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Mine Site Inspection <br />Mine Name: Trapper Mine <br />Permittee: Trapper Mining Inc. <br />Permit ID #: C - 1981 - 010 <br />Inspection Date: April 25, 2012 5:15 — 12:00 <br />Weather Conditions: Cool morning warming later in day, dry, overcast <br />Participants: <br />Christine Belka, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) ID# 182 <br />Jared Ebert, Colorado Division or Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) <br />Dan Mackinnon, OSMRE <br />Forest Luke, Trapper Mining Inc. (TMI) <br />Graham Roberts, TMI <br />Spencer Shumate, OSMRE <br />Field Evaluation <br />This was a partial oversight inspection conducted in conjunction with a special focus evaluation of <br />Reclamation Success / Wildlife Post Mining Land Use. <br />Because this special focus evaluation was assessing the success of wildlife post mining land uses, we <br />were allowed access to a Phase III bond release area to observe sharp - tailed grouse leks. DRMS and <br />OSM would not normally inspect these areas because Trapper Mining Inc. (TMI) has fulfilled its ten -year <br />revegetation responsibility period and the reclamation has been found fully successful under DRMS's <br />program. However, this is an ideal location to observe the longer -term success of wildlife habitat on <br />reclaimed mine areas. <br />OSM and DRMS representatives observed two sharp - tailed grouse leks in the reclaimed D Pit area (see <br />photo 6993). We observed approximately 27 males in one lek and 30 in the other. When disturbed by a <br />potential threat, the grouse flushed quickly but returned to the site with a minute or two and resumed <br />strutting. Mr. Luke indicated that mine reclamation comprises approximately 1% of land in northwestern <br />Colorado, but approximately 18% of leks are found on reclamation. This is likely due to the birds' <br />preference for open areas for courtship display. Trapper has at least 10 observed leks and has heard, but <br />not yet located, others. The sharp - tailed grouse population within the permit area has increased from <br />approximately 29 in 1998 to over 170 in the present. <br />We observed 2 elk, 1 pronghorn, and 2 Swainson's hawks in the D Pit area. We then observed 2 <br />burrowing owls, 1 juvenile golden eagle, 1 kestrel, 1 red - tailed hawk, and 1 ferruginous hawk in the <br />reclaimed A Pit area. Ground squirrels were plentiful throughout the permit area and likely serve as a <br />food source for birds of prey. We observed several more pronghorns in the reclaimed F Pit area. <br />Mr. Luke indicated the highest count of pronghorns within the permit area to be around 700 individuals. <br />Pronghorns are attracted to new reclamation and tend to browse young shrubs, slowing shrub <br />establishment. Approximately 150 elk were observed on the permit area before mining; approximately <br />