Providing Recreation Opportunities

Down Trees on Access Areas: Access staff members recently encountered several down trees in Klickitat County. All of the trees that were affected had been standing snags. Fortunately, access staff members only had to clear debris from one site. Along the road to the Stinson Flat Access Site, a dead pine tree fell across the road causing a hazard to vehicles. The tree had to be bucked up with a chainsaw to be removed. Access staff members took great care to only cut what was needed and hosed down the work area to make sure that no loose sparks kindled the dry fuels.

Access Improvements: Cowlitz Wildlife Area staff members constructed a new parking area on the west side of the Davis Lake Unit off Temple Road, improving access to almost one hundred acres of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife managed lands. The new parking area provides parking for up to six vehicles. Previously, the public had to park on the shoulder of the county road which created safety issues such as emergency vehicle access.

Illegal Dumping: Access staff members found several illegal dumps around the Vancouver Lake and Shillapoo Wildlife Areas. The dumping seemed to be occurring on a daily basis, causing access staff members to make several trips to the local dump. For the week of 8/26 - 8/30, access staff members removed approximately 1,000 pounds of garbage from this area alone. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) Partners Program Site Visit: Biologist Bergh joined USFWS staff members and staff members from the Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust to evaluate potential habitat improvement projects on land recently acquired by the Land Trust. The focal species for the work is the northwestern pond turtle, which has been proposed for listing as Federally Threatened. The USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides funding and technical assistance to private landowners to improve wildlife habitat on their lands. The Land Trust has received a USFWS Partners grant in the past and was very successful in improving turtle habitat at another one of their properties. It was exciting to see all that could be done on their new property.

South Cascades Mountain Goat Surveys: Region 5 Wildlife Biologists Holman, Stephens, and Bergh teamed with Region 3 Biologist Wampole, Ungulate Section Biologists Moore and Garrison, along with Wildlife Program Director Borrego from the Nisqually Tribe, to conduct aerial mountain goat surveys in the south Cascades. The Goat Rocks Wilderness, Mt. St. Helens vicinity, Tatoosh, Dark Divide, Smith Creek, Bumping, and Naches Pass mountain goat populations were surveyed during the five day effort. Survey results will be compiled, presented in the Game Status and Trend Report and used to inform management of the species. 

Thanks to Region 5 Customer Service Staff members Splitgerber, Rainwaters, and Kean for their assistance with flight following during the surveys. Thanks to Ungulate Section Manager Garrison and Contracting Specialist Luque for their assistance with the contracting aspect of this work. Finally, thanks to Pilot Pete Emerson of JL Aviation for his assertive but safe flying, spotting plenty of the goats, seamless logistics, and appreciation of the wildlife and comradery during the project. 

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Trapped Elk Calf: On Monday, August 12, Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of an elk calf that was trapped in a pasture in northeast Clark County. The young elk had entered the fenced-in pasture with a larger herd two days prior but was unable to find its way back over the fence when the herd left the pasture. The elk calf had spent much of the day Sunday running around the 20-acre pasture, ramming into the fence multiple times in a desperate attempt to rejoin the herd. When Jacobsen responded on Monday morning, the calf had isolated itself in the back corner of the pasture and its condition appeared to be deteriorating. Jacobsen made the decision to assist the calf by removing it from the pasture and transporting it across the road to a wooded area where elk regularly retreat during the day. Jacobsen successfully chemically immobilized the calf with a dart gun. With the help of two neighboring landowners and their UTV, the roughly 80-lb. calf was transported across the road. The calf was successfully released into a field, where it wandered into a wooded area for cover. Hopefully it will locate and rejoin the rest of the herd in this area.

Injured Deer : Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a sick deer that was lying up against a landowner’s fence. However, in the time that it took Jacobsen to respond, the deer had already expired on its own. Jacobsen disposed of the carcass.

Rattlesnake Capture: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen was contacted by a homeowner who had discovered a rattlesnake in her garage. The homeowner had been just a few inches away from the snake when she looked down and discovered it. Jacobsen was able to safely remove the snake from the garage and moved the snake to the far end of the landowner’s property. This is the third time the landowner has contacted Jacobsen regarding rattlesnakes in her garage area over the last several years. For some reason, the landowner’s garage area seems to be quite the attractive spot for these neat critters.

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Injured Hawk: A landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding an injured juvenile red-tailed hawk on her property. Jacobsen located the injured hawk in a large patch of poison oak. Jacobsen was able to successfully capture the hawk which was taken to a refuge. Unfortunately, the hawk had suffered a broken wing, which was unrepairable, and the hawk had to be euthanized.

Injured Golden Eagle: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen fielded a report of an injured golden eagle. After assessing the situation, Jacobsen determined that the eagle was a young-of-the-year and was likely learning how to fly. The eagle had been hopping around on the ground for several days. Oddly, the landowner who reported the eagle noted that he had not seen any adult golden eagles bringing the juvenile food on the ground. On Jacobsen’s advice, the landowner began feeding the juvenile eagle raw chicken from the store. After several days, the eagle started to regain strength and began hopping up on brush and branches. A few days after that, the eagle was able to fly away on its own.

Bear in House: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Officer Hughes and Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a black bear that had entered a house, destroyed food in the pantry, and killed a small kitten in an upstairs bedroom while the resident was away at work. Staff investigated and confirmed the report that a bear had gotten into the house. Jacobsen set a trap for the bear, but the bear did not reappear at the residence. The residence and property contained garbage, debris, and food that had likely attracted the bear to the area. Jacobsen discussed the attractant issues with the resident, who agreed to make changes to the property.

Bear in Garbage Cans: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a multi-family property that was experiencing issues with bears. This was the third time Jacobsen has had to respond to the property over the last several years regarding unsecured bear attractants (garbage and bird food). Again, the landowner had several garbage cans that were accessible to a bear, which had apparently been coming up onto the porch nightly for the past three weeks. Jacobsen issued the landowners a warning to secure all their garbage in the garage. Further bear issues at the residence would be investigated by WDFW Enforcement staff.

Bear in Garbage Trailer: A concerned landowner contacted WDFW after learning that a bear had been raiding her neighbor’s trash trailer and spreading the garbage all over her property. Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen was able to get in touch with the landowner with the garbage trailer. With the help of volunteer member Smith, an electric fence was conducted around the dumpster to cut off the bear’s supplemental food supply.

Urban Cougar: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted WDFW Enforcement staff members over the weekend after a cougar was captured on multiple household security cameras in southwest Vancouver. WDFW staff members confirmed that the animal in question was a cougar. Jacobsen patrolled the area and monitored for sighting reports. At one point, hounds were used to search for the cougar after it was reported moving west on the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. The cougar was not located.

