Managing Wildlife Populations

Bighorn Sheep Surveys: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers completed ground surveys for both the Swakane and Chelan Butte bighorn sheep herds. Ground surveys consist of biologists driving to pre-determined observation points on either side of the Columbia River and glassing for sheep using scopes and binoculars. Once a sheep or group of sheep is located, the biologist records a waypoint as well as the number of sheep in the group. Whenever possible, the biologist identifies sex and approximate age for each sheep in the group. These ground surveys can be used to obtain a minimum count for the herd but are more reliably used to assess herd composition as limited visibility from the road can mean that a significant number of sheep are missed during driving surveys. The most important metrics derived from ground surveys are ram to ewe and lamb to ewe ratios, but biologists also look at age structure of males within the population. These surveys are also useful for gaining a broad overview of each herd’s fall distribution across its home range, at least in so far as these areas are observable from the ground. 

The driving route ground surveys Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys performed in late November follow ground surveys performed by Chelan Wildlife Area Manager Amy Pavelchek and her team in the first half of November. This means that both the Swakane and Chelan Butte sheep herds were surveyed via driving route twice in the 2024 post-hunt season. Biologists reviewed minimum counts and sex and age data from each survey and estimated the following values for each herd, based exclusively on 2024 ground surveys.

The minimum count of 128 sheep for the Chelan Butte herd is encouraging as this represents the highest count for this herd obtained via either ground or aerial survey in five years. Biologists believe this number is very close to the true herd size for Chelan Butte. The very high ram to ewe ratio is typical for this herd, and the lamb to ewe ratio looks great. In contrast, the Swakane herd is likely closer to 180 to 200 individuals based on the last several years of survey data, and it is likely surveyors missed mostly ram groups as the low ram to ewe ratio presented here is not at all typical for this herd, which in recent years has averaged about 1 to 1 rams to ewes. Biologists will be performing aerial surveys for both the Swakane and Chelan Butte bighorn sheep herds in December (as well as the Manson herd on the north shore of Lake Chelan), so it will be very interesting to see how minimum counts and ratios derived from flights compare to the numbers obtained via ground surveys. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Waterfowl Habitat and Access Program: Biologists Cook and Morris, and Technician Blanchard completed contracts and posted 11 new properties specifically for upland and waterfowl field hunting opportunities. They all opened Thanksgiving week and are Hunt by Reservation but allow Register to Hunt after 8:30 a.m. to allow for greater hunting opportunities. The properties are grouped but spread out through southern Grant County, three near Mattawa, four near Stratford, and four near Quincy and Ephrata. Most of these fields are corn stubble.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Depredation Permits Issued: Specialist Heilhecker re-issued antlerless elk kill and damage permits for several landowners. Landowners did not use their original permits that were issued prior to the elk general hunting season. With the close of the hunting season, landowners requested new landowner kill and damage permits. All the permits were issued for GMU 204.

Specialist Heilhecker renewed a damage prevention cooperative agreement for a landowner experiencing elk damage in GMU 204. She issued a kill permit. 

Responding to Racoon Report: Specialist Heilhecker received a call regarding a raccoon in a tree. The reporting party was calling on behalf of another individual. The individual believed the raccoon was stuck in the tree because she had not seen it come down in four days. Specialist Heilhecker provided some options to encourage the raccoon to move. It is likely the raccoon had been coming down after dark. 

Wildlife Conflict Mitigation: Specialist Heilhecker received a call from a legislative staff member who wanted contact information for a wildlife conflict specialist in the Yakima area. The caller was reaching out on behalf of a constituent experiencing a problem with geese. Specialist Heilhecker gave the caller the number of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services in Mose Lake since geese are a migratory bird and handled by USDA Wildlife Services. She also gave the caller the contact information for the wildlife conflict specialist in case WDFW staff members were familiar with the situation.

Wolf Pack Information Request: Specialist Heilhecker replied to an information request from the Methow Ranger District regarding the Chewuch and Loup Loup packs. United States Forest Service (USFS) staff members are working on biological assessments and need updated information regarding the two packs.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Sagebrush Restoration Project: Private Lands Biologists Cook and Braaten, and Private Lands Habitat Technician Blanchard helped Private Lands Biologist Morris plant 2,000 sagebrush plugs using the Region 2 south Private Lands tractor and tree/shrub planter. Shrubs were planted on a previously burned area to aid in recovering shrubsteppe. A previous Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit enclosure is on site and currently used enclosures are on neighboring properties. An additional 240 shrubs of varying species were planted in a low-lying draw to help additional species establish.

Upland Bird Habitat Restoration: Private Lands Biologist Cook, Private Lands Habitat Technician Blanchard, and Water Access Technician Wilson planted 140 potted shrubs in four rows on a three-and-a-half-acre circle corner east of Moses Lake. Three rows were planted about three years ago on the opposite edge with Great Plains native warm season grasses throughout the plot. The newly planted shrubs will give another row of cover and food for upland birds, beneficial insects, and other native wildlife. This plot is supplementally irrigated to aid the grasses and shrubs. However, the species used are drought tolerant and can survive for some time without irrigation. Shrubs were planted using Private Lands hand-held augers and Water Access mini track loader with a mounted auger attachment for the larger pots.

Other

Range Rider Coordination: Specialist Heilhecker coordinated livestock monitoring activities with a contracted range rider. The contracted range rider helped producers round-up and look for livestock as they are moved to private land.

Interview Panel Participation: Specialist Heilhecker participated in an interview panel to select a candidate for the Methow Wildlife Area assistant manager position. 

Training: Specialist Heilhecker attended Personal Safety Training II in Ellensburg and completed Washington State Small Purchasing online training. 

Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement: Specialist Heilhecker completed cost-share payment paperwork for a livestock producer with a damage prevention cooperative agreement. She submitted the paperwork to the wildlife conflict program. 

Range Rider Support: Specialist Heilhecker completed and submitted payment paperwork for a contracted range rider.

Public Disclosure Request: Specialist Heilhecker, Bridges and Supervisor Rickel all completed a public disclosure request.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Cascades Carnivore Monitoring Project: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen, along with Volunteer Fischer, retrieved the last of the remote cameras deployed for lynx and installed four over-winter wolverine monitoring cameras in District 6. The lynx cameras captured additional lynx detections and documented other species of interest including a fisher in the Sawtooth Range. This is part of a long-term (20-yr) collaborative effort to monitor these two species throughout their range in the Cascades.

Mule Deer Management: As part of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) mule deer monitoring, several female mule deer are radio collared throughout District 6. Mortalities are investigated and cause of death determined when possible. Biologist Heinlen, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Biologist Breitenbach, and Sinlahekin Assistant Manager Riley investigated a mule deer mortality in GMU 204. The carcass was found in a shrubby draw, completely consumed, and tracking conditions were not ideal, leaving not enough evidence to determine a cause of death other than unknown predation. The radio collar was recovered to be refurbished and redeployed.

Pheasant Releases: Biologist Morris transported pheasants to the Chiliwist Wildlife Area. Some pheasants were released, and some sent North to Omak. These birds provide recreational opportunities for hunters looking to harvest a bird on WDFW wildlife areas.

Bullfrog fence removal: Technicians Force and Hara and Biologists Turnock and Gallie removed a bullfrog exclusion fence around the northern leopard frog release site. This fence has been up since March and acted as a barrier to keep invasive American bullfrogs from recolonizing the release site after bullfrog control efforts took place. Now that winter is approaching, the released northern leopard frogs will be looking for deeper water to overwinter, also known as brumate. Removing the fence was necessary to allow the frogs to disperse and find a suitable overwintering site. Bullfrogs generally enter brumation earlier than leopard frogs, so staff members are hopeful that removing the fence this late in the season will not result in significantly increased bullfrog predation.

Pygmy rabbit occupancy: Region 2 diversity staff members have been assisting with surveys to determine pygmy rabbit occupancy in the Beezley Hills and Rimrock areas. Staff members look at digital maps to find areas with high sagebrush cover, then go to these sites in person and search for signs of pygmy rabbits. Such signs include scat or fresh burrows. These surveys are necessary to ensure biologists have an updated distribution map of where pygmy rabbits occur on the landscape.

Striped whipsnake surveys: Biologist Turnock and Technicians Hara and Force have been assisting state herpetologists with surveys for striped whipsnake shed skins. Striped whipsnakes rely on shrubsteppe habitat and have been impacted by cheatgrass invasion, habitat conversion, road mortality, and declines in their preferred prey species of side-blotched and sagebrush lizards. Staff members have been searching for skins that snakes will shed before entering their winter dens. When found, these skins can be collected and sent for genetic analysis, which can help biologists understand how many individuals are on the landscape. Genetic techniques such as this are extremely helpful for species such as whipsnakes, which are very difficult to detect using traditional survey methods.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Setting Up Hunter Registration Booths: To prepare for fall hunting, Douglas County Complex Wildlife Area staff members have been updating and preparing the hunter registration booths and parking lots. These tasks included brushing off hunter registration booths, weed whacking parking lots, replacing any old signage, clearing out yellow jackets, removing trash, and restocking hunter registration cards. 

Private Lands Program Hunter Access: Private Lands Biologist Braaten finished up 2024 deer hunting seasons (with exception of a few late permits) by assisting landowners and hunters. Braaten worked in field during hunting season, meeting hunters, and discussing many topics. CWD, Cougars, Deer Numbers seem to be hot topics.

