Managing Wildlife Populations
Sunnyside Wildlife Area Bats: Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Assistant Manager Jahns, and Natural Resource Technician Manderbach conducted an emergent bat count at Sunnyside Headquarters. In total, 230 bats were observed exiting four different roost boxes after sunset.
Burrowing Owl Research: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra investigated a transmitter failure from this spring’s burrowing owl tagging study. A transmitter had stopped sending data, but the male owl was still observed alive on site. Fidorra recaptured the owl and removed the non-working harness to unburden the animal and determine cause of tag failure. The tag will be sent to the manufacturer for study.
Monarchs Return to Washington: Several monarch butterflies have been seen this month in District 4 and 3.
Waterfowl Banding: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra and Natural Resource Technician Manderbach and Scientific Technician Kleinhenz installed duck traps on the Sunnyside Wildlife Area and McNary National Wildlife Refuge trap sites. The late cold spring likely set birds back a bit, but we are starting to see good numbers of hatch year mallards now coming to our main site with 70 birds captured on the first day of banding. Several district staff members and volunteers will help bait sites and band ducks through mid-September.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Wenas Wildlife Area Durr Road Target Shooting Area Clean Up: Natural Resource Technician Frame collected 250 pounds of dumped trash and target shooting trash at the Durr Road target shooting site. Items consisted of plywood, a television, and miscellaneous target shooting material.
Wenas Wildlife Area Manastash Ridge Trails Inventory: Natural Resource Scientist Frame has been conducting a trails inventory on the north and south side trail systems. This includes mapping new unapproved user-built trails, ensuring existing trail maps are correct, searching for unauthorized trail maintenance, and reviewing approved sections of trail for future maintenance projects. Larger trail maintenance projects are in the planning stage for the approved trails on the north side of the ridge.
Wenas Wildlife Area Sheep Company Shooting Range: Biologist Miller treated the Sheep Company shooting range for weeds, specifically Russian thistle. Keeping weeds out of the developed shooting area is crucial to preventing fires at the shooting site. It in addition, it provides a nicer area for people to recreate in.
Private Land Access Programs Prepare for Season Openers: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra and Private Lands Technician Manderbach contacted landowners and updated access properties for the upcoming Sep. 1 deer archery and dove season openers. Manderbach mowed parking areas and checked/installed signs at several properties.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Rattlesnake Hills Elk Hazing: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand continued to spend time hazing elk near the top of Rattlesnake Mountain. Animals are continuing to leave the Hanford site to forage in winter wheat crops on the southern exposure of Rattlesnake Mountain mostly during nocturnal hours. Fox lights were checked and are in working order.
Corral Canyon Wheat Harvest: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand worked with wheat harvest operations to document crop damage impacts from Hanford elk. Rain showers occurred for several days which has delayed harvest operations. Fields are continuing to produce near or above average bushels per acre.
Horn Rapids Deer Damage: Hand continued to work with a large wine grape operator near the Yakima River to address deer activity and damage within several areas of their vineyard. Non-lethal hazing has been ongoing, and a couple of damage permits were recently issued.
West Richland Deer: Hand is working with a owner of several small corn fields that have been damaged by an increasing number of deer near the Yakima River. In addition to hazing, plans are to implement some Master Hunter opportunities from the Region 3 list next week.
Finley Skunk: Hand received and responded to a homeowner in Finley concerning a skunk that has been living under a crawl space at their residence. Several deterrence strategies were discussed as well as trapping techniques for skunk removal.
Rattlesnake Hills Master Hunter Hunts: Hand coordinated with Hunt Coordinator Erickson on master hunter activity and elk movements on Rattlesnake Mountain. During a weekend patrol Hand checked one Master Hunter with a harvested cow elk and contacted another Master Hunter driving on private property without proper landowner permission.
Rattlesnake Mountain Sick Elk: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand coordinated with a Master Hunter who put down a very old sick cow elk on private property near Hanford. The animal could not stand and was in extremely poor condition.
Sunnyside Wildlife Area Sick Deer: Hand responded to a call of a sick deer walking in circles at the Sunnyside Wildlife Area with wildlife area and enforcement staff members to collect samples for disease testing. Unfortunately, we were unable to locate the deer.
Kittitas County Conflict: District 8 Conflict Specialist Wetzel worked with several hay growers who were having problems with elk in crops. Elk complaints were reported in Badger Pocket, Kittitas, Peoh Point, Park Creek, and the Teanaway area. Natural Resource Technician Leuck has been working nights at those locations hazing elk. Two light plants were installed at one field to deter elk in the Badger Pocket.
