Managing Wildlife Populations
Bat Acoustic Monitoring: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman deployed acoustic monitoring equipment to survey for bats at four locations in the Mount Spokane area as part of the Pacific Northwest North American Bat Monitoring Program.
Bat Maternity Colony Monitoring: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman, WDFW staff members DeVivo, Westerman, Mackelvie, Wagner, and Lehman, Bureau of Land Management Biologist Lowe, and Washington State University Intern Walters conducted evening emergence counts of four bat maternity colonies in Whitman, Spokane, and Lincoln counties this week.
Bumble Bees: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman conducted a second bumble bee survey in Lincoln County as part of the Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas project. Several different species of bumble bees were captured at the site on Hawk Creek, and most were found using the flowers of hairy vetch.
Elk Calf Survival Study: District 3 biologists wrapped up elk calf captures on June 12, having captured 115 elk calves from the ground and helicopter. Numerous other agency staff members and volunteers assisted in this effort that focused on three game management units (GMU) with three capture crew leads continuously working across the landscape. We captured 51 calves during the ground phase of capture operations. District Biologist Wik supervised aerial captures with Leading Edge Helicopters, and they captured 64 calves.
Ferruginous Hawk Monitoring: Assistant District Biologist Vekasy continued the monitoring of historic and recently installed hawk nest platforms for productivity assessment. Vekasy also joined with Research Scientist Watson to radio-tag a ferruginous hawk fledgling. Two transmitters were donated by Northwest Wildlife Consultants, and the Woodland Park Zoo is providing funding for data acquisition. We plan to deploy the 2nd transmitter at a different nest site in the coming week.
Bat Bridge Monitoring: Assistant District Biologist Vekasy retrieved bat guano collection devices from two bridges in the vicinity of Bureau of Land Management parcels as part of an ongoing bridge monitoring project. One bridge was a repeat sample from last year that was used by bats as a day roost. The newly added bridge had day-roosting bats during the first visit but appeared to be used as a maternity site with hundreds of bats present during sample collection visit.
Chronic Wasting Disease: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb collected chronic wasting disease (CWD) samples at roadkill pits in District 3.
Natural Resource Technicians Nizer and Rumiser sampled two roadkill deer in Whitman County for CWD. Samples were taken off Highway 195.
Chronic Wasting Disease Operations: Natural Resource Technician Heitstuman checked local pits for CWD samples.
Bighorn Sheep Survey: Wildlife Biologist Prince and a volunteer surveyed the Vulcan bighorn sheep herd this week. Unfortunately, despite the cool weather, no sheep were observed. Additional surveys will be conducted this summer to, hopefully, observe lambs. It is suspected that this herd declined following the 2021 summer, potentially due to blue tongue.
Bumble Bees: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman conducted another bumble bee survey in Lincoln County as part of the Pacific North West Bumble Bee Atlas project. Several different species of bumble bees were captured at the site near Keller Ferry Campground, and most were found using the flowers of lupine.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Trail Maintenance: Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Natural Resources Technician Zueger inspected and mowed the trail that runs from Sherman Creek Wildlife Area headquarters south along the Columbia River towards Haag Cove. She found two downed trees blocking the route on Thursday. Zueger and Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Daro Palmer will remove them next week.
Cooperator Outreach: Natural Resource Technician Harris mailed out pre-hunting season letters to all District 1 private lands hunting access program cooperators.
Access Area Maintenance: Water Access Area Manager Dziekan picked up his repaired water tank and truck with the fixed tire on June 12, and visited his most used water access areas along the Highway 2 and Highway 395 corridors. He found that the Waitts and Loon lakes sites were in dire need of cleaning. Otherwise, the sites were generally in need of cleaning but curiously, relatively trash-free. Dziekan also noted a few sites will need roadside mowing in the near future.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Electric Fence: Wildlife Biologists Prince and Turnock met with a winner of an electric fence giveaway. They took measurements of the fence and decided on materials to be used. WDFW is paying for the fence in an effort to raise awareness for electric fencing for deterring bears with an emphasis on grizzly bears. The winner of the fence attended a WDFW electric fencing clinic at North 40. The clinic was a partnership between the Department, Defenders of Wildlife, Gallagher Fencing, and North 40 Colville.
