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towazd Hubberson Gulch; the north part of the area slopes northwest toward Dry Creek. Mining activity is largely confined to the southern two-thirds of the permit area. Mountain brush and sagebrush are the two most common native habitats on the permit area. A few aspen stands occur on the area, primarily on the east side. Bottomland is very limited on the permit area. BIG GAME Big game--elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)--were counted during an aerial survey completed on 26 January 1996. The survey was coordinated with Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) personnel and coincided with CDOW's schedule for surveying big game in the region. The same helicopter and pilot (High Country Helicopters, Montrose, CO) used by state biologists were used during the survey. The 89.5-mil expanded survey area was searched by systematically following each drainage and thoroughly covering adjacent slopes before moving to the next drainage. The survey was started on the east side of the area at 09:02h completed in the west at 15:OOh. Two PRES biologists were in the helicopter with the pilot. The locations of all big game, mammalian predators, and raptors sighted during the survey were plotted on 1:24000 topographic maps. Habitat was also recorded for each sighting. RAPTOR NESTS During the 26 January helicopter survey, the observers looked for raptor nests in trees and along cliffs. All nests seen were plotted on 1:24000 topographic maps. Known eagle nests on or within one mile of permit area were checked for activity on 23 April. Incidental to that monitoring, a biologist looked for additional raptor nests in the area. On 19 June, the productivity at an active golden eagle nest was checked and a ground search was made for raptor nests in Section 10, TSN, R88W. The biologist searched for nests as she drove around Section 10. Frequent stops were made a vantage points to examine typical nesting habitat. • 1996 Seneca II-W Mine Wildlife Monitoring Page 2