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• 6. Firearms are and will be strictly controlled on the permit area to control poaching. <br />Wildlife Monitoring. <br />The initial wildlife monitoring program consisted of. <br />1. Winter aerial survey for big game Qanuary/February) <br />2. Monitoring Columbian sharp-tailed grouse leks, golden eagle nest activity, and sandhill crane <br />activity (April) <br />SCC began collecting winter aerial big game census data in 1985. The survey area included the <br />permit area and a one-mile perimeter (17.5 mi2). Two flight surveys were conducted in 1985, <br />February 1St and March 1St, to get an initial feel of winter big game concentrations. These flight <br />surveys indicated there was very little use of the Seneca II survey area by deer or elk as evidenced by <br />lack of sighted animals or tracks (1 elk/ mil, 0.5 deer/ mi2). See Tab 14, Appendix 14-1, Wildlife <br />Observations and Mitigation for further discussions. <br />is The survey area was increased in size in 1994 (84.5 mil) to include Seneca II, Yoast and II-W Mines <br />and again in 1996 to 89.5 mil. This expanded area has been surveyed each year from 1996 through <br />2006. Elk densities in the Seneca II area from 1994-2006 ranged from 2.9 elk/ mil (2002) to 26.1 <br />elk/ mil (2005). The observed trend in density generally follows that of the expanded area. Elk were <br />only recorded in reclaimed grassland at the Seneca II Mine during the December 1994, January 2000 <br />and February 2005 surveys. This suggests that elk likely avoid grassland habitats (reclaimed or <br />otherwise) when deep snow makes forage less accessible. Reclaimed grasslands are more attractive to <br />elk during other seasons. See Seneca II Mine 2006 Annual Reclamation Report, Wildlife Report for further <br />discussions. <br />During the aerial surveys, most mule deer have been associated with sloping mountain brush habitats <br />or steep, exposed south-facing slopes in the expanded survey area. Mule deer expend more energy <br />walking through snow than elk and typically concentrate in areas with high quality forage, which is <br />available in conjunction with lower snow depths. See Seneca II Mine 2006 Annual Reclamation Report, <br />Wildlife Report for further discussions. <br />The results of the past +20 years of annual winter aerial surveys at Seneca II indicate that big game <br />• winter use is more a function of winter snow depth and general herd movements rather than <br />TR-49 14-12 Revised 6/09