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1 <br />1 <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br />1 <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br />illegal harvest, crippling loss, and winter mortality during the first 2 <br />years. During the third year there was an increase in winter mortality which <br />coincided with the heavy snow year of 1983-84. Most of the winter mortalities <br />appeared to be in older age cows. During the 4th year there was a significant <br />increase in legal harvest. This coincided with an increase in the number of <br />cow permits issued particularly in the combined hunt during November and the <br />addition of a late December hunt. During the 4th year there were no winter <br />mortalities. <br />Table 9 (Elk Harvested in 1984) gives a list of all band returns from elk <br />harvested during the 1984 hunting season. In addition to 8 transmittered elk <br />being harvested, bands were received from 3 cows and 4 bulls which had conven- <br />tional collars or ear tags. <br />Productivity <br />July helicopter surveys have been conducted for the past 4 years (1982- <br />1985) to obtain cow:calf ratios (Table 10, Elk Productivity). Elk were clas- <br />sified on 3 surface coal mines (CYCC, Pittsburg Midway, Seneca) and 3 compar- <br />able control areas (Middle Creek, Quarry Mountain, Thorpe Mountain). In <br />addition, elk were classified in 2 areas at higher elevations (Little Flat <br />Tops, Dunckley Flat Tops). Overall averages for elk using mine areas, control <br />areas and higher elevation areas indicate respective ratios of 55, 52 and 43 <br />calves per 100 cows. Analysis of Variance and Duncan's Multiple Range Test <br />(o! = 0.05) indicate no significant difference between mine and control areas. <br />High elevation areas had significantly lower calf ratios. <br />Calving Home Range Size <br />The average home range size for observations taken between May 15 and <br />June 30 was 2.57 mil (median 1.12 mi2), Table 11, Minimum Home Size During <br />Calving (May 15 - June 30). The average refined calving home range size for <br />observations between May 25 and June 15 was 0.72 mil (median 0.24 mi2), Table <br />12, Minimum Home Range Size During Calving (May 25 - June 15). There was a <br />significant degree of variability in home range size. Some of these differ- <br />ences were due to differences in age and behavior patterns of individual elk. <br />In order to evaluate these differences and determine if there were any differ- <br />-9- <br /> <br />