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size for 1981 (1.01 mil) and 1982 (1.41 mil) were significantly larger than 1983 <br />(0.38 mil) and 1984 (0.41 mil) (Table 7). There were significant differences <br />between different groups of elk for both general and refined calving home <br />ranges. Based on age, behavior patterns and whether or not an elk was being <br />influenced by surface coal mining, individuals were divided into the following <br />four groups: <br />1. Yearlings (elk less two than years old prior to the start of the <br />calving period); <br />2'. Surtmer migrants (elk which moved to substantially higher elevations <br />during June or July); <br />3. Mine elk (elk which calved and summered in close proximity to active <br />surface coal mines); and <br />4. Control elk (those elk which calved and summered at elevations similar <br />to mine areas). <br />For general calving home ranges (May 15 - June 30), yearlings (7.84 mil) <br />and summer migrants (5.31 mil) had significantly larger mean calving home ranges <br />than mine (1.57 mil) and control (2.48 mil) elk. Mine and control elk were not <br />significantly different (Table 6). The above statistical analysis was <br />complicated by significant differences in the mean number of locations used in <br />home range calculations between different groups of elk (which affects home <br />range size) and by excessively large home ranges in some elk which were still <br />migrating from winter range during late May. These sources of variability may <br />be eliminated by using only aerial locations and by eliminating locations on <br />winter range during late May. This will be done for the 1985 completion report. <br />Similar statistical analyses were run on refined calving home ranges between May <br />25 and June 15. Yearlings (2.82 mil) had significantly larger mean calving home <br />ranges than summer migrants (0.94 mi2), mine (0.46 mil) and control (0.67 mil) <br />elk. The overall mean home range size was 0.70 mil (Table 7). <br />6 <br />