Laserfiche WebLink
highest elevations. Rolling rangeland and agricultural fields aze in the north-central, extreme <br />• northwest, and southeast portions of the azea. Bottomland habitat occurs along major creeks-- <br />Grassy Creek, Sage Creek, Dry Creek--and their larger tributary draws. <br />On the Seneca II-W permit area, elevations range from 7000 to over 7,700 feet above <br />sea level. The terrain is highest on the east side of the permit area. Much of the azea slopes <br />down to the west toward Hubberson Gulch; the north part of the azea slopes northwest towazd <br />Dry Creek. Mining activity is largely confined to the southern two-thirds of the permit area. <br />Mountain brush and sagebrush are the two most common native habitats on the permit <br />area. A few aspen stands occur on the area, primarily on the east side. Bottomland is very <br />limited on the permit azea. <br /> <br />Big game--elk (Cervus elaphus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and pronghorn <br />(Antilocapra americans)--were counted during an aerial survey completed on 23 January 1995. <br />The survey was coordinated with Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) personnel and <br />coincided with CDOW's schedule for surveying big game in the region. The same helicopter <br />and pilot (High Country Helicopters, Montrose, CO) used by state biologists were used during <br />the Seneca survey. The 84.5-mil survey azea was searched by systematically following each <br />drainage and thoroughly covering adjacent slopes before moving to the next drainage. The <br />survey was started on the east side of the azea at 09:30h completed in the west at 14:1Oh. <br />Two PR$S biologists were in the helicopter with the pilot. The locations of all big <br />game, mammalian predators, and raptors sighted during the survey were plotted on a 1:24000 <br />topographic map. The habitat animals were in and their activity were also recorded. <br />1995 Scotts fI-W Mine Big Game Axial Survry Page 2 <br />