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• central, extreme northwest, and southeast portions of the area. Bottomland habitat occurs along <br />major creeks--Grassy Creek, Sage Creek, Dry Creek--and their larger tributary draws. <br />On the Yoast permit area, elevations range from 6,800 to over 7,900 feet ASL. Terrain <br />varies from rolling rangeland and agricultural fields at the north edge to high ridges and steep <br />slopes in the central and south parts of the permit azea. Most of the area's drainage enters Grassy <br />Creek, which tuns along the southeast side of the permit azea. A small part of the area drains to <br />Sage Creek, which borders the southwest side of the permit area. <br />Mountain brush is the most prevalent habitat on the permit area. Sagebrush habitat occurs <br />as scattered patches on high flats and ridge tops. Aspen stands occur primarily in moist areas <br />along wide drainage bottoms or on north- and east-facing slopes. Bottomland is limited to narrow <br />bands along larger drainages and around stockponds. Improved pasture and agricultural fields are <br />found along the haul road corridor. <br />Big Game <br />Big game--elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)--were counted <br />during an aerial survey completed on 26 January 1996. The survey was coordinated with <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) personnel and coincided with CDOW's schedule for <br />surveying big game in the region. The same helicopter and pilot (High Country Helicopters, <br />Montrose, CO) used by state biologists were used during the survey. The 89.5-mil expanded <br />survey area was searched by systematically following each drainage and thoroughly covering <br />adjacent slopes before moving to the next drainage. The survey was started on the east side of <br />the area at 09:02h completed in the west at 15:OOh. <br />Two PRES biologists were in the helicopter with the pilot. The locations of all big game, <br />mammalian predators, and raptors sighted during the survey were plotted on 1:24000 topographic <br />maps. Habitat was also recorded for each sighting. <br />Upland Game Birds <br />Three sharp-tailed grouse leks were discovered in the Yoast area during baseline studies <br />• in 1993. The leks were designated STG-1 (in SE'/a SE'/a Section 5, TSN, R87W), STG-2 (in <br />1996 Yoas[ Mine Site Wildlife Monitoring Page 2 <br />