Managing Wildlife Populations
Willapa Hills Elk Survey: Staff members from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regions 5 and 6, as well as from Olympia, joined to complete an aerial survey of the elk population in both the North and South Willapa Hills elk herd areas. The work was led by District Biologists Novack and Cent, from WDFW District 17, as well as Biologists Holman and Stephens from District 10. The effort took place over “Willapa Hills South” which includes Game Management Units 530 (Ryderwood), 506 (Willapa Hills), 681 (Bear River), and 673 (Williams Creek), as well as “Willapa Hills North” which includes Game Management Units 658 (North River), 660 (Minot Peak), and 672 (Fall River). The survey is conducted within a random stratified sampling design in which sub-areas of each GMU are flown by helicopter, while three WDFW observers plus the pilot search the landscape for elk. The animals are then counted as well as classified into sexes and ages. Additionally, the amount of vegetation concealing each group of elk is recorded.
Approximately 3,500 elk were observed by the team within 27 survey units, over the course of nine days. Folloyyyking data analysis, estimates of herd population size, sub-herd population size, GMU population sizes as well as calf to cow and bull to cow ratios will be generated. These metrics will be used to evaluate the status of the Willapa Hills elk population per the guidelines outlined in the WDFW Game Management Plan and the Willapa Hills Elk Herd Plan. Results will be published in the annual Status and Trend Report.
Thanks to current WDFW Region 2 Director Hoenes for his development of the survey method during his time as District Wildlife Biologist in Pacific and Gray’s Harbor Counties. Thanks to Ungulate Section Manager Garrison for securing the funds for this work, aiding in managing contractual requirements, prioritizing this work in planning exercises, and incorporating the results into management of the elk herd. Thanks to the many staff members who participated in the survey. Thanks to the staff members at the Naselle Hatchery for allowing their facility to be used as a heliport. Thanks to the staff members who conducted Flight Following. Thanks to Regional Wildlife Program Managers Jonker and Calkins, as well as Assistant Regional Wildlife Program Managers Hauswald and Blankenship for their daily attention to crew safety and timely review and thoughtful edits of the Flight Plan. Finally, thanks to Pilot Pete Emerson for his precise, efficient, assertive and safe piloting during the effort.
Dusky Canada Goose Surveys Conclude: In March, Biologists Wickhem, Ott, Stephens, and Holman completed their bi-monthly dusky Canada goose surveys in Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties. Dusky geese are a sub-species of Canada goose that spend summers in Alaska and migrate through and/or overwinter in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon. Duskies are closed to recreational harvest due to low population levels. The purpose of the survey is to count dusky geese observed, document their locations, and read alphanumeric codes on any red neck bands on the geese, also called collars. Wildlife managers survey the geese multiple times across their primary wintering grounds and use the data to generate survival estimates. Surveyors also identify and document observations of all additional species of geese and swans incidentally located during the effort.
In Clark County, Biologist Wickhem recorded 15 groups of Duskies and two collars in her final two surveys of the season. In Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties, Biologists Stephens and Holman located flocks of Dusky, western, and cackling Canada geese along with Trumpeter and Tundra swans. However, no collared Duskies were found. Other wildlife species encountered during the effort included many species of ducks, shorebirds, raptors, nesting bald eagles, gulls, pelicans, Columbian white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, elk, coyotes, otters, beavers, and three species of marine mammals.
District 10 Deer Project: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted Biologist Holman with trail camera checks via snowmobile and deer capture efforts in Cowlitz County as part of a new deer research project that started up in 2025. Jacobsen also assisted Biologist Holman with several days of deer capture attempts, which were unsuccessful.
District 9 Deer Collar Retrieval: Wildlife Conflict Specialists Jacobsen and O’Connor assisted District 9 biologists with the retrieval of several deer collars after their programmed drop-off date.
Deer Mortality Investigation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen investigated the death of a GPS-collared mule deer as part of the Klickitat County Mule Deer Migration Project. The deer appeared to have died of an unknown medical condition, and biologists are awaiting lab test results on collected tissue samples.
