Managing Wildlife Populations

Deer: Private Lands Biologist Heitstuman followed up on a sick deer report in the Clarkston area with Conflict Specialist Wade. This is a repeat caller. The deer is still mobile and has been for several months.

Bald Eagle: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman got a report of a potentially sick bald eagle from a landowner on the Tucannon River. When she arrived to look at the eagle, it jumped off the fence and flew away downstream. The eagle did not appear to be sick, and the landowner will call back if things change.

Raven/Raptor Survey: Biologist Brinkman conducted a point-count survey to document ravens and raptors observed at each of the 17 roadside point counts in Lincoln County. These weekly surveys are conducted during the sharp-tailed grouse breeding season to provide an index of predator abundance within sharp-tailed grouse breeding habitat.

Forest Grouse Wing Bee: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman hosted the Eastside Wing Bee in District 2 for forest grouse wings collected during hunting season within the eastern Districts. Biologists from the other eastern districts brought wings collected from their respective areas to be identified and recorded. Small game section lead Garrison provided a demonstration on what to look for to identify species, sex, and age from the submitted wings and/or tails. The biologists then broke out into two groups to go through each sample to record those data. 

LeClerc Creek Wildlife Area Elk: Acting Wildlife Area Manager Palmer and Natural Resource Technician Graves visited the LeClerc Creek Wildlife Area to familiarize Graves with more of that property. While checking site conditions for work planning needs on the West Branch parcel of the wildlife area, 20 white-tailed deer and 40 elk were observed bedded and feeding on the site. It’s great to see this utilization response to improved wildlife habitat resulting from ongoing forest restoration work on the site. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Voluntary Public Access Contracts: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley worked with Natural Resource Technician Moberg in sending out A-19 forms to landowners/managers to attain signatures to process payments for access while participating in the Voluntary Public Access Program. Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley scanned and uploaded signed A-19 forms for review and payment.

Water Access Site Field Work: Natural Resource Technician Brant serviced water access areas in District 1, performing routine maintenance duties to have sites ready ahead of the fishing season opener in late April. Brant has been focusing on pressure washing the restrooms and taking advantage of the seasonal lack of foliage on shrubs to get into the bushes for a deep clean of litter.

WT Wooten Wildlife Area Lakes: Natural Resource Technicians Jensen and Tritt checked the lakes daily and adjusted as necessary. The technicians picked up trash around the lakes. The technicians used tailings that were delivered to the Wooten Headquarters to make repairs to the road between Rainbow Lake and the Deer Lake inlet where there are large potholes from the Rainbow Lake construction project.

Region 1 South Access Areas: Access Manager Heimgartner serviced access sites at the Wooten Wildlife Area, upper and lower Grande Ronde, and Heller Bar. At Heller Bar, Heimgartner and Wildlife Area Manager Dice filled a troublesome pothole with sealant material Greg picked up from a vendor in Spokane.  

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Turkey: Natural Resource Technician Edmondson responded to several calls about turkeys causing damage. Edmondson assisted Springdale residents to help them deter turkeys from their property.

Elk: Private Lands Biologist Heitstuman conducted an elk search on private lands in the Cloverland area per the request and reports from landowners concerning crop damage. The details were added to the sighting map developed by Heitstuman on Google Earth. Heitstuman conducted an onsite review of a property enrolled in the Hunt by Written Permission program for suitability to enhance wildlife habitat.

Sick moose reported: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris received multiple reports of sick moose in the Spokane area. The moose were reported as being skinny and missing large patches of hair. Harris advised callers that the hair loss was caused by winter ticks. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

4-O Ranch Wildlife Area: Wildlife Area Manager Dice looked at property lines on the north side of the wildlife area to assess whether or not Capital and Asset Management Program staff members could enter and successfully walk planned fence lines. The property line was still a little wet for hiking, with snow still covering some of the lines. The other concern is how to cross Wenatchee Creek, given how high it is with snowmelt. Dice put up many new signs in an effort to control access from e-bikes and notify people that either a Discover Pass or Vehicle Access Permit is required to recreate on the wildlife area. 

Revere Wildlife Area On-Site Meeting: This week Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner and Natural Resource Technician Duclos went to the Revere Wildlife Area to meet with the new agriculture lease, Melville, and check a key out to him. Currently, the new lease is in the process of being finalized and sent out for signature. While at Revere, Wagner and Duclos meet with Wildlife Biologist Jennings to go over what area of the fences and what wire needs to be removed to make it “wildlife friendly.” The plan is to exchange the top barbed wire with a smooth wire on the north and westside of the property to meet that standard. The bottom wire is already smooth wire. Wagner and Duclos came across a herd of elk at Revere.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Property Native Grassland Field Inspection: This week Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner made a trip over to the BLM native grassland field that was planted last November to inspect for erosion due to all the rain and the melting snow. Wagner took photos of the erosion that will have to be repaired this spring to prevent further erosion. Wagner and Natural Resource Technician Duclos will fill in the ditches this coming spring and plant the disturbance with Great Basin Wildrye to provide cover and establish a root mass to prevent further erosion. 

Ducks Unlimited Tour of Revere Wetland Project: This week Ducks Unlimited employees made it down to the Revere Wildlife Area to check out the successful wetland project. Prior to this wetland being excavated and cleaned out, Bulrush has covered the entire area which left no open water. 

Providing Education and Outreach

Deer Park Elk Meeting: Wildlife and enforcement program staff members from Districts 1 and 2 gave a presentation to landowners and producers around Deer Park regarding elk population management and Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements. Staff members also discussed options for managing the growing elk herd, which resides primarily on private cropland.

Public calls and emails: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman responded to members of the public on a variety of topics, including raising game birds, outreach programs, scat identification, and avian influenza.

Kindergarten Class: Biologist Brinkman talked to a kindergarten class about what it’s like to be a biologist. He was joined by a wildlife biologist from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to talk to the class. Biologist Brinkman provided a wide variety of animal skins, skulls, scat, and tracks for the kids to handle, and they were encouraged to ask questions about the different animals. 

