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page 4 #327 <br />4. Wildlife <br />5. Soils <br />Further evidence of retrogression may be sheet and <br />rill erosion, bare areas, a large increase in <br />annuals, absence of litter, absence of new <br />seedlings, and highly unstable forage production <br />from year to year. <br />e. Annual Production <br />If the range is in excellent condition, the <br />approximate total annual production (air —dry) is: <br />Favorable years <br />Normal years <br />Unfavorable years <br />1100 pounds /AC <br />800 pounds /AC <br />500 pounds /AC <br />Of this production, 45 percent will likely be <br />unpalatable or out of reach to grazing animals. <br />This site provides habitat which supports a resident <br />animal community that is characterized by desert <br />cottontail, white — tailed jackrabbit, coyote, badger, <br />white — tailed prairie dog, mourning dove, red — tailed <br />hawk, bald eagle, golden eagle and a variety of <br />songbirds such as the sage thrasher, sage sparrow, and <br />Bewick's wren. There is seasonal use by mule deer and <br />pronghorn. During winters of severe snow accumulat <br />these areas become critical winter range for deer. <br />Heavy browsing of Wyoming big sagebrush, shadscale, a j <br />even tall rabbitbrush can occur. <br />a. Soils in this site are moderately deep to deep and <br />well— drained. They formed in materials derived <br />from shale and alluvium. They are influenced by <br />loess. The surface layer is fine sandy loam, <br />loam, or sandy clayloam 2 to 3 inches thick and is <br />underlain by silty clay loam, clay loam, loam, or <br />gravelly loam to a depth of 30 or 60 inches. <br />Permeabilities are slow to moderately slow. <br />Available water holding capacities are moderate to <br />high. Runoff is medium and the water erosion <br />hazard ranges from slight to high. The hazard for <br />wind erosion is slight. <br />