Pelt Sealing: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and Regional Program Manager Jonker sealed a total of ten bobcats and two river otters for two trappers who were preparing for the upcoming spring fur sale.
Annual Spring Klickitat Deer Survey: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted District 9 Biologists with the annual spring deer survey along the Klickitat River.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Road improvement: Access area staff members have begun a project to place large rocks along La Frambois road at Vancouver Lake. Initially, access staff members were using the rocks already on site along the road and moving them closer to the asphalt to keep people from driving on the shoulder and off roading inside the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. Additional rock will be ordered in the near future to extend this barrier along the Wildlife Area boundary for the whole length of the road.
Spring-cleaning: Access area staff members have been busy with some spring-cleaning projects including pressure washing the exteriors of restrooms, ADA parking spots, and signs, as well as filling in numerous sink holes that have been popping up in parking lots and walking trails. Access area staff members have also been taking advantage of mild weather and have been working on getting several sites cleaned up and ready for the summer season. Many sites only need some minor work while others, such as Silver Lake and Vancouver Lake, need more intensive work with clearing heavy vegetation and restroom repairs. The restroom at Vancouver Lake is unfortunately routinely vandalized and has been without a lock on the door, plus damage to the door, making privacy nonexistent. Access area staff members have recently made repairs to the restroom ensuring the restroom is effective for its purpose. Hopefully the repair will last.
Road Management and Repair: Cowlitz Wildlife Area staff members conducted road maintenance on four miles of the Peterman 1000 mainline. The road was dragged using a box scraper to remove potholes and then the road was regraded using a dozer. The roads are currently closed to unauthorized vehicle travel, facilitating the repairs as crew members get ready to open the roads May 1.
Hazard Trees: Access area staff members recently felled three hazard trees at Kress Lake in Kalama. The trees were slowly being whittled away by the local beavers. Usually this can be avoided or at least slowed by wrapping the trees in wire, but timing is everything. Unfortunately for the trees in question, salvaging them was not an option.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Elk Damage Complaints: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to multiple elk-crop damage complaints across Klickitat County. Damaged crops included wheat, barley, managed pasture, hay, organic herbs, and apple trees. Jacobsen deployed youth damage hunters to some of the properties and hazed elk to help alleviate elk damage to commercial crops.
Elk Fencing: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen worked with a landowner and a fencing installer on a cooperative fencing project to protect organic produce from elk and deer damage. Funding for cooperative fencing projects is allocated by the state legislature.
Llama Depredation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a llama that had been killed by a cougar. Local law enforcement responded and attempted to track a cougar with hounds but were unable to locate a cougar. Jacobsen conducted a necropsy on the frozen carcass. After an extensive investigation, Jacobsen concluded that the llama was killed by domestic dogs. A couple of weeks later, the landowner called Jacobsen to confirm that his own dogs were responsible, as he had just caught the three of them in the act of attacking and killing two more llamas.
Calf and Bull Depredation Investigations: A livestock producer contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding several calves that had died on his ranch over the past few weeks, as well as a large bull that had died. Jacobsen conducted necropsies on three calves and the bull. All of the deceased livestock died of natural causes and were not killed by wildlife.
Horse Depredation Investigation: A livestock producer contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and asked for help determining what killed one of his horses. Jacobsen was unable to conclusively determine cause of death for the horse because he was only provided part of the horse's carcass for investigation and could not investigate the location where the horse died.
Domestic Dog Depredation Investigation: A landowner contacted WDFW after his domestic dog was attacked. The landowner believed that a cougar may have been responsible. Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen investigated. After reviewing security camera footage and examining the dog’s injuries, Jacobsen determined that the dog was attacked by other domestic dogs.
