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is relatively small and probably could not support over one pair of water- <br />fowl in a given year. No waterfowl nests or broods were located on the <br />study area in 1979. Due to the lack of waterfowl and riparian areas, the <br />study area cannot be considered good waterfowl habitat. The largest perennial <br />water body harboring waterfowl populations near the study area is the Miguel <br />River, approximately six miles southwe ;t of the Nucla mine. <br />BIG GAME STUDIES <br />Mule deer is the only resident big game species on the study area. Elk may <br />rarely occur on habitats near the study area but none have been reported on <br />the study area to date (personal communication, March 1980, Rich Sherman, <br />DOW). Elk were sighted in a pinyon- juniper area approximately two miles <br />north and east of the study area during the winter, 1978 (personal communication, <br />May 1979, Mr. Fritz Nylund, local resident; personal communication, May 1979, <br />Mrs. Francis Fort, local resident). However, winter habitat for elk moving <br />down from thefmuntains to the north and east is considered marginal by the <br />DOW (personal communication, March 1980, Rich Sherman, DOW). <br />Mule deer are year -round residents of habitats in the vicinity of Nucla mine <br />and are common in pinyon - juniper woodlands east of the study area. Mule deer <br />were heavily concentrated in these woodlands during the winter, 1980. Only <br />three mule deer were observed in the vicinity of the study area during 1979 - <br />19B0 investigations (Map 11 -2, Appendix A) although tracks and droppings were <br />frequently encountered on the eastern boundary of the permit area. Popula- <br />tion estimates are not available, however (persona). commUnication, March 1980, <br />Rich Sherman, DOW). 'Good mule deer'habitat does not exist on the study area; <br />the habitat immediately surrounding the study area is considered only <br />marginal. <br />MAMMALIAN PREDATORS <br />The scent - station visitation technique (Linhart and Knowlton 1973) was used <br />to determine the presence and relative abundance of nemmalian predators <br />-40- <br />JU4 I 1 1980 <br />