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Eased on literature review and the fact that Little or no critical winter range will be affected by Trapper Mine, the following shrub reestablishment standards ~ and methods have been developed for Trapper Mine. • 1) Shrub standards should not be set Eor range site C (big sagebrush-grass range site). Range site C is primarily domestic grazing land. Any use by deer or elk is purely incidental. This type of use occurs and can be expected to continue occurring en this site as well as on inclusions of croplands. The sage-grass site dr,~s not provide hid ins or thermal cover to big game. Sage grouse populations in the area are very low and no k•:oun active leks for sage of sharp-tail grouse exist on or fear the mine plan area. 2) Range sites A and 'B, mountain shrub types, should be returned to spring- summer-fall mule deer habitat and elk winter habitat with consideration for spring and fall livestock grazing and year-round watershed management. 3) Mature tall overstory shrubs on reclaimed lands intended for big game use must eventually be sufficiently dense to conceal 90 percent of an adult mule deer when viewed from a distance of SO feet. • 4) Shrubs should be reestablished on range sites A and B in clumps 300 feet across at the smallest extent. Since critical deer vainter range does not exist at Trapper Mine, the purpose of reestablished shrubs will be to provide hiding and thermal cover to promote spring, summer, and fall use. These same shrub clumps ~oill provide thermal cover and forage to wintering elk. 5) The distance between shrub clumps (across open forage areas) should not exceed 1300 feet. The costs for such a program without consideration For mortality oc drill seeding are estimated as follows: One shrub clump 300 ft. in diameter = 1.62 acres/shrub clump Front end loader and operator costs = $7,554/acre 1.62 acres/shrub clump r. $7,554/acre = $12,238/shrub clianp One shrub clump provides cover for 46 acres • -22-