Mistaken Cougar Sighting: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen was contacted by a landowner after the landowner captured what he believed to be a cougar on his security camera in urban Clark County. After reviewing the footage, Jacobsen confirmed the animal to be a domestic house cat.

Cougar Depredation on Unsecured Alpaca: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and several WDFW Enforcement staff members responded to a report of a cougar depredation on an alpaca. The alpaca had been left out at night in an unsecured pasture. Jacobsen investigated and confirmed that a cougar killed the alpaca. WDFW staff members set a live trap for the cougar and were able to catch the juvenile cougar later that night. Since the juvenile cougar was alone (and should have still been with its mother) and displayed some odd behaviors that the landowner had noticed that night, Jacobsen euthanized the cougar.

Cougar Depredation on Unsecured Goats: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of cougars depredating on goats. The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office had already been contacted and had killed two medium-sized (roughly 70 lb.) cougars before Jacobsen was contacted. Jacobsen confirmed the depredations as cougar caused. Jacobsen provided advice to the landowner on securing goats at night, as the goats had been allowed to wander a large, wooded property at night.

Reported Cougar Depredation on Horse: A concerned landowner contacted WDFW regarding injuries that she had noticed on two of her horses. Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and WDFW Officer Bolton responded. After examining the horses, Jacobsen determined that domestic dogs were the most likely cause of injury to the horses. Jacobsen provided advice to the landowner on securing the horse pasture.

Elk Damage to Haystacks: A producer in east Klickitat County contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding elk damage to his haystacks. Jacobsen inspected the damage and will be working with the landowner on deterrent measures.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Water Access Areas: Access staff members encountered a large trash dump at the Three Mile access site in Washougal. Whoever did this not only pushed the trash out but threw most of it into heavy brush and briars making it difficult and time consuming to remove. It took access staff members a few hours and two full truck loads to the dump to remove. 

Mineral Lake: Access staff members encountered a break-in to a closed restroom Thursday morning at the Upper Mineral Lake access site. Fortunately, there was no evidence of vandalism. It appeared to be more of an act of curiosity.

Bees: As usual, during the summer bees and hornets are a constant issue around access area facilities, especially around the Vancouver Lake area. Many nests are being discovered in door jambs, and even a shoe that was stuck onto a telephone pole next to the Langsdorf restroom. Access staff members continue to mitigate these persistent and sometimes very aggressive pests on a weekly basis. 

Providing Education and Outreach

Public Engagement: Private Lands Biologist Gray attended the Small Forest Landowners Field Day in Longview, WA. Gray was available to interact with landowners at the WDFW table in the exhibitor area. Gray also spoke at an educational session regarding “Landowner Assistance Programs” along with Department of Natural Resources and Natural Resources Conservation Service. The event hosted up to seven learning stations, with ongoing topics cycling throughout the day. Each year field days are organized in different regions of the state.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Annual Band-Tailed Pigeon Surveys: Biologists Stephens, Wickhem, and Holman, along with Migratory Bird Specialist Hamer, completed band-tailed pigeon surveys in Region 5 between July 10th and 20th. Additionally, Holman teamed with Region 6 Biologist Novack to survey a site in the estuary of the Chehalis River that can only be accessed by boat. Nesting birds congregate at natural mineral springs throughout the summer to consume supplemental minerals, primarily sodium and calcium. The same mineral sites are surveyed each year by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists across western Washington. The results are combined with similar efforts in British Columbia, Oregon, California, and Nevada to monitor the population at the flyway level. Survey results affect the season and bag limits for band-tailed pigeons each year. 

• At the site in Clark County, Hamer counted 142 pigeons which is a slight increase over 2023.
• At the site in Skamania County, Wickhem counted 186 pigeons, which is lower than the historic numbers at this location.
• At one of the Cowlitz County sites, Stephens counted 307 pigeons, which is nearly identical to the results from 2022 and 2023. 
• At the other Cowlitz County site, Holman counted 106 pigeons, which is similar to the results of prior years. New forest management activities near this site now make conducting the survey easier. 
• At the Lewis County site, Stephens counted 313 pigeons, which is a moderate increase from 2023. 
• At the Gray’s Harbor site, Holman and Novack counted 212 pigeons, up slightly from the 2023 survey.

Bat Acoustic Monitoring: In July, Biologists Wickhem, Ott, and Stephens conducted acoustic monitoring for bats at six sites in Region 5. Every site is made up of four grids, with each grid containing an acoustic detector. To monitor the bats, an acoustic detector is left overnight at each grid and records the echolocation signatures of bat species who are feeding within proximity to the detector. This effort is part of the North American Bat Monitoring Program, a multi-agency coordinated effort across North America. This collaborative bat monitoring program is made up of an extensive community of partners across the continent who use standardized protocols to gather data that allows assessment of population status and trends, informs responses to stressors, and sustains viable populations. 

Bat Emergence Counts: In July, Biologist Wickhem conducted four bat emergence counts (three in Clark County and one in Skamania County) with the help of Biologist Ott and volunteers Robinson, Roe, and Weaver. Three of the locations had never been counted before and were either reported by members of the public or other staff members. Two of the locations proved to be thick with bats; a Forest Service bridge and a collection of private bat boxes supporting 788 and 888 bats, respectively. Another residential bat box contained 160 individuals. The landowner invited several friends and neighbors to join in the count. The final count at another residential property where bats were living underneath their raised home only came up with about a dozen individuals, despite finding massive piles of guano near some ideal roosting areas. In this case, the team thinks the pups were volant (able to fly on their own). This allows the colony to easily move and roost in nearby areas if desired. The bats that were still present were exiting through a different area that was not being monitored. An acoustic detector was deployed at each site during the surveys to record echolocation calls, which can be analyzed to determine which species are present. Those files will be analyzed by Statewide Bat Specialist Tobin. These surveys help biologists understand the species distribution and roosting habitats of bats in Washington. 

Bat Captures and White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) Vaccination Study: Biologists Wickhem, Biologist Ott, and Volunteer Flick joined volunteer members and biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey to capture bats on private property as part of a study to test a new vaccine for white-nose syndrome. WNS is a devastating disease caused by a fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans or Pd) that causes bats to repeatedly wake up during winter hibernation (which burns a lot of calories), and usually leads to death. WNS has led to massive bat die-offs in the Midwest and eastern United States. Either the disease or the Pd fungus have been detected within ten counties in Washington as of July 2023.