Waterfowl Habitat and Access Program: Biologists Cook and Morris, and Habitat Technician Blanchard prepared and sent letters to landowners growing corn to recruit additional sites for the Waterfowl Habitat and Access Program this fall. The program specifically provides field hunting opportunities for waterfowl, and in our Region generally provides upland bird hunting as well. These types of sites have been frequently requested by hunters looking for a continuation of the former Corn Stubble program. This is not a continuation, but another program that provides for the same or similar sites.

Presence for General Firearm Deer Season: Biologist Cook and Technician Blanchard checked on properties in the hunter access program, including Opening Day, in Adams and southern Grant counties to ensure signs are still in place, to show the department presence, talk with hunters and help landowners with issues, if needed. Biologist Cook helped two landowners get in contact with WDFW police for reporting hunter issues.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Range Rider Coordination: Specialist Heilhecker coordinated monitoring activities with a contracted range rider. The contracted range rider will work through mid-December or until the cows move to feedlots. Specialist Heilhecker spoke with producers regarding wolf locations and pack sizes. She also contacted the Forest Service regarding some misplaced cows found by the contracted range rider.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

West Foster Creek Beaver Dam Analog (BDA) Installation and Maintenance: The West Foster Creek BDA project has kept wildlife area staff members busy this September. Thirty new structures were installed in West Foster Creek and approximately 20 BDAs were maintained from last year’s efforts. These structures included both channel spanning BDAs and bank blasting dams. The purpose of bank blasters is to widen the channel and create soil. Woody material was sourced from nearby wildlife areas and used to construct the structures. These BDA projects were accomplished with the help of partners from the Habitat Program, Pheasants Forever, Washington Shrubsteppe and Resiliency Initiative (WSRRI), Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) and Douglas County Public Utilities Department. 

Smith Draw BDAs: Wells Wildlife Area staff members have constructed 30 post-less BDA structures in Smith Draw with the help of WCC, Pheasants Forever, and WSSRI. 

Upland Habitat Restoration: Assistant Wildlife Area Manager Blake checked the status of three restoration fields at Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area; identifying field preparation that needs completed this fall. At the Big Bend Wildlife Area, Natural Resource Technician Chouinard assisted a grazing permittee on an National Resource Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program (NRCS EQIP) project to control morning glory on another project. 

Removal and Treatment of Siberian Elm: Wildlife area staff members have been removing and treating Siberian elm from around the Wells Wildlife Area to be used on the West Foster Creek BDA project. Many dump trailer loads of elm have been transported to Wild Fish Conservancy and used as weave and mattress material in BDAs.

Xerces Pollinator Plots Preparation: The office secured two habitat garden kits from the Xerces Society earlier this year. To prepare for the arrival of around 80 plants from Xerces at the beginning of October, wildlife area staff members have prepared an area on the Bridgeport Bar that will become a pollinator plot. To prepare for the planting, Technicians Haney-Williamson and Balderston have flagged the site and are thinking through how irrigation will need to be set up and other necessary site prep. Staff members mowed and cleared the area and tilled the soil. Once the soil was prepared, staff members laid down and secured weed mats and set up drip irrigation. 

Douglas County Sagebrush Restoration Project: The Private Lands team from Region 1 north and Region 2 completed a sagebrush restoration project on private land that had recently burned in the Road 11 wildfire in Douglas County. A total of 7,500 big sagebrush plants were planted using tree/shrub planting machines. The team completed the project in two days. Pheasants Forever funded the plant materials. The landowner also has been in the WDFW Hunter Access Program for last 30 years providing opportunities for sportsman. Private Lands Biologist Braaten has been working with landowners in Douglas County for over 30 years. It has been a great relationship and project for the private lands program.

Habitat Plots: Morris sprayed weeds at one of his habitat plots in preparation to plant sagebrush plugs. Sagebrush plugs are small, container-grown sagebrush plants. Morris will plant 2,000 sagebrush plants to aid in sagebrush post-fire recovery in the pygmy rabbit recovery area.

Biologist Morris, along with Biologist Cook and Technician Blanchard, helped Biologist Braaten plant 7,500 sagebrush plugs in Douglas County. They took two and a half days to plant with two tractors running and eight people assisting. These plants are also being planted to aid in recovery post-fire.

Providing Education and Outreach

Adams County High Schools Career Showcase: Biologist Cook attended two career showcase events with Lind-Ritzville and Othello high schools to help students learn about future employment with WDFW. Technician Blanchard and Hunter Education Coordinator Montanari attended one event to help.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Specialist Heilhecker attended personal safety training in Ellensburg, completed the first amendment video auditor awareness training, and the bi-monthly wildlife conflict update meeting.

Other

Maintaining Hunter Registration Booths and Processing Hunter Registration Cards: When hunter registration booths were stocked with cards, staff members noticed that some of the booths were needing repairs. Natural Resource Technicians Rios and Garcia repaired wooden collection boxes and made new plastic covers to keep the cards dry. Natural Resource Technicians Garcia and Balderston have been collecting hunter registration cards and recording the data in spreadsheets. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Northern Bog Lemming: Biologists Jeffreys and Turnock backpacked to a wetland above Rainy Lake near Maple Pass as part of an effort to assess current occupancy of northern bog lemming (NBL) throughout their historic range in Washington. To determine if NBLs are present in this area, biologists scoured the area for little rodent runways and burrows, searching for scat similar in shape to a grain of rice and between 4-7mm in length. In total, biologists collected 30 samples and will be sending them to a lab for DNA testing to confirm they belong to NBLs, as this species’ scat strongly resembles that of several vole species present in the area and can't be identified based on appearance alone. A second survey site was planned near Dagger Lake couple miles south of Washington Pass; however, bad weather during two different scheduled trips prevented biologists from completing the survey at this second location.

The northern bog lemming is a small mammal species restricted to subarctic climates and found primarily in sphagnum bogs and wet meadows. The bulk of this species’ range is in Canada, and northern Washington represents its southwestern range limit. Due to its dependency on cold, wet environments, the northern bog lemming is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The NBL occurs in low numbers in Washington in small, isolated populations, and is designated as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Little is known about this species throughout the USA, but it is thought to be declining in many areas, so WDFW has joined with other northern states to collect more information on NBL occupancy. 

In 2022, District 7 biologists successfully confirmed NBL occupancy via DNA from scat samples at the bogs and wetland complex near Washington Pass Observation Site. In 2023, biologists surveyed McAlester Pass and unfortunately did not get any positive NBL detections. 

Mule Deer: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers teamed up with Ungulate Specialist Bundick to place 18 remote cameras on game trails around Blewett Pass. These cameras will be used to capture images of mule deer from the Wenatchee Mountains herd undertaking their annual eastward migration to lower elevation winter range. Biologists will analyze all images collected to determine age and sex of photographed deer and use this information to generate fawn to doe and buck to doe ratios for the herd. Biologists will then compare these ratios with those obtained from aerial surveys set to take place in early December to determine whether remote camera placement could be a viable method to assess mule deer herd composition moving forward. 

To identify the best locations for camera placement, WDFW staff members analyzed GPS data collected from does collared on winter range in the Wenatchee Foothills in 2020 and 2022. With three years of fall migration data now available, biologists were able to determine the areas along Highway 97 used most consistently by the collared does for crossing each fall. The biologists then went out into the field, parking along stretches of Highway 97 and searching for deer trails crossing the highway in these general areas. Well-established, intersecting pathways through the trees and underbrush were sought as the locations where cameras were likely to capture images of the greatest number of deer groups. Once a promising site was identified, biologists secured a game camera in a nearby tree facing the trail. These cameras will be retrieved, and photos analyzed in the winter after fall migration has ended. 

Mountain Goats: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers completed two days of aerial surveys for mountain goats in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. A total of 25 mountain goats were observed, all between 6,000 to 6,800 feet elevation. Both days were extremely windy, with surveys having to be abandoned the first day due to 70 mph gusts. It’s possible that these strong winds reduced the detectability of goats by making the survey itself more challenging as the helicopter was buffeted around by the wind, and by potentially causing goats to seek shelter beneath timber where they would be impossible to see from the air. With this in mind, biologists will seek to fly this area again in late summer/early fall of 2025, if funding permits, to gain a greater understanding of herd numbers and age composition. 

Pygmy Rabbit Breeding Enclosures. Biologists Crowell, Gallie and Turner led the efforts to trap two breeding enclosures at Beezley Hills on September 26 and 27. In total, 22 pygmy rabbits were captured - five adults and 17 juveniles. Veterinarian Haman collected blood from each rabbit for an ongoing RHDV2 vaccination trial, and several were given vaccinations. All other rabbits not vaccinated during this effort had been fully vaccinated during trapping efforts earlier this year.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Forest Grouse: Forest grouse hunting season is in full swing! Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys are monitoring the four grouse barrels around Chelan County and periodically collecting the wing and tails of grouse that were deposited from hunters. These wing and tail samples allow biologists to identify the age and species of harvested grouse and provides a means of monitoring harvest and population trends. The barrel locations in Chelan County are at the Wenatchee District Office, Colockum Wildlife Area, French Corral, and Shady Pass. Unlike previous years, there is not a barrel at Cooper Mountain, as most roads and hunting areas in Manson GMU 243 are still closed to access due to the Pioneer Fire.

