Pronghorn . A summary of pronghorn observations made during the study 

 period is presented in Table 8. Production ratios for the Mine Study Area 

 from 1977-1980 (based on all July through October observations of fully 

 classified groups) are shown in Figure 5. Results of the July 1981 pronghorn 

 aerial census of Hunting District 650 are presented in Table 9. Aerial census 

 data for the Mine Study Area are presented in Table 6. Winter density indices 

 (as described under Mule Deer, above) and summer-fall density indices (based 

 on the largest aerial census figures obtained during a single flight in the 

 period from July-October) are shown in Figure 6 for 1977-1981. 



Monthly pronghorn summer and winter density indices obtained during 

 aerial censuses were averaged for each section in the Mine Study Area for the 

 report period as well as for all years since 1976 combined. These data were 

 not used to create density index isopleths, as was done in previous years, but 

 are presented in tabular form in Appendix D. 



BIRD COMMUNITY PARAMETERS 



Waterfowl Communities 



Breeding season species composition of all waterfowl and other large 

 water birds observed in the Mine Study Area is presented in Table 10. Year-to- 

 year changes in waterfowl species composition are portrayed graphically in 

 Figure 7. Species composition was remarkably similar to that noted in 1979, 

 with the mallard again being the predominant breeding waterfowl species. 



Waterfowl breeding season census data for stockponds in the study area 

 are summarized in Table 11. These data are converted to production and 

 density estimates in Table 12. Production is shown graphically in Figure 8. 

 Note that breeding pair censuses are not a reliable indicator of production as 

 shown by Figure 8. In 1980, the number of pairs was comparable to the number 

 censused in 1979, but actual production dropped sharply, due to a decrease in 

 residual grass cover. The 1979 peak in production was probably related to the 

 excellent residual nesting cover following the extremely wet year of 1978. 



Waterfowl data obtained during the roadside surveys are shown in Figure 

 9. Data on broods observed during 1981 are presented in Table 13. 



Roadside Wildlife Survey 



Data obtained during the 11 roadside surveys conducted in 1981 are 

 presented in Appendix C. The cumulative numbers of species observed during 

 all May-July runs (1977-1981) are presented in Table 14. 



Table 15 summarizes 1980-1981 changes in May-July sample abundances of 

 selected species, based on data obtained during runs of five roadside survey 

 routes. Figure 1, which shows year-to-year changes in sample abundances of 

 ring-necked pheasants, exhibits the type of graphs that were prepared to 

 monitor individual species. 



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