Asotin County Wolf Activity: Natural Resource Technician Heitstuman went with Area Manager Dice to look at an elk depredation issue in the Chief Joseph Area and to review cattle grazing operation where wolf activity may be occurring. This opportunity was also used to learn the areas where habitat and forage crops for elk are being planted in rotation.
Elk Damage and Hazing: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb and Statewide Human Wildlife Conflict Analysist Todd conducted elk hazing and conflict mitigation in Walla Walla and Columbia counties. Dispersing elk from agricultural crops is nearly impossible until the calves can keep up with the cows.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Turkey Habitat Project: Private Lands Biologist Hadley performed a site visit to a turkey habitat project to spot mow areas of weeds around planted cottonwood trees and then followed up with hand watering the planted cottonwood trees.
Habitat Coordination: Hadley met with a Walla Walla Conservation District planner to discuss continuing a habitat project started last spring in planting additional shrubs as well as having discussions on additional locations of habitat projects.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Creston Junior High School Environmental Science Grant: This week in the local Wilbur Register, an article came out in the paper showing the Keller Grade School class coming to the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in this year’s Lake Roosevelt Forum Discovery Zone. The Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area has been hosting the annual Discovery Zone for many years.
Educational Presentations:Natural Resource Technician Heitstuman attended the Getting Outdoors Educational Day to assist Supervisor Earl in presenting five, 30-minute sessions to groups of 7th and 8th grade students. The interaction Supervisor Earl was able to create with the students was appreciated by all.
Dayton School Gear-Up Program: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman, Natural Resource Technician Tritt, and Natural Resource Worker Jensen spent time with a group of 9th graders from the Dayton School Gear-Up Program. They talked about their educations and their current jobs, then talked about the wildlife found on the wildlife area and looked at hides and skulls. The kids then planted pine trees and mock orange shrubs in a habitat plot, and each of them got to build a birdhouse to take home with them.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
General Facilities and Equipment Maintenance and Repairs: Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Palmer took delivery of a used 2755 John Deere tractor and loader attachment, transferred from the Private Lands section. Palmer fixed a faulty clutch and then used the tractor to fertilize the food plots on Sherman Creek Wildlife Area.
Utility Task Vehicle Training: This week Safety Specialist Mundy came out from the WDFW safety office to teach utility task vehicle training to most of the staff members at Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area and other WDFW staff members within the region. The training was an excellent course to teach skills needed for safe operations. Prior to the class each student had to complete and pass the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association online class and print their certificate.
Liberty Lake Senior Fishing: Officer Beauchene hosted a fishing day at the Liberty Lake access area for seniors at a local assisted living home. Dziekan didn’t participate in the event however Dziekan did go out and pick up the area and clean the restrooms to help give them a positive experience. Officer Beauchene has been doing this for a few years now and the folks living at the home look forward to it all year.
WDFW Senior Staff Field Tour: This week, WDFW senior staff met at the Revere Wildlife Area as one of the group’s many stops for the day. One of the highlights of the tour was with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Spokane District Biologist Lowe explaining the Elk Migration Project. WDFW has been working on the project, for the last couple of years, with the Rock Creek Conservation District and BLM. The goal of the project was to improve the upland and riparian habitat conditions for Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer in the Rock Creek corridor by reducing weeds and establishing vegetation used by big game for forage and cover on 265 acres of the Bureau of Land Management land and 90 acres of WDFW land.
Other
All-Terrain Vehicle Training: Natural Resource Technician Nizer and Natural Resource Technician Rumiser completed an all-terrain vehicle training put on by WDFW at the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area. The training lasted three hours, and there was a field course and a guided ride afterwards.
Gaston Leaving the Agency: Natural Resource Technician Nizer and Private Lands Biologist Gaston organized the office and transferred information that is needed to know for Gaston’s departure from the agency. Nizer and Gaston communicated what needs to be completed in his absence and Nizer will be taking on Gaston’s duties while he is gone. Gaston will be missed dearly by the agency as he was a huge asset to the private lands program in Region 1. His drive and love for hunting access will be missed.