Setting Up Hunter Registration Booths: To prepare for fall hunting, wildlife area staff members have been updating and preparing the hunter registration booths and parking lots. These tasks included brushing off hunter registration booths, weed whacking parking lots, replacing any old signage, clearing out yellow jackets, removing trash, and restocking hunter registration cards.  

Pheasant Release: Biologist Cook released pheasants at Chiliwist Unit and carried additional birds for release at other Okanagan County locations prior to the Youth Hunting season.

Swakane Shooting Range: The Swakane shooting range was cleaned up so that it is ready to be used once fire restrictions are no longer in place. 

Fire Restrictions for Public Notice: To better inform the public about fire restrictions, and hopefully prevent any incidents, new and larger signage is starting to go up around high traffic locations of the wildlife area.

Waterfowl Habitat and Access Program: Biologist Morris followed up on some expiring hunter access contracts, finished checking and posting signs in his area, and updated the private lands hunting opportunities on the website so that all his properties are ready for hunting season.

Biologists Cook and Morris, and Habitat Technician Blanchard prepared and sent letters to landowners growing corn to recruit additional sites for the Waterfowl Habitat and Access Program this fall. The program specifically provides field hunting opportunities for waterfowl and, in Region 2, also generally provides for upland bird hunting as well. These types of sites have been frequently requested by hunters looking for a continuation of the former Corn Stubble program. This is not a continuation, but another program that provides for the same or similar sites.

Private Lands Reservation System Demonstrations: Biologist Cook, along with other WDFW Private Lands and IT staff members, attended presentations from potential vendors that could provide a new Private Lands Hunter Access and Reservation system. Three vendors presented their software solutions and how they function and could be adapted to the needs of WDFW, hunters, and landowners. Cook and others provided feedback for the presented software for the next step in replacing the current Private Lands hunting Reservation system.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Weed Management: Chelan Wildlife Area staff members have been conducting further herbicide sprays of rush skeleton weed on the Chelan Butte, where significant improvements over the last year have been made and doing controls of bull thistle where forest thinning has occurred. 

Irrigating Agricultural Fields: Wildlife area staff members have continued to focus on irrigating crop fields, which involves moving hand lines, setting up wheel lines, and monitoring and repairing pivots.  

Water Birch Enclosure Fence Work: Technicians Balderston and Garcia have been working to repair fences protecting water birch enclosures across the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. Several fences were so severely damaged during the Pearl Hill fire that the remaining fence is being removed so a new more durable one can be put in its place. Managers and staff members are considering the options for a longer-term solution that would require less consistent repair.  

Spraying Invasives: Wildlife area staff members have focused spraying efforts this month on hound’s tongue near headquarters and rush skeleton weed in the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. Staff members noticed less hound’s tongue and rush skeleton weed as a result of last year’s spray effort. 

Preparation for BDA Installation and Maintenance: To prepare for bi-directional amplifier (BDA) installation, staff members have carefully mowed the area for easy access and weed whacked around piles of BDA posts and weaving material. The team began BDA work in September.  

Xerces Pollinator Plots Preparation: The office secured two habitat garden kits from the Xerces Society earlier this year, and in October staff members will pick up the kits and plant them on the Bridgeport Bar. To prepare for the planting, Technician Haney-Williamson and Balderston have flagged the site and are thinking through how irrigation will need to be set up and other necessary site prep.  

Habitat Plots: Biologist Morris continued planning for his habitat project that will plant sagebrush and other shrubs in a shrubsteppe area affected by fire in 2017 to improve the habitat for mule deer, upland birds, and pygmy rabbits.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Coordination with USFWS: Specialist Heilhecker spoke with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff members regarding depredation investigations and meeting with producers in Okanogan County.

Grizzly Bear: Specialist Heilhecker attended an internal grizzly bear management and conservation meeting. 

Grizzly Bear Public Meetings: Specialist Bridges attended three public meetings hosted by Chelan County Commissioners on grizzly bear reintroduction efforts to take place in the North Cascades over the next 10 years.

Other

Vehicle Checklist: Staff members have been inventorying all motor pool and agency vehicles to ensure that each one has safety equipment. 

Interviews for Natural Resource Technician in Training: We are in the process of recruiting new employees in the coming months.  

ATV/UTV Training: Staff members attended ATV and UTV training at the Methow Wildlife Area in July. All who attended successfully completed the course and received Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) certifications of completion. 

Found Bees in Big Bend: Wildlife Area Manager Peterson and Assistant Manager Blake came across a species of ground nesting bees while working in the Big Bend Wildlife Area. They reached out to Biologist Julie Combs who informed them that these bees are solitary bees in the Anthophora species, commonly known as Miner or Digger bees. Combs informed an expert who will attempt to ID at the species level. 

New Employee: Assistant Wildlife Area Manager M. Meierotto has started this month and is learning the ropes.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Deer Management: Biologists Dougherty and Clements are assisting Region 1 staff members with collecting Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) samples from hunters in District 5. Biologist Clements collected the first voluntary sample from a hunter at the beginning of September. Biologists sent out an information letter to permit holders for GMU 290 (Desert) encouraging hunters to set up a time to get a sample collected to aid in expanding the surveillance within the state.

Northern Leopard Frogs (NLF): District staff members released all of the NLFs that were reared at Oregon Zoo and Northwest Trek in August, and since then they have been conducting weekly visual encounter surveys (VES) at Columbia National Wildlife Refuge and north potholes. VES are used to count the number of frogs that staff members see around the pond as well as providing staff members the ability to capture and swab random frogs for disease, collect morphometric data, and more. Later this month a large and concerted effort will be conducted with several staff members to collect each frog encountered within the release site to gather more in depth data on each frog including snout-vent length, weight, swabbing for disease, and more. 

Waterfowl: Biologists Clements and Dougherty were able to make quick work of waterfowl banding this season and deployed 659 bands throughout the district in a total of 20 trapping days. Additionally, District Biologists are working to complete all the environmental compliance on several Washington State Waterfowl Habitat funded projects. 

Grebes: Biologists Dougherty and Clements teamed up to retrieve grebe nesting platforms that had been deployed on Banks Lake. These nesting platforms were deployed and covered in surrounding vegetation to encourage nesting and to avoid abandoned nests once water levels on Banks Lake began to fluctuate as the summer progressed. Biologist Dougherty reached out to various experts to determine any appropriate methodology for transmitter attachment to grebes in order to further mitigation efforts at Banks Lake.

Northern Bog Lemming Survey: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Region 2 Diversity Biologists Turnock and Hara with Technician Force assisted Biologist Heinlen conducting surveys for the northern bog lemming (Synaptomys borealis) within District 6. This species is found only in subarctic climates from the northern tree line south into Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, and New England where it lives in wet meadows, fens and forests with moss or sedge understories. Due to these species-specific habitats, the total area occupied within Washington is thought to be relatively small. This species is identified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) under the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) with an assessment of a current lack of distribution data. These surveys will help fill in that distribution data gap.

Lynx Surveys: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen and project volunteer members have retrieved most of the remote cameras deployed for lynx as part of the Cascades Carnivore Monitoring Project. Cameras continue to detect lynx in a few surveys cells and document a wider array of species across the whole survey grid. Final retrievals and data compilation will conclude next month.

Forest Grouse Management: Biologist Heinlen set out the five forest grouse wing collection barrels in Okanogan County in preparation for the forest grouse opener on September 15th. Grouse hunters can help WDFW manage these important species by depositing one wing and the tail of each grouse harvested into these collection barrels or by bringing them to the closest WDFW District or Regional office. More information can be found at: Forest grouse wing and tail collection | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Upland Hunting: District 5 staff members have assisted with releasing pheasants on various areas of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area in preparation for the youth hunt weekend in eastern Washington.

Pheasant Release: Sinlahekin Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Riley assisted Biologist Heinlen release pheasants (PDF) for the youth hunt September 14-15, 2024. More information about the Eastern Washington Resident Game Bird seasons can be found on the WDFW website.

Pheasant Release: Biologist Cook released pheasants at Chiliwist Unit and carried additional birds for release at other Okanagan County locations prior to the Youth Hunting season.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Elk Issues: Specialist Heilhecker received several calls from landowners regarding elk damage to agricultural crops in GMU 204. Each landowner has an active damage prevention cooperative agreement and requested a kill permit. 

Deer Damaging Orchard: Specialist Heilhecker received a call from an orchardist near Orondo who was experiencing deer damage. The orchardist was interested in nonlethal techniques and possibly fencing materials. Since this area is outside Okanogan County, she gave the orchardist contact information for the area’s wildlife conflict specialist. 

Carcass Dumping: Specialist Heilhecker spoke with a Reporting Party (RP) regarding a butcher dumping remains on his neighbor’s property. The landowner believes the dump pile has attracted wolves and consequently the neighbor is then shooting wolves. Specialist Heilhecker loaned several cameras in an attempt for the RP to document wolf activity, since there are no collared wolves in the area. In the past month, the cameras have not captured any wolf photos. The reporting party remains concerned that the neighbor is creating a nuisance by attracting carnivores to the area.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Weed Management: Wildlife area staff members have been conducting further herbicide sprays of rush skeleton weed on the Chelan Butte, where significant improvements over the last year have been made and controls of bull thistle where forest thinning has occurred. 

Irrigating Agricultural Fields: Wells Wildlife Area staff members have continued to focus on irrigating crop fields, which involves moving hand lines, setting up wheel lines, and monitoring and repairing pivots.  

