Show survey crew to check range and condition of deer on elk ridge man kent frost monticello who i hinks nothing of pushing off in tifis country lafot afoot with his rifle and a few provisions tully R harvey sheriff of san juan county harold crane draper chief of big game division utah game dept lloyd stevens Fer ferron ibri district game manager utah game dept earl S vens price assistant district agent U S fish and wildlife service dan R winbourn Wih bourn moab grand county game warden dale 11 kinnaman monticello district range manager bureau of land management J A monticello assistant range manager cecil jones monticello san juan county game warden J 0 stewart price supervisor man ti lasal national forest julian thoomas Th Til lomas tomas monticello forest ranger blue mountain elk ridge district owen W morris salt lake city utah predator pre daitor control agent U S fish and wildlife service casey brown public relations chief utah game dept don brooks reporter for the salt lake tribune loaded camping gear and equipment into five jeeps at ithe dugout hanloh and set out to make a survey of the range bilang re and deer conditions in the elk ridge section of san juan county and to consider plans for additional roads ito open up country inaccessible ces sible to hunting also to consider ithe feasibility of constructing ting a road from the roads now in beef basin through the needles and tying in with the athe dugout road deer in in excess of the available forage have occurred in several areas end and one of the most critical is the elk ridge area west of monticello and blanding A continuing buildup build up of the herds along with critical conditions of both summer and winter range indicates that the removal of both special and regular hunts during the past year has not been adequate the herd is still above the ranges carrying capacity recommendations agreed upon by the party of stockmen stoc kmen sportsmen land owner and management agencies involved ere are that at least to must be taken this year if conditions are to be improved it is stated that the present population is between and it is the opinion rif df those mainguth making maing th the survey that it would help the condition it if rih the 2000 special permits of two deer to a permit were increased to permits also with two deer to the permit past growth of the elk ridge herd can be emphasized by comparing the present herd to that of 1938 1933 at that time forest officials Is gave serious consideration of transplanting deer into that area to bolster the herd this area is relatively inaccessible ces sible and to attract hunters it is hoped that access roads will be extended into the area unless steps are taken to increase the kill in the ahe extreme winters ahead deer will again fall prey to starvation on the ranges concerned |