Yakima County Conflict: Wetzel worked with several hay and orchard growers who were having problems with elk in crops. Elk complaints have come from the Naches River and the Nile, most of which are small hay operators.
Other: Wetzel investigated a repeat sheep depredation at one location.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
L. T. Murray Wildlife Area 2022 Vantage Fire Restoration: Cultural Resource Specialists Major, Shellenberger, and Yamamoto, Environmental Planner Merg, and the L. T. Murray Wildlife Area Manager Morrison made field visits to the 2022 Vantage fire scar to discuss the Phase 1 planting schedule, methods, and cultural resource needs in the culturally and ecologically rich Whiskey Dick and Quilomene units. With cultural review currently in motion, restoration planting of roughly 500 acres of upland sagebrush steppe habitat is scheduled to begin by the week of Oct. 16.
L. T. Murray Vegetation Management: While controlling non-native plants, L. T. Murray Natural Resource Scientist Nass found Solanum triflorum or cut-leaf nightshade at the Corrals parking area. Though commonly viewed as an agricultural pest or weed, this is a native plant to parts of the western United States and found in disturbed habitats like the new fire scar at Corrals. Traditionally, native tribes would use it medicinally for gastrointestinal issues and occasionally eat it as food, but it isn’t as desirable as other traditional foods. You never know what you can find out there!
Sunnyside Snake River Wetland Management: Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Assistant Managers Jahns, and Ferguson continued to prep wetlands within the Windmill Ranch and Sunnyside Headquarters Unit. Windmill Ranch’s Phase 3 wetland has been mowed and seeded with buckwheat. The Rice Paddies Wetlands are also being mowed in preparation for reflooding this fall. Natural Resource Technicians Manderbach and Jahns also mowed phragmites within the Clark Pond Unit with the Marsh Master to prevent further spreading of the invasive plants on neighboring private property.
Wenas Wildlife Area Weed Control: Wenas Wildlife Area Biologist Miller has been surveying and treating weeds in the NJK acquisition on the Wenas Wildlife Area. This area has minimal infestations so early treatment is important to prevent further spread of noxious weeds. Primary target species have been houndstounge and Canada thistle. Biologist Miller has been preparing for the fall spraying of knapweed by prioritizing areas of previous treatment as well.
Oak Creek Wildlife Area Weed Control and Monitoring: Oak Creek Assistant Wildlife Area Manager Charlet and Natural Resource Technician Boggs conducted herbicide control of Canada thistle within a high elevation meadow near Bald Mountain. This has been a multi-year effort and significant reduction in germination was seen this year. However, significant motorized off-road disturbance was documented this year, resulting in a volunteer fencing project during this same reporting period to eliminate further disturbance. Oak Creek staff members also monitored previous treatment areas for efficacy and surveyed new areas where future noxious weed control will be prioritized, including a new infestation of yellow star-thistle.
Oak Creek Wildlife Area Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Volunteer Fencing Project: Oak Creek Wildlife Area Manager Mackey met with 23 volunteers affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) to construct no-dig buck and rail fencing along an adjacent road to a meadow in the Bald Mountain area of the Rock Creek Unit. This meadow has seen repeated disturbance over the years with motorized traffic driving off-road and rutting and disturbing the meadow in which we have actively been managing Canada thistle in-growth. The new fence will hopefully discourage off-road driving along this section. The fence was constructed with treated posts and natural railing sourced nearby. Twenty-four individuals participated in this event that took approximately 12 hours including travel time. The group was later than expected getting back, but the majority of participants wanted to continue until the project was completely finished. RMEF provided hydration and lunch while Oak Creek provided tools and materials for the project. It was a great success!
Oak Creek Wildlife Area Elk Fence Damage and Repair: Oak Creek staff members repaired a small section of elk fence that was destroyed by users traveling a closed road and crossing onto private property. WDFW enforcement officers are investigating the matter.
Providing Education and Outreach
Pack it in, pack it out: Pumphouse Road and Watt Canyon kiosks on the L. T. Murray now have litter bags for public use! Dispensers have only been up for roughly a week, but we anticipate good pack-in and pack-out use.
Other
Sunnyside Snake River Monarch Butterflies: Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area staff members have observed monarch butterflies in large patches of milkweed within the Windmill Ranch Unit.
