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During aerial surveys, most mule deer have typically been observed in three distinct <br />portions of the survey area: the northwest (north and west of Seneca II-W), extreme northeast, <br />and extreme south central. Most deer have been associated with mountain brush habitats, but <br />those in the south central portion of the survey area were often on steep, exposed/relatively bare, <br />south facing slopes. In 2005, the majority (77%) of mule deer observed were found within <br />mountain brush habitat along slopes, while most remaining deer (21 %) were in sagebrush <br />habitats. Deer in mountain brush were found both in the northwest (north and west of Seneca II- <br />W)portion of the survey azea and directly south of the Yoast Mine. Deer in sagebrush habitats <br />were mainly in the northwest portion of the survey area. <br />Forty-seven pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) were also documented during the survey, <br />including one in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land in Section 28, T6N, R87W, and a <br />herd of 46 animals in Sections 20 and 21. That species was last recorded within the survey area <br />in 1994, when a herd of 36 was seen just northeast of the Yoast permit area. <br />Additional animals recorded during the 2005 survey included: 10 coyotes (Canis latrans), <br />9 golden eagles, 2sage-grouse, and 1 American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). <br />• <br />Seneca II-W Mine and Perimeter <br />Wildlife observations obtained from within the 35.0 miz area that includes the Seneca II- <br />W Mine permit area and its one-mile perimeter are listed in Appendix I. Big game observations <br />aze illustrated on Exhibit 1. During the 2005 aerial survey, 29 elk herds (369 individuals) were <br />observed in the Seneca II-W area. Three of those herds (64 animals) were located within the <br />boundary of the mine permit area and 26 herds (305 animals) were in the perimeter. <br />In 2005, the observed elk density within the Seneca II-W area averaged 10.5 elk/mi2, 3% <br />lower than that of the expanded survey area. Elk densities in the Seneca II-W azea have ranged <br />from 1.4 to 14.5 elk/miZ during 1994 through 2005. The observed trend in density generally <br />followed that of the expanded area (Figure 1). During eight of the twelve surveys completed <br />from 1994 to 2005, elk density in the vicinity of Seneca II-W was slightly lower than the density <br />recorded in the expanded azea. Densities reported from 2000 to 2002 were notably higher than <br />densities in the expanded area. We suspected that reversal probably resulted from an overall <br />• <br />2005 Seneca II-W Mine Wildlife Monitoring Page 7 <br />