Water Birch Enclosure Fence Work: Technicians Balderston and Garcia have been working to repair fences protecting water birch enclosures across the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. Several fences were so severely damaged during the Pearl Hill fire that the remaining fence is being removed so a new more durable one can be put in its place. Managers and staff members are considering options for a longer-term solution that would require less consistent repair.  

Spraying Invasive Weeds: Wildlife area staff members have focused spraying efforts this month on houndstongue near headquarters and rush skeletonweed in the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Are. Staff members noticed a reduction in the presence of both houndstongue and rush skeletonweed because of last year’s spray effort.

Preparation for BDA Installation and Maintenance: To prepare for Beaver Dam Analogs (BDA) installation, staff members have carefully mowed the area for easy access and trimmed weeds around piles of BDA posts and weaving material. The team will begin BDA work in September.  

Xerces Pollinator Plots Preparation: The office secured two habitat garden kits from the Xerces Society earlier this year, and in October staff members will pick up the kits and plant them on the Bridgeport Bar. To prepare for the planting, Technician D. Haney-Williamson and S. Balderston have flagged the site and are thinking through how irrigation will need to be set up and necessary site prep.  

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Setting Up Hunter Registration Booths: To prepare for fall hunting, Wells Wildlife Area staff members have been updating and preparing the hunter registration booths and parking lots. These tasks included brushing off hunter registration booths, weed trimming parking lots, replacing any old signage, eradicating yellow jackets, removing trash, and restocking hunter registration cards.  

Swakane Shooting Range: The Swakane shooting range was cleaned up so that it is ready to be used once fire restrictions are no longer in place. 

Fire Restrictions for Public Notice: To better inform the public about fire restrictions, and hopefully prevent any incidents, new and larger signage is starting to go up around high traffic locations of the wildlife area.

Habitat Plots: Biologist Morris continued planning for his habitat project that will plant sagebrush and other shrubs in a shrubsteppe area affected by fire in 2017 to improve the habitat for mule deer, upland birds, and pygmy rabbits.

Providing Education and Outreach

Coordination with USFWS: Specialist Heilhecker spoke with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff members regarding depredation investigations and meeting with producers in Okanogan County.

Grizzly Bear Meetings: Specialist Bridges attended three public meetings hosted by Chelan County Commissioners on Grizzly Bear Reintroduction efforts to take place in the North Cascades over the next 10 years. Specialist Heilhecker attended an internal grizzly bear management and conservation meeting

Other

Vehicle Checklist: Staff members have been inventorying all motor pool and agency vehicles to ensure that each one has safety equipment.

Interviews for Natural Resource Technician in Training: We are in the process of recruiting new employees in the coming months.  

ATV/UTV Training: Staff members attended ATV and UTV training at the Methow Wildlife Area in July. All who attended successfully completed the course and received Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association certifications of completion. 

Found Bees in Big Bend: Managers Peterson and Blake came across a species of ground nesting bees while working in the Big Bend Wildlife Area. They reached out to Biologist Julie Combs who informed them that these bees are solitary bees in the Anthophora species, commonly known as Miner or Digger bees. Combs informed an expert who will attempt to ID at the species level.

New Employee: Assistant Wildlife Area Manager, Meierotto, has started this month and is learning the ropes.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Cascade Carnivore Monitoring Project (CCMP): Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys deployed baited camera stations for carnivore monitoring in forested areas throughout Chelan County. Images collected at these baited camera traps will be used to help evaluate the distribution of wolverines, Canada lynx, and other carnivores.

The idea of the baited camera station is to draw any carnivores inhabiting the vicinity into view of the game camera by placing a dispenser loaded with extremely potent skunk scent over a bone on a tree approximately 10’-15’ away and in full view of the camera. This scent lure dispenser will drip the pungent liquid onto the bone below every 48 hours throughout the winter, attracting any nearby carnivores. To further assess carnivore distribution, a hair snare belt is nailed to the tree right below the bone with the aim of snagging hairs from visiting animals climbing the tree, that can then be used for DNA analysis.

All data generated from these baited camera stations will be instrumental in learning more about the distribution of carnivore species throughout the Cascades. These camera stations will then be retrieved, and images analyzed in the summer of 2025. Biologists from 26 collaborating agencies and organizations such as U.S. Forest Service, Woodland Park Zoo, Conservation Northwest, and numerous tribes are participating in this monitoring project across Washington.

Forest Grouse: Forest grouse hunting season is upon us! Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys placed four grouse barrels around Chelan County for hunters to deposit one wing and tail of each harvested grouse. This allows biologists to identify the age and species of harvested grouse and provides a means of monitoring harvest and population trends. The barrel locations in Chelan County are at the Wenatchee District Office, Colockum Wildlife Area, French Corral, and Shady Pass. Unlike previous years, there is not a barrel at Cooper Mountain, as most roads and hunting areas in Manson GMU 243 are still closed to access due to the Pioneer Fire. The specific locations of the grouse barrels can be found on our forest grouse hunting webpage.

Bighorn Sheep: Biologists Eilers processed two legally harvested bighorn sheep rams, one from the Chelan Butte herd and one from the Swakane herd. Processing included collecting data on horn measurements, age, and swabbing the nasal cavity to monitor for diseases of concern, such as Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi). Additionally, a uniquely numbered metal pin is drilled into the back of one horn on each ram to show documentation of a legal harvest. All harvested rams are required to be pinned within ten days of harvest.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Hunter Access: Private Lands Biologist Braaten spent many hours posting signs and meeting with landowners in Douglas County. Braaten continues to maintain and update hunter access contracts, mapping and signs.

Biologist Morris spent over 30 hours checking and posting hunter access signs in his area. Morris made sure all hunter access properties had up-to date signs in good condition for the current and upcoming hunting seasons. Biologist Morris continued work on updating hunter access contracts. He renewed all the contracts that had expired and is working on some that will expire at the end of this hunting season. These hunter access contracts are developed with farmers/landowners to provide regulated public hunting access on private lands.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Deer Damage to Orchards: Specialist Heilhecker visited three orchards with the owner to look at deer damage and discuss fencing options. The owner signed a damage prevention cooperative agreement and received a kill permit for each of the properties.

Report of Sick Deer: Specialist Heilhecker received a report of sick deer. The reporting party was concerned the deer are infected with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). She sent the reporting party’s information along with the submitted photos to the district wildlife biologists. The biologist did not think, from the pictures provided, that the deer were infected with CWD.

Cougar Issues: Specialist Heilhecker received a report of a dead lamb. She confirmed the lamb was killed by a cougar. The night before the lamb was killed, the livestock owner had moved the sheep to a pasture further away from the house. After the lamb was killed, the livestock owner brought the sheep back to the pasture next to the house. Specialist Heilhecker loaned the livestock owner two Foxlights. The livestock owner also left a message with a hunter. 

Bear Visiting Neighborhood: Specialist Heilhecker received a call about a bear wandering a neighborhood eating birdseed, apples in trees, and getting into garbage. They discussed removing all attractants and nonlethal hazing options. If the bear does not leave the area after all the food sources are removed, Specialist Heilhecker reminded the reporting party that bear hunting season is open. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

2024 Pheasants Forever Wildfire Grant: Private Lands Biologists’ Braaten and Morris secured over $18,000 from Pheasants Forever to enhance wildlife habitat by planting sagebrush and other shrubs in areas affected by wildfires as part of restoration efforts in Grant and Douglas counties this fall.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Sage and Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Workshop: Biologist Heinlen attended the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 34th Biennial Sage and Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Workshop hosted by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The workshop provided an opportunity for scientists, managers, and students to share results of their latest research, activities related to management and conservation, and strategies for dealing with the many issues impacting Sage and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in western North America. The workshop was well attended with state managers, biologists, university scientists, Tribal managers, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), United States Geological Survey (USGS), The Nature Conservatory (TNC), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), and others representing many western states and provinces. The Workshop Planning Team did an excellent job planning and implementing this workshop and the associated field trip to grouse habitat in Douglas County. 

Lewis’s Woodpeckers: Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys, along with other WDFW and Chelan Public Utilities Department biologists, are wrapping up the final Lewis’s woodpecker (LEWO) surveys at five project areas in Rocky Reach Wildlife Area. Throughout the summer, surveyors completed occupancy surveys and monitored 20 occupied LEWO cavity nests throughout their nesting cycle. Now that birds are fully fledged and nests are unoccupied, surveyors completed habitat assessment around each of the cavity nests. The next steps are summarizing the data and writing a report of this year’s findings. 

The goal of this year’s cavity nest surveys was two-part. First, learn more about LEWO nesting phenology and ecology of the population within the Rocky Reach Wildlife Area including clutch size, number of eggs hatched, number of hatchlings to reach fledging or late nestling phase, etc. Secondly, examine these data alongside habitat and microhabitat characteristics for the purpose of drawing inferences regarding nest success of LEWO at both the local scale and microsite scale (breeding territory). These inferences may in turn be useful for informing habitat management considerations at the regional scale (North Central Washington). 

Lewis’s woodpecker habitat assessments: Biologist Turnock and Technicians Hara and Force have been assisting District 7 biologists with Lewis’s woodpecker habitat assessments at woodpecker nest cavities. These assessments quantify vegetation and forest characteristics around cavity nests. Biologists hope to link some of these characteristics to nesting success of Lewis’s woodpeckers in the area. These woodpeckers are declining throughout much of their range but are doing quite well in their Washington range, so information learned from this study may inform management of these birds, both where they are thriving and where they are declining.

