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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION <br />The sky was clear during the 23 January survey. Snow cover was 80-100% over most <br />of the area, but was not very deep and did not appear to be an impediment to animal movement. <br />Deep snow accumulations were limited to the agricultural fields and grass pastures in the <br />northwest, north-central, and southeast portions of the 84-miz survey area. Given the sky and <br />ground conditions, visibility was rated as good during the survey. <br />A complete listing of all observations made in the 84.5-miZ area is given in Appendix I. <br />All sightings are also plotted on Exhibit I. A total of 613 elk, in 80 herds were seen during the <br />survey. Observed elk density on 23 January was 7.3 animals/mil; herd size averaged 7.7 <br />animals/herd. <br />Elk density in January was almost four times greater than the 1.9 elk/miZ observed during <br />a survey of the area completed on 28 December 1994; observed herd size during the December <br />flight (7.8 elk/herd) was very similar to the herd size recorded in January. Although poor <br />ground conditions and the use of a fixed-wing aircraft during the December survey may have <br />affected observers' ability to detect some animals, it is very likely that the number of elk in the <br />area increased after the first of the year. Mild weather prevailed in the region through the end <br />of 1994, and it is probable that many animals that might winter in the survey area were still in <br />the higher reaches of the Williams Fork Mountains to the south on 28 December. After the first <br />of the year, colder temperatures and additional snowfall probably pushed more animals north <br />into the 84-mil survey area. <br />The herds were widely distributed over the entire survey area on 23 January, but were <br />noticeably absent from the agricultural fields and grasslands in the north-central part of the area, <br />and along the extreme southwest edge of the area (Exhibit 1). Clusters of herds were seen in <br />the south-central and northeast parts of the area. <br />1995 Scncw II-W Mine Big Game Auial Survey Page 3 <br />