Managing Wildlife Populations
Burrowing Owl Artificial Burrow Mitigation Project Preps for the Season: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra made visits to several artificial burrow sites to check and repair owl burrows for the upcoming spring. Two owls were seen onsite and likely have overwintered here, which is not unusual in Washington’s Columbia Basin. Fidorra hopes to visit and prepare all 70 burrows prior to mid-March.
L.T. Murray Elk Feeding: Cold weather and a bit of snow have brought elk back into the feed sites. Feeding at the Robinson site remains on the lower road since the main access road is still too icy to drive.
|
DATE |
SITE |
COW/CALF |
BRANCHED BULL |
SPIKE BULL |
MORTALITY |
TOTAL |
|
|
2/11/23 |
Watt |
592 |
48 |
16 |
|
656 |
Aerial count |
|
2/11/23 |
Robinson |
529 |
47 |
16 |
|
592 |
Aerial count |
|
2/17/23 |
Watt |
143 |
19 |
12 |
0 |
174 |
Feed site |
|
2/27/23 |
Watt |
735 |
19 |
31 |
1 |
785 |
Feed site |
|
2/28/23 |
Robinson |
|
|
|
|
350 (estimate) |
Feed site |
Forest Grouse Wingbee: Assistant District Wildlife Biologist Wampole met with other eastern region staff members in Spokane for the annual wingbee. Hunters are asked to contribute both a wing and tail feathers to “wing barrel” collection sites. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and tribal staff members met to classify species, sex, and age classes from the voluntary wing barrel contributions collected this past season. This data is used to establish a harvest record and provide information on forest grouse populations.
Monitoring Disease: Bacteriology and serology results for Bighorn Sheep captures conducted earlier in the year found no confirmed active infections of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MOVI) in captured and tested bighorn sheep.
Natural Resource Technician Blore and Natural Resource Worker Schneider assisted Assistant District Biologist Wampole, Lands Operations Manager Bates, and Conflict Specialist Wetzel collect a lymph node sample from a euthanized elk at the Watt feed site for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing.
Conflict Specialist Wetzel observed the CWD gland removal process on an elk that died of an infection at the Joe Watt feed site.
Muckleshoot Deer Study: Biologist Bernatowicz investigated a radio collar deer mortality in the Yakima River Canyon. The cause of the mortality could not be determined as all soft tissue, the head, and three legs had been consumed/removed by scavengers. There has been an issue with a batch of collars either false reporting mortalities or not reporting. In this case, the collar was stationary, but the mortality sensor failed to report. Any deer mortality in relatively open typically gets consumed in about 48 hours.
Sunnyside Agricultural Lease Monitoring: Biologist Bernatowicz reviewed over 1400 pictures taken by trail cameras in the Snipes Reserve agricultural fields between Dec. 7 and Feb. 16. After deleting double photos and those that didn’t capture enough terrain (fog at night), approximately 600 pictures were used for monitoring. Waterfowl, mostly geese, use was only observed for short periods of time between Dec. 23 and Dec. 27. Use was not significant enough to create any nearby hunting opportunities. While reviewing photos, three unusual objects appeared off the end of one field in one photo. The unknown objects appear to be targets in a reserve closed to access.
Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Rodgers and Natural Resource Technician Manderbach have recently constructed a box style beaver deceiver that will be installed at the outflow of the 7 Acre Pond wetland within the Mesa Unit. As seen from the picture below, beaver activity has become frequent and has caused flooding. This outflow structure was cleared of debris two weeks prior to this photo. The new beaver deceiver will prevent the blockage from debris and will allow for the water to flow.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Wenas Enforcement Coordination: Manager Hughes and Assistant Manager Taylor met with Sergeant Schroeder to go over priority areas of the Wenas Wildlife Area for patrolling. Hughes went over upcoming permits and larger group events that will take place on the wildlife area this spring including a long distance run off Lower Buffalo Road and a civil war reenactment. Hughes also provided an update about the Hoover acquisition and walk-in only access points, Durr Road target shooting area development, management of the Manastash Ridge Trails, and new signs that will be placed at the trail system. The Wenas Wildlife Area staff will continue to work on improving signage throughout the wildlife area at popular recreational sites where enforcement is patrolling and routinely responding to calls.
Wenas Target Shooting Clean Up: Recreation Specialist Frame removed multiple pick-up loads of trash from multiple spots within the wildlife area. Including Sheep Company designated target shooting area, Sheep Company Road, Roza Road, and North Durr Road.
Wenas Clearing Downed Trees: Assistant Manager Taylor and Habitat Specialist Miller removed windblown trees from elk fence. This ensures that the integrity of the fence is not compromised. Elk fence is essential to keeping wintering elk populations from potentially damaging adjacent private property. Assistant Manager Taylor and Habitat Specialist Miller also removed multiple windblown trees in and along Black Canyon Road. This helps to ensure that access is maintained to this site.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Rattlesnake Hills Elk: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand met with wheat growers on Rattlesnake Mountain to discuss field conditions, elk activity, and coordinate hazing and damage permit hunting. All elk activity and observations are on the Hanford National Monument currently.
Silver Dollar and Blackrock Cattle Calving: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand met with three large livestock producers to discuss coyote related depredations during their calving operations. Although the coyote population appears to be strong in the area, local hunters and assistance from U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services have removed several coyotes, so losses have been minimal. Most producers are reporting that they are about 75% completed with calving for the year.
Yakima and Kittitas Counties: Conflict Specialist Wetzel and Technician Leuck worked with several hay growers who were having problems with elk in crops.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Monitoring Proposed Construction Sites: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra made visits to some natural lots proposed for construction in Richland with Habitat Program staff members. Some shrubsteppe habitat remains on the site. A lot of jackrabbit signs and a black-tailed jackrabbit were seen during the visit! WDFW staff members will work with the city and developers to identify avoidance and mitigation options.
Standardizing Best Management Practices for Nesting Season Avoidance: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra worked with Habitat Program to draft tables to simplify construction buffers and nesting season windows for birds in the Columbia Basin portions of Region 3. More work is needed before finalizing the product to simplify and provide consistency in guidance for development projects in the region.
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Fences: Natural Resource Technician Blore and Natural Resource Worker Schneider built metal gate brace points for corrals, jack knife, and pump house locations. They will replace wood brace points which burned in the 2023 Vantage Highway Fire. Natural Resource Worker Hamlin and Schneider continue to fix and rebuild fences in Parke Creek. These fences are part of the area's grazing pastures.
Providing Education and Outreach
Assistant Manager Winegeart worked the WDFW booth at the Sportsmen Show in Yakima. The booth was set up well and received much positive feedback from the public.
Other
