Managing Wildlife Populations
Moose: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman attended a meeting to discuss logistics and review capture protocols for the upcoming aerial moose capture in Districts 1 and 2.
Biologist Lowe coordinated with a vendor regarding moose calf flights that will be conducted in late February or March. These surveys will be used to estimate recruitment rates from cows that were pregnant during the 2024 aerial capture effort.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD): Wildlife Area Manager Dingman sampled a roadkill whitetail doe for chronic wasting disease.
Wolf: Biologists received email updates from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that a female wolf, collared in Oregon, passed north into Washington through District 3 and into District 2 before heading east into Idaho.
CWD: Regional private lands staff members participated in the CWD listening session with Acting Wildlife Program Manager Prince, Research Scientist DeVivo and CWD coordinator Westacott.
Tucannon Bighorn Sheep: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman located 15 of the Tucannon bighorn sheep herd west of Merengo. Biologist Vekasy and Wooten staff members attempted to dart a bighorn lamb to put a collar on it but were unsuccessful.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Hunting Access Program: Private Lands Biologist Nizer drove out to a new Hunt by Written Permission property to post the property with signs. While posting the property, a hunter drove by interested in obtaining permission. This new property in Spokane County will provide a great hunting opportunity for the area. Nizer coordinated with the landowner to let him know he will start to get phone calls for the upcoming hunting seasons.
Recreation Access Management and Maintenance: Fish Hatchery Specialist Nielsen cleaned restrooms and picked up litter at Heller Bar, Shumaker and Boggan’s. Nielsen and Natural Resource Specialist Whittaker worked together to replace a strip of rubber mat that acts as erosion prevention measure in the access road.
Fruitland Elk: Private Lands Supervisor Baarstad coordinated with Fruitland Valley landowners and a permitted elk hunter from western Washington over the weekend. The landowners were very helpful, and the hunter was able to get an elk.
WT Wooten Wildlife Area Campgrounds, Parking Areas, and Shooting Range: Natural Resource Specialist Tritt checked the campgrounds and parking areas and cleaned up trash.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Elk Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Samsill responded to several reports of elk causing damage to haystacks and crops throughout the week. In one instance, Samsill coordinated the deployment of livestock panels and electric netting to exclude elk from a haybarn. In another, Samsill deployed a propane cannon to deter the elk.
Turkey Damage: Samsill responded to the report of nuisance turkeys in Springdale believed to have killed two dogs that consumed turkey feces and reportedly contracted Coccidiosis. Samsill issued the reporting party ten turkey kill permits and loaned the reporting party a paintball gun and bird banger pistol to deter/haze the turkeys.
Wolf non-lethal deterrent work: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb installed additional non-lethal deterrents (i.e., a zon cannon and additional fox lights) following reports of cattle busting through multiple fences in the vicinity of a recent wolf depredation.
Cougar Sightings: Samsill responded to two cougar sightings throughout the week. Both calls were reported directly to Samsill.
One call involved a cougar reportedly seen with a dead cat in its mouth. The report was secondhand and could not be confirmed.
The second call involved several close encounters with a cougar near a barn where several cats were being fed. The landowner also has several small livestock nearby. Based on the landowner’s description of the cougar and the behavior observed, this was believed to be the same cougar for which a pursuit permit was issued nearby. After coordinating with Sgt. Bahrenburg, a second pursuit permit was issued for this property. Samsill met the landowner to sign the pursuit permit and deployed two cellular cameras. Cougar, bobcat, and wolf tracks were all observed behind the landowner’s barn.
Deer: Natural Resource Technicians Edmondson and Keeling responded to another report of a deer that had died in Northport, marking the fourth one in a little over a week. Upon retrieving the carcass and doing a brief field necropsy, the Technicians discovered corn in the rumen which was also found in the previous deer that were removed from there.
Asotin County Sheriff (ACS) Meeting: Supervisor Earl lead a meeting with ACS staff members to discuss wolf activities and procedural actions for both parties. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) had local Wildlife Conflict staff members as well as Statewide Wolf Biologist Spence give various presentations on the subjects.
