Biweekly report Feb16-28 2025 - Region 1 (Eastern)
Managing Wildlife Populations
Rustlers Gulch Wildlife Area: Acting Wildlife Area Manager Palmer and Natural Resource Technician Graves spent time at Rustlers Gulch Wildlife Area this week, getting Graves acquainted with the property and ongoing forest restoration work. In the process, Palmer and Graves were regularly encountering wolf tracks but were having difficulty determining how many wolves, until coming upon the site in the photo below. Six wolves had bedded here during that last snow event, with one other wolf bed under another single tree just uphill from this location.
Moose: Biologist Lowe was the flight follower for two days of aerial moose capture effort in District 1. Biologist Brinkman and Lowe were on the schedule to assist with capture efforts later in the week, but due to a shortage of drugs used to sedate moose, the capture effort was cut short after expending the supply of drugs during the first three days of the capture window. A total of 11 cow moose were captured and collared during those three days.
Bald Eagle: Natural Resource Technicians Edmondson and Keeling assisted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Samsill with the capture of a bald eagle that was injured on Highway 25. The eagle was captured, put in a kennel, and left overnight at the District 1 office to warm up before being transferred to the Spokane Audubon Society for rehabilitation.
Moose: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman, with assistance from Wildlife Health Tech Appel, conducted a mortality investigation on a cow moose that was collared in 2024 as part of an ongoing moose study in the region. The collar began sending a mortality signal on February 9 and was investigated on February 10. Based on tracks and sign visible in the snow, it was determined that the moose was killed by wolves (likely the Mount Spokane pack), and had subsequently been scavenged on by eagles, ravens, and magpies. Although the exact age of the moose is not currently known, it appears to have been an older individual based on gum recession and tooth wear. Two incisor teeth were removed during the mortality investigation and will be sent to a lab for aging. There was a large abscess on one of the hind legs, indicating an injury that had become infected. This injury may have resulted in limited mobility and thus increased the susceptibility of this moose to predation.
Fairchild Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP): Biologist Lowe and Habitat Biologist Westerman met with staff members from Fairchild Air Force Base to discuss resource management activities completed in 2024 and goals for 2025, as identified in their Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan.
Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Enforcement Patrol: Acting Wildlife Area Manager Palmer and Natural Resource Technician Graves joined Enforcement Sargent Bahrenburg and Officer Thoma on patrol at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area, on the Bisbee Mountain Road, to check for illegal motor vehicle access into the ungulate winter range. No illegal motor vehicle access was detected this year. Wildlife area staff members also use the opportunity for wildlife observations, noting trends in tracks and animal numbers. The snow was quite deep at higher elevations, which likely played a role in decreased wildlife observations.
Tucannon Bighorn Sheep: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman located all 19 of the sheep this week. Biologist Vekasy, Conflict Specialist Kolb, and Dingman darted and collared two lambs: one male and one female.
Tucannon Spring Chinook Meeting: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman attended a meeting with Fish Program and Habitat Program to discuss the future of the Tucannon spring chinook and an agreed upon path forward to try to keep them from extinction.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Deer: Natural Resource Technicians Edmondson and Keeling responded to a call about a deer that had been found dead at the Colville Junior High School. The technicians arrived on scene, removed the deer, and disposed of it at the Roitz Rd Department of Transportation pit.
Coyote Predations: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris received multiple reports of deer being killed in Spokane resident’s yards. Harris investigated one of the dead fawns and confirmed that it had died during a coyote predation event. Carcass remains were removed from the scene to prevent attracting predators to the area.
Injured Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris followed up on a report of two injured deer at a Spokane college campus. Harris identified both deer as fawns from last year with leg injuries. Both deer were still mobile, and Harris advised campus staff members to leave the deer alone and contact us if their condition declines.
Elk Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris met with a producer in Spokane County to assess elk haystack damage. The producer is working to setup cattle panels around the haystack to keep elk out.
Turkey Trapping: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb and other conflict staff members from District 3 spent a portion of the week addressing turkey complaints from city of Walla Walla homeowners. Weather conditions fluctuated throughout the week and created challenges to ensure the capture equipment would function correctly. The team was successful in trapping and transporting a group of large toms out of the problem area. All turkeys trapped were uninjured and released without issue.
Elk Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris met with a group of landowners and producers in Spokane County to discuss Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements (DPCA) and mitigating elk damage. Landowners have been heavily impacted by damage to wheat and garb crops and are interested in enrolling into a DPCA to receive future damage permits.