Science and Leadership Meeting: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman participated in the Science and Leadership meeting and field tour with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), tribal governments, PA 5-15 consultants, Salmon Recovery Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Ecology, Lower Snake Comp, and various other folks. WDFW presented the preferred alternative that was agreed upon with the agency to provide a starting point for the comanagers to come together in agreement on a path forward for the Tucannon floodplain on the WT Wooten Wildlife Area.

Reardan High School Debate Class: This week the Reardan High School debate team came out to the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area office to perform in front of staff members. The debate topics this year range from grazing on public lands to riparian setbacks. Eleven students came out to debate these topics in front of Wildlife Area Manager Finch, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner, and a local rancher Schneider. After the debate, the panel asked several questions to test the student’s knowledge on each topic. The students did an excellent job answering the questions to stand behind their stance on the topics. 

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Public Assistance: Wildlife Area Manager Dice accompanied Enforcement Sergeant Mosman on a welfare check on a woman at the Wenatchee Guard Station in the Umatilla National Forest Thursday evening. They rode Enforcement’s snowmobiles from the Cloverland Snowpark to the Guard Station. The woman was overdue to get back to her vehicle and her family was concerned. She was found safe and sound, and said she had a miscommunication with her family.

Other

University Student Meeting: Supervisor Earl met with a student from the University of Idaho who is interested in seasonal employment. Earl passed along several summer opportunities that may be coming available soon in the area.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Burrowing Owl Conservation: Assistant District 4 Wildlife Biologist Hoffman along with Technicians, Reed and Hart, performed artificial burrow maintenance in anticipation of burrowing owls’ return to southcentral Washington for the breeding season. 

Ferruginous Hawk Nesting Territory Surveys: Assistant District 8 Wildlife Biologist Wilson began conducting occupancy surveys for the Ferruginous Hawk in Yakima County. This species is state endangered in Washington, requiring a status review every five years to decide if reclassification is necessary. The 2025 survey will cover the species' entire range in the state, focusing on occupancy, productivity, and distribution of nesting territories, with the findings contributing to the review for continued state listing.

Grouse Identification: 
District 8 Scientific Technician Ogburn attended the Eastside Grouse Wing Bee to identify the wing and tail samples collected in District 8 in 2024. This informs statewide specialists of age, sex, and species distribution of local grouse populations.

Movi in Bighorn Sheep: District 8 Scientific Technician Ogburn observed bighorn sheep in Yakima Canyon following the recent capture efforts. Bighorn sheep groups are continually monitored for symptoms in coalition with the test and remove study. Movi results from this capture were returned, showing four positive rams and two indeterminate individuals (one ram and one ewe) in the Umtanum South group of Yakima Canyon. No other subherds had Movi-positive individuals in this area. In Cleman Mountain, two ewes and one lamb returned with positive test results.

Deer populations: District 8 Wildlife Biologist Wampole and Scientific Technician Ogburn retrieved collars from mule deer mortalities to aid the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe collared deer study. When possible, samples were obtained to opportunistically monitor for chronic wasting disease in the district.                                                                                                              

L.T. Murray Elk Feeding: The L.T. Murray crew member wrapped up their elk feeding season. Total numbers were above 600 animals on March 10 but a couple days later, numbers were 0. The early grass growth showing on south and southeastern slopes were providing decent forage, but the quick departure probably had something to do with reports of lights on the closed feed site after dark of people searching for easy-to-find elk antlers. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

L.T. Murray Green Dot Roads: L.T. Murray Assistant Manager Winegeart worked with a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) archaeologist and a Capital and Asset Management Program engineer in surveying and evaluating the Whiskey Dick Unit’s pump house and Cayuse roads in preparation of green dot road maintenance planned for this spring. 

Wenas Wildlife Area – Volunteer Target Shooting Trash Collection: Wenas Lands and Recreation Specialist Frame collected 640 pounds of target shooting trash picked up by WDFW volunteer members.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

L.T. Murray Hunter Education: The Kittitas County Field and Stream Club used the Green Gate area of the Quilomene Unit of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area to conduct the outdoor portion of a hunter education class. This was the third and final class being held on this site for 2025. 

Wenas Wildlife Area – Winter Elk Feeding: Wenas Assistant Manager Taylor continues with winter elk feeding of 944 head. With weather warming up, winter feeding is slowly coming to an end.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Mesa Lake Flooding: Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Assistant Manager Jahns, and Natural Resource Technician Pizzini installed a new beaver deceiver device on the outflow structure of the seven-acre pond in the Mesa Lake Unit. The water control structure is often impeded with beaver debris, which results in flooding and erosion of the levy. The newly installed beaver deceiver should prevent beavers from accessing the outflow and protect against continued flooding and erosion issues.

Ringold Tree and Shrub Planting: Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Private Lands Biologist Manderbach, and District 4 Technicians Hart and Reed finished up the shrub planting at the Ringold hatchery. Overall, eight rows of trees and shrubs were planted that will provide a windbreak, wildlife cover and forage, and help stabilize the sandy soil to prevent wind erosion. Irrigation will be installed soon, which will help get the shrubs established over the next few years. Future upkeep will include filling gaps, weed control in the planting holes and between rows, and native grass and forb seedings between rows.

Neff Jones Road Shrub Planting: Private Lands Biologist Manderbach continued work cleaning up an unfarmed draw on a Private Lands Access property in Franklin County. Upon finishing up weed eating much of the draw, 150 native shrubs were planted, flagged, and watered. Work will continue in this draw through the spring, consisting of more shrub plantings, invasive weed control, and supplemental watering. This property burned in 2020 and has little to no shrub cover left. The CRP grasses are doing well, but the property lacks shrub cover and effort has been made since 2023 to fill the steep draws with native shrubs to provide cover and winter browse for wildlife.

Wenas Wildlife Area – Elk Fence Tumbleweed Burning: Wenas staff members have started burning tumbleweeds that collect along elk fence. Burning the weeds in the spring in safe burning conditions allows for major fuel reduction for future wildfires that may occur in the area. Once burning along the firebreaks on the elk fence, the team will begin spraying residual herbicide along firebreaks, parking areas, and roadways in order to prevent noxious weeds from growing throughout spring and summer.