Klickitat County Deceased Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and Biologists Bergh, Wickhem, and Ott responded to multiple reports of dead or dying deer in Klickitat County over the past few months. Jacobsen ended up euthanizing several sick deer over the course of the winter. Despite the fact that winter die-offs do occur in deer populations, this year’s winter was very mild, and the deaths did not coincide with severe winter events. Several deer died in or around houses, barns, or carports, and several lethargic deer had to be euthanized. Some deer appeared to have died from rumen acidosis, a condition caused by supplemental feeding by humans, but other cases were not as clear. Lab tests results from tissue samples have come back inconclusive. WDFW staff members will continue to monitor deer mortalities in the area. Currently, chronic wasting disease and epizootic/adenovirus hemorrhagic diseases are not of concern in these mortalities. WDFW staff members want to remind homeowners that feeding wildlife can often be detrimental to wildlife and may likely do more harm than good.
Injured Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted WDFW Officer Way on an injured deer incident. The deer had been hit by a car right outside of a 25mph zone and had severe injuries. The situation was not safe for firearm discharge, so Jacobsen chemically immobilized the deer prior to euthanizing it.
Residential Elk Calf: WDFW staff members received multiple calls over a month-long period regarding an elk calf that had decided to take up residence in a neighborhood. WDFW was not concerned about the activities of this independent-aged elk calf, as the neighborhood was immediately adjacent to contiguous elk habitat where the local elk herd regularly passes through. Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen suspected that multiple residents were feeding the calf, and photos of the calf’s distended rumen supported this. Jacobsen discouraged residents from feeding the elk for the sake of its own health, as well as for the safety of the residents in the area. Unfortunately, local rumors indicated that the calf died a short time later, possibly due to the effects of supplemental feeding. Again, WDFW staff members STRONGLY discourage the feeding of wildlife by homeowners. The public should also be aware that on March 24, 2025, the WDFW director approved a rule prohibiting feeding deer, elk, and moose in Washington, as feeding draws animals together where they can spread disease.
Deer Attacked by Dogs: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted Officer Myers with a report of a deer that had been attacked by dogs and chased across a large, swollen creek. Jacobsen and Officer Myers spent a substantial amount of time attempting to assess the deer’s condition from afar, as it was inaccessible in its current location. Jacobsen determined that the shed-antlered buck was severely injured and likely hypothermic given the amount of time that it had been in its current position, half-submerged in the creek. Jacobsen was able to euthanize the deer and eventually access the carcass. A necropsy of the carcass confirmed that the deer was attacked by dogs. Officer Myers worked on the official investigation regarding the dog attack on wildlife.
Deer Shot with Pellet Gun: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted WDFW Sgt. McQuary and Officer Myers with a deer that had been shot with a pellet gun by a homeowner. The homeowner was attempting to haze the deer out of his garden and didn’t think that the pellet gun would cause harm to the deer. The pellet was moving more than fast enough to cause damage and ended up paralyzing the deer. Jacobsen euthanized the deer. WDFW officers handled the investigation with the landowner and also provided him Jacobsen’s card so he could learn about acceptable and humane methods of deterring deer from gardens.
Bear in Garbage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a bear that had been getting into a landowner’s garbage cans every night. The bear managed to rip apart the wire cover that the landowner thought would keep the garbage secure. Jacobsen loaned the landowner some electric fence supplies and installed the fence around the garbage to keep the bear from obtaining a human food source reward.
WDFW Bear Fence: Last summer, Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen loaned an electric fence setup to a landowner that did not have regular garbage service and was having issues with a bear accessing their trailer full of garbage. Jacobsen installed the fence for the landowners. This spring, Jacobsen returned to the residence to retrieve the fence setup. Unfortunately, the landowners had left the loaned fence in a state of disrepair despite the fact bears had already become active in the area. Jacobsen took possession of the fencing materials and advised the landowners to purchase their own supplies and to maintain the fence as soon as possible.
Livestock Carcass Hauling: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen continued hauling off livestock carcasses for producers in Klickitat County. These carcasses would have otherwise ended up in carcass piles on producers’ property, which could inadvertently attract carnivores to active livestock operations.