Northern leopard frog surveys: Technicians Hara and Force and Biologist Turnock have been conducting late-season northern leopard frog surveys in new areas to get a clearer picture of this species’ current distribution. Late summer and early fall can be a fruitful time to survey for northern leopard frogs because juvenile frogs have completed metamorphosis and are more abundant on the landscape. Their tendency to disperse through wet meadows and upland habitat at this time of year can also make them easier to detect. Many of these areas historically contained leopard frogs but have not been systematically searched in over 20 years. It is likely that these surveys will not yield any new leopard frog detections, but these non-detections are just as important as positive detections to give biologists a better understanding of where these frogs are located and where they are not.

Pygmy rabbit captures: Biologists Gallie and Turnock and Technicians Hara and Force assisted with pygmy rabbit captures in the Beezley Hills area. Staff members captured 17 pygmy rabbits in the primary breeding enclosure and moved nine of them to another breeding enclosure in the area. Only the rabbits with the best body conditions were moved to avoid putting undue stress on rabbits with less body fat stored up. This translocation will more evenly distribute rabbits across breeding enclosures and will hopefully ensure that forage is more uniformly available to these rabbits.

Bumble Bees: Biologist Eilers and volunteer members conducted the fourth and final bumble bee survey of the year at a site south of Wenatchee. This year’s survey efforts included four repeated visits to the same site every few weeks to monitor changes in bumble bees and flowering plants throughout the summer season. Habitat data were collected for the grid including identifying and photographing flowering plant (food source) species. 

Bees were gently caught in a net, identified to species, and released on-site. The data collected from this survey were entered into the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Bumble Bee Atlas online database. The PNW Bumble Bee Atlas is a collaborative effort between the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, WDFW, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and citizen science volunteers to track and conserve the bumble bees of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.

Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys hosted the first WDFW public outreach bat night event in early August. This event was a collaboration with WDFW, Wenatchee River Institute, and Bats Northwest for members of the public to see bats up close and learn more about these commonly misunderstood animals. The event was a success with registration booking out with thirty attendees, including a variety that traveled from across the state of Washington. Biologists caught five bats that were a mix of Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) and little brown bats (Myotis californicus). We look forward to hosting this event again next year – stay tuned with Wenatchee River Institute's newsletters.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Hunter Access: Biologist Morris continued work on updating five hunter access contracts that are expiring this month. These hunter access contracts are developed with farmers/landowners to provide regulated public hunting access on private lands. If these five contracts were to expire and not be renewed, over 10,000 acres of private land would be lost to public hunting access. Ensuring the contracts get renewed and private landowners are satisfied is an important part of Biologist Morris’ job. Morris also checked and posted signs on recently enrolled and recently renewed hunter access contracts and updated the sites on the private lands hunting access website.

Private Lands Hunter Access Program: Private Lands Biologist Braaten replaced hunter access signs burned by wildfire for landowners in Douglas County. Braaten continues to maintain and update hunter access contracts, mapping and signs.

Fishing Access: August 31st is the last day of the fishing season on Grimes Lake. Morris checked the site, which was free from trash and debris. Responsible recreation and cleaning up after yourself/respecting private property allows continued access to private lands hunting and fishing access.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Weed Management: Wildlife area staff members have been conducting further herbicide sprays of rush skeleton weed on the Chelan Butte. Significant improvements over the last year have been made and doing controls of bull thistle where forest thinning has occurred. 

Native Grass Habitat Plots: Private Lands Biologist Cook and Private Lands Habitat Technician Blanchard mowed a native grass planting in preparation for a fall herbicide application. The herbicide will target downy brome weeds to help native grasses planted this past spring to better establish. Broad leaf weeds were treated in early summer but there was no treatment option for invasive grasses due to newly seeded native grasses.

Supplemental Food and Cover Plots: Private Lands Biologist Cook and Private Lands Habitat Technician Blanchard mowed parts of an irrigated supplemental food and cover plot where Sudangrass was a main component. Mowing is encouraged because it increases root and stem density. Organic matter was added to the soil. This plot was mowed with more height to maintain some cover.

Fire Recovery Potential: Private lands Biologist Cook drove by a wildfire near Lind that affected several landowners that participate in the Hunter Access program. The farmed areas generally were not burned. Some of the burned area is in a Conservation Reserve Program. Native vegetation often regrows if there is not high weed pressure and is present before the fire. Based on the apparent high fire temperatures and the previous vegetation on site, there may be potential for assistance to landowners with revegetation efforts.

Fires: Fire season is still going strong. There have been several small fires in Morris’ area, but luckily only one has grown to a catastrophic size (the fire near Stehekin).

Providing Education and Outreach

Swakane Shooting Range: The Swakane shooting range was cleaned up so that it will be ready to be used once fire restrictions are no longer in place. 

Fire Restrictions for Public Notice: To better inform the public about fire restrictions, and hopefully prevent any incidents, new and larger signage is starting to go up around high traffic locations of the wildlife area.

2024 WAFWA Grouse Workshop (Wenatchee, Washington): Private Lands Biologist Braaten gave a tour stop presentation on importance of private landowner relationships, the design of the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Conservation Reserve Program farm bill program and discussed the realities of conservation to landowners in Douglas County. Braaten also brought along the new Private Lands Program tree/shrub planter to show tour participants the kind of equipment WDFW uses in habitat restoration projects. The field trip portion of workshop was a big hit, providing a great opportunity to connect and share knowledge with partners.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Annual Evaluation Process: Supervisor Rickel completed the annual evaluation process for Wildlife Conflict and Private Land staff.

Other

New Employee: Assistant Wildlife Area Manager Meierotto has started this month and is learning the ropes.

Douglas County: Pronghorn antelope buck keeping his eye on a few does during this month’s rut.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Lynx Surveys: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen conducted 30-day checks of remote cameras deployed for lynx as part of the Cascades Carnivore Monitoring Project. Early returns include detections of the target critter, unusual photos, and photos of other species of interest. Cameras will be retrieved in another month or so.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Western Washington University intern Steinshouer spent a day in the field with Biologist Heinlen learning more about what a WDFW Biologist does. Intern Steinshouer was a fast learner and quickly spotted a western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) foraging on Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). The western bumble bee is one of three SGCN bumble bee species WDFW documents when observed.

Pygmy Rabbits: Biologist Morris helped the pygmy rabbit crew with trapping in one of the semi-wild breeding enclosures. They were lucky and excited to catch 24 rabbits. Due to the number of rabbits and the hot dry temperatures, many of the rabbits were in poor body condition. Biologists in charge of the pygmy rabbit recovery project will decide what needs to be done to try and help as many rabbits as possible to survive the summer.

After a long wave of high temperatures, the pygmy rabbit recovery team was able to conduct another round of trapping. Trapping took place both inside and outside of a temporary breeding enclosure within Beezley Hills. A total of over 30 individual pygmy rabbits were captured, seen, or detected with the large PIT-tag scanner.

The main enclosure in the area was expected to contain around 12-15 individuals. However, the team successfully captured 24 pygmy rabbits including several unmarked kits born earlier this year and two adult rabbits that had not been captured prior to 2022.

Due to the success of the breeding enclosure, the next step will be to select young rabbits with the best overall body condition to be relocated a short distance to a second breeding enclosure. This will allow for more space and foraging among the rabbits until lead biologists determine which rabbits will be kept in breeding enclosures or which will be released into the wild in the future.

Northern Leopard Frog Releases: Technician Force assisted with the soft release of captive-reared northern leopard froglets on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. These frogs were raised from egg masses by two different zoos to boost their chances of survival. After spending a week in soft release pens to further protect them from predation, the froglets will be released into a pond where extensive bullfrog management has taken place. This will hopefully establish a new breeding population of this state endangered species within their native range.

Pygmy Rabbit Captures: Biologists Turnock and Gallie, and Technicians Hara and Force assisted with pygmy rabbit captures in the Beezley Hills area. These captures yielded 27 wild and semi-captive rabbits, who were then vaccinated for rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus as part of a trial to test the efficacy of two different vaccines for this disease. These captures also provided an opportunity to evaluate breeding success and body condition of rabbits within the enclosure. The Beezley Hills enclosure currently has approximately 30 rabbits, and most are juveniles from this year’s breeding efforts. With a high number of rabbits in the enclosure and drought season at its peak, the rabbits have been receiving fresh greens to supplement their diet. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Private Lands Hunting Opportunities System: Biologist Cook participated in demonstrating the current methods for managing Private Lands Hunting Opportunities to a team of contractors running a feasibility study for creating a replacement program. Cook helped show the system from the private lands biologist, hunter, and landowner perspective and discussed its current limitations. Cook further participated in several feedback sessions where private lands biologists, section managers, and WDFW IT staff members discussed the future requirements and needs of a replacement system.

Potential Waterfowl Habitat and Access Properties: Biologist Cook and Technician Blanchard marked the agriculture fields with corn growing currently to create a plan for outreach to landowners to provide field hunting opportunities for geese and possibly ducks. The number of sites will depend on the remaining funding from a VPA-HIP (Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program) grant that WDFW previous was awarded.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Depredation Investigation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Heilhecker, along with enforcement officers, investigated an injured calf within the Sullivan Creek pack territory. It was confirmed the injury was caused by a wolf. U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) was notified of the determination. A WDFW contracted range rider continues to work in the area. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Habitat Project: Biologist Morris and Technician Blanchard mowed weeds on a habitat improvement project on private lands in Grant County. The area has been sprayed in the past, and there is very little cheatgrass. However, the Russian thistle and annual kochia had grown quite large. Mid to late-summer mowing generally works well to control these weeds. Since there wasn’t much cheatgrass, the kochia and Russian thistle are still green. Fire danger was lower than it normally would be at this time, making it possible to mow. Morris and Blanchard kept a water tank on-site and were able to safely mow the weeds.