Other

L.T. Murray Grazing: L.T. Murray Manager Morrison and Assistant Manager Winegeart gave a Western Washington University researcher a tour of the Quilomene unit grazing pastures. The researcher was looking for locations to potentially place antennas to support a cattle tracking system that would place receivers on cattle ear tags. The system has some merit and may be implemented with the L.T. Murray grazing lessee sometime in the next few years. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Marbled Murrelet Captures: Biologist Sage and Technicians Leipold and Trautmann assisted the ongoing Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) marine bird research team with their at-sea murrelet capture efforts. Samples that staff collected at capture will provide information on the birds' diet. The team caught one marbled murrelet near Port Townsend. 

Amphibian Surveys on Wildlife Areas: Biologist Sage and Technicians Leipold and Trautmann surveyed nine wetlands for amphibians in the new West Twin River Unit of the Olympic Wildlife Area near Port Angeles. The survey methods included visual encounter surveys, funnel trapping, and dip net sweeps. For visual encounter surveys, staff members walked the shallow perimeter of each wetland to identify and count adults, juveniles, and eggmasses of amphibians. Staff members also used nets to sweep the bottom substrate of each pond. They set a total of 28 collapsible, mesh funnel traps across three of the wetlands. They found and identified eggmasses of red legged frogs, Pacific chorus frogs, and northwestern salamanders. They also saw or caught adult chorus frogs, rough skinned newts, and red legged frogs. 

Blacktail Deer Project, Region 5: Biologist Murphie completed project training and assisted with deploying trail camera associated with a new project using trail cameras to assess blacktail deer populations. 

Black Tailed Deer Camera Training: Biologist Cent attended a training to install remote cameras per protocol for the upcoming black-tailed deer study starting in Region 5.

Elk Composition Flights: Biologist Murphie coordinated and conducted elk composition flights in three game management units within the Olympic elk herd range.

Willapa Elk Survey: Biologist Cent and Novack finalized the flight plan for the upcoming elk surveys. The flight plan is a preliminary planning and safety document that is required before helicopter operations can start.

Elk Surveys, District 11: Biologist Tirhi completed three days of elk surveys with the Nisqually Tribe and Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM). Ninety percent of JBLM ownership was flown (most western urbanized area not flown), lands south of JBLM from its southern boundary to approximately Grand Mound, and lands east of JBLM from its eastern boundary to approximately highway 162. Conditions for 3.5 of the 4-day survey were great. No elk and only a few deer were observed across JBLM although ground visibility was good. Very few elk were observed south of JBLM to Grand Mound. Although data is still being analyzed, this survey suggests few elk reside in the south Puget sound area of the South Rainier Elk Herd, including on JLBM and surrounding lands, and elk that are seen are transient. More elk were observed as crews flew eastward from JBLM; those elk represent the members of the North Rainier Elk Herd. 

Dusky Canada Goose: Biologists Cent and Novack continued the bi-monthly surveys of Dusky Canada Geese. It appears that some of the geese are starting their northward migration.

Streaked horned lark: Biologist Tirhi and LeGrand met with Olympia Airport and Black Hills Audubon (at the request of Port of Olympia) to discuss larks and gophers occupying the airport. The discussion included activities that may be impacting both species, such as the Olympia Airshow, and the opportunity to work together to reduce those impacts.

Oregon spotted frog: The spotted frog breeding season began in late February in the south Puget sound. District 11 staff members began the first of three surveys of all known breeding sites the first week of March and will continue surveys through April. 

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Osprey on Cell Towers: Biologist Tirhi completed and provided two nest removal permits to cell companies or their representatives seeking to remove full or partial nests during this inactive season. Permits cease March 1 with the beginning of the nesting season except for limited emergency situations.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Twin Rivers Signage: Technician Norris and Wildlife Area Manager Laushman installed signage at the Twin Rivers Unit of the North Olympic Wildlife Area.

Lakewood Planting: Technician Morgan and Wildlife Area Manager Laushman received free native trees and shrubs from the Tahoma Bird Alliances’ Trees for Tacoma Program and planted them at the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area in Lakewood.

Duck Stamp Applications: Biologist Novack submitted a pair of Duck Stamp applications for habitat restoration and enhancement work in District 17. Additionally, he provided data and professional input for a number of other regional projects.

Willapa Refuge Stakeholder Meeting: Biologist Novack participated in work group session with various collaborators that have been working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Willapa Wildlife Refuge on expansion of public land ownership.

Olympic – Willapa Hills Wildlife Area Scoping Meeting: Biologist Novack attended the initial scoping meeting for the revision of the Olympic-Willapa Hills Wildlife Area.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

New District 11 Biologist 2: Biologist Tirhi is happy to announce the hiring of a second Assistant District Biologist, Anne Yen. Anne comes highly skilled, having worked for numerous agencies, species, and habitats. After two weeks of onboarding, Anne jumped into our busy field season with elk and spotted frog surveys, snake fungal disease, deer cameras, and much more.

Work-planning: Biologist Murphie and other regional staff members conducted work-planning activities associated with the vacant District 16 biologist two position, as we change the position description to reflect the addition of work in District 15.

Spotted Owl Team Meeting: Biologist Murphie attended an online meeting of this group. 

Other

Interview Panel: Biologist Cent and Novack participated on the interview panel for the seasonal plover technician position. The preferred candidate was selected and accepted the position.

Bell Creek Barn Cleanup: WDFW volunteer members, along with technicians Morgan and Norris, and Wildlife Area Manager Laushman, cleaned up the barn located at the Bell Creek Unit in the North Olympic Wildlife Area. This barn has been used by volunteer members for the last 20 years and has gathered lots of old planting equipment that needed sorting, and trash that needed disposal. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Annual Grouse Surveys: Private Lands Biologist Braaten began annual Sage and Sharp-tailed grouse surveys in Douglas County. County road conditions have improved. Some leks are becoming more active.

