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• Colorado (Table 4-2). Five big game species occur within the study area: <br />mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), elk (Cervus elaphus), pronghorn <br />(Antilocapra americans), black bear (Ursus americanus), and mountain lion <br />(Felis concolor). Of these five species, only the mule deer and elk are <br />abundant. <br />Five species of upland game birds are known from the immediate vicinity of <br />the study area: mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), blue grouse (Dendragapus <br />obscurusl, sage grouse (Centrocerus unophasianus), chukar (Alectoris <br />chukar), and ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). Of these, only <br />the mourning dove, blue grouse, and sage grouse are common or fairly common <br />within the study area. The chuckar and ring-necked pheasant were <br />introduced and may occur peripheral to the study area as remnant <br />populations. <br />A variety of small game mammals and mammalian predators inhabit the region. <br />Cottontails (Sylvilagus sp.) are the most common small game species within <br />• the region and occur primarily in mountain shrub and sagebrush habitats. <br />White-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) are less common and prefer <br />wooded upland habitats. Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), marmot (Marmots <br />flaviventris), and muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) may be found in or near <br />stands of aspen and oak, rock outcrops, and watercourses, respectively. <br />Beaver (Castor canadensis) also inhabit perennial portions of creeks of the <br />region. Coyotes (Canis la trans) and weasels (Mustela sp.) are common <br />predators of the region and occur in nearly all habitats. The bobcat (Lynx <br />rufus) is also common, but tends to prefer rough, broken terrain and <br />rimrock. Other predators of the region include red fox (Vulpes vulpes), <br />badger (Taxidea taxus), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), long-tailed <br />weasel (Mustela frenata), and raccoon (Procyon lotor), <br />The status of these game and other state-managed species within the study <br />area is discussed in the remainder of this section. Results of literature <br />review and field studies are presented for big game, upland game birds, and <br />predators and furbearers. <br /> <br />4-3 <br />