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southeast portions of the area. Bottomland habitat occurs along major creeks--Grassy Creek, <br />Sage Creek, Dry Creek--and their larger tributary draws. <br />On the Seneca II permit area, elevations range from 6750 to over 8,100 feet ASL. The <br />terrain steadily slopes upward from west to east across the permit area; steep slopes occur <br />along two drainages in the north-central and southeast corner of the permit area. Mining and <br />reclamation activity is largely confined to the middle portion of the area. <br />Mountain brush is the predominant native habitat on the permit area. Sagebrush <br />habitat occurs primarily in the southwest part of the permit area. There are a few aspen stands <br />on the area, but they are limited to north- and east-facing draws at upper elevations. <br />Bottomland is limited to narrow bands along larger drainages. Reclaimed areas are dominated <br />by grassland with some shrub-grassland. <br />METHODS <br />BIG GAME <br />Big game--elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoi[eus hemionus)--were counted <br />during an aerial survey completed on 24 January 1998. 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 10:38h completed in the west at 15:48h. <br />Two PRES 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 1:24000 <br />topographic maps. Habitat was also recorded for each sighting. <br />UPLAND GAME BIItDS <br />A Columbian sharp-tailed grouse lek (Seneca tll) was discovered in reclamation at the <br />Seneca II Mine in April 1995 by mine personnel (R. Karo, pers. comm.). PRES checked <br />• Seneca >El for activity on 26 April and 3 May 1998; an incidental observation of birds at the <br />1998 Seneca II Mine Wildlife Monitoring Page 2 <br />