Winter Range Closure: Biologists Repp and White continue to monitor the winter closure areas for deer. While in one closed area, biologists noticed a well-established snowshoe trail. Later that afternoon, the biologists encountered two individuals on the trail. The trail was so well established that snowshoes were not needed in two feet of snow. Biologist Repp recognized the violators and reported the activity to Enforcement. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Methow Wildlife Area Shooting Range: Biologist White fabricated target stands and new stools for the shooting range. Recently, the Methow shooting range went through an extensive lead mitigation and cleanup effort. This range is known to be a highly popular recreational shooting area and people travel from as far away as Western Washington to target practice here. 

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Moose in Fenced Orchard: Specialist Bridges and Supervisor Rickel attempted to haze a young bull moose that was in a fenced orchard near Bridgeport. To complicate matters, there were two linemen crews in the orchard at the time working to replace electrical lines. Ultimately, the fence was cut to allow the moose to exit. Bridges and Rickel repaired the fence a few days later once the moose had gotten out on his own.

Responding to Possible Cougar Conflict: Specialist Heilhecker responded to an alleged report of a cougar attacking two dogs. The reporting party let the two dogs outside during the day. The dogs came back injured. The older pit bull had puncture wounds to the head and front legs; the younger pit bull mix had scratches on its face. The dogs were taken to the vet. According to the reporting party, the vet thought the two dogs fought with each other, except the owner has never witnessed the dogs fighting. The following evening, the neighbor reported seeing a cougar on the hill behind their houses. Specialist Heilhecker discussed protection measures with the dog owner.

Cougar Depredation Response: Specialist Heilhecker followed up with a landowner who reported sheep depredation from a cougar. They discussed nonlethal deterrence measures and the requirements for filing a livestock damage complaint. While the landowner has filed several claims in the past, there was some confusion regarding the timeline to file for a claim. Heilhecker and the landowner talked through the challenges. Specialist Heilhecker has visited the property in the past and confirmed the nonlethal deterrence measures, but she will visit the property again to sign off on the nonlethal deterrence measures.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Othello High School seniors plant native grasses: Biologists Morris and Cook, Private Lands Technician Blanchard, and Water Access Technician Wilson, along with four volunteer students from Othello High School planted 340 grass plugs in a an area along Lind Coulee. This area is great for wildlife, as the landowner plants food plots nearby. The area is between water and agricultural fields, and there are adjacent mature tree and shrub rows. Morris planted 300 basin wildrye grass plugs and 40 Indian ricegrass plugs to help create dense nesting, thermal, and escape cover next to the food and water. This was also a great opportunity for the Othello High School students to participate in habitat restoration and better understand Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW) work. The current planting included about 400 native grass plugs to increase the diversity of native grasses.

Providing Education and Outreach

Grant Elementary School Science Fair: Biologist Cook, Regional Wildlife Program Manager Haug, Customer Service Specialist Bilodeau, and Administrative Assistant Jones hosted a room at the Grant Elementary School Science Fair in Ephrata. Prepared skulls, skins and displays were available for students and families to touch, interact with, and learn about wildlife with Cook and Haug explaining animal features, characteristics and facts. Coloring pages, informational activity books, bee and butterfly mask making, Make Your Own Creature activity, and small giveaway items were available also.

Outreach and Education at Chelan Middle School: Biologist Morris presented at the Chelan Middle School career and college day. He spoke with middle schoolers about how to prepare for a career in biology, the schooling required, biologist skills, and many of the fun experiences you can have as a biologist. The day was a lot of fun and students had lots of great questions for Morris.

Farmer’s Forum: Biologist Repp attended the Methow Conservancy’s Farmer’s Forum. This forum brought local farmers and ranchers together to learn and discuss relevant issues. This was a great opportunity to network, converse, and educate folks on the grazing and agriculture leases on the wildlife area.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Mountain Goat Survey: Specialist Bridges was scheduled to assist with this aerial-based survey, but it was rescheduled due to poor weather conditions. 

Other

Interview Panel Participation: Specialist Heilhecker participated on an interview panel for the natural resource technician position at the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area.

Specialist Heilhecker participated in an interview to fill the wildlife conflict specialist position in Pasco, WA.

District Team Meeting and Planting Project: Okanogan Lands staff members recently attended the quarterly District Team Meeting. The majority of Lands staff members met at the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area to attend the virtual meeting as a team. A few staff members attended virtually. The meeting was insightful as District wide updates were provided by all programs in attendance.

After the meeting, a mixture of wildlife area staff members from Scotch Creek, Sinlahekin, and Methow wildlife areas teamed up for a native shrub planting project in the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area. Staff planted approximately 150 shrubs consisting of aspen, red osier dogwood, and water birch near the banks of Scotch Creek as part of ongoing habitat enhancement work occurring in the adjacent area. Of note, this area of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area is highly important for sharp-tailed grouse who winter along the creek. The species planted, particularly the water birch, which is a primary winter forage plant for sharp-tails, should expand critical habitat for grouse, but also for a wide array of other wildlife species known to frequent the area. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Artificial Burrows Ready for Owls: District 4 Wildlife Biologists Fidorra and Hoffman repaired and maintained artificial burrows for burrowing owls near Pasco prior to the breeding season. Due to the mild winter conditions, many owls over-wintered and remained onsite. This allowed Fidorra and Hoffman to recapture/band many adults during cleaning. Banding studies contribute greatly to our understanding of the survival and dispersal of this species.

Fidorra and Hoffman removed two non-functional transmitters that were placed on owls last season and stopped working. 

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Photo by WDFW

Pasco Mitigation Project Gets Owl Approval: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra assisted the City of Pasco with their burrow mitigation project, which appears to be successful so far. Follow-up photos of burrows in late February already show at least one pair of owls using the newly installed artificial burrows! 

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Photo by WDFW

District 8 Bighorn Sheep Disease Testing: Disease results from February 2024, bighorn sheep capture and testing efforts in the Yakima Canyon population detected three Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. Ovi) positive sheep. Of the three positive sheep, one was indeterminant in the 2023 capture year and will be removed in the coming weeks as an identified chronic carrier of M. Ovi. 

