Mountain/Shrub Sagebrush Area. The Ranch’s mountain/shrub sagebrush area with aspen and conifer (hereinafter, the Mountain Area) primarily ranges from 7,000 to 8,700 feet in elevation and is situated primarily in Xxxxxx and Xxxxx Counties. It is characterized by high benches and rocky ridges with silts, sands and gravels. This part of the Ranch is incised by deep canyons with steep slopes cut by small streams, the upper reaches of which are characterized by highly productive layers of dark mountain loam. There are several small mountain streams that feed ultimately into Lost Creek drainage and the Xxxxx River, the Ogden River or the Bear River. The ridges and benches receive 15 to 35 inches of annual precipitation and are covered with a diverse interspersion of mountain brush, aspen, conifer pockets, upland meadow, and riparian vegetation types. On all but the steepest rocky slopes and densest brush and conifer stands, the mountain brush has a diverse mixed grass understory. DLL is engaged in a long-term forest management program in the dispersed pockets of coniferous and aspen trees. Functionally, the mountain area provides spring through fall range for livestock and big game. Mountain xxxxxxx, treatments and sagebrush stands are primarily used as late brood-rearing habitat by GSG. Other sagebrush wildlife species of concern occur in this area, including pygmy rabbit and sagebrush obligate passerines. It is located in the heart of the Xxxxxx-South Rich Wildlife Management Unit and harbors a significant portion of northern Utah’s elk population, a significant population of mule deer, ruffed grouse (Bonassa umbellus), dusky (blue) grouse (Dendragopus obscurus), a few Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus), moose, cougar (Felis concolor) and black bear (Ursus americanus). Given the good habitat for the foregoing wildlife species, the mountain area provides recreation for hunters and revenue to landowners and area businesses far beyond the Ranch’s boundaries. The mountain area is also very high-quality summer range for the cattle operation and is grazed by domestic sheep as part of the vegetation treatment program. Numerous searches of the mountain area have identified only one small, sporadically attended GSG lek in Morgan County (Blue Ridge Lek). Although the mountain area provides limited nesting and early brood habitat, it is primarily used for late (July to August) brood-rearing habitat. GSG activity primarily occurs on ridge-tops and milder, less than 20% slopes. Th...