Providing Education and Outreach

2024 WAFWA Grouse Workshop (Wenatchee, Washington): Private Lands Biologist Braaten gave a tour stop presentation on the importance of private landowner relationships and the design of the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Conservation Reserve Program Farm Bill program. Braaten discussed the realities of conservation to landowners in Douglas County. Braaten also brought along the new Private Lands Program tree/shrub planter to show tour participants the kind of equipment WDFW uses in habitat restoration projects. The field trip portion of workshop was a big hit, providing a great opportunity to connect and share knowledge with partners.

WAFWA grouse workshop: Biologist Turnock, Technicians Hara, and Force attended the biennial Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Sage and Sharp-tailed Grouse workshop in Wenatchee. This conference included attendees from a variety of western states who are all working on grouse research and management. Talks included topics such as habitat use, translocations, genetics, raven management, and renewable energy. Overall, the conference emphasized the numerous threats faced by sage and sharp-tailed grouse, but also showcased the research efforts vital to the conservation of these species.

Other

EV: During August, Biologist Morris is testing out an all-electric pickup truck. Morris’ experience driving the electric vehicle (EV) will help WDFW determine how electric vehicles fit the business needs of the agency and private lands biologists.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Fisher Reintroduction Monitoring: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen, with help from volunteer members, finished retrieving the remote cameras at sites that were deployed last fall. The cameras were part of the North Cascades occupancy monitoring effort following recent fisher reintroduction efforts. Overall, fishers were detected at 3 of the 21 sites. As always, the cameras are documenting a variety of other species of interest. Apparently, fisher scent lure is the trendy new fragrance for chic carnivores in the know.

Biologists Eilers, Jeffreys, and Turnock, along with Technicians Hara and Force, finished picking up baited camera stations. The stations were deployed in forested areas throughout Chelan County last fall as part of the North Cascades Fisher Monitoring project. Images collected at these baited camera traps will be used to help evaluate the effectiveness of the reintroduction of fishers back into the Cascades Fisher Recovery Area. The images will also inform future recovery actions by assessing the expansion and distribution of fishers. The idea was to draw any fishers inhabiting the vicinity into view of the game camera by placing a dispenser loaded with an extremely potent skunk scent over a bone on a tree approximately 15’-18’ away and in full view of the camera. The scent lure dispenser dripped this pungent liquid onto a bone every 48 hours throughout the deployment window, attracting any nearby carnivores. In addition to fisher, the baited camera stations were expected to capture images of other carnivore species of concern, including gray wolf, wolverine, and lynx. To further assess fisher occupancy and expansion, a hair snare belt was nailed to the tree right below the beef bone. The aim is to snag hairs from visiting animals climbing the tree that can then be used for DNA analysis. All data generated from these baited camera stations will be instrumental in learning more about the distribution of fishers and other carnivore species throughout the Cascades. 

Fisher Monitoring: Technicians Force and Hara retrieved a camera trap and scent dispenser station aimed at attracting fishers. Fishers were reintroduced to the cascades in 2015-2020 after being absent since the mid 1900’s. No fishers were detected at this camera station, however a nearby station collected by the team caught a rare wolverine investigating the stinky skunk lure. 

Lynx Surveys: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen, with help from Forest Service Technician Barnett and volunteer member Fisher, deployed and array of remote cameras as part of long-term lynx monitoring strategy. This is part of the initial field season of the Cascades Carnivore Monitoring Project, a coalition of government agencies and non-profit groups seeking to monitor lynx and wolverine occupancy in the Washington Cascades over a 20-year period. The cameras will be retrieved later this summer and fall after a minimum 60-day deployment.

Bat Colony Surveying: Biologist Fitkin along with Headquarters and Regional Diversity staff members, Forest Service staff members, and local volunteer members completed the last of three scheduled bat colony reconnaissance surveys in the Methow Watershed. Results include the monitoring of a colony of more than 300 pallid bats, and the documentation of big brown bat colonies of more than 100 bats and colonies of more than 200 bats. This effort provides valuable information on species distribution and trends in Washington and helps identify possible locations for white-nosed syndrome monitoring and other bat conservation activities.

Lewis’s Woodpeckers: Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys, along with other WDFW and Chelan Public Utilities Department biologists, continue to conduct Lewis’s woodpecker (LEWO) surveys at five project areas in Rocky Reach Wildlife Area (RRWA). So far this year surveyors have completed occupancy surveys at all grids and have identified 20 occupied LEWO cavity nests. All cavity nests received multiple monitoring visits throughout the nesting cycle and many of the nests have fully fledged. Using a camera mounted to a telescoping pole (nest peeper), biologists have observed eggs or young nestlings in many of the nest cavities. Not all nest cavities can be reached with the nest peeper, as some are too high and/or have too many branches in the way. In those cases, biologists use behavioral observations to approximate nesting stage. In August, once all nests have been documented to have either fledged young or have failed, biologists will perform habitat assessment surveys at each nest cavity. 

The goal of this year’s cavity nest surveys is two parts. The first is to learn more about LEWO nesting phenology and ecology of the population within the RRWA. This includes clutch size, number of eggs hatched, and number of hatchlings to reach fledging or late nestling phase. Second is to examine this data, alongside habitat and microhabitat characteristics, for the purpose of drawing inferences regarding nest success of LEWO at both the local scale and microsite scale (breeding territory). These inferences may in turn be useful for informing habitat management considerations at the regional scale (north central Washington). 

Bat Acoustic Monitoring: Biologist Jeffreys and Eilers completed two North American Bat Monitoring (NABat) surveys, one in Chelan County and one in Douglas County. This was done as part of a joint effort between WDFW, Northwestern Bat Hub at Oregon State University, and other regional partners. These surveys consist of deploying four SM4 acoustic detectors throughout a pre-determined plot. SM4 acoustic detectors record the high frequency vocalizations of bats, allowing for call analysis and species identification. This data will be incorporated into the North American Bat Monitoring Program, which seeks to monitor local and regional bat populations across the continent and inform effective bat conservation. 

Bat Emergence Counts: Biologists conducted the second and final rounds of emergence counts at three maternity colonies located in the south Lake Chelan, Entiat River Road, and Lake Wenatchee areas. Maternity colonies are communal roosts where females birth and care for their pups. The species of bats at these four colonies are little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus), Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis), and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). The Lake Wenatchee area roost is a new one for 2024. The Entiat and south Lake Chelan roosts have been monitored for several summers now and counts at both were down this year. 

Bat Vaccine Project: Biologist Eilers joined WDFW’s bat specialist Abby Tobin, Ellensburg Wildlife Biologists Erin Wampole and Callie Moore, United States Geological Survey (USGS) researchers, and USFWS staff to assist with a bat vaccination project. The aim of this study led by USGS is to determine if immunization of bats against white nose syndrome (WNS) can improve bat survival and protect bat populations from disease related declines. This barn contains a maternity roost occupied annually by two species of bat: Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis). Bats were captured using a harp net and processed to collect data on species, age, and reproductive status. Additionally, bats were given an oral vaccine previously demonstrated to enhance survival upon WNS infection, and outfitted with a PIT tag to allow individual identification over the several years that monitoring will be conducted at this colony. Radio frequency identification (RFID) antennas will be placed at roost entrances to detect individual PIT tags as bats come and go.

Bumble Bees: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers conducted the second and third bumble bee survey of the year at a site south of Wenatchee. This year’s survey efforts will include four repeated visits to the same site every few weeks to monitor changes in bumble bees and flowering plants throughout the summer season. Habitat data were collected for the grid, including identifying and photographing flowering plant (food source) species. A total of 13 bumble bees of six different species were caught on the second visit, and 12 bumble bees of four species were caught on the third visit. Bees were gently caught in a net, identified to species, and released on site. The data collected from this survey were entered into the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Bumble Bee Atlas online database. The PNW Bumble Bee Atlas is a collaborative effort between the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, WDFW, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and citizen science volunteer members to track and conserve the bumble bees of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.

More on Bumble bee Surveys: Biologist Turnock and Technician Force surveyed for Morrison’s and western bumble bees at the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area. These species are declining and understudied. These surveys are aimed at better understanding their range. Neither species of bumble bees were observed, however the diversity team got some great bee netting practice in. 

Sharp-Tailed Grouse Monitoring: Technician Force investigated the last recorded location of a male grouse that had been fitted with a GPS collar during the translocations from Canada earlier this year. The collar had stopped recording location points and biologists wanted to confirm if there was a mortality. No sign of the bird or a mortality was observed. 

Bullfrog Removal: Biologists Gallie and Turnock, along with Technicians Force and Hara, continue to assist with the bullfrog removal at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. There has been a significant decrease in the number of invasive and predatory bullfrogs inside the fenced off pond. It is hoped that this effort will enhance survival of the northern leopard frogs that will be released.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Hunter Access: Biologist Cook and Technician Blanchard checked hunter access boundary signs to ensure the signs and contact information for hunters are intact and legible. These signs are the manner for which hunters obtain permission for the properties in Hunt by Written Permission, which is the most prevalent in Region 2.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Depredation Investigation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Heilhecker, along with enforcement officers, investigated an injured calf within the Sullivan Creek pack territory. They confirmed the injury was caused by a wolf. USFWS was notified of the determination. A WDFW contracted range rider continues to work in the area. 