District 8 Mule Deer Collar Retrievals: Assistant Wildlife Biologist Moore continues to work to retrieve dropped mule deer collars. These collars were part of a study designed to help inform scientists of mule deer migration and habitat use across the Okanagan-Wenatchee population. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Wenas Wildlife Area Durr Road Shooting Range Development: Wenas Recreation Specialist Frame and Natural Resource Technician Janes picked up approximately 1,500 pounds of garbage from the Durr Road shooting area. They were cleaning the area prior to future construction. The shooting range will start development on March 18. Wenas Wildlife Area Manager Gray conducted outreach throughout the local area and to the Wenas Target Shooting Advisory Committee. Gray participated in a press interview regarding the shooting range for additional outreach to go out to the public.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Rattlesnake Hills Elk: District 4 Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand monitored for elk activity on the Hanford National Monument and adjoining private lands. Several reports of elk being observed outside the Hanford National Monument have been received. Two elk were reported harvested on damage permits.

District 4 Deer Hazing Equipment Return: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand coordinated with a tree fruit producer on the return of several acoustic alarms that were deployed on access points to their orchard. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Wenas Wildlife Area Firebreak Maintenance: Wenas Wildlife Area staff members burned weeds along the fire break off Bull Pasture and Lower Buffalo areas and the Sheep Company Shooting Range. Old skeletons from Russian thistle and kochia are being burned. After the area is cleaned up, wildlife area staff members will be chemically treating the firebreaks to control weeds from growing this spring and summer.

Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Litter Removal: Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Ferguson and Natural Resource Technician Cardenas have been occupied recently cleaning up the above-normal amounts of trash being deposited in different locations around the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area. They have devoted several days in recent weeks to garbage removal, including removing an entire semi-truck that was cut up into pieces and dumped in a pile on wildlife area lands.

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Photo by WDFW

Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Culvert Failures: Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area staff members discovered another culvert that rusted out over the past 30 years. Currently there are three of these water control structures that will require replacement to prevent further damage to access roads. Cultural Resource staff members surveyed these areas last week. Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber will explore funding options and be working on the replacement of these structures in the summer months. 

 

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Photo by WDFW

Private Lands Habitat Monitoring: Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach checked out two shrub plantings implemented last year by former Private Lands Biologist Hulett. Three separate areas were planted at the South Ridge Road Hunt by Written Permission site. 

An existing Mule Deer Foundation plot was added to and cleaned up last year. Those shrubs are growing well with little space remaining for future shrub planting. Russian thistle and other debris caught in branches of the shrubs were removed. 

The other two areas they visited were planted with riparian shrubs, which took a big hit from the deer and pronghorn but did show some life. The Rice Road Hunt by Reservation site was also checked by Manderbach. Sagebrush planted there has grown very well, but the site will have to be cleaned up and monitored more often to reduce the invasive weed pressure. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Providing Education and Outreach

District 4 Conflict Specialist Job Shadow: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand had a student ride-along this past week. The freshman student from the University of Idaho is interested in a career in Enforcement or Wildlife Conflict and wanted to get some exposure on each job class.

Washington State University Tri-Cities Conservation Biology Course: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra presented local conservation issues and shrubsteppe species information as a guest lecturer for the Conservation Biology class at Washington State University (WSU).

Other

Sunnyside Headquarters Unit Wildlife Viewing: March is a great time of year to observe migratory waterfowl at the Sunnyside Headquarters Unit. This year thousands of snow geese have been using agriculture fields and lakes within the unit. The wetlands have had very large numbers of pintail, mallards, and northern shovelers. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Conserving Natural Landscapes

The Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the acquisition of Phase 3 of Violet Prairie (90 acres in Thurston County), a new unit in the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area at the March 15 meeting. 4-lands-transaction-packet-3-15-2024.pdf (wa.gov) (PDF)

The Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is hosting a public meeting on the draft Skagit Wildlife Area plan at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27 at the Burlington Public Library, located at 820 E. Washington Ave. WDFW engaged tribal governments, technical experts, key stakeholders, and members of its Skagit Wildlife Area Advisory Committee in the development of the draft plan. Once finalized, the Skagit Wildlife Area plan will guide stewardship for the 17,968-acre wildlife area for the next ten years.

Providing Education and Outreach

Lands Division staff members presented an overview of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Plan to the Fish and Wildlife Commission on March 15.  

Lands Division staff members are reviewing vendor proposals for a second pilot year for the Ambassador Program. The Ambassador Program works with nonprofit partners to train and deploy volunteer “ambassadors” at high traffic recreation sites to provide welcome and education as part of an effort to encourage responsible recreation on department-managed lands.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Lands Division senior staff members held a retreat in Long Beach March 11 through March 13.  They had a productive and in-depth reflection and strategic planning session that will inform our future work. Follow-up work to write up, share, and refine an annual calendar and the Strategic Priorities will continue over the next month. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Prairie Grouse: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman conducted a sage grouse lek survey this week to search for any remaining sign of sage grouse on the lek that was used by one male last spring. Unfortunately, no sage grouse were observed. Additionally, they searched the nearby Roseman sharp-tailed grouse lek site and no signs of sharp-tailed grouse were detected. 

After conducting prairie grouse lek surveys in the early morning, Biologists Lowe and Brinkman completed a raven and raptor survey that consisted of 16-point counts evenly spaced along a driving route. Each count is performed for ten minutes and sightings of ravens and/or raptors are documented at each site. The intention of these surveys is to document the presence and monitor the trend of avian predators in sharp-tailed grouse habitat. 

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Photo by WDFW

Bighorn Sheep: Biologist Lowe, with assistance from Officer Beauchene, retrieved a bighorn ewe carcass that was reported by a local landowner in Lincoln County. The landowner observed this animal acting somewhat sickly the day prior and then found it deceased the next morning. Because this animal was sick and the carcass is still intact, it provides a good opportunity for the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) in Pullman to conduct a full necropsy to determine the cause of death and examine the animal for signs of illness and/or injuries. 

