Managing Wildlife Populations
Oregon Spotted Frog Egg Mass Surveys: Biologists Ott, Wickhem, and Bergh have been spending many hours walking through shallow water on the search for Oregon spotted frog egg masses. They are thankful to have had help from many other Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff members, a great group of volunteer members, and one day of assistance from a Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crew. Oregon spotted frogs are federally threatened and state endangered, and their populations in the Trout Lake and Glenwood Valleys are monitored annually. The annual surveys involve walking transects in shallow water that is seasonally flooded to look for egg masses (groups of eggs) laid by the female frogs. Oregon spotted frogs are one of the earliest amphibians to lay their eggs in the spring, so conditions during surveys are usually cold and wet! Thank you to everyone who braved both cold and wet, and warm and sunny days to help keep track of these important critters.
Spring Deer Surveys: Biologists Ott, Wickhem, and Bergh along with Wildlife Area Manager Holman, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Stetson, and Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen conducted the annual spring green up deer survey on and around the Klickitat Wildlife Area. The purpose of the survey is to classify adult and fawn deer to understand overwinter mortality of fawns. The survey is done by driving five different routes split between one evening and the following morning to spot deer when they are most active. The survey has been conducted every mid to late March since the 1960’s. This year, we observed 487 deer and classified 422 of those deer, the most deer counted and classified since 2010! We observed 47 fawns for every 100 does, which is on par with our 10-year average of 48 fawns to 100 does. The raw ratio from our December 2024 aerial surveys was 49 fawns to 100 does, so our spring survey suggests that fawn winter kill was relatively minimal this year – hopefully good news for the Klickitat deer population.
Site Improvement: Water access staff members have been working diligently to improve local sites ahead of the busy spring/summer season. Lately, projects have consisted of removing heavy brush and tree limbs along the roads of access sites at Vancouver Lake and Washougal. Now that the weather has begun to improve, access staff members have also begun spraying herbicides to keep vigorous weed populations in check.
Trail Maintenance: Water access staff members have been monitoring the seasonal issue of the Kress Lake trail being undermined and eroded by high water levels. Until the water levels recede and the weather begins to dry out, access staff members will continue to monitor the situation. When feasible, staff members will fill in the holes and edges along the western side of the trail.
