April 11, 1974 - This week a group of about 35 concerned persons met with officials of the Colorado Dept. of Game & Fish in the Montrose office to learn the particulars of an agreement between the department and Howard Heath, a Montrose-area rancher. The department has proposed to lease land in its Billy Creek Game Management Area for cattle grazing, beginning April 15. In addition, the department wishes to purchase 710 acres of land from Heath, for which the purported asking price was $225,000. The land proposed for purchase is classified by Game & Fish biologists as in an “intermediate area,” but is shown on the Ouray County planning map as “alpine,” including mainly aspen trees and high oak brush. The citizens group was concerned that leasing of the Billy Creek land for cattle grazing would deplete what is considered to be already insufficient winter range for game, and would thereby add to losses sustained by area ranchers from game damage.