Moose Conflict: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris responded to a report of a moose in distress at a Spokane residence. Harris advised the homeowner that the moose, a yearling bull, appeared to be in good shape and to give it time to leave on its own. The moose received an ear tag in the summer of 2024 when it was immobilized by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) enforcement staff members to remove a roof jack that was stuck on its foot.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Brush Piles: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley discussed brush pile construction with Private Lands Biologist Manderbach and emailed job sheets with construction diagrams along with photographs of brush piles being constructed on WDFW contracted access properties in Walla Walla County.
Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley met with the Habitat Chairman of the Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever Chapter to give him several pallets to use for the foundation of two brush piles that the Chapter is planning on constructing this spring.
Solar and Wind Energy: Biologist Lowe attended a meeting with the Solar and Wind Guidelines focus group to receive updates on the progress of the draft “Guidelines for Utility-scale Solar and Onshore Wind Energy Development in Washington State” document. The group will have a couple of weeks to provide comments during the second review period.
Chapman Lake Access: This week Wildlife Area Manager Finch and Natural Resource Technician Duclos went to Chapman Lake to check the access from the public for trash and target shooting. Finch and Duclos also placed a game camera at the access point where recent damage was caused to the fence, gate, and bracket. Approximately one month ago, someone took down the fence next to the access gate to drive an ATV within the property.
Forest Restoration Grant Revision Approved: Acting Wildlife Area Manager Palmer was notified that the Recreation and Conservation Office approved a revision to the current grant providing for forest restoration prescribed burning at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. The revision replaces treatment units identified for this grant with other units that were treated before this grant project. The original project units cannot be treated before the grant end date due to partner delays and logistical reasons. The replacement units are due for re-entry with prescribed fire based on natural fire cycles in the ponderosa pine forest habitat type. This revision provides the opportunity to continue meeting prescribed burning treatment objectives and fully expend the grant before the end date on June 30, 2025.
Revere Wildlife Area Inspection: This weekend with the heavy rains in Whitman County the snow melted off so quickly reports of major flooding occurred. Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner and Natural Resource Technician Duclos went to the Revere Wildlife Area to inspect for any flood damage. While inspecting the wildlife area, driving from the west entrance through the interior, everything looked normal until they approached the county wooden bridge leaving the north side of the property. Once Wagner and Duclos reached the wooden bridge that crosses Imbler Creek, the entire county road on the westside of the bridge had been washed out. There was debris that washed up against the wooden bridge and restricted the flow of Imbler Creek, forcing the channel to divert to the west side of the bridge and down the county road a distance. Now the only road entrance onto the wildlife area is from the westside along Jordan Knot Rd. Wagner contacted the Whitman County Road Supervisor and reported the washout, but was told Whitman County declared a state of emergency therefore it would be at least three weeks to one month before that section of roadway can be repaired.
Providing Education and Outreach
University of Idaho Career Fair: Private Lands Biologist Nizer attended the University of Idaho College of Natural Resources career fair. Nizer spoke to future graduates about how to get involved and what steps to start a career as a Private Lands Biologist.
Selkirk Middle School Career Fair: Biologist Brinkman attended a career fair at the Selkirk Middle School in Liberty Lake. Students from sixth to eighth grade visited booths set up from many local businesses and each grade had different questions that the students asked to professionals from different career paths. Enforcement Officer Copenhaver was also at the WDFW booth to answer questions related to enforcement.
Hunter Education: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb coordinated facility and live-fire locations for four hunter education courses in the Walla Walla Valley this spring.
4-O Ranch Wildlife Area Buck and Pole Fence: Natural Resource Technicians Peters and Meisner made a template for constructing uprights to hold up buck and pole fence. The plan is to build about 1,000 feet of fence around a pond near the Reynolds place to protect quaking aspen from grazing livestock, deer, and elk. The project is partially funded with Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) money, and we are planning on having RMEF volunteer members construct the fence this spring.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Seasonal Access Area Closures: Natural Resource Specialist Dziekan visited access areas in District 2 to shut them down for the season. These included Spokane County Lakes; Badger, Williams, and Clear Lake. The gates are routinely shut and locked after waterfowl season is over. Dziekan will reopen the gates once regular fishing season opens at the end of April.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD): Natural Resource Technician Edmondson picked up three elk heads that had been harvested using damage permits to collect CWD samples.