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• Meeker, Colorado from October 1983 through April 1984 was 180 percent of <br />the 1961-1980 average (Colorado Climate Center 1984). During summer, deer <br />densities on summer range within the study area were estimated to range <br />between 15-20 animals/mil. <br />Mule deer are hunted throughout the region and represent an economically <br />significant resource. During the 1983 deer seasons, an estimated 3,123 <br />deer were harvested within CDOW Game Management Unit (GMU) 11 (Figure 4-2) <br />representing 3.9 percent of the statewide deer harvest (CDOW 1983). During <br />1984, and estimated 1,466 deer were harvested in GMU 11 (CDOW 1985), <br />representing 2.3 percent of the statewide harvest. <br />Although a significant portion (approximately 70 percent) of lands within <br />the study area is federally or state-owned, access to these areas is <br />primarily through privately held lands and is. limited. No estimates of <br />deer harvest are available for the study area. <br />Elk are also regionally abundant, year-around and migrate through the study <br />area. The White River elk herd is considered to be the largest and among <br />the most productive herds in Colorado and the United States (Boyd 1970, OSM <br />1982). Areas in close proximity to timber (especially aspen), water, and <br />meadows are preferred spring and summer elk habitat. Winter range consists <br />of areas where snow accumulation does not exceed 16 inches (Sweeney and <br />Sweeney 1984), generally on south, east, or west aspects below 7,500 ft. <br />Results of an intensive regional investigation of elk conducted during <br />1983-1985 (CDM 1984a, 1985a, 1985b), provide considerable information <br />concerning elk distribution and abundance within the Danforth Hills study <br />area. These results indicate that elk winter, calve, summer, and migrate <br />through the proposed affected area. Seasonal distribution and <br />spring/summer concentration areas of elk are depicted in Figure 4-3. Elk <br />were restricted to the south aspect above the West Fork of Good Spring <br />Creek and along the southeast and northwest aspects above the Good Spring <br />Creek (mainstem) Yalley during the winters of 1983-1984 and 1984-1985. Elk <br />L J <br />4-7 <br />