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Grizzly Bear Handling Workshop: Wildlife Biologist Prince attended this year’s grizzly bear handling workshop hosted by the University of Montana and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The course covered different drug types used for handling bears, trap types, and many different scenarios for trapping both research and management bears. 

Moose Calf Capture: Wildlife Biologist Prince, Ungulate Research Scientist DeVivo, Conflict Specialist Harris, and Wolf Biologist Roussin successfully darted a calf moose with a PVC fitting on its foot. The calf had the PVC on its foot for a few months and this was the second attempt at capturing it. The fitting was removed, and they released the moose on-site. 

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

Access Area Spring Cleaning: Region 1 Access Manager Dziekan reports spring cleaning with the spring fishing opener on the horizon. Work has begun prepping for spring clean-up projects to get the access areas ready for the public. The weather has been cooperative, which has allowed Dziekan to start running water through the pumps on the truck earlier this season than ever before. 

The first, and most time-consuming, task is pressure washing vault toilets. Dziekan and Natural Resource Technician Brant have loaded the pressure washer into the truck and hooked the trash pump up to the pressure washer to be an entirely mobile cleaning unit. It takes a lot of water and about an hour for each toilet, compared to the five to ten minutes it takes for routine cleaning. The first step is bleaching the entire structure, inside and out. 

Dziekan purchased a one-gallon sprayer designed specifically for bleach, along with a rain suit that fits Brant to protect his clothing from the bleach. Using about a 5% solution, the crew applies the bleach to the inside and outside of the vault toilet. This works to help remove the moss and mildew buildup on the outside of the structure, and clean and disinfect the inside of the structure. 

They started the work at Newman Lake and will focus first on access areas that are open. Then they will move to the ones that haven’t opened for the season.

 

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W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area Campgrounds and Parking Areas: Natural Resource Technicians Jensen and Tritt checked the campgrounds and cleaned up trash. They removed one of the locust trees in Campground 5 that split down the middle and was leaning over a picnic table. Additionally, they constructed buck and rail fence at Campgrounds 1 and 2 to keep the public from driving into areas outside of the campgrounds. 

Jensen and Tritt cleaned up trash on the Hartsock Unit. They used the back-blade on the tractor to smooth the gravel in Campground 9 where a member of the public tore it up with what looks like an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). They also removed a tree in Campground 10. A member of the public started to chop it down with a hatchet.

Wildlife Area Maintenance: Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Palmer traveled partway up Trout Lake and Bisbee Mountain Road on the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area and used his mini excavator to clear downed trees from roadways. This work is in preparation for spring gate opening on April 1. 

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Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Wildlife Conflict: Natural Resource Technician Heitstuman assisted Conflict Specialist Wade and Supervisor Earl in trapping and relocating 16 turkeys for a private landowner in the Clarkston. A second trapping is planned where turkeys are damaging gardens and getting aggressive with local homeowners and residents. About 30 head of mule deer are in the area as well. 

 

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Elk Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb and Natural Resource Technician Moberg deployed zon gun cannons to alter elk movement patterns in Columbia County. The elk were not observed in the commercial crop fields following the deployment of the cannons. 

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Conserving Natural Landscapes

Swegle Unit Restoration Project: Dingman spent the majority of a day at the Swegle Unit restoration project site with several Habitat Program engineers, Restoration Specialist Karl, and staff members from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). The group discussed the portion of the project that puts the West Little Walla Walla River back into a historic channel. They took several elevation points of the area so the Habitat Program engineers can put together drawings that will be used for permitting and putting the contract out to bid. 

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Administrative Duties: Access Manager Dziekan welcomed his returning career seasonal Natural Resource Technician Brant, back to work this week. Dziekan has already taken Brant into the field and is getting him caught up with required training. 

Fence Contractor Meeting: Wildlife Area Manager Finch met with Capital & Asset Program Management (CAMP) Project Manager Johnston and four contractors to instruct them on a self-guided tour of the fence work that will need to be bid on. These contractors will decide which portion of the fence project to bid on and submit their bids within the next several weeks. The work will be in Areas 1 through 4 and includes the fences along Telford Road.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Washington Ground Squirrels: Biologists Dougherty and Clements visited a couple of sites earlier this month in regards to potential ground squirrel translocations. Biologist Dougherty confirmed that ground squirrels are present, and they are expecting to begin the translocation process in early March.

Northern Leopard Frogs: Biologists Clements, Dougherty, and Grabowsky all participated in interviews to hire a technician to assist with leopard frog field work this spring. There were nine candidates interviewed for the position, and the hope is that the successful candidate will be able to begin working in mid-March or early-April.

Waterfowl: Biologist Clements worked with the Moses Lake Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crew to construct a new floating duck trap to use in the 2023 waterfowl banding efforts. Their efforts were very successful, and the trap will be deployed later this year.

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Greater Sage-Grouse and Sharp-Tailed Grouse: Biologist Eilers mailed out letters to 101 private landowners in Douglas County asking for land access permission to survey grouse on private property. Starting in late March 2023, biologists will be searching for new greater sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse leks and monitoring known leks across Douglas County to get population estimates of these species. Douglas County currently has the greatest abundance of greater sage-grouse in the state of Washington. However, populations are declining.

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Forest Grouse: Biologist Eilers traveled to Spokane to join other WDFW biologists from the eastern half of the state in identifying wings and tails collected in wing barrels throughout the forest grouse season. Grouse hunters are asked to collect wing and tail samples from each bird they harvest, place these samples in a special paper bag, and then deposit them at one of the wing barrels located across the state.

At the end of the season, biologists meet up to examine the wings and tails and identify species, sex, and age of the harvested birds. This data helps scientists track species’ ranges and monitor the health of the grouse population statewide. Biologists can then use this information to adjust management actions such as our harvest regulations to ensure the perpetuation of sustainable forest grouse populations.