Injured Owl: A landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding an owl that had gotten tangled up in chicken coop netting. Jacobsen was over two hours away at the time, so he advised the landowner on how to wrap up the great-horned owl and release it from the netting. Once the bird was freed and secured in a container, Master Hunter Rudberg volunteered to transport the bird to the nearest bird rehabilitation center. A special thanks goes out to Master Hunter Rudberg for his assistance on this impromptu wildlife rescue call!
Deceased fawn: A concerned landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen after discovering a dead fawn in his yard. Based on photos of the scene, Jacobsen believed that the small deer was likely killed by a bobcat. Jacobsen provided advice to the landowner.
Beaver Complaint: A landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen about beavers that were cutting limbs off of her willow trees. After an unusually wet spring with abnormal flooding in the area, the landowner’s yard was underwater which allowed the beavers better access to her willow trees. Jacobsen advised the landowner to fence off her three trees to prevent beavers from accessing them.
Blind Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialists Jacobsen and O’Connor, along with Communications Specialist Ransford, responded to a report of a deer walking in circles on a landowner’s property for several hours. After assessing the deer, Jacobsen determined that the deer was likely blind in both eyes and needed to be euthanized. Jacobsen successfully darted and chemically immobilized the deer. Further assessment confirmed that the deer was missing its left eye entirely and was also blind in its right eye. Jacobsen euthanized the deer.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Klickitat Wildlife Area: Klickitat Wildlife Area staff members partnered with Columbia Land Trust (CLT) and Department of Natural Resources staff members on a reconnaissance mission to the boundary of CLT and WDFW property.
Providing Education and Outreach
Smelt (Eulachon) Arrival: The annual arrival of smelt to the lower Columbia River and its tributaries brings a welcome bounty of marine derived nutrients to the area. Avian predators including bald eagles, gulls, and pelicans, among others, are joined by harbor seals and California and Stellar sea lions to take advantage of this surge of oil-rich fish. This concentration of wildlife brings wildlife viewers out to enjoy the sight of the abundant wildlife taking advantage of this valuable food resource. Biologist Holman opportunistically engaged with some of the wildlife viewers to point out good viewing locations and chat about the species present.
White Salmon Tree Fest 2025: Biologist Wickhem held down a table at White Salmon Tree Fest, which occurs annually in mid-March. The event is organized by the Underwood Conservation District whose native plant sale is the anchor of the festivities. This year’s fest included live music, a food truck, and 23 tables of local conservation-related businesses and organizations, including Mountain Top Wildlife Rehabilitation, Oregon State University Master Gardeners, Columbia Land Trust, and the Skamania County Noxious Weed Board to name a few. Approximately 250-300 people attended the event with 163 stopping at the WDFW table to ask questions, examine the animal specimens, and/or collect informational material. Huge thank you to mini-volunteer Babik, who tallied all of the table’s visitors, assisted with questions, handed out pamphlets, and kept Wickhem company throughout the event.
WFFA: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen delivered a presentation to the local chapter of the Washington Farm Forestry Association. The presentation focused on a wolf update for Klickitat County as well as on installing and monitoring trail cameras on properties for wildlife.
Klickitat County Board of Commissioners: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen provided a Klickitat wolf update to the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners at their request.
Central Klickitat Conservation District CRM Presentation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen presented an update on wolves in Klickitat County, as well as on the livestock depredation and compensation process, to livestock producers attending their annual Coordinated Range Management meeting hosted by the Central Klickitat Conservation District.
Hunter Education: Cowlitz Wildlife Area (CWA) staff members and the CWA Hunter Education Team held a hunter education hybrid course. The hybrid course includes a self-paced online module followed by a field skills evaluation where students take a quiz on the online portion content and receive hands-on training and evaluation by certified instructors. Fourteen students signed up to complete their certification. Four students were no-shows but ten students, ranging in age from eight to fifty, successfully passed the class and are now certified to hunt in the state of Washington.
Other
Dart Gun Practice: Wildlife Conflict Specialists Jacobsen and O’Connor worked on sighting in O’Connor’s dart gun so that she can effectively immobilize ungulates and carnivores when necessary.