Responding to Inquiry from Landowner: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Heilhecker received a call about nutria damaging duck habitat on the reporting party’s (RP) property. The RP was confident the animals are nutria and not muskrats. The RP expressed concern the nutria were causing ducklings to die. The nutria arrived two years ago and since then, the mallard and pintail ducklings have all died. Heilhecker and the RP discussed other possibilities as to why the ducklings died.

Responding to Elk Complaints: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Heilhecker received three elk complaints in GMU 204. Elk are damaging livestock fences and eating crops before they can be harvested. She renewed damage prevention cooperative agreements for the landowners and issued kill permits.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Habitat Plots: Biologist Morris continues checking hunter access signs in preparation for the fall hunting season.

Biologist Cook visited a habitat plot near Moses Lake, where additional shrub row planting is planned for this fall. The site has had an increase in invasive cheatgrass cover, so this planting may be delayed to improve weed control. The shrubs and warm season grasses require supplemental irrigation. Additional native cool season grass species may be seeding in the surrounding area to help compete with weeds especially when supplemental irrigation is not available.

Biologist Morris met with a landowner who has concerns about a gravel mining development permit application. Morris discussed potential impacts the development could have and what WDFW’s role is in reviewing permits. He referred the landowner to habitat Biologist Pentico, who deals with habitat mitigation in development permits.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Private Land Team Meeting: The private land team met to discuss safety issues, work through uploading and syncing phones with Garmin Inreach devices, and other relevant issues. 

ATV/UTV Training: Biologist Morris, Biologist Cook and Technician Blanchard took ATV and UTV training and are now certified to operate them for WDFW. Morris was trained on ATVs at a past job and has been driving ATVs for over 20 years but was required to take the ATV training to comply with WDFW safety policies.

Wilderness First Aid: Biologist Morris and Biologist Cook took a two-day wilderness first aid course. This course was very helpful for knowing what to do in an emergency situation where emergency services could take hours or longer to arrive.

Other

F-150 Lightning: Biologist Morris will testing out the F1-50 Lightning, the WDFW fleet's all-electric pickup truck, for two weeks. Morris’ experience driving the Lightning will help WDFW determine how electric vehicles fit the business needs of the agency and private lands biologists.

Training: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Heilhecker completed several mandatory trainings.

Range Rider Payment: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Heilhecker completed paperwork to pay a WDFW contracted range rider for work monitoring livestock.           

Managing Wildlife Populations

Sharp-Tailed Grouse Research Assistance: Private Lands Biologist Braaten assisted with determining nest success of a GPS collared sharp-tailed grouse hen that nested on private land near the Big Bend Wildlife Area in Douglas County. Braaten secured permission for access from the private landowner to collect data. The nests were located, photos of nest and location were collected, and 11 eggshells were gathered for the research effort. The sharp-tailed grouse hen had successfully hatched all 11 eggs and the most current collar data shows she is with her brood at lower elevations.

Lynx Cameras: Biologist Turnock and Technician Hara went on a backcountry trip to deploy remote cameras along hiking trails as part of the multiagency Cascades Carnivore Monitoring Project. These cameras are targeting lynx but will hopefully detect a variety of wildlife species that use high elevation hiking trails in the summer. 

Bullfrog Removal: Biologists Gallie and Turnock along with Technicians Force and Hara have been assisting with nocturnal bullfrog removal efforts on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. Bullfrogs are a highly problematic invasive species in Washington because they are voracious predators. These removal efforts will hopefully improve survival of reintroduced northern leopard frogs, a native species.

Fisher Reintroduction Monitoring: Biologist Fitkin and Heinlen, with help from Volunteer Fisher, finished retrieving the remote cameras at sites where they were deployed last fall as part of the North Cascades occupancy monitoring effort following recent reintroduction efforts. Overall, fishers were detected in three different watersheds at 3 of the 21 sites. As always, the cameras are documenting a variety of other species of interest as well. Apparently, fisher scent lure is the trendy new fragrance for chic carnivores in the know.

Bat Colony Surveying: Biologist Fitkin, WDFW headquarters and regional diversity staff members, U.S. Forest Service staff members, and local volunteers completed the last of three scheduled bat colony reconnaissance surveys in the Methow Watershed. Results include monitoring a colony of more than 300 pallid bats, and documenting big brown bat colonies of more than 100 and colonies of more than 200. This effort provides valuable information on species distribution in Washington and helps identify possible locations for white-nosed syndrome monitoring and other bat conservation activities.

Lynx Surveys: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen, with help from Forest Service Technician Barnett and Volunteer Fisher, deployed an array of remote cameras as part of long-term lynx monitoring strategy. This is part of the initial field season of the Cascades Carnivore Monitoring Project, a coalition of government agencies and non-profit groups seeking to monitor lynx and wolverine occupancy in the Washington Cascades over a 20-year period. The cameras will be retrieved later this summer and fall after a minimum 60-day deployment.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Recreation and Conservation Office Grants: Area Regional Wildlife Program Manager Troyer is wrapping up Washington Wildlife and Recreation Programs–State Lands grants centered around enhancing recreational opportunities throughout Okanogan County. The first grant is to improve parking and trailhead facilities at the Big Valley Unit of the Methow Wildlife Area. The second grant aims to enhance camping opportunities at the upper Bear Creek Campground by adding fire rings and picnic tables, gravelling parking areas, updating the vault toilet, and increasing ADA camping opportunities. The last grant is located at Silver Nail Lake near the town of Oroville. This lake is open to fishing for youth, seniors, and people with disabilities and the grant is designed to improve the access site to be more user friendly with an emphasis on ADA compliant fishing docks and platforms. 

Hunter Access: Biologist Morris continued checking and posting signs on hunter access properties. Morris maintains signs on several thousand acres, so working on them throughout the summer ensures all properties will be properly signed come hunting season this fall.

Grimes Lake fishing season is still open, and Morris continues to check that everything is going well. The site is nice and clean.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Chesaw Weed Control: Sinlahekin staff members assisted Scotch Creek staff members with treating musk thistle on the Chesaw Unit. The Washington State Class B weed can be found throughout the unit. Staff members focused on the south dryer slopes with shallow soils and will move to the North slopes later in the season. In total 400 acres of the unit have been treated.

Methow Fencing: Natural Resource Specialist Wottlin worked with contractors to get a section of fence rebuilt in the Ramsey Creek area to help prevent trespassing cows coming off a U.S. Forest Service pasture onto the wildlife area. Additionally, Biologist Repp conducted maintenance on a problem section of fence in the Rendezvous Unit. This fence borders U.S. Forest Service land. There have been complaints in the past from adjacent private property owners about trespassing cows coming off the Forest Service land onto their private property. WDFW does its part in maintaining the fence on the wildlife area border. However, the fence continues onto Department of Natural Resources-owned ground and there has been no maintenance on that section of fence in years.

Irrigating Agricultural Fields: Natural Resource Technicians Haney-Williamson, Garcia and Ruiz have been working hard to irrigate crop fields on the Bridgeport Bar and Washburn Island. This has involved maintenance and repairs, setting up and moving hand lines, clearing debris from pump intake and fish screens, and other irrigation.

Habitat Plots: Biologist Morris set up his game camera on a habitat plot. The game camera serves two purposes: it will hopefully reveal any wildlife use of the habitat plot, and it will also show the plant development and growth throughout the year. There were not many wildlife observations. The site will need some more minor mechanical weed control to ensure it is ready for seeding this fall.

Morris checked a habitat plot that Technician Blanchard sprayed for Canada thistle control in June. It appears that there is a good kill on the Canada thistle. Morris will continue to monitor the thistle infestation.

Water Birch Enclosure Irrigation Set-up: Wildlife area staff members have set up irrigation for water birch enclosures in the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. This involved maintaining drip lines, setting up timers, repairing fencing, repairing pumps, and clearing vegetation. This process was made much simpler by Biologist Haupt’s efforts last year to map each enclosure and record information relevant to irrigation set up in each location. Each enclosure is set up in a specific way, and it made a big difference for wildlife area staff members to go into each enclosure with a clear map of the pumps, timers, shrub rows, emitters, and other information about the set up. The warm weather this month made getting water to the water birch a high priority.

Fire Break Russian Thistle: Wildlife area staff members treated Russian thistle along firebreaks in the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area.

Releasing Biocontrols: Biocontrol weevils, Mecinus janthinus, were released in the Big Bend area to control dalmatian toadflax. Around 4,000 Mecinus janthinus were released with the intention that they will reduce toadflax flowering and seed production. 

Mowing Efforts: Wildlife area staff members have been mowing roads across Wells, Sagebrush Flat, and Big Bend wildlife areas.

Restoration Fields: Efforts to control weeds were marginal due to multiple tractor and mower repair delays, and cattle interference. With the limited equipment available, Technician Rios arranged to borrow the Colockum Wildlife Area tractor, which developed issues that also required service. Meanwhile, Technicians Chouinard, Garcia, and Balderston mowed annual grass across Magers, Bissell Flat, and a Bridgeport Bar restoration field at Big Bend and Wells Wildlife Area. Biologist Blake coordinated assistance with Washington Shrubsteppe Restoration and Resiliency Initiative Environmental Planner Merg to assist with broadleaf weed control at the Bissell Flat field of Big Bend. Manager Peterson arranged for a second helicopter chemical fallow treatment at the new Barclay Crane field of Wells Wildlife Area. Biologist Blake worked with Big Bend Wildlife Area grazing permittee to spray bindweed on an Environmental Quality Incentives Program restoration field at Barry field, only to find cattle had intruded and interfered with the foliage surface available to spray. 