Pygmy Rabbit Wild Trapping: Wild captures continued in the Sagebrush Flats Wildlife Area. In total, 12 pygmy rabbits were captured and 11 were vaccinated against Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Serotype 2 (RHDV2). These trapping efforts are a cooperation of many different agencies and partners. In the past two weeks, representatives from the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, Pheasants Forever, WDFW staff, and WDFW volunteers have arrived from around the state to help protect the Columbian Basin pygmy rabbit. The most exciting capture was Pygmy Rabbit BHE014. This rabbit was born in the Beezley Hills enclosure and then released in the Palisades area. Much to everyone’s surprise, this female rabbit travelled to the Sagebrush Flats Wildlife Area—approximately six miles. For a small 444-gram rabbit that is quite the distance. This information has completely shattered our concept of how far these rabbits can move on the landscape.

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Whenever we intervene with wildlife, a great risk is assumed. Every time a trap effort occurs the team does everything to mitigate these risks. Personnel receive proper training and rabbits are handled as little as possible. Despite these precautions, one of our pygmy rabbits suffered from capture myopathy. Capture myopathy is a stress-induced condition that results in fatality. The carcass was sent to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostics Laboratory for a necropsy. It was determined that the pygmy rabbit was already in poor health and the stress of trapping likely caused its demise. Each loss is heart-breaking, but we recognize that our overall vaccination efforts will benefit the species as a whole.

Coccidia Monitoring: Coccidia monitoring season has begun. Biologists Soltysiak and Technician Meacham collected fecal samples from each breeding enclosure. These samples will then be inspected under a microscope for the presence of coccidia eggs. Coccidia is a parasite that lives within a rabbit’s intestines. The eggs of this parasite are shed through its fecal matter. Young rabbits are particularly susceptible to coccidiosis. Coccidia is often only a problem in areas where rabbits are in close contact with each other. If we find that coccidia levels are high in an area, the rabbits are then treated with an oral medication.

Search Efforts: With the new knowledge of how far pygmy rabbits can travel, search efforts have been re-vamped. Biologist Soltysiak and Technician Meacham have been looking through thick sagebrush stands in the Rimrock and Palisades areas. Thus far no new populations have been found but the team remains optimistic for this possibility.

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Mule deer: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers responded to two mortalities from GPS-collared mule deer in the Wenatchee mountains. Biologists performed mortality investigations at each site and determined that the first mortality was predation via cougar and the second mortality was predation via coyotes.

Both of these does were originally collared as adults back in January 2020 as part of an ungulate movement and migration study being conducted in several Washington herds as well as across the western United States. Biologists have used location data gleaned from these GPS collars to learn valuable information about timing and duration of migration, migratory corridors and stopover points, and winter and summer range used for mule deer wintering in the Wenatchee Foothills and the Burch Mountain and Swakane areas.

Between 2020 and 2022, approximately 68 does were collared in Chelan County. In addition to mortalities taking place over the past few years, a few collars have failed (stopped transmitting due to battery failure or other unknown reason). Currently, slightly over half of the original sample are still known to be alive and transmitting GPS signals (around 36).

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Safe Harbor Agreements: Biologist Morris met with several landowners to sign and finalize Safe Harbor Agreements and discuss any final questions. These two Safe Harbor Agreements will now be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for approval and permitting, which will provide regulatory assurances to the landowners so they can continue their regular farming operations on over 8,000 acres while ensuring that pygmy rabbits and their habitat are preserved at the same time.

Lynx Research: Biologist Fitkin partnered with the Home Range Wildlife Research Crew on the immobilization and radio-collaring of the project’s first study animal, Riker, a 22.5-pound adult male estimated to be about three years old. Early data collection suggests the cat’s territory is centered within a portion of the 2006 Tripod Burn area. The primary objective of this multi-year project is to see how lynx are using the fire-impacted landscape across a gradient of fire scars of different ages. Results will inform forest and fire management strategies to help maintain adequate lynx habitat in the face of growing wildlife risk. More information on this project and the locally grown Home Range Organization can be found on the Home Range website. Also of note, the crew recently captured a fisher in one of the lynx traps less than three miles from where one was picked up on a wolverine survey camera last summer. This suggests there may be a resident fisher in the study area.

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

Regulated Access Area Harvest Data: Specialist Walker finished inputting data collected from regulated access area hunter registration cards. Hunter registration cards provide beneficial information for wildlife area staff members to aid in the knowledge of public usage and productivity of each regulated access area.

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Water Access: Steele has now completed the construction of a new foot bridge for the Fish Trap access site at Lake Lenore. Water access staff members will soon install the bridge making it accessible to the public. The bridge was prefabricated in the shop.

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Hunter Access Program: Biologist Morris updated hunter access maps and replaced damaged and vandalized signs on hunter access properties. Morris contacted all the landowners enrolled in Hunt by Written Permission to request they return their written permission slip stubs. These stubs allow the department to track how much public access is being provided through this program.

Quincy Lakes Trails: Lands Operations Manager Finger, Wildlife Area Manager Eidson, Recreation Planners Anderson and Browning, and TREAD Executive Director Lyons checked 18 miles of trail to discuss a sustainability assessment contract between WDFW and TREAD to help us maintain and improve our trails system.

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Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Depredation Hunts: Specialist Bridges continues to respond to numerous landowner concerns of deer and elk depredating on agricultural crops. This year has been exceptionally busier than the previous 10 years. Depredation response has included: Information and education, on site visits, distributing non-lethal materials, Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements and Permits.

Interagency Relationship Building: Specialist Bridges went on a ride-a-long with Chelan County Commissioner Tiffany Gering to discuss bear issues along the south shore of Lake Chelan. This was a great opportunity to meet, explain the issue, and develop a relationship with the commissioner. Most of the discussions centered around wildlife biology and how wildlife utilizes human environments, and how that contributes to human and wildlife conflicts. We also discussed the realities of what can be done once a bear conflict starts, and the reasons behind the saying “a fed bear, is a dead bear.”

No Shooting Signage: Biologist McPherson coordinated with Signs by Terri to make an order of agency approved, no shooting signs. Signage will explain new target shooting regulations and will be available in English and Spanish.

