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<br /> <br /> <br />1 <br />1 <br /> <br />LJ <br />1 <br />1 <br />LJ <br />1 <br />1 <br /> <br />1 <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br />It is probable that sample size was insufficient in some cases to give an <br />accurate home range size calculation; however, differences between the 4 <br />groups of elk are probably valid. This is confirmed by the observation that <br />yearlings and summer migrants were located fewer times on the average than <br />mine and control elk and yet still had larger home ranges. The lack of dif- <br />ference between mine and control elk is substantiated by the second analysis <br />where sample size was kept constant between the 2 groups. Our results show an <br />insignificant decrease in home-range size due to mining disturbances. Edge, <br />et al, (1985) found a similar response due to logging disturbances. <br />Calving Home Range Fidelity <br />To determine what fidelity elk exhibit to calving areas, the amount of <br />overlap between home ranges in consecutive years was measured. The overlap <br />acreage was then divided by the smaller of the 2 home ranges to give a rela- <br />tive percent overlap. For general calving home ranges (May 15 - June 30) and <br />refined calving home ranges (May 25 - June 15), the mean relative percent <br />overlap for all elk was 52% and 28%, respectively. Statistical analysis indi- <br />cated no significant differences between yearlings, summer migrants, mine or <br />control elk for either general or refined calving home ranges. However, there <br />was a tendency for mine elk to have greater overlap. Mean relative percent <br />overlap for general home ranges for mine and control elk was 66% and 43%, <br />respectively. For refined calving home ranges, overlap for mine and control <br />elk averaged 37% and 23%, respectively (see Table 14, Relative Percent Calving <br />Home Range Overlap Between Consecutive Years, May 15 - June 30 and Table 15, <br />Relative Percent Calving Home Range Overlap Between Consecutive Years, May 25 <br />- June 30). <br />As another measure of fidelity to calving areas, linear distance between <br />consecutive season activity centers for calving home ranges was measured. <br />Activity centers were determined by taking the average of all the X and Y <br />coordinates for all locations within the calving home ranges. When more than <br />one location was obtained on an elk in a single day, these locations were <br />averaged and one set of coordinates for that day was used in the overall cal- <br />culation for the activity center. This helped insure independence of each X <br />and Y coordinates going into the overall means and prevented any one day from <br />having a disproportionate influence on the activity center location. This was <br />-11- <br />1 <br />