In this capture effort, bats were collected from funnel and harp traps that were attached to the openings of occupied bat boxes. Once removed from the trap, a hair sample was collected and the bats were weighed, measured, sexed, aged, given a wing health score, a wing band, a PIT tag, either the vaccine or control (placebo) dose orally, and then released. The team also captured several bats that have been caught, marked, and treated in previous years. Since this effort took place at a maternity colony, most of the bats captured were lactating females. The capture team worked into the wee hours of the night and the next morning to finish processing more than 100 bats. WNS has not been detected within this colony or anywhere nearby yet, but the group still abided by strict decontamination protocols that help prevent the human-spread of the fungus. Also, everyone that directly handled bats has a rabies vaccination. Thanks to our partners for an excellent trapping effort and the landowners for allowing us to work on their property and for assisting with set-up and take-down of our equipment!

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Mineral Lake Access Area: Access area staff members visited Mineral Lake Access Area to find it very clean given the amount of use it normally receives. This was a pleasant surprise, especially since the site was very busy when staff members arrived.

Kalama River Access Areas: Access area staff members worked on vegetation management at multiple sites along the Kalama River. Modrow Access Area and the road to Fisherman’s Loop Access Site had many maples growing low over the road that needed to be pruned back. In addition to work at these sites, staff members worked on pruning the blackberries along the trail at Kress Lake.

Onieda Access Area Boat Ramp: Access area staff members worked at filling a sink hole on the Onieda Access Area boat ramp. Understanding that this is a temporary fix, staff members are still hopefull that it will last throughout the upcoming salmon season. This area gets an extreme amount of use during the month of August. In addition, staff members finished mowing the field and parking area at the Onieda Access Area. Staff members hope with the recent improvements at this site, that it will be respected in the upcoming August fishing season.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Woodland Park Zoo Field Trip: Biologist Bergh gave a field trip at one of the Skamania County northwestern pond turtle sites to a group of students participating in a class put on by the Woodland Park Zoo. The adult students are spending a few days in the area to do some hands-on learning about conservation topics and had prepared ahead of time by visiting the HeadStart turtle program at the zoo. Biologist Bergh talked about all aspects of the pond turtle recovery and management program. The group hiked around the site to view habitat as well at the pond and painted turtles that inhabit the site.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Annual Band-Tailed Pigeon Surveys: Biologists Wickhem, Bergh, Holman, and Stephens began conducting their respective band-tailed pigeon surveys in Region 5. Additionally, Holman teamed with Region 6 Biologist Novack to survey a site in the estuary of the Chehalis River that can only be accessed by boat. Nesting birds congregate at natural mineral springs throughout the summer to consume supplemental minerals, primarily sodium and calcium. The same mineral sites are surveyed each year by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists across western Washington and the results are combined with similar efforts in British Columbia, Oregon, and California to monitor the population at the flyway level. Survey results affect the season and bag-limits for band-tailed pigeons each year and will be presented in future weekly reports.

Northwestern Pond Turtle Population Estimate: From June 5 through June 26, Biologists Wickhem, Bergh, and Ott, along with many helpers, deployed 41 turtle hoop traps at a site in Klickitat County and checked traps daily. The traps were spread across four water bodies that are historical northwestern pond turtle locations. Every year, the district staff members perform a mark-recapture trapping effort at one turtle site to generate a population estimate. All captured turtles are individually marked and the number of times each individual turtle is captured is recorded. The number of captures and recaptures is plugged into a model (along with other variables) which will generate an estimated number of turtles present at the site. This season, the crew caught 286 individual pond turtles and two individual painted turtles for a total of 805 captures (including recaptures). We will be anxiously waiting for Science Division staff members to calculate the population estimate. During the last trapping effort at that site (in 2018), there was a total of 511 captures and 207 were pond turtles. It appears that the pond turtle population has increased (HOORAY!). Also of note, the crew captured and marked 69 new wild-born turtles, three times the number of new turtles captured in 2018 (double HOORAY!). This large number of new turtles (indicating natural recruitment) confirms that the removal of invasive bullfrogs from this site is benefitting the pond turtles and many other native species. Special thanks to all the folks (20 people total!!) that assisted with trap setting, checking, and take-down.

Mardon Skipper Surveys: During the first two weeks of July, Biologists Bergh, Wickhem, and Ott, as well as the new District 9 Klickitat Wildlife Area Manager Cass Holman, assisted in modified peak count surveys for state endangered mardon skippers. These surveys are coordinated by the U.S. Forest Service as a part of a 3-year effort to visit sites historically occupied by mardon skippers across their range within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. 

Mardon skippers require open meadows with ample sun, bunch grasses, and floral resources. Existing populations of mardon skippers are highly isolated and under threat due to habitat loss and/or degradation caused by forest encroachment, invasive plants, and fire suppression. These surveys will help inform appropriate localized and landscape scale habitat management for the species on U. S. Forest Service land. Although no sites assigned to WDFW staff members yielded positive detections of mardon skippers, the staff members thoroughly enjoyed the time spent walking in subalpine meadows identifying butterflies and collaborating with U.S. Forest Service staff members.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Oneida Access Area: Access staff members have started mowing some of WDFW sites including Onieda Access Area. Staff members mow certain areas to provide additional parking and to also try and keep fire danger down. Hot weather, tall grass, and hot exhaust pipes do not mix well. Onieda Access Area has two field parking areas that will be heavily used starting in August.

Fourth of July Aftermath: As expected, the week after the Fourth of July was busy. Many sites in Washougal, Kalama, and Mineral Lake were used heavily by the public. Unfortunately, many visitors didn’t “pack it in, pack it out.”

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Pacificorps Wildlife Habitat Management Lands: Biologist Holman joined Pacificorps staff members to visit multiple locations in the higher elevation portions of Pacificorps Lewis River Habitat Management Lands to evaluate ongoing enhancement efforts. U.S. Forest Service Supervisory Biologist Rich attended as well.

The group saw forest management projects such as pre-commercial thinning and reforestation, soil augmentations designed to increase pH, elk forage plot establishment, and weed control in wetlands. All projects on the habitat enhancement lands are on schedule. Pacificorp lands include approximately 16,000 acres of enhanced wildlife habitat in the North Fork Lewis River basin to partially balance the impacts of the hydropower system on the river. These lands are open to the public for non-motorized recreation including hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. 

Other

New Klickitat Wildlife Area Manager: We are very excited to announce that the Klickitat Wildlife Area has a new manager. Cassandra “Cass” Holman started her role with WDFW on July 1. It took over seven months to find the right person for the job, however Cass was a true standout from all the other candidates. We are very happy to have her as part of the Region 5 Wildlife Program team. 

