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counts in the E-Seam were always low. His observations and what was observed during this <br />study indicate habitat within the project'area is not of high importance to wintering elk. <br />During these studies two aerial surveys for big game were conducted. On December 28, 28 elk <br />were observed in or near the project area. During the aerial survey conducted on January 17, <br />2008 only three elk and very few tracks were observed in the study area. As a result of the deep <br />snow ( 4 feet by late December) virtually all elk left the area and moved to lower elevations. <br />During the ground surveys conducted from the end of December through early March only a few <br />elk and sets of tracks were observed in the project area. In mid-March, small groups of elk or <br />their tracks were observed. They were moving onto south facing slopes where much of the snow <br />had melted. By mid-April elk and tracks were observed more frequently. Still numbers were low <br />with only small bunches being observed scattered throughout the area. All elk and tracks were <br />observed on Lion Mesa, along the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek or in the Deer Creek drainage. <br />An unknown number of acres of winter habitat will be disturbed by road and well site <br />construction. Habitat in the project area is aspen and mountain shrub of which there are several <br />thousand acres. When considering total amount of winter habitat in the area available to elk and <br />the low numbers of wintering animals, loss of very small amount of habitat indicates there is <br />little chance elk will be adversely affected by the project. Also, the fact that during winters such <br />as 2007-2008 elk will leave the project area and move to lower elevations in the North Fork <br />Valley to winter. This further reduces the chances of wintering elk being affected by the <br />proposed operations. <br />American marten: American marten were discussed in the sensitive species section of this <br />report. <br />Northern goshawk: Northern goshawk was discussed in the sensitive species section of this <br />report. <br />Merriam's wild turkey: During flights made to observe wintering big game some of these birds <br />were observed adjacent to the project area in the Minnesota Creek drainage around cultivated <br />fields. Typically, snow depths are such in the project area that turkeys would be expected to <br />move to out of the area to lower elevations. However, during the April 11 survey numerous <br />turkeys and tracks were observed throughout the area. They were found as high as 8500 feet <br />where there was three to four feet of snow and in all drainages. They were even observed in <br />spruce-fir along the Deep Creek drainage. Of interest was their use of snowmobile trails to move <br />through deep snow areas. There were instances where they followed my previous snowmobile <br />tracks for up to a mile. It appears they were randomly moving through the area and foraging in <br />Gamble oak-mountain shrub stands in areas on south facing slopes where snow had melted. <br />Due to the large expanses of habitat and their ability to readily move out of the area to lower <br />elevations in the winter it is doubtful that turkeys would be affected by activities associated with <br />the above ground mining operations during the winter months. <br />21