Managing Wildlife Populations
District 4 Pheasant Release: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand released pheasants at Hope Valley. All the birds were in good condition and excellent flyers.
District 4 Cougar Seal: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand sealed a cougar for a hunter who harvested the cat in the Blue Mountains. Biological and harvest information was collected and submitted in Survey 123.
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Elk Fence: The L.T. Murray Wildlife Area crew repaired elk fence near Joe Watt Canyon. Elk had recently jumped the fence which resulted in wire and post needing to be replaced.
District 8 Oak Creek Wildlife Area – Elk Fence Repair: Oak Creek Wildlife Area Worker Floyd continues to repair elk fence that was damaged during the Retreat fire. The elk fence in these areas is critical to managing the elk herd and limit conflict between agriculture and elk.
Pasco Burrowing Owl Mitigation Project Review: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra finalized a summary assessment of the 2024 mitigation actions taken for Burrowing Owls at a Pasco project site. The project displaced two occupied burrowing owl sites and mitigated through on-site installation of 21 artificial burrows at the start of 2024. Four pairs utilized the burrows this season with three pair fledging young successfully. Some key takeaways from the project were the importance of pre-construction surveys in the non-breeding season where burrowing owls may be present; highlighting the benefit of on-site versus off site mitigation in some scenarios; and the value of considering species-specific mitigation actions. The document was shared with Habitat Program staff members and the Department of Ecology in hopes of guiding future mitigation actions.
Wenas Wildlife Area – Elk Fence Repair: Wenas Wildlife Area Natural Resource Technicians Stoltenow and Janes repaired a section of fence along Buffalo Road where a vehicle drove through the fence, snapping wooden fence posts and damaging wire. New metal fence posts were put in place and the wire was replaced with a section of new wire. A smaller hole was also patched further down along Buffalo Road.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area Waterfowl Hunting: Wetlands in several units across the Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area are now reflooded. As colder weather approaches, larger numbers of waterfowl will be moving through the area providing increased opportunities for waterfowl hunting in the Columbia Basin.
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Recreation: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Natural Resource Specialist Nass worked with Environmental Recreation Planner English and other involved parties in assessing the original Shoestring Trail in the LT Murray for short term maintenance needs until a complete re-route away from the riparian area can be funded.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
District 4 Rattlesnake Hills Elk: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand continued to monitor elk activity on private lands and the Hanford Reach National Monument. Large groups of more than 300 were observed leaving the federal reserve to forage on new seeding wheat. Hunting pressure during opening week of elk season was slightly above normal and good success was observed or reported.
District 4 Kahlotus Deer Damage Permits: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand prepared and delivered damage permits to multiple landowners in Franklin County to address deer damage impacts to winter wheat crops along the Snake River. In addition, two youth hunters from the Region 3 Hunt Roster were deployed to a landowner near Kahlotus. Both were successful in filling their tags.
District 4 Plymouth Deer Damage: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand assisted with hunt coordination at a large row crop farm in southern Benton County. Several youths and disabled hunters from the Horse Heaven Hills special permit list were contacted and offered a guided hunting opportunity on the farm.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Sunnyside Wildlife Area Wetland Management: Following seasonal reflooding of the Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area wetlands, staff members are observing an influx of migratory waterfowl to the area.
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Shrub Planting: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Winegeart, Natural Resource Specialist Nass, and Natural Resource Technician Blore planted sagebrush and rabbitbrush plugs in an area that burned during the Vantage Hwy Fire of 2022. The crew established a few monitoring points to help show survival rates. A t-post was used as a starting point and five plants were placed at 5’ spacing in at least two cardinal directions.
Wenas Wildlife Area – Stock Fence Install: Wenas Wildlife Area staff members continued working on the stock fence along the Ellensburg pass road. Braces were installed and new wire put up to complete the fence. The last thing to be installed will be the gate. In addition, the wire and posts from the old fence were removed. This fence will serve to keep livestock in the area out of the wildlife area.
Wenas Wildlife Area – Shrub Planting: Wenas Wildlife Area staff began plug planting in the Black Canyon burn area along the Ridge Road. Using an Auger, staff have planted plugs of native species in portion of the burn area that was heavily impacted by the fire. Sagebrush and Bitterbrush have been the focus of this first wave of planting.
Providing Education and Outreach
College Class Interview: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand was interviewed as part of a senior class project for a local student pursing his Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife biology. Hand met the student earlier this fall when the student was hunting with his father. The student is excited to begin a career in natural resources.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Wenas Wildlife Area - Travel Management: Wenas Wildlife Area Manager Gray and Wenas Wildlife Area Lands and Recreation Specialist Frame attended a two-day training session with a recreational planning/management advisory group to discuss trail and road assessments on the Wenas Wildlife Area. During the field session, WDFW employees were trained on how to collect data on the ARC Field Maps app.
Other
District 8 Oak Creek Wildlife Area – Chainsaw Safety Training: Oak Creek Wildlife Area Worker Floyd attended the 2-day chainsaw safety training hosted on the Oak Creek Wildlife Area. This chainsaw level 1 safety training was designed for staff members that use a chainsaw as part of their work duties to limb and buck down trees.
Pigeon Pond Beaver Deceiver: Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber and Assistant Manager Jahns removed a damaged beaver deceiver and cleared debris that was impeding flow in the Pigeon Ponds area of the Mesa Lake Unit. A new deceiver was constructed using new and salvaged materials and reinstalled at the outflow of the north Pigeon Pond to facilitate flooding of the south Pigeon Pond and prevent flooding onto the nearby county road.
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Training: The entire L.T. Murray crew attended Personal Safety training at the Wild Horse Wind Farm visitors center.