Biweekly report Apr16-30 2025 - Region 1 (Eastern)
Managing Wildlife Populations
Sharp-tailed Grouse Release: This week Wildlife Program staff members from the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area released sharp-tailed grouse captured in British Columbia and transported to a lek within the Swanson Lakes/Bureau of Land Management areas. The first release was on Tuesday event with 10 males and three females.
Ferruginous Hawks: Biologist Brinkman completed an occupancy survey of a historic ferruginous hawk nesting territory in Lincoln County. The nest was located on a large rocky spire on private land, and an adult ferruginous hawk was observed leaving the nest upon approach. Productivity surveys to determine hatching and fledging success will be conducted at this active nest in June.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Voluntary Public Access Contracts: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley met with a landowner to review their access contracts and to sign an A-19 form to be able to process for payment. Thorne Hadley worked with Natural Resource Technician Moberg to collect sent out A-19 forms to landowners/managers to attain signatures to process payments for Voluntary Public Access Program. This was followed up with working on contracts with Contracts Specialist Cole to correct several contract amendments.
Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Pine Bar Site: Wildlife Area Manager Dice, Assistant Wildlife Area Manager Woodall, and Natural Resource Technician Peters opened the Pine Bar recreation site on Wednesday. The site had been closed for a month due to vandalism and cutting live trees. The site was cleaned up, kiosk installed, and ecology blocks moved back to the wildlife headquarter buildings.
Amber Lake Volunteer Project: The access area at Amber Lake, and the lake itself, is well suited for small personal watercraft, especially considering the ramp is closed, and is extremely popular for fly fishing. Local fly-fishing clubs have unofficially adopted the property as their own. The club members spend countless hours fishing, and quite a few hours volunteering to improve the launch area for themselves and others. The Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club and the Spokane Fly Fishers teamed up again this spring to refresh gravel at the launch area. There were eight volunteers registered, four from each club, and a handful of people that just showed up. A local gravel supplier delivered 12 yards of gravel to the access area prior to the project. Natural Resource Specialist Dziekan coordinated the project with the fly fishing clubs, and Natural Resource Technician Brant led the volunteer effort. Brant and the volunteer members spread the gravel in record time and even rented a gas-powered compactor to finish the project. This project will help maintain a smooth launching area for anglers, eliminating ruts from vehicles and tripping hazards. The compacted gravel will hold up for many years to come, before eventually needing to be refreshed again.
Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Food Plots: Food plots planted by Natural Resource Specialist Whittaker are looking great along Joseph Creek on the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area. Elk have especially been using the small winter wheat field.
Water Access Site Maintenance: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) water access site at Fan Lake received a new CXT toilet this week. Water Access Manager Dziekan and Natural Resource Technician Brant met Capitol and Asset Management Program (CAMP) staff members at the location on Monday morning. CAMP staff members knocked down the old toilet and had a vac truck scheduled to pump the vault right away. These photos show removal of the old toilet. The new CXT toilet was installed, and the parking lot restriped by the end of the week just ahead of the lowland lake fishing opener. Dziekan and Brant also ensured the rest of the water access sites in District 1 received the attention they needed to be ready for opening weekend. Dziekan came across three windblown trees at Caldwell Lake Water Access. He bucked them up and the trail is now clear of debris. All the other sites were routine maintenance.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Moose Hazing: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris hazed a moose that had been in a residential area for the past week. WDFW staff members received several additional reports regarding the same moose in the surrounding neighborhoods later in the week.
Elk Fence: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman and Natural Resource Technician Jensen walked the elk fence from the Mountain Road to the Wooten Headquarters. A few small holes and a leaning gate post were found. The holes were repaired, and the gate post will be addressed in May.
Peola Elk: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade continued to check the commercial crops that 150 elk had been frequenting for the last several months. It appears that the elk have completely left the crops after Wade worked with the crop owner to deploy a hunter to harvest an elk in the crops with a damage permit.
Couse Pack Territory Monitoring: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade checked the Anatone and Cloverland area for signs of wolf activity after receiving reports of possible activity in the areas. Wade did not observe any signs of activity. Wade also checked the snow level and road accessibility on the United States Forest Service (USFS) for potential wolf work on USFS property. Wade forwarded his observations to Wolf Biologist Spence.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Habitat Project: Private Lands Biologist Nizer and Natural Resource Technician Itrich completed seeding a property in Albion with a grass mixture to promote habitat for game birds and big game. Natural Resource Technician Itrich learned how to drive the tractor.
Sherman Creek Wildlife Area (SCWA) Prescribed Burning: Control line work was completed and prescribed burning was initiated at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area this week. With favorable conditions on Friday, WDFW Prescribed Burn staff members, SCWA staff members, and contract crews were able to accomplish the entire Bisbee unit (approximately 107 acres) and about a third of the Wilkie Unit (approximately 48 acres). A good amount of rain fell on Friday night, but around noon on Saturday burning conditions were favorable to ignite; so, another approximately 104 acres of the Wilkie Unit completed just before another significant rainfall hit the burn unit.
Noxious Weed Control: Natural Resource Technician Jensen sprayed poison hemlock and houndstongue on the Hartsock Unit and scotch thistle and houndstongue near the Headquarters. He also sprayed weeds at the Big 4 Lake parking area and under the powerline.
Revere Wildlife Area Friendly Fence Project: This week Wildlife Biologist Jennings will start working with the Washington Conservation Corp (WCC) to replace the top wire on the north and west fence line to put the fence to wildlife friendly standard. Funds were received from a grant to promote turkey habitat and hunter access; so, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner bought six walk-through gates to have installed along those fence lines during the wire replacement. The walk- through gates have been a topic of discussion for quite some time for the hunters that use that wildlife area.
Sherman Creek Control Burn Drone Flight Monitoring: This week Wildlife Area Manager Finch went to the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area for the control burn and monitoring by use of Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area drone. Monitoring the fire behavior is a valuable tool for incident commanders. The prescribed burn includes approximately 94 acres south of the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area office.
Providing Education and Outreach
Hunting Camp: Natural Resource Technicians Edmondson and Keeling were invited to attend the Human Nature hunting camp and allow for members of the camp to learn more about WDFW and the type of work that the private lands/conflict staff members partake in.
Envirothon 2025: Natural Resource Technician Itrich ran the wildlife station at the 2025 Envirothon event at Klemgard Park where students answered questions regarding birds and medium to large mammals.
Other
Kids Fishing Day: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley assisted with a kid’s fishing day in Dayton sponsored by City of Dayton with support from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. It was well attended and lots of fun.