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Cost-share Fencing Agreements: Specialist Heilhecker wrote three draft cost-share fencing agreements. Two agreements will protect orchards from deer in Game Management Unit (GMU) 209. The third agreement will protect haystacks from elk in GMU 204. She sent the drafts to each landowner for their consensus on the boundary map for the fence and list of fencing materials. She also called the fencing supply company to get a cost estimate for the fencing materials.

Elk in Haystacks: Specialist Heilhecker received a complaint of elk damaging haystacks in GMU 204. Previous efforts to reduce conflict has proven to not be effective. Specifically, non-lethal deterrence measures, including hazing and temporary fencing, were employed to reduce and eliminate the elk in the haystacks. After all other efforts failed, Heilhecker issued the landowner a kill permit to remove one antlerless elk at the haystack.

Responding to Wolf Reports: Specialist Heilhecker entered an unconfirmed wolf sightings report to Spillman. The reporting party stated the animal was multi-colored brown and about the same size as a German Shepherd only skinnier and “leggy”. The sighting was located within the Beaver Creek territory. The reporting party likely saw a wolf, but it is hard to confirm sightings reports without photos of the animal or tracks.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement – Conservation Reserve Program: This week Private Lands Biologist Braaten informed Douglas County Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) that NRCS funding for WDFW to assist with SAFE-CRP has been spent and work is now on hold. Private Lands Biologist Braaten has been working with private lands and regional staff to work through issues that have come up regarding Farm Planner Certifications.

Braaten confirmed that last year’s State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement 14 contracts were never signed and have been deemed invalid. This was very disappointing to hear because of all the field and office work that went into developing the plans, over the span of two months, took time away from other WDFW tasks. Braaten requested that WDFW ensure that NRCS provides assurances going forward that this will not happen again.

TD-4 Russian Olive Removal: TD-4 project has wetlands that are ringed by Russian olives and phragmites. Biologist McPherson coordinated with WCC to remove Russian olives around wetlands so wildlife area staff members can gain access to treat tall emergent vegetation. The crew completed the southern portion of the wetlands and has a few areas yet to complete. Then materials can be burned and tall emergents can be treated.

Winchester Russian Olive Removal Area: Wildlife area staff members have been working on burning piles of Russian olive around the Winchester wasteway. Piles have been aging for two years to help consumption of materials. Focus has been primarily on the east side due to conditions and the westside will need some preparation work before burning can commence.

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Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Maintenance: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) anticipates doing maintenance on structures, easement roads, and under lines at Quincy Lakes, Winchester Wasteway, and Rocky Ford. Biologist McPherson met BPA Natural Resource Specialist Rieman at all three locations to go over potential work and any concerns the wildlife area would have. All scheduled work will not have any major impact on habitat or public recreation.   

Providing Education and Outreach

Methow Conservancy Presentation: Local high school Science Teacher Fitkin and her dad, Biologist Fitkin, presented a talk for the Methow Conservancy’s First Tuesday Lecture Series on the recovery of and coexistence with biodiversity in the North Cascades. The presentation touched on the recovery of many taxa with an emphasis on rare carnivores. It also highlighted the important wildlife habitat values of the Methow Conservancy’s current project to permanently protect the 1200-acre Sunny M Ranch near the town of Winthrop.

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Grant Elementary School Science Fair: Biologist Cook with help from Biologist Soltysiak, Technician Meacham and Administrative Assistant Jones participated at the Grant Elementary School Science Fair in Ephrata and helped children and families learn about wildlife. Soltysiak and Meacham assisted attendees in exploring details of skulls, foot and footprint molds, and pelts of several mammal species. They explained reasons for specialized teeth, skull, and foot features that help species be adapted for survival. Jones supplied coloring pages and books and paper masks featuring beneficial insects and aided children with supplies. Cook helped with the skulls, pelts, and molds when needed and helped children “make their own creature” with adaptations for survival.

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Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Road Maintenance at the Frenchman Regulated Access Area: Specialist Walker used the rock rake to complete road maintenance at the Frenchman Regulated Access Area. This road is used by wildlife area staff members to access the project and is used by ADA hunters who register to hunt at one of the two designated ADA duck blinds.

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Other

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Managing Wildlife Populations

California Sight of a Burrowing Owl from Washington: A male burrowing owl banded in June 2022 on the Rattlesnake Unit of the Hanford National Monument as part of a demographic study was found wintering near McKinleyville, California last month. A photographer got several photos of the banded owl to identify its origin. This owl’s coastal northern California wintering grounds is 700 kilometers away and a very different habitat than the shrubsteppe and grassland of its breeding site here in Washington. Resights of banded owls from Washington are infrequent so this sighting provides important data in understanding the wintering grounds and migration of our Washington breeding burrowing owl population.

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Photo by WDFW

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Artificial Burrows for Owls Ready for Spring: Wildlife Biologist Fidorra and volunteers worked to prepare and repair 65 artificial burrows for burrowing owls on lands surrounding the Tri-Cities.

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Photo by WDFW

Cackling and Snow Goose Tagging in Columbia Basin: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra assisted Waterfowl Specialist Wilson along with additional agency staff and Alaska Fish and Game biologists to capture and tag cackling geese and snow geese for migration studies. California Fish and Wildlife contributed the snow geese tags. Four tags were placed on Taverner’s geese and 17 on snow geese at McNary.

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Colockum Elk Surveys: Colockum Wildlife Area Manager Lopushinsky assisted Wildlife Program staff members Moore and Wampole in conducting the annual aerial elk surveys on the Colockum. Staff members used a parking lot at the top of the Wild Horse Wind Farm to launch and refuel the survey helicopter. Colockum Manager Lopushinsky appreciated Assistant District Biologist Wampole choosing a beautiful day to fly and survey elk.

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Goose Capture: Biologists Bernatowicz and Wampole assisted Waterfowl Specialist Wilson and biologist from Alaska capture cackling geese as part of an ongoing cooperative study