Managing Wildlife Populations
Washington Ground Squirrels: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers and Technician Maynard trapped Washington ground squirrels at the Sagebrush Flats Wildlife Area Unit in Douglas County. The trapping was done to collect DNA samples that will be sent to the University of Idaho as part of a genetic study. Biologists placed baited walk-in traps at active ground squirrel colonies and collected buccal (AKA inside of the cheek) swabs from captured squirrels before releasing them onsite. Washington ground squirrels are designated as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), in addition to being a state-candidate species.
Greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse: Biologists are continuing to monitor known leks across Douglas County to inform population estimates of greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, both of which are classified as Endangered by the state of Washington. Douglas County has by far the highest abundance of greater sage-grouse in the state of Washington; however, the population is small and has experienced a steep decline over the past several decades. Additionally, biologists and other WDFW staff members and agency partners are conducting an intensive search for previously unknown leks by driving county roads and stopping every half mile to get out and listen for the vocalizations grouse often make while displaying. With this year’s increase in survey effort, biologists hope to find more lek sites for both species and locate leks that were displaced by the Pearl Hill Fire.
Annual Grouse Surveys: Private Lands Biologist Braaten continue surveying Sage and Sharp-tailed grouse in Douglas County.
Grouse Surveys: Biologist Morris assisted with sage grouse searches in South Douglas County. Grouse surveys are looking to see if there are grouse in areas where they haven’t been seen recently. To do the surveys, Morris drives public roads within an assigned area and stops every half mile to listen and look for sage grouse. Morris didn’t see any grouse in his surveys but saw plenty of other interesting wildlife, including savannah sparrows, horned larks, and sandhill cranes.
Mountain Goats: Biologist Jeffreys and Wildlife Conflict Specialist Bridges spent a day aerially surveying the south shore of Lake Chelan for mountain goats as part of ongoing efforts to learn more about the distribution, abundance, recruitment, and trends of mountain goat populations in the Lake Chelan Basin. Survey weather was ideal, with very light winds and clear skies. Surveyors observed 25 goats between Devore Creek and Box Canyon, which is in line with recent years’ counts. Surveyors observed 24 mountain goats on the south shore in 2024, and 20 goats in 2022.
Mule Deer: Biologists Emily Jeffreys and Johnna Eilers picked up 18 remote trail cameras on game trails near Blewett Pass. These cameras were used to capture images of the Wenatchee Mountains mule deer herd from October through December 2024 when they were undertaking their annual eastward migration to lower elevation winter range. Biologists will soon analyze the thousands of images collected to determine age and sex of photographed deer and use this information to generate fawn:doe and buck:doe ratios for the herd. Biologists will then compare these ratios with those obtained from aerial surveys that took place in December 2024 to determine whether remote camera placement could be a viable method to assess mule deer herd composition moving forward.
Pygmy rabbit captures and releases: Biologists Crowell and Turner led the first enclosure capture efforts of the year with help from Biologists Gallie and Turnock and Technicians Hara and Maynard, as well as partners and volunteer members from Woodland Park Zoo, Conservation Northwest, Pheasants Forever, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Between two enclosures, eight breeding adults (seven males, one female) and eight kits were captured. Five kits were old enough to be vaccinated for RHDV2 and released into the wild. Three kits that were too young were ear-marked and placed back in the enclosure. Six adults were also vaccinated for RHDV2 and released back into their enclosure.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Hunter Access: Biologist Morris worked with the Buckrun Landowner Hunting Permits (LHP) landowners to update their permits and contract. Several thousand of their acres were sold and removed from the LHP, and so Morris worked with them, District Wildlife Biologist Dougherty, and Private Lands Section Manager McCanna to update permit numbers and LHP boundaries.
Morris also had several other expiring hunter access contracts that he updated to ensure that public hunting access is maintained on private lands.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement (DACP): Specialist Heilhecker met with a livestock producer to discuss a Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement. The producer is interested in signing the agreement to cost-share range riding expenses. Their livestock graze within a known wolf territory. Specialist Heilhecker submitted the agreement to headquarters staff members. Heilhecker is waiting to receive a copy for producer’s signature.
Specialist Heilhecker coordinated livestock monitoring activities with a contracted range rider.
Grazing Permit Management: Specialist Heilhecker attended a meeting with wildlife area managers to discuss nonlethal deterrence measures for wolf-livestock interactions. WDFW grazing permit holders will be required to deploy nonlethal deterrence measures this grazing season. Measures include checking livestock four to five times per week, notifying wildlife area managers of any livestock carcasses and any sick or injured livestock, and avoid denning areas, in addition to other measures.