Cassandra is a wildlife and conservation biologist with a focus on addressing ecological challenges in human-compromised or altered ecosystems. She recently worked in northern California implementing floodplain reconnection and habitat restoration projects in the Trinity River watershed. However, her career has also taken her to Alaska, Colorado, New England, Texas, and North Carolina. Originally from Rhode Island, Cass is excited to call Washington home for the long term. She has a strong background in grant writing, project management, and forming conservation partnerships with stakeholders to make a tangible difference. As the new manager of the Klickitat Wildlife Area, she is dedicated to meeting the state’s objectives for species conservation and habitat protection.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Sandhill Crane Surveys by Drone: Biologist Bergh enlisted the help of Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst Jansen and GIS and Data Support Analyst Simper to get aerial imagery of three different sandhill crane nesting areas. The group used three different types of drones and tried regular (RGB) imagery as well as infrared (IR) imagery to identify sandhill crane nests. 

Bergh, Jansen, and Simper tried different heights above the ground, both with speed and with the drone stationary. After several days of flying, they determined which drone, imagery, and height would be optimal for spotting nests. They found nests at two of the three sites, although not all of the imagery from the third site has been searched. Disappointingly, the IR imagery did not seem to be useful since it was impossible to differentiate cranes from other waterfowl and even with cloudy skies and cool temperatures, the wetland vegetation appeared “warm.” Next year’s drone survey flights should be more straightforward with the information learned this year.

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Photo by WDFW

Northwestern Pond Turtle Hatchling Collection: Biologists Bergh, Wickhem, and Ott spent time collecting hatchling northwestern pond turtles (NWPT) the size of silver dollars to send to the Oregon Zoo as part of the northwestern pond turtle “headstarting” program. The goal of the program is to grow the hatchling turtles to a size of 50 to 100 grams. By the time they reach that size, they are better, faster swimmers, and too large to be swallowed by bullfrogs. Bullfrogs are not native to the Pacific Northwest and easily prey on northwestern pond turtle hatchlings, which is one of the causes of northwestern pond turtle declines in Washington. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Headstart Turtle Notching:  Biologists Wickhem and Ott visited headstarted northwestern pond turtles at the Oregon Zoo this week. The turtles were brought to the zoo as hatchlings in May 2023. Under the care of zoo staff members, they can grow larger in a safe setting and be released back into their natural habitat at a size that allows them to more easily avoid predators. 

Wickhem and Ott assigned these headstarted turtles identification numbers and put notches in their shell scutes using a triangle file. These notches do not harm the turtles and will help staff members identify these individuals the next time they are captured in the field. Wickhem and Ott also took weights and shell measurements and checked PIT tags on all the headstarts. 

The captive cougar, Pai, supervised the headstart activities from his neighboring enclosure, which has become a welcome tradition. These turtles will be released at a site in Skamania County in late May.

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Mudflow Unit Opens After Winter Closure: On the first day of May, Technician Crane removed “No Trespassing” signs on the Mudflow Unit of Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area that were posted for the winter closure. The Mudflow Unit’s annual winter closure is in effect from Dec. 1 through April 30 to ensure minimal disturbance to elk on their over wintering grounds. 

The opening of the Mudflow Unit on May 1 each year is popular for shed hunting. While removing signs, Technician Crane observed six shed hunters on the Mudflow Unit, most of which were successful in legally collecting antlers.

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Photo by WDFW

Managing Wildlife Populations

Sooty Grouse Surveys: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) wildlife biologists in western Washington are in the second year of testing a survey method for sooty grouse (formerly called blue grouse). The effort involves establishing driving routes in the Cascade and Olympic mountains as well as the Willapa Hills. 

The routes include 15 to 30 listening stops where biologists spend time listening for the calling of male sooty grouse during the early morning hours. The survey method is borrowed from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as Oregon State University and we thank them for their development of the method and sharing. When fully developed and implemented, the survey will generate sooty grouse population trend estimates that are independent of grouse harvest. To date, Biologists Stephens, Holman, Wickhem, and Bergh, along with Conflict Specialist Aubrey and Cowlitz Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Steveson have conducted eight surveys. 

An additional component of the work is to use listening devices called Acoustic Recording Units (ARUs) to better understand the timing of the sooty grouse breeding season. This is important since the survey methodology was developed at lower latitudes in Oregon where breeding timing could be different. The ARUs are placed near calling sooty grouse and left in place for approximately two months. During this time, the device records the calling grouse. With several of the units placed throughout western Washington, in aggregate this information can be used to adjust Oregon’s protocol to Washington’s grouse population. Biologist Holman, Conflict Specialist Aubrey, and Enforcement Officer Tippets placed three units in Cowlitz and Lewis counties.

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Photo by WDFW

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Glenwood Valley Annual Sandhill Crane Survey: Biologists Wickhem, Bergh, and Ott; Data Manager Blatz, Volunteers Castagnoli, Flick, Steider, L. Robinson, D. Robinson, B. Roe, and J. Roe; staff members from Mount Adams Resource Stewards, and staff members from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joined forces for the annual sandhill crane survey on and around Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge. 

The Glenwood Valley is one of only a few areas in the state where sandhill cranes nest. Sandhill cranes mate for life and return to the same “territory” each year to mate and raise their colts before migrating south in the fall. For this survey, the groups split up into teams to drive and hike around different crane territories recording all cranes observed and specifically looking for crane nests. Wickhem and her survey partners confirmed three nests and observed a nest exchange (males and females take turns sitting on the nest)! 

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Townsend’s Ground Squirrel Surveys: In 2023, District 9 staff members visited 130 historic locations of Townsend’s ground squirrels in eastern Klickitat County to determine how many of these sites were still occupied. At a small number of those sites, occupancy was unconfirmed, meaning the surveyors found some signs of squirrels, but could not determine how fresh the signs were and did not see or hear any actual squirrels. 

In April 2024, District 9 staff members revisited these sites to confirm if they were occupied or unoccupied. Unfortunately, each of these locations was determined to be unoccupied, but staff members were able to find squirrel colonies in a few new locations that had not been recorded in the past. Townsend’s ground squirrels are a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SCGN) in Washington and are considered a candidate for state listing.

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Mount St. Helens Elk Herd Population Survey: In late March, biologists from Region 5 conducted an aerial survey of the Mount St. Helens elk herd. In addition to the “core” herd area which consists of GMUs 520, 522, 524, 550, and 556 that has historically been surveyed annually or biannually, biologists also surveyed portions of the herd area to the south. The expanded survey area includes portions of GMUs 554, 560, 568, and 572. These areas are generally more difficult to survey because they have fewer clear cuts or other openings that allow observers to detect elk that are present. 

