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grass are relied upon for food, cover and nesting (Dalke et al. 1963, Braun et al. 1977). Mating <br />• occurs on "leks ", open areas used for male territorial defense and female strutting displays, in the <br />spring (Scott 1942). Knowing this, the terrestrial vertebrate consultant attempted field studies during <br />late March and all of April. The inclement weather, including late snows in April and the first week of <br />May, rendered the roads impassable during normal "lek" activity, and prevented field data collection <br />until the '9eks" if present would no longer be in use. One man -week, however, was spent in ground <br />surveys looking for concentrated scat, nest and other indications of "lek" activity but to no avail. Low <br />level aerial reconnaissance, three separate times, and detailed analysis of aerial photographs were <br />also done. At best only three potential "lek" sites could be identified. They are indicated on Map <br />124. Consultation with Colorado Division of Wildlife personnel from the Denver office and Lou <br />Vidukovich, the local conservation officer, indicated that no known '9eks" has been identified for the <br />area. A similar lack of knowledge was attested for the area of concern by BLM personnel from the <br />Meeker and Craig office. <br />A study of the specific impact area of concern having high sage grouse numbers was conducted <br />during the spring of 1981 to determine if "lek" activity occurred within the area of potential impact. <br />Since none were found, specific mitigation is avoidance of the one identified lek north of Cactus <br />Reservoir. No disturbances of any kind will occur at the lek approximately 100 meters north of <br />Cactus Reservoir. <br />Burrowing owls are thought to be declining in numbers. This is largely due to the demise of their <br />• habitat. Burrowing owls nest in the burrows of large rodents such as prairie dogs and feed on small <br />rodents in grassland habitats. It has long been a practice of man to control populations of large <br />rodents and to cultivate many grasslands, so the potential habitat of burrowing owls has been <br />reduced. They do, however, occupy and are restricted to the grass habitat in the proposed disposal <br />site. They will be at least temporarily impacted as disposal occurs. Reclamation will be <br />simultaneous with disposal as tracts are utilized and reclaimed at the same time. <br />The habitat affinities of three prime mammalian species are of concern: prairie dogs, bobcats and <br />pronghorn. Prairie dogs utilize several habitats in the area of potential impact, but are in significant <br />abundance in only one. Prairie dog populations are estimated at 290 per hectare in the grass <br />habitat in the proposed disposal site. These high populations are sufficient to support populations of <br />predators, potentially including black- footed ferrets, if any are present. Additionally, they provide <br />habitat for burrowing owls. Although there are substantial prairie dog populations to the north or into <br />Moffat County, disposal must and will be done carefully and systematically. Only necessary acres <br />will be disturbed at a time and reclamation will be simultaneous with new area utilization. This will <br />serve and restore the critical grass habitat as long and as soon as possible. <br />Bobcats are ubiquitous in a variety of habitats throughout the United States and cannot be delimited <br />to a specific habitat type. In the area of concern they seemed only to occupy the ledges along the <br />• Technical Revision #68 (01/2011) IV -4 7 <br />