Turkey: Natural Resource Technician Edmondson issued landowner kill permits for turkeys as well as giving a paintball gun to the landowner to haze turkeys off their property.
Deer: Natural Resource Technicians Edmondson and Keeling picked up a deer that a landowner had euthanized due to it getting impaled on a picket fence and appeared to be sick. The carcass was removed and a CWD sample was taken.
Orphaned Moose: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris received a call regarding a sick moose in Whitman County. Harris was able to identify the sick moose as an orphaned calf from last year. The calf had some minor hair loss from winter ticks and appeared to be thin but was able to get up and run away when approached. Harris advised the landowner to continue to monitor the calf and call back if its health continues to decline.
Nuisance Turkeys: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris received two complaints regarding nuisance turkeys in Spokane and Lincoln County. Harris provided both landowners with advice on mitigating conflict and issued kill permits to one of the landowners to keep the turkeys out of their livestock feed.
Supervisor Earl monitored flocks of turkeys in the Asotin Creek drainage. Earl also assisted Conflict Specialist Kolb, Conflict Specialist Wade and Natural Resource Specialist Moberg with trapping efforts in Walla Walla. A walk-in trap was set up as well as a rocket net. Unfortunately, there was an abnormal amount of activity around the traps and the turkeys were very leery and were on high alert. Efforts will resume next week to try and remove some of the more than 100 birds in the area.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Asotin Creek Wildlife Area Winter Gate Vandalism: Wildlife Area staff members were notified Tuesday morning by a concerned citizen that the winter gate on Lick Creek Road had been vandalized and left standing open. The citizen discovered the damaged gate on Sunday. All wildlife area staff members spent the better part of two days repairing the gate. Someone used either a grinder and cut-off wheel or a reciprocal saw to cut the hinges at the posts. The dropped gate was then pulled open which of course damaged the hinges on the other post. Staff members had to use a cutting torch to remove the damaged hinges. New hinges were fabricated in the Clarkston shop and installed on Wednesday. A mini excavator was used to support the gates while it was installed on the new hinges. Once installed, Nathan Whittaker welded caps on the pins to secure them. Enforcement is investigating the incident but as this time.
Z-Lake Aeration System- This week Wildlife Area Manager Finch flew the drone over the frozen Z-Lake at the correct time when the aeration system was running to verify it being operational.
Providing Education and Outreach
Habitat: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley met with two landowners in Columbia County to deliver them some black cottonwood and quacking aspen tree plugs. They were very excited about them and appreciative.
Biological Control: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley contacted Noxious Weed Coordinator Heimer regarding obtaining biological control in assisting a gentleman that inquired about how to attain some. Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley received an answer and passed along to fellow Private Lands Biologists as well.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Natural Resource Technician Position: Private Lands Biologist Nizer filtered through the applicant pool for the Saint John Natural Resource Technician position. Nizer worked with other private lands staff members to narrow it down to five applicants for the interview. Nizer asked Heitstuman, Baarstad, and Westacott to be on the interview panel. Interviews are expected to take place Thursday, February 6th, 2025.
Grants: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman reached out to Ducks Unlimited with an idea for a wetland project on the Swegle Unit of the WT Wooten Wildlife Area using Duck Stamp grant funds.
Bear Outreach: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris, Sergeant Leonetti, and enforcement intern Swiger visited with a first and second grade class at a Spokane Middle School to teach students about black bears and grizzly bears. Students learned about bear biology, species identification, and bear conflict.
Teamwork: Regional Private Lands staff members attended the statewide monthly private lands update hosted by section manager McCanna. Private Lands supervisor Baarstad met with McCanna to discuss regional private lands priorities for 2025.
Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Shop Organization: Natural Resource Technician Graves and Wildlife Area Manager Palmer went to the Region 1 Shop to deliver a shelving unit to Natural Resource Specialist Daniel Dziekan and pick up a work bench and cabinetry that Dziekan had removed from the Region 1 shop. Graves and Palmer installed the work bench and cabinetry in the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area shop and continued with reorganization and storage improvement efforts. The reorganization is improving storage space and expanding workspace to accommodate increased equipment maintenance and repair needs.
