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• point. Nests were watched until their status (active, inactive, alternate, etc.) could be <br />determined. <br />RF.Si ii,TS <br />BIG GAME <br />The sky was partly cloudy during the 24 February aerial survey. Snow fall was rather <br />mittimal in the area during winter 1998-1999, and snow depth over the entire area was <br />probably less one foot in late February. Visibility during the survey was rated as fair to good. <br />Expanded Survey Area <br />A complete listing of all observations made during the aerial survey is given in <br />Appendix I. All sightings are also plotted on Exhibit 1. A total of 748 elk (8.8/mil) in 67 <br />herds were seen during the survey. Three herds of mule deer (37 animals) were also <br />observed. Four coyotes (Canis latrans) and one bobcat (Lynx rufus) were recorded in the <br />survey area. Raptors seen included three golden eagles. <br />• Elk occurred as lone individuals and in herds of as many as 88 animals; average herd <br />size was 11.7 animals. Elk were widely distributed over the area, but were notably absent <br />from the north-central and southeast edge of the area; elk were very sparse in the southwest <br />and extreme northwest corners of the area (Exhibit 1). The predominant habitat types in those <br />portions of the survey area, except in the southwest, are agricultural fields and flat grasslands. <br />No herds were seen on the Seneca II-W permit area; only one herd was seen on the Seneca II <br />permit area; one herd was also seen at Yoast. <br />Ninety-five percent of the elk seen (741) were in mountain brush habitat. Rough <br />breaks was the only other habitat that held any elk. <br />PRES has surveyed the expanded area six times: in December 1994, and each January <br />from 1995 through 1999. The very low density recorded during the December 1994 survey <br />(Figure 1) was probably due to poor ground conditions (patchy snow cover) and the use of a <br />fixed-wing aircraft for the survey. Both of those factors affected the observers' ability to <br />detect animals and resulted in under counting. Considerably more elk were seen a month <br />later, January 1995, when the area was surveyed from a helicopter. Observed elk density in <br />1999 Seneca II-W Mine Wildlile Monitoring Page 3 <br />