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seen except during the early fall when they can be <br />• readily found in the berry patches along creek bottoms. <br />Bear can also be seen in the springtime, grazing in high <br />meadows. <br />Some depredation problems do occur when domestic sheep run <br />in the high country during the summer. In the past, Divi- <br />sion of Wildlife Services personnel have taken bear doing <br />damage. This no longer occurs. Private individuals are <br />allowed to take bear at any time of year without a license <br />in order to alleviate livestock losses. This is allowed <br />under State Law (62-3-5(3)), <br />Until 1967 a bear could be taken on the deer or elk license <br />or the special spring and summer bear license and harvest <br />information was not available. Bear harvest statistics <br />are presented in table 7 for 1971-1974. Game Management <br />Units 521 and 53 were among the top 10 units for harvest <br />of bear; Unit 53 in 1971, and both in 1974. <br />• The bear population has probably been on a slight increasing <br />trend since 1967 due to lighter hunting pressure. Harvest <br />and intraspecific competition for territory are probably <br />the major limiting factors on the bear population. <br />Hares and Rabbits <br />The snowshoe rabbit is the only ha re that is hunted for <br />food in this area. They are usually taken incidentally <br />by deer hunters. Cottontail rabbits are harvested, but <br />usually in conjunction with upland bird hunting. Data <br />on population and harvest is not available for any of <br />the rabbits. Populations tend to be cyclic but habitat <br />is best when there is a good interspersion of food, cover <br />and water. <br />Small Mammals <br />A list of mammals, inhabiting the district, is located in <br />Step II of this URA. This list is not very adaptable as <br />NF-WL-III-13 4/76 RWM <br />