Managing Wildlife Populations
Moose Capture Effort: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman spent two days working with other Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists to aerially capture and collar moose in District 2. The first day focused on searching and capturing moose in the Spokane West Hunt Area, and the second day moose were captured in both the Mt. Spokane North and South hunt areas. A total of 13 cow moose were captured and collared during those two days of effort (six in Spokane West and seven in Mt. Spokane North/South). This is the first year of a multi-year project to better understand moose population dynamics within their range in northeastern Washington (Districts 1 and 2).
Forest Grouse: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman participated in the eastside “wing-bee”, an event where biologists and other Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff members examine grouse wings and tails collected from wing barrels during the 2023 forest grouse hunting season. Grouse hunters are asked to deposit a wing and tail from each harvested grouse into these wing barrels. After the hunting season, biologists sort through the wings from each district and identify the species of grouse wing submitted before determining age and sex of the bird, when possible.
Hartsock Golden Eagles: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman observed the adult pair flying in the territory and one adult landed in the nest with a stick. This is the first year the pair will be using this nest site and quite a bit of new material has been added to the nest.
Mountain Lions: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman came across video of a female mountain lion with two kittens on the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area headquarters security cameras. The video is from Friday, Feb. 23 at 4:18 a.m.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Early Spring Opener: Region 1 Access Manager Dziekan reports a few access areas have been prepped for the March 1 opener. The access areas that are prepped are Liberty Lake, Deer Lake (District 1), and Amber Lake. The picture below is from Liberty Lake after Dziekan cleaned the toilets. The gate at Liberty Lake has been locked open. The two other access sites do not have gates to lock open.
Access Areas: Access Manager Heimgartner serviced access sites at Heller Bar and the Grande Ronde River on Monday. Heimgartner serviced sites at the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area on Thursday. Natural Resource Specialist Whittaker assisted Heimgartner with making a welding repair on his tractor back blade on Thursday afternoon.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Elk Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb responded to a report of elk damage in the Cheney area. The reporting party was upset about what they described as $10,000 in elk damage to a round bale haystack. Kolb placed 300 feet of netting style electric fence and turbo fladry around the haystack. A zon cannon was also provided to the producer in addition to pyrotechnics.
Elk Crop Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris met with a producer in Spokane sustaining damage to haystacks and winter wheat fields from two different elk herds. Harris loaned a paintball gun and bird banger pistol to the producer to aid in their attempts to haze the elk off the haystack at night. Harris also worked with volunteer coordinators to organize a master hunter hazing effort to assist the producer with hazing. Harris and Private Lands Biologist Nizer will meet with the producer next week to discuss Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement and public hunting access for his winter wheat fields.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Boundary Stock Fence: Natural Resource Technician Meisner, Natural Resource Technician Hammons, and Natural Resource Scientist Whittaker continued replacing aging stock fence at Boozier Ridge on the George Creek Unit of the Asotin Creek Wildlife Area. The fence borders a private property ranch with an active grazing program.
Gate Found Open: From a tip received over the previous weekend, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Palmer found that the Trout Lake Road winter range gate was open, when it should have still been locked shut. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) lock was also gone. Palmer checked the roads beyond the gate to determine the extent of travel and to ensure no vehicles remained behind the gate. He also finished cutting a tree out of the road, which the illegal accessors had cut just enough to squeeze past. Palmer checked with the Colville National Forest staff members about the gate as well, but they had no knowledge of the gate being opened. The gate is now locked shut with a WDFW lock.
Providing Education and Outreach
Hunter Education: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb assisted with the instruction of 14 students who completed their hunter education field day at the Waitsburg Gun Club.
Spokane Great Outdoors and Golf Expo: Region 1 Access Manager Dziekan worked a shift at the Spokane Great Outdoors and Gold Expo over the weekend. Dziekan’s shift lasted about three hours, and it was busy almost the entire time fielding a variety of questions. Conveniently though, most of the questions were regarding access. People wanted to know where to go for different outdoor activities, primarily hunting and fishing.
Biologist Brinkman gave a presentation at the Spokane Great Outdoors Expo about recreating safely in bear and cougar country. The talk was attended by about 40 people.
Grizzly Bear Train the Trainer Workshop: Wildlife Biologist Prince attended a workshop organized by the Selkirk/Cabinet-Yaak IGBC Subcommittee information and education task group. The workshop was led by a communications and outreach specialist from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Workshop participants learned how to deliver bear education to audiences of different ages and identities. They learned why consistency is important in bear education and they received tools and materials to use in educational presentations. Each participant was also able to give a 5-minute presentation using their newly learned skills and receive feedback from the group.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Tucannon U.S. Forest Service Project Tour: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman, Senior Restoration Specialist Karl, and some U.S. Forest Service staff members toured some U.S. Forest Service (USFS) projects on the Tucannon. Dingman and USFS staff members will work together to place large boulders on the property line in the USFS Tucannon Campground where Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife owns land that USFS has been charging people to camp on.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service staff members reviewed the designs/plans for replacing the Little Tucannon Bridge with a longer-spanning bridge. The new bridge would be raised up to allow for larger flow events in the Little Tucannon without washing the bridge out every time. They reviewed and discussed the proposed large wood structures that will deflect the Tucannon River away from Tucannon Road near the Watson Lake parking area where the road was washed out during the 2020 flood event.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and U. S. Forest Service Annual Meeting: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman participated in the annual meeting of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Umatilla National Forest U.S. Forest Service staff members. These meetings are always a good way to catch up on all of the projects going on and see everyone in person.
Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Facilities: Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Palmer mounted a metal storage box and placed a new Automated Emergency Defibrillator (AED) in it, at the shop at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. This activity is one result of the early February safety stand-up meeting held at the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. The other AED will be mounted on a shelf at the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area office once the ordered shelving arrives.