Within the “core” GMUs, the same survey units are surveyed from year to year and a sight ability estimate is applied to the data collected. The estimate for the core area was 2,097 elk. This is a 38% increase from the last time this area was surveyed in March 2022 with a total of 1,522 elk. A big thanks to JL Aviation’s Pilot Pete Emmerson for his safe and skillful flying. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

Vandalism in Klickitat County: The restroom at the Turkey Hole Access Area was severely vandalized with graffiti in early April. Vandalism to this extent is unusual and very disappointing for Klickitat County. With two trips and multiple coats of paint, Natural Resources Specialist Celaya was able to make the restroom look respectable again. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Conserving Natural Landscapes

English Ivy Removal: Cowlitz Wildlife Area staff members, with the help of master hunters and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation volunteers who donated approximately 700 hours of their time over the four days of the project, removed over 26,000 pounds of vegetation (mostly English ivy) from the Mossyrock Unit. 

The ivy is well established within the area and surgically removing the ivy without impacting the desirable vegetation is not an option. The first weekend the sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, and the crew removed 11,000 pounds of vegetation. The second week, the weather turned vengeful and kept the crew wet and cold. However, the crew rallied and removed 15,000 pounds of vegetation.

This was tough work, and the wildlife area staff members could not have done this without the volunteer help. Also essential to the success of the project were Rodger and Ramona Wallace. Rodger and Ramona not only saw the possibilities and encouraged wildlife area staff members to embrace the use of volunteers, but they also reached out to their network of volunteers and single handedly organized an army of individuals. Then, to keep morale high, they organized a potluck lunch every day of the project. With the food provided by the volunteers, you can’t beat a meal of elk burgers, German sausages, elk stew, chili, and all of the sides one could want.

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

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Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Chemical Immobilization Training: District biologists, conflict specialists, and enforcement staff members attended chemical immobilization training in Ridgefield. The training is required every five years for staff members who use chemical immobilization drugs. 

Chemical immobilization is used when marking or collaring wildlife for research and in conflict situations when an animal may need to be removed from a dangerous situation. The training covered the types of immobilization drugs, the equipment used in immobilizations, different capture situations, and human and animal safety, among other topics. The class was capped off with dart gun practice and immobilizing domestic goats. All of the goats responded well to the drugs, maintained healthy vital signs throughout, and woke up without a problem. 

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Photo by WDFW

Managing Wildlife Populations

Klickitat Wildlife Area Spring Road Survey: Biologists Wickhem and Bergh, Assistant Wildlife Area Manager Roy, Conflict Specialist Jacobsen, Regional Wildlife Program Manager Jonker, and Volunteer VanLeuven took part in the annual spring road survey. They counted and classified mule deer on and around the Klickitat Wildlife Area. These routes have been surveyed each spring for more than 40 years! This season, the team counted 262 deer and classified 251. These results are on the lower side compared to recent years, but not bad considering the morning routes were plagued by fog and low clouds. The crew recorded 54 fawns for every 100 does, which is slightly above the 10-year average of 50 fawns for every 100 does. This “average” ratio was expected after a relatively mild winter.

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Photo by WDFW

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Klickitat Mule Deer Mortality Investigation: Biologists Wickhem and Ott investigated one mortality (death) signal from a collared female mule deer this week. Unfortunately, the carcass had been heavily scavenged by the time the pair arrived, making it impossible to definitively determine the cause of death. However, the pair did find signs of bear, cougar, and coyote in the surrounding area. 

This deer was part of a 4-year study being conducted throughout Game Management Units (GMU) 388 and 382 to track the annual movements of female mule deer and locate important migration corridors. Staff members are also attempting to determine cause of death when a tracked animal dies, which has proven to be difficult. In winter 2021, 81 collars were deployed for this effort. Twenty-two collars were deployed in the winter of 2022 and 23 were deployed in the winter of 2023. Most of the 2023 deployments were replacing study deer that died over the first two years of the study.  We are nearing the end of the study, so no more collars will be redeployed for this project.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Improving Private Land Access: Private Lands Biologist Gray worked with a landowner enrolled in the Private Lands Access Program in Klickitat County to improve access over a property fence where a gate wasn’t an option. Volunteers worked to build this staircase to allow for safer access over the barbed wire fence. All properties enrolled in the access program are walk-in access only.

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Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Necropsy Training: Biologists Wickhem, Bergh, Ott, Holman, Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen, and Assistant Wildlife Manager Risley attended necropsy (animal autopsy) training held in Region 5. The class was taught by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Veterinarians Mansfield and Haman and Washington State University Veterinary Pathologist Oliveira. Staff members are often required to conduct necropsies on a variety of wildlife species to determine cause of death, take veterinary samples, and track wildlife disease outbreaks. The class consisted of a lecture portion and hands-on experience.

Staff members from around the state saved carcasses of animals that were either found or euthanized by WDFW. This gave attendees the opportunity to necropsy an elk, cougar, bear, porcupine, river otter, beaver, a few coyotes, several birds, and multiple deer. All of the necropsy specimens were collected opportunistically, and no animals were killed specifically to be used for this training.

The elk and the bear had unknown illnesses that led to their euthanization, so instructors and attendees were tasked with determining what each animal was afflicted with. Numerous samples were taken from the bear for later analysis at the pathology lab. Eventually, they found a huge abscess below one of the elk’s antlers that likely caused the unnatural behavior (walking in circles, disorientation, approaching humans) that led to its euthanization. Thanks to veterinarians Mansfield and Haman as well as pathologist Oliveira for the instruction.

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Firearms Recertification Training: Biologists Holman, Bergh, and Wickhem along with Conflict Specialist Jacobsen completed required firearms recertification training. Policy requires in person demonstration of safe handling, shooting proficiency, and general familiarity with state-issued firearms every three years for non-enforcement Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff members who carry firearms. Firearms are used by WDFW biology staff members to euthanize injured animals, haze wildlife away from agricultural or residential areas, and to collect specimens for examination. Thanks to Wildlife Program Firearms Instructor Dazey for running the recertification practicum.

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Managing Wildlife Populations

Oregon Spotted Frog Surveys: Biologists Wickhem and Bergh, with the help of Private Lands Biologist Gray, Regional Director Sallee, Species Lead Hallock, Customer Service Specialist Splitgerber, Volunteers Petrick and Roe, and staff members from the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, surveyed for Oregon spotted frog egg masses in both the Glenwood and Trout Lake valleys during the second half of March. 

