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During times of no precipitation during the spring, <br />powdered limestone (23 Kg bags of CaCO3) was placed along <br />all overpasses to help in tracking animal passage. <br />RESULTS <br />Twenty track count transects were conducted from 1988 - <br />1991. Figures 1 and 2 present track count data for elk <br />(Cervus elaphus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and <br />pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americans). A total of 22.9 <br />percent of all elk tracks were found on overpass structures <br />(Table 1). Mule deer used the overpass structures 12.1 <br />percent of the time and antelope - 3.3 percent. Underpass <br />usage data (Table 2) showed elk using this type of structure <br />most of the time - 45.2 percent. Mule deer crossed <br />underpass structures during 23.8 percent of their passage <br />and antelope used them 48.5 percent of their crossing. <br />Passage beneath the beltline structure (Table 3) that has <br />a 0.9 meter maximum clearance occured as follows: Elk <br />passed under the beltline a total of 31.8 percent of the <br />time, mule deer passage totaled the most for this species - <br />64.1 percent. Antelope crossed under the belt a total of <br />49.5 percent which was slightly more than their underpass <br />usage of 48.5 percent. Antelope, therefore were for the <br />most part, evenly distributed when it came to using <br />underpasses or passing beneath the beltline structure. No <br />large elk bulls or large mule deer bucks were counted <br />passing under the beltline structure during the entire <br />study. In fact track count observations showed mature males <br />of both species avoided crossing under the belt due to <br />antler clearance problems. These large males would follow <br />the beltline to the next available crossing. The Colorado <br />Division of Wildlife conducted field census studies on big <br />game management areas within Rio Blanco County, Colorado <br />(Del Piccolo 1991). Elk bull / cow sex ratios over the last <br />2 years (1989-1990) averaged 30 bulls per 100 cows. Mule <br />deer buck / doe sex ratios averaged 6.5 bucks per doe for <br />1989-1990. Therefore, crossings other than under the 0.8 <br />meter beltline were crucial for large antlered bulls and <br />bucks. Pronghorn antelope horns do not get large enough to <br />prevent males from crossing under the belt. On one occasion <br />during the spring of 1991, a male pronghorn with a average <br />horn length was observed by the author to pass directly <br />under the active beltline with hesitation. <br />Crossing availability for big game and other wildlife <br />along the entire conveyor route is summarized, in Table 4. <br />75.4$ of the entire conveyor was elevated to an average of <br />0.8 meters for passage of animals. There was a total of 18$ <br />crossing availability as underpass structures. 2.6 ~ of the <br />beltline was available as overpass structures and 3.3~ of <br />