[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 195 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54153-54154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26981]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CO-056-1110-00]


Notice of Vehicle Access Closure

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of seasonal closure of the Bronson Peak Road (BLM Road 
5100) and area closure in the Rio Grande County, Colorado to motorized 
vehicle use during Colorado's combined deer & elk hunting seasons for 
1998 and 1999. Closure dates will be October 8, 1998 thru November 8, 
1998 and October 7, 1999 thru November 7, 1999.

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SUMMARY: Under the authority and requirement of 43 CFR 8364.1 and 43 
CFR 8341.1 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 
notice is hereby given that effective October 8, 1998, public lands 
described below are seasonally closed to all motorized vehicle use 
during Colorado's 1998 and 1999 combined deer & elk hunting seasons. 
This seasonal closure is in addition to the existing closure (FR Doc. 
94-26114, filed 10-20-94), which permanently affects 3600 acres of 
Public lands east of BLM Road 5100 in T.38N., R7E., Sections 34 & 35 
and T.37N., R7E., Sections 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, & 15. This seasonal 
closure will affect approximately an additional 1730 acres of public 
lands west of BLM Road 5100, and east of Greenie Mountain and will 
impose a temporary closure of approximately 2\1/2\ miles of BLM Road 
5100 in the Rio Grande County, south of Monte Vista, Colorado, in 
T.38N., R.7E., Section 9, and that area SE of an existing OHV trail, 
extending diagonally from the NE corner to the SW corner of Section 4. 
Through a cooperative effort with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, 
and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and BLM, this seasonal closure is 
intended to help affect movement of elk off the Monte Vista Wildlife 
Refuge and to minimize animal damage caused by elk to the refuge and 
adjacent private lands. Elk are often observed attempting to leave the 
refuge, heading towards the slopes of Greenie Mountain, and being 
turned back to the safe confines of the refuge by vehicular traffic and 
by hunters attempting to get near enough for a shot and harvest of 
animals. This area/road closure will eliminate this extremely dangerous 
situation where a considerable number of hunters shoot at elk as they 
leave the wildlife refuge in the early mornings, and will protect 
fragile vegetation and highly erodible soils from adverse affects of 
vehicle travel during the wet months of the year. This action does not 
does not affect hunting use in the area, but is intended to make the 
area safer for hunters and the general public and to protect the 
vegetation and soils from damage during the fall/winter months when 
soils are often wet. These restrictions do not apply to emergency, law 
enforcement, and Federal, State or other government personnel who are 
in the area for official or emergency purposes and who are expressly 
authorized or otherwise officially approved by BLM. Any person who 
fails to comply with this closure order may be subject to the penalties 
provided by 43 CFR 8340.0-7 and/or 43 CFR 8360.0-7 which includes fines 
not to exceed $1000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months. Notice 
of this closure will be posted near or within the area, the San Luis 
Resource Area Office and the Canon City District Office.

DATES: Closure dates will be October 8, 1998 thru November 8, 1998 and 
October 7, 1999 thru November 7, 1999,

[[Page 54154]]

and shall remain in effect unless revised, revoked, or amended.

ADDRESSES: Comments can be directed to the Area Manager, San Luis 
Resource Area, 1921 State Street., Alamosa, CO 81101 or District 
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Canon City, CO 81212.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlos Pinto, Area Manager at (719) 
589-4975 or Jerry Apker, Colorado Division of Wildlife at 719-852-4783.
Stuart L. Freer,
Associate District Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-26981 Filed 10-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P