Managing Wildlife Populations
Wolf Management: Biologist Heinlen investigated the mortality signal from a Beaver Creek pack female’s radio collar that the wolf crew found while conducting their annual survey/capture flights. The drop off device was activated, but no sign of a carcass was found. The animal is presumed to still be alive. In addition, public reports suggested the Beaver Creek pack was still using their traditional areas over the winter and early spring, and a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife wolf biologist was able to confirm at least two animals are still in the territory.
Spring Mule Deer Surveys: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen completed spring mule deer surveys classifying over 1500 mule deer. The raw counts yielded a ratio of 44 fawns to 110 adults. This is above both the 5-year and long-term averages and indicates better than average post-winter fawn recruitment this year.
Rattlesnake Den Monitoring: Biologist Fitkin assisted retired U.S. Forest Service Biologist Rohrer in refining the location of and monitoring a northern Pacific rattlesnake hibernacula on the Methow Wildlife Area. In addition to counting around three dozen snakes, two live pit-tagged snakes were detected that were translocated to the general vicinity of the den last fall. This technique of moving unwanted snakes from private property to known den sites when snakes are entering their hibernacula has proven very successful over the years as an alternative to lethal removal.
Grouse Area Search Grids and Grouse Lek Surveys: Private Biologist Braaten continues early morning sage and sharp-tailed grouse lek count surveys in Douglas County and is completing grouse area search grids.
Sage Grouse Surveys: Biologist Morris will finish sage grouse searches this week. He will be searching grids in Grant and Douglas counties without known sage grouse leks, searching for birds and new leks. Morris saw some great sunrises, picturesque landscapes, and sandhill cranes foraging in fallow wheat fields while doing the surveys.
Lek Counts: March marks the beginning of lek counts, and wildlife area staff members have started the yearly early morning task of observing grouse lek sites on the Sagebrush Flat and Big Bend wildlife areas. Staff members attended a brief virtual training on data collection and have been using this new information to log survey data in Field Maps.
Bridgeport Bar Preparation: With spring setting in quickly, wildlife area staff members are working to prepare irrigation infrastructure and equipment in the Bridgeport Bar’s many agricultural fields and shrub rows. Technicians Haney-Williamson and Ruiz have been prepping irrigation, maintaining pivots at Washburn Island, and taking soil samples to prepare for spring seeding.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Wolf Non-Lethal Deterrence Outreach: Wildlife Conflict Specialists’ Bridges and Heilhecker, Supervisor Rickel, Regional Program Manager Haug, Regional Director Hoenes and other Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff members participated in a meeting with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service staff members to discuss coordination on wolf issues in the federally managed wolf area of Region 2 that is located west of Highway 97. Recent incidents have highlighted the need to be coordinated for future events so management and staff members met to discuss how to coordinate best and identify what and who will be the main points of contact for the various tasks. This timely meeting will facilitate a common approach to wolf related issues in the federally managed wolf area of Region 2.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Habitat Plots: Biologist Morris evaluated two recently planted habitat plots. The shrubs that he planted this spring are growing well so far. There are some weeds in both plots that he needs to spray, but overall they are doing well.
Shrub Planting: Technicians Blanchard and Wilson, and Biologist Cook planted 150 shrubs along the base of a small coulee to increase diversity and increase shrub establishment. This site had been previously planted in 2021, but the following spring was very dry and many of the shrubs did not survive. This was another effort to establish more shrubs in this area. The bottom of the coulee was seeding with native bunchgrasses and further weed control and native forb seeding will follow, hopefully in fall of 2024.
Prescribed Burn in Sagebrush Flat: Wildlife area staff members burned Russian thistle that piled up in a fire break on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. This month, three staff members completed their red card certification and are looking forward to using what they learned to help with future burns.
Providing Education and Outreach
Shrubsteppe Ecology Field Trip: A group of students from a wildlife ecology class at Washington State University came out to the shrubsteppe and learned about local ecosystems. Biologists Peterson and Blake along with Schroeder, Crowell and Gallie spoke to students about shrubsteppe ecology and the sensitive species that live there. Students learned about pygmy rabbits, sharp-tailed grouse, and sage grouse and how they interact with the landscape. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff members made sure to highlight the management activities that they focus on in this area and what their efforts accomplish.
Wild Turkey Hunters: Private Lands Biologist Braaten fielded many hunter access questions to hunters interested in the upcoming wild turkey seasons.
2024 Private Lands Work Party: Twelve private lands biologists from around the state attended the 2024 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Private Lands Work Party in Electric City. Supervisors and Private Lands Section Manager McCanna, as well as Region 2 Regional Program Manager Haug also attended. Hosts Braaten and Baarstad designed the three-day event to focus on safety, equipment use training, habitat project initiation and completion, as well as team building.
The group visited a 16-year-old planting in Douglas County and discussed project objectives, how to work with landowners, and how to plan and execute projects. They also installed a few hundred fence markers around fencing of a habitat plot for a landowner to help reduce bird collision with the fence. On the second day, staff received training on several pieces of agriculture equipment typically used for completing habitat projects. Staff members received training from experienced staff members on how to safely use and operate equipment. All participants were grateful for the opportunity provided through the work party.
Upon completion of the two-day work party, approximately 500 trees and shrubs were planted, and two acres of food plots were seeded.
Dew Drop no-till all-terrain vehicle drill.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Association (WAFWA) Washington Grouse Conference Field Trip Planning: Private Lands Braaten completed the field trip route and tour bus booking for WAFWA Grouse Conference in Wenatchee in August 2024.
Other
Incidental Observations: Spring has sprung, and babies are already on the ground for some critters.
Road Maintenance: This month wildlife area staff members have been tackling various road maintenance tasks. They added material to roads across the wildlife areas that were eroded over the winter months, strengthening them, and making them safer. Other wildlife area staff members have focused on spraying roads on various wildlife areas for annual grasses and broadleaves.
Gopher Snake Release: Gopher snakes that staff members found in hibernacula underneath the floorboards during the headquarters remodeling were released earlier this month. After unearthing these snakes during a reflooring project in the office, Assistant Manager Blake sought council from Beck, a retired herpetologist and professor from Central Washington University. Blake followed his recommendations and kept the snakes contained in the correct conditions through the winter. With the warmer weather and start of spring, wildlife area staff members were happy to release them back outside.
