PERMFILE130842

• Permit No: C1980005A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 8/20/2003
• Section_Exhibit Name: Tab 13 Postmining Land Use
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

nutrient levels that meet these increased needs for both livestock and
than woody dominated native ve
etation
Again
the large numbers of deer big
and game better
elk
resent
.
,
g p
on reclaimed areas at the Seneca 11 Mine appear to demonstrate the utility of a herbaceous
forage resource to big game.
Early greening spring grasses contribute significantly to mule deer diets in the Rocky
Mountain and Intermountain regions (Willms and McLean, 1978). Yoakum and Dasmann (1971)
also reported pregnant does benefit directly from the availability of green forages during
the critical early spring period. If the winter has been severe, the need for succulent
and nutritious spring forage is even more critical. Big game select out those forages
highest in nutritive quality when available and also those that ere greening end succulent
(Mar es zczak et al., 1981 and Armstrong, 1975). 7o a lesser extent, these benefits will
benefit other wildlife species.
Various studies show mule deer end elk prefer succulent forages more than woody species
during various times of the year. Miller et al. (1981) found big game selected up to 52
percent grasses in their diets during the period of March through June. Forbs accounted
for 38 percent. The big game in this study also tended to congregate in areas where
palatable forage occurred (again, similar to Seneca reclaimed areas). The study site was
in forested areas with brush understory and clear cut areas seeded with palatable
herbaceous forage. While these opened areas covered only 31 percent of the area, 66
percent of the big game diet came from them. The value of forage plants available to deer
and elk is an important consideration in addition [o structural characteristics of a
habitat. Carpenter et el. (1979), in a study near Kremmling, Colorado, found mule deer
selected a large amount of grasses and forbs during the winter months of January and
February when snow cover was minimal. Over 50 percent of their diets consisted of grasses
and forbs in a 30-day grazing trial. In a study by uillms et al. (1979) on big sagebrush
range in British Columbia, it was found deer selected 68 percent of their early spring
diet as grasses and forbs.
While big game and livestock will benefit from the increase in herbaceous cover, various
bird species and small mammals will also benefit from the addition of this habitat
component. Food and nesting cover will be increased for small mammals and some birds.
Large statured herbaceous species such as basin wildrye have been included in the seed mix
• to enhance this cover component. Basin wildrye will also provide winter grazing and cover
when snoupack increases (Majerus 1992). Raptors and other predators will have increased
13-7 Revised 01/15/93