Oregon spotted frogs are listed as federally threatened and state endangered and have been on the decline in Glenwood and the Trout Lake Valleys in recent years due to drought and predation by bullfrogs. By counting egg masses laid and multiplying by two (to account for the one female and one male responsible for each egg mass), we are able to get a population estimate for each watershed. Though we are still tallying up the final numbers for the 2024 season, the team was grateful to find significantly more egg masses at both locations. Hopefully the trend continues in the coming years! 

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Photo by WDFW

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Mt. St. Helens Elk Herd Survey: Biologists Holman, Stephens, Bergh, and Wickhem, Ungulate Specialist Oates, Wildlife Area Assistant Managers Risley and Breitenstein, along with Habitat Biologist Johnson worked together to complete an aerial survey of the Mt. St. Helens elk population. The primary effort took place over the “Core Mt. St. Helens Herd Area” which includes Game Management Units (GMU) 520 (Winston), 522 (Loo-Wit), 524 (Margaret), 550 (Coweeman), and 556 (Toutle). Additionally, areas within Game Management Units 554 (Yale), 560 (Lewis River), 568 (Washougal), and 572 (Siouxon) were surveyed on a more exploratory basis. The survey is conducted by helicopter, while three Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife observers, plus the pilot, search the landscape for elk. The animals are then counted as well as classified by sexes and ages. Additionally, variables including concealing vegetation and location are documented for each group of elk. 

A total of 2,368 elk were observed by the team over the course of six days. Following data analysis, estimates of herd population size, core-herd population size, GMU population sizes as well as calf to cow and bull to cow ratios will be generated. These metrics will be used to evaluate the status of the Mt. St. Helens elk population per the guidelines outlined in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Management Plan: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife 2015-2021 Game Management Plan | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Mt. St Helens Elk Herd Plan: Washington State Elk Herd Plan: Mount St. Helens Elk Herd | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife and will be reported in the annual Game Status and Trend Report: Publications | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

Thanks to the many staff members who participated in the survey. Thanks to Region 5 Customer Service Staff Members Rainwaters, Splitgerber, and Kean as well as Regional Wildlife Program Manager Jonker for their respective roles of weekday and weekend flight following. Thanks to Contract Specialist Luque, Contracts and Purchasing Manager Hugdahl, and Ungulate Section Manager Garrison for their respective roles in lining up the contractual and budgetary aspects of this work. Finally, thanks to Pilot Pete Emerson of JL Aviation for his unmatched skill in piloting during the effort as well as seamless logistics, efficient use of our funding, precise weather forecasting, and for spotting plenty of the elk. 

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

Art From Unknown Guest: Natural Resource Specialist Celaya found an interesting sight at the entrance of the Mineral Springs (Icehouse) Access Area in Klickitat County. 

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Photo by WDFW

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Livestock Carcass Disposal: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen removed 2.5 tons of domestic cow carcasses from a livestock operation where a collared wolf in Klickitat County was known to frequent. The utilization of carcass piles and natural decomposition is a practice widely implemented across western states by ranchers to deal with livestock losses on their operations. It is one of only a few legal means of disposing of deceased animals. However, these carcass piles regularly attract scavenging carnivores to livestock operations and can inadvertently lead to livestock-wildlife conflict issues. 

Tree Damage: A concerned landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding damage to the Douglas fir trees on his property. Within the past year, a handful of trees began to die, all with their tops girdled by some animal. The landowner felled one of the damaged trees so that Jacobsen could inspect it. While the teeth marks on the bark appear to be very narrow, the jury is still out as to whether the tree was damaged by western gray squirrels or if porcupines were the primary culprit and western gray squirrel damage was secondary to the porcupine damage.

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Cooperative Fencing Project Inspections: Wildlife Conflict Specialists Jacobsen and Janowski met with two different landowners who had completed Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife landowner cooperative deer and elk fencing projects. Under these agreements, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife provided the fencing materials while the landowners were responsible for installation labor and fence maintenance. Both fences looked excellent and both producers were elated at the difference the fences made to their operations, including to their financial savings from past damage, increased production due to damage prevention, and eliminated their staff members’ time hazing costs.

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Sick Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a sick deer next to a residence that was no longer able to stand up. Upon inspecting the deer, Jacobsen determined that the deer was in very poor condition and euthanized the deer.

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Cougar Near Residence: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a residence where a cougar had been observed the night before and had subsequently been lethally removed by the county. Jacobsen collected tooth and tissue samples from the female cougar. Jacobsen discussed cougar behavior and biology with the landowner and performed a walk-through of her property to review possible future sources of conflict as well as deterrent methods. 

The landowner had lost three domestic cats over the past week, and a necropsy of the cougar revealed that the cougar had consumed a domestic house cat. The landowner reported that nine additional domestic house cats were roaming the property. Jacobsen discussed the problem of outdoor house cats and the frequency with which cougars are known to prey on outdoor house cats, as they resemble other natural cougar prey species such as raccoons and porcupines.

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Conserving Natural Landscapes

Prescribed Burning at Shillapoo Wildlife Area: Recently, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff members at Shillapoo Wildlife Area have been utilizing prescribed fire for vegetation management. While fire can be destructive if uncontrolled, it can also be a useful tool for land managers. Prescribed burns reduce fuel levels, help control invasive weed species, and can increase soil health. While weather conditions were favorable, multiple small prescribed fires were used to control invasive blackberry and remove piled woody debris from the Rieger tree planting site.

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Photo by WDFW

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Providing Education and Outreach

White Salmon Tree Fest: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen hosted a booth at Underwood Conservation District’s annual White Salmon Tree Fest. Several other agencies and organizations were present, including the Rowena/Mountain Top Wildlife Clinic, Columbia Land Trust, Humble Roots Nursery, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Forest Service. The event was well attended by over 200 citizens.

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Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Wildlife Capture Scenario Practice: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen hosted a training with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Detachment 53 to review strategies, techniques, and past and potential scenarios for carnivore and ungulate captures.

