still taking place by that time. <br />One blue grouse brood was observed on the area in August. On two <br />successive days, a hen and five 3/4-grown young were seen feeding on <br />• berries in mountain brush habitat in SE/4 NW/4, Section 17. <br />23 <br />