Barclay Crane Phase 2 Acquisition: The Barclay Crane parcel (672 acres) closed and became an official part of Central Ferry Canyon, a unit of Wells Wildlife Area.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Acquisitions: Assistant Regional Wildlife Area Manager Troyer is compiling upwards of eight Lands 20/20 applications for potential acquisitions throughout Okanogan County. Several potential acquisition properties are in the Methow Valley, but the majority for this round are near the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area, which has a strong emphasis on sharp-tailed grouse recovery.

Other

Wilderness First Aid Training: Biologist Blake and Natural Resource Technician Garcia attended Wilderness First Aid training in Wenatchee this month. Both successfully completed the course. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Lewis’s Woodpeckers: Biologists Eilers and Jeffreys, along with other Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Chelan PUD biologists, continue to conduct Lewis’s woodpecker surveys at five project areas in Rocky Reach Wildlife Area. There are two goals for this year’s cavity nest surveys. First is to learn more about Lewis’s woodpecker nesting phenology and ecology of the population within the Rocky Reach Wildlife Area. This will include clutch size, number of eggs hatched, number of hatchlings to reach fledging or late nestling phase, etc. Second, biologists will examine these data alongside habitat and microhabitat characteristics for the purpose of drawing inferences regarding nest success of Lewis’s woodpeckers at both the local scale and microsite scale (breeding territory). These inferences may in turn be useful for informing habitat management considerations at the regional scale (North Central Washington). 

So far this year surveyors have completed occupancy surveys at all grids and have identified 19 occupied Lewis’s woodpecker cavity nests. All cavity nests will receive multiple monitoring visits throughout the nesting cycle, and all have been visited at least twice so far this season. Using a camera mounted to a telescoping pole (nest peeper), biologists have observed eggs or young nestlings in many of the nest cavities. Not all nest cavities can be reached with the nest peeper, because some are too high and/or have too many branches in the way. For those nests, biologists use behavioral observations to approximate nesting stage. In August, once all nests have been documented to have either fledged young or failed, biologists will perform habitat assessment surveys at each nest cavity. 

Biologist Turnock and Technician Hara have been assisting District 7 biologists with Lewis’s woodpecker surveys to investigate nesting success for this Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

Bumble Bees: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers conducted the first bumble bee survey of the year at a site south of Wenatchee. This year’s survey efforts will include four repeated visits to the same site every few weeks to monitor changes in bumble bees and flowering plants throughout the summer season. Habitat data were collected for the grid including identifying and photographing flowering plant (food source) species. A total of seven bumble bees of four different species were gently caught in a net, identified as to the species, and released on-site. The data collected from this survey were entered into the Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas online database. The Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas is a collaborative effort between the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and citizen science volunteers to track and conserve the bumble bees of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.

Fishers: Biologists Eilers, Jeffreys, and Turnock and Technicians Hara and Force began picking up baited camera stations deployed in forested areas throughout Chelan County last fall as part of the North Cascades Fisher Monitoring project. Images collected at these baited camera traps will be used to help evaluate the effectiveness of fisher reintroduction back into the Cascades Fisher Recovery Area and inform future recovery actions by assessing the expansion and distribution of fishers. 

The idea was to draw any fishers inhabiting the vicinity into view of the game camera by placing a dispenser loaded with an extremely potent skunk scent over a bone on a tree approximately 15 to 18 feet away and in full view of the camera. The scent lure dispenser dripped this pungent liquid onto a bone every 48 hours throughout the deployment window, attracting any nearby carnivores. In addition to fisher, the baited camera stations were expected to capture images of other carnivore species of concern as well, including gray wolf, wolverine, and lynx.

To further assess fisher occupancy and expansion, a hair snare belt was nailed to the tree right below the beef bone with the aim of snagging hairs from visiting animals climbing the tree. These hairs can then be used for DNA analysis. All data generated from these baited camera stations will be instrumental in learning more about the distribution of fishers and other carnivore species throughout the Cascades. 

Biologist Turnock and Technicians Force and Hara have also been busy collecting remote camera stations as part of a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fisher study. These stations have been out since last October. 

Bat Emergence Counts: Bat monitoring for the 2024 summer season has begun! Biologists conducted the first round of emergence counts at four maternity colonies (communal roosts where females birth and care for their pups) located in the south Lake Chelan, Entiat River Road, and Lake Wenatchee areas. The species of bats at these four colonies are little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus), Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis), and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). These first counts were conducted when only the females are out flying at night, so biologists will return for a second count at each site in mid-July when pups are able to join the females in exiting the roost. 

Bat Probiotic Project: Biologists Eilers, Jeffreys, and Turnock and Technicians Hara and Force joined Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Bat Biologist Tobin and other volunteers at a maternity roost near Lake Chelan. They worked on a project designed to evaluate the efficacy of a cutting-edge White-nose Syndrome (WNS) prohphylaxis technique on Washington’s bats. This maternity colony is a mixed roost of little brown myotis and Yuma myotis, and WNS was first detected among its members in 2021. The Lake Chelan colony is one of the trial sites for a recently developed probiotic cocktail that researchers hope will provide bats protection from the deadly disease. This is the third year of a multi-year study that includes Chelan County and ten other counties in Washington in which bat colonies with WNS have been detected. 

In summer 2022, biologists swabbed some of the Lake Chelan bats’ wings to determine baseline microbiota prior to the application of the probiotic cocktail to the roost. Then the probiotic cocktail was applied to surfaces throughout the bat’s roost in April 2023. The bats captured this year are being swabbed to compare wing microbiomes of the before and after probiotic treatment. 

Bats were weighed and assessed to determine age, sex, reproductive status, and wing condition. Additionally, bats were outfitted with an arm band and PIT tag to allow individual identification over the several years that monitoring will be conducted at this colony.

Pseudogymnaoascus destructans (Pd), the fungus that causes WNS in bats, typically attacks bats when they are most vulnerable- during hibernation, when bats remain largely inactive to conserve energy and survive the cold months of winter when no insect prey is available. 

There is increasing evidence that wing microbiomes can play a substantial role in WNS susceptibility, so Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, McMaster University, and Thompson Rivers University developed a probiotic cocktail of naturally occurring bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens complex, a group of bacteria that has been shown effective at treating WNS in hibernating bats. The goal of this effort is to enhance the wing microflora of bats during the summer by applying this anti-Pd bacteria to surfaces within maternity roosts (e.g., walls, wooden beams). As prolific groomers, bats will brush up against these surfaces and then naturally work the probiotics throughout their wings and fur and that of their pups during grooming sessions. 

Bullfrog Removal: Biologist Turnock and Technicians Force and Hara have been assisting with nocturnal bullfrog removal efforts on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. Bullfrogs are a highly problematic invasive species in Washington because they are voracious predators. These removal efforts will hopefully improve survival of reintroduced northern leopard frogs, a native species.

Northern Leopard Frog Translocation: Technicians Force and Hara worked with staff members to set up soft release enclosures for northern leopard frogs at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. Eggs were collected from Potholes earlier this year and have been captively reared on the refuge and at the Oregon Zoo and Northwest Trek. Once the frogs are adequately sized, they will be moved to these soft release enclosures to acclimate to their new surroundings before ultimately being released. These protections as they grow are hoped to increase their survival and establish a new population of these state endangered frogs. 

Bridgeport Bar Agricultural Fields: Technicians Haney-Williamson and Ruiz have been seeding spring wheat, corn, and buckwheat in agricultural fields on the Bridgeport Bar. Irrigating these fields and mowing cereal rye has also been keeping them busy. Technician Haney-Williamson has seen geese, doves, sandhill cranes and mule deer enjoying the wheat and corn. 

Spraying Efforts: Spraying broadleaves along roadsides has continued this month, and wildlife area staff members are already seeing the impacts of their spraying on the weeds. Technicians treated white top in the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. They have also focused spray efforts on a ventenata patch and a few phragmites occurrences in Big Bend.

Water Birch Enclosures Irrigation Set-up: Wildlife area staff members have begun the yearly task of setting up irrigation to water birch enclosures within the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. This has involved maintaining drip irrigation, repairing pumps, clearing vegetation, and other maintenance. Some of the enclosures are seeing significant and healthy new growth coming up around old trees that were impacted by fire. These water birch enclosures are significant as they provide critical winter shelter and food for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse.

Biocontrol Wasps: Blake and Haupt released biocontrol wasps for Russian knapweed across wildlife area units. The wasps, Aulacidea acroptilonica, were provided by Washington State University extension. 

Providing Education and Outreach

Beebe Springs Education Days: Third grade students from Eastmont School District had the opportunity to learn from several organizations and agencies during the Wild Washington Outdoor Classroom event at the Beebe Springs Wildlife Area. Balderston and Chelan Wildlife Area Manager Pavelchek co-led a station focused on local biodiversity. At this station, students learned about wildlife that spend time at Beebe Springs, learned about animal skulls, saw game camera photos, observed fish, birds, and frogs, and drew what they saw.