Cougar Depredation Investigation: Specialist Heilhecker responded to a cougar depredation on a lamb. The livestock producer stated the lamb was alive the previous morning when the sheep were turned out into the pasture for the day. A couple hours later, their livestock guardian dogs herded the sheep to the flats and stayed with the sheep for remainder of the day. Around dusk, the sheep were brought back to the barn for the night. However, the sheep were not counted, and the lamb was not discovered missing until the next day as they were turned out. The livestock producer has several nonlethal deterrence measures in place including the livestock guardian dogs, bringing sheep in at night, motion sensor lights, and no attractants such as a boneyard.
Grazing Permit Revision: Specialist Heilhecker, along with Wildlife Regional Program Manager Haug worked on a grazing risk assessment for the Chiliwist Unit of the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area. The Chiliwist Unit lies with the Sullivan Creek pack territory. The pack has a history of three depredations within a 10-month window dating back to August 2024. Based on the annual operation plans for grazing permits on WDFW lands, the depredations met one of three high risk criteria. Any high-risk criteria trigger a decision by the director as to whether the grazing permit needs modifications. Manager Haug and Specialist Heilhecker developed options and a recommendation for Director Susewind to consider.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Habitat Restoration Projects: Biologist Morris, Biologist Cook, and Private Lands Technician Blanchard planted over 600 native grass plugs (container-grown grass plants) to enhance cover and forage in recently established habitat plots. Grasses planted included basin wildrye, Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Sandberg’s bluegrass.
Habitat Restoration: Private Lands Biologist Braaten planted 400 riparian trees/shrubs this week in Douglas County on private lands.
Fence Removal: Biologist Morris hauled away old fence materials that the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crew members removed from private property near Quincy. WCC crew members removed the old, broken-down fence last fall but didn’t have time to remove it. Morris hauled away approximately 1,000 pounds of old barbed wire. The removal of the fence will facilitate easier wildlife movement and reduce the risk of wildlife entanglement or collisions with the fence. It will also make access easier for the landowner and WDFW wildlife survey crews on the property that is a Community Restoration Program field with mature wildlife habitat that supports Species of Greatest Conservation Need and federally listed endangered species.
Habitat Project Collaboration: Biologist Morris met with Pheasants Forever, Cascadia Conservation District, and a local landowner near Chelan to discuss possible habitat projects in the area. The landowner is very interested in creating wildlife habitat and helping their land recover from a recent fire. Morris provided technical advice on establishing beneficial wildlife habitat, including re-establishing an old stand of bitterbrush that burned in the fire. While there, the groups involved helped spread seed on a small area disturbed by post-fire cleanup by the landowner.
Habitat Monitoring: Biologist Morris went to check an area where he planted sagebrush and sprayed a pre-emergent herbicide to reduce weed competition last fall. Spring has sprung and there were the early blooming wildflowers displaying their vibrant colors, including sagebrush buttercup, yellowbells, and lomatium. The herbicide seems to be reducing weed pressure, but not affecting the native forbs, which is encouraging.
Community Restoration Program (CRP) Leave Areas: Biologist Morris and Private Lands Technician Blanchard flagged habitat leave areas in CRP fields that were going to be reseeded. Morris worked with the landowner, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Farm Service Agency to prevent areas of the field with suitable and potentially suitable pygmy rabbit habitat from being disturbed. The areas will be kept intact to provide current and future pygmy rabbit habitat. They also provide beneficial habitat to many other sagebrush-dwelling wildlife species including sage grouse, mule deer, songbirds, other small mammals, and many hawks and owls.
Providing Education and Outreach
Volunteer Habitat Project: Biologists Morris and Cook, and Private Lands Technicians Blanchard and Wilson, worked with several seniors from Othello High School to plant approximately 400 native grass plugs on private land near Lind Coulee and Potholes Reservoir. Previous work by WDFW Private Lands staff members and the landowner had established mature native grass, shrub, and tress species on the site. The new basin wildrye and Indian ricegrass plants were added adjacent to a wildlife supplemental food plot and tree and shrub rows.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Specialist Heilhecker arranged for new tires on her motor pool vehicle.
Wolf Advisory Group Meeting: Specialist Heilhecker participated in wolf advisory group (WAG) coordination meetings where they discussed how to improve member participation. Specialist Heilhecker listened to the WAG meeting where members discussed range riding. WAG members developed a recommendation for Director Susewind to consider regarding changing the range riding criteria as a nonlethal measure for monitoring livestock. She then participated in an internal staff member debriefing as a follow-up to the meeting.
Specialist Heilhecker, Specialist Bridges, and Supervisor Rickel also attended a wolf coordination meeting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Wenatchee.