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Other

New Staff Member: Region 5 is very excited to welcome their new team member, Tessa Ott. Tessa started today in a new position as an Assistant District Wildlife Biologist in District 9 stationed in White Salmon. Tessa has spent the last year as the Assistant District Wildlife Biologist for Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife based out of Portland. Prior to this, she worked various seasonal positions focusing on non-game species for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife while holding private contracts for American bullfrog mitigation throughout the Columbia River Gorge. Tessa is excited to return to Washington and she enjoys horseback riding, reading, backpacking, and the occasional unsuccessful turkey hunt.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Dusky Canada Goose Surveys: Biologist Wickhem conducted two dusky Canada goose surveys on the Shillapoo Wildlife Area and surrounding lowlands of Clark County this month. Biologists Stephens and Holman conducted the twice-monthly surveys in Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties. Dusky geese are a sub-species of Canada goose that spend summers in Alaska and migrate through and/or overwinter in the lower Columbia River. Duskys are closed to recreational harvest due to low population levels. The purpose of the surveys is to count dusky geese observed and read alphanumeric codes on any red-collared duskys. Wildlife managers survey the geese multiple times across their primary wintering grounds and use the data to generate survival estimates. 

During her second February survey, Wickhem recorded 288 dusky geese and read eight red neck collars. Surprisingly, only two collars were repeats from the previous week and the rest were new records for this season. That makes a total of 20 individual collars recorded so far at Shillapoo Wildlife Area for the 2023-2024 season. 

Other notable sightings included the first swans of the season, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, bald eagles, great blue herons, egrets, sandhill cranes, snow geese, many species of waterfowl, and coyotes. Thanks to retired Biologist Miller for assisting on the Cowlitz County survey during this time period. 

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Cougar Pelt Seal: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen sealed the pelt of an adult female cougar for a successful cougar hunter in GMU 388. 

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Bobcat Pelt Seals: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen sealed four adult bobcat pelts for a bobcat trapper/hunter. The bobcats were harvested in GMUs 578, 388, and 382. The Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) regulations require that pelts of certain species legally harvested (such as bobcats and river otters) be tagged with a department-issued federal CITES tag. 

CITES is an international agreement between governments which aims to ensure that trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Many wildlife species that are subject to trade are not endangered, but the existence of an agreement to ensure the sustainability of the trade is important in order to safeguard these resources for the future. The pelts of the bobcats harvested by this individual will be sold to the fur market in the upcoming months.

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Deceased Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen helped a landowner dispose of a dead deer in his yard in an urban area of Klickitat County. It is unknown how the deer died.

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First Injured Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of an injured deer on the side of the road in Klickitat County. The deer ended up expiring before Jacobsen arrived at the scene. Jacobsen moved the deceased deer out of the roadway.

Second Injured Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of an injured deer that had been unable to get up for the past 24 hours. Jacobsen assessed the deer and determined that she was unable to use her back legs and needed to be euthanized. Jacobsen euthanized the deer and the landowner disposed of the carcass.

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Deceased Bald Eagle: Employees at The Dalles Dam contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding a dead bald eagle near a popular eagle roosting spot on dam property. Jacobsen responded to the scene and took possession of the eagle. Jacobsen will send the eagle in for testing of avian influenza (HPAI) and lead poisoning.

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

Massey Bar Access Area: Access area staff members were pleased to see that the Capital Asset Management Program (CAMP) promptly started grading Region 5 access areas as soon as they received the road and parking grading list. In the past, Region 5 has been the last region to be visited. This is a much-appreciated change and is great for our staff and anyone who uses these sites. 

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Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

District 9 Livestock Carcass Disposal: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen received a report of a dead cow at a livestock producer’s operation. To help prevent wolf scavenging on livestock carcasses near active calving operations, Jacobsen hauled the carcass away from the operation and disposed of it at a regional landfill.

District 9 Chicken Depredations: A concerned landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding hawks depredating on his chickens in Clark County. After talking to the landowner, Jacobsen learned that the landowner had several hundred chickens that he allows to free-range on his property. Jacobsen discussed the predation risks of having free-ranging fowl (especially that many) and offered several suggestions of ways to help reduce the chicken losses, though free-ranging chickens will likely always experience some level of raptor or mammalian carnivore predation.

District 9 “Poisoned” Coyotes: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen worked with Officer Bolton to respond to a complaint about someone “poisoning” coyotes in the neighborhood. The reporting party had found three deceased coyotes in her barn and thought she had seen two more that appeared to be in very poor condition. The reporting party believed that a nearby ranch had been poisoning the coyotes. After talking to the reporting party, who described the coyotes’ plight as “looking like Wiley Coyote, the cartoon,” Jacobsen deduced that the reporting party had been seeing coyotes with severe mange infections caused by a microscopic mite. Jacobsen advised the reporting party that the now-hairless coyotes likely died during the sub-zero temperature cold snap due to their inability to stay warm. Jacobsen and Officer Bolton agreed that poisoning was not a likely scenario given the circumstances.

District 9 Cougar Concerns: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen fielded several reports of cougar sightings in GMUs 574 and 578. Jacobsen provided advice on living in cougar country to the reporting parties.

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Photo by reporting party.

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Tree Damage from Squirrels: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen received a report of western gray squirrels damaging Douglas fir trees in Klickitat County. Jacobsen provided advice, including advising the reporting party to stop feeding the squirrels in their yard.

Sheep Depredation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a cougar depredation on a sheep in Clark County. Jacobsen conducted a necropsy of the carcass and determined that the sheep was killed by coyotes. Jacobsen provided advice to the producer on locking his livestock up at night and purchasing a livestock guardian dog to protect his remaining livestock in the heavily-wooded pasture where they were kept.

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Elk Damage to Crops: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen met with a producer who had been incurring elk damage to her commercial organic herb farm. Jacobsen discussed enrolling the producer in a Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement to help mitigate elk damage to the crops. Jacobsen inspected the damage and documented extensive elk trampling and compaction of the producer’s high-value skullcap crop. While examining the damage, Jacobsen and the producer observed approximately 75 to 80 head of elk in the field. Jacobsen hazed the elk out of the field using 12-gauge cracker shells launched from his shotgun.

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“Bear” Tracks on the Beach: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of bear tracks along a popular Columbia River beach. The reporting party sent photos of the tracks to Jacobsen, who confirmed the tracks to be from a domestic dog or coyote.

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Deer Hoof Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen was first notified of a deer with a hoof abnormality in early fall of 2023 in the Carson area. Around mid-spring 2023, the deer had stepped on some sort of plastic ring or cap and it had gotten caught on the deer’s hoof. Over time, the ring worked its way up one of the deer’s toes and began to impede the deer’s movement. Jacobsen made several attempts to catch the deer in the fall and winter of 2023 to no avail. 

On March 1, the deer hung around its favorite residence long enough for Jacobsen to make the hour-long trek there, prepare his immobilization equipment, and successfully chemically immobilize the deer. At that point, the deer had ceased to use its rear leg with the plastic ring and its toes had become elongated. The hoof and lower leg tissue also began growing over and encasing the plastic ring to the point where the ring was almost completely concealed. Jacobsen performed field surgery on the deer and carefully removed the ring and some of the necrotic tissue around the lower leg. 

