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4-42 <br />4.6.2 Large Diammals <br />• Mule deer are the most abundant large mammal within the mine qY <br />4 <br />plan area. Black bear and mountain lion may be present in ~~~/~\ <br />F. <br />the lease block area, but none were observed. Signs of ellc~, <br />were observed at higher elevations, and it is possible that <br />some elk occur within the mine plan area at certain times <br />of the year. <br />Very few deer were observed during the summer field season. <br />During the fall, however, approximately ten deer could be <br />seen on any given day, with most observed during evenings <br />feeding in hay meadows south of the permit area. Larger <br />numbers of deer were observed during winter, which is to be <br />expected since increasing snow and cold weather tend to <br />• move deer to lower elevations in this geographic region. <br /> During the spring field season, efforts will be made to <br />characterize deer use of those agricultural meadows in the <br />area to the south of the permit area which support early <br />spring grasses. <br />It is apparent that the general pattern of deer migrational <br />movement in the mine plan and adjacent areas is one of deer <br />moving down to lower elevations in the fall and returning <br />to higher elevations in spring. Dispersed upslope and down- <br />slope movements undoubtedly occur over wide areas. No <br />evidence was found for mass movements along a narrow migra- <br />tional route. This is a typical migratory pattern for mule <br />deer inhabiting areas of similar ecology and topography, and <br />