The reporting party confirmed the following day that the deer was back to her normal routine and appeared to be using her leg a little more than before. Due to the extent of the injury, it will be quite some time before the deer recovers enough to bear weight on the rear leg.

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Conserving Natural Landscapes

A Not-So-Happy Valentine’s Day Balloon: Balloons can be a fun way to celebrate a special occasion with loved ones but are not fun for wildlife! On Feb. 15, Technician Crane found this Valentine’s Day balloon at the Vancouver Lake Unit of the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. Thankfully, this balloon was removed and properly disposed of before it could cause any harm. When a balloon floats away, it must eventually come down, often miles from where it was released, and becomes litter. Littered balloons pose a threat to wildlife either when consumed or when animals become entangled in the balloon string. Properly dispose of all balloons or consider other options for celebrations such as eco-friendly confetti or a banner made from recycled material. 

Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen also found a deceased Valentine’s Day balloon on March 1 along the Lewis River. It appeared to have died without much suffering.

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Photo by WDFW

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Providing Education and Outreach

Sportsman’s Show: Region 5 staff members from Wildlife, Fish, Habitat, Customer Service, Enforcement, and Hunter Education worked shifts at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) booth at the Northwest Sportsman’s Show in Portland in mid-February. The crew answered questions from show attendees, handed out WDFW swag and informational pamphlets, and had a spinning wheel of trivia questions and a shooting video game for kids. 

The show was well-attended and had many relevant vendors and programs. Popular questions fielded by WDFW staff members included dates for release of 2024 hunting and fishing pamphlets, cost and license structure for non-residents, the recently held smelt dipping season, 2024 salmon run forecasts, and inquiries regarding the future of hunting season structure in Washington. 

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Other

Not the Wildlife We Had in Mind: The annual “fence rip-out and replace” has begun at Shillapoo Wildlife Area which requires many hands and many hours. Unfortunately, work on the first section of fencing had barely begun when it was stalled by a lost visitor. A rather sad looking non-native canine species was found wandering on the wildlife area, presumably dumped by owners that no longer wanted to care for him.

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Photo by WDFW

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Nicknamed Franklin by wildlife area staff members, this little dog was deaf, blind, and covered from head to toe with a severe case of mange. Franklin was fed some delectable dog biscuits and kept safe by wildlife area staff members until Clark County Animal Control Services could arrive and transport him to the SW Washington Humane Society.

Sadly, finding abandoned pets is NOT an uncommon thing for wildlife area staff members. Franklin is the fifth dog found on the wildlife area this month. There are a variety of options offered in southwest Washington that help owners find new and loving homes for their pets. Dumping pets should never be an option. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Bat Hibernacula Surveys: Biologists Wickhem, Stephens, Bergh, and Holman along with Private Lands Biologist Grey and Assistant Regional Wildlife Program Manager Hauswald joined with staff members from the U.S. Forest Service and several volunteers to conduct bat hibernacula surveys in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and adjacent private lands. The effort was organized and led by Wildlife Diversity Division Species Lead Tobin and Wildlife Diversity Survey Section Manager Cotten participated as well.

The teams skied, snowshoed, snowmobiled, and hiked several miles and surveyed many caves where they counted and identified species of bats roosting in each cave. When bats from the genus myotis were found within reach, the bats were directly swabbed to test for the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. These surveys are part of a larger effort to survey a portion of the more than 600 caves within the Gifford Pinchot to see which support hibernating bats. They are especially interested in Townsend’s big-eared bats which are a Washington Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SCGN) and a Priority Species under Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Priority Habitats and Species Program.

Thanks to Biologist Tobin for her organizational focus, many outdoor skills, attention to safety as well as biosecurity to address potential transmission of white-nose syndrome, knowledge of all things bats, and overall leadership on this large-scale effort. 

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Dusky Canada Goose Surveys: Biologists Wickhem continued dusky Canada goose surveys on the Shillapoo Wildlife Area and surrounding lowlands of Clark County. Biologists Stephens and Holman continued the twice-monthly surveys in Cowltiz and Wahkiakum counties. During the early February survey, Regional Wildlife Program Manager Jonker joined the Cowlitz County survey.

Dusky geese are a sub-species of Canada goose that spend summers in Alaska and migrate through and/or overwinter in the lower Columbia River. Duskys are closed to recreational harvest due to low population levels. The purpose of the surveys is to count dusky geese observed and read alphanumeric codes on any red-collared duskys.

Wildlife managers survey the geese multiple times across their primary wintering grounds in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon, then use the data to generate survival estimates. Biologist Wickhem recorded 179 dusky geese and read 12 collars on her survey. Additionally, during this period Shillapoo Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Breitenstein was able to locate and read the neck collars of nine dusky geese. Dusky, cackling, western, and greater white-fronted geese as well as both tundra and trumpeter swans were all observed during this survey period.

Thanks to Regional Wildlife Program Manager Jonker and Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Breitenstein for their contribution to this effort. 

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Treponeme-associated Hoof Disease (TAHD) Hoof Collection: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Aubrey and Customer Service Specialist Splitgerber responded to a report of an elk tangled up in a fence line along the road. By the time the elk was reached, it had broken free from the fence, but was not able to stand up. Aubrey suspected the elk had TAHD. After observing for a few minutes, Aubrey determined the elk needed to be euthanized. Both back hooves were infected, and all hooves were collected and transported for Washington State University’s ongoing research on TAHD.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Silver Lake: Natural Resource Technician Celaya encountered a down tree in the Silver Lake parking lot. Fortunately, no serious damage was caused, and the tree was cleaned up within an hour, allowing ADA parking to be used unimpeded.

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Site Cleanup in Klickitat County: Natural Resource Technician Celaya encountered a tree that fell at the Mineral Springs access site. The tree was first found hung up on a nearby oak. Celaya determined it was unsafe to remove the tree without additional help at the remote site. On a later date, Celaya returned with the help of Biologist Risley to clean up the tree.

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Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

District 10 Terminally Ill Damage Hunt: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Aubrey worked with the Wildlife Program to find a hunting opportunity for a terminally ill hunter. Aubrey was able to send the hunter to a landowner experiencing damage to agricultural crops from elk. The hunter was successful in harvesting a cow elk on the first day at the property. It was reported to have been a limping elk, and after the hunter harvested the animal, he contacted Aubrey to ask if Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife needed the hooves. Aubrey met with the hunter to collect the hooves the following morning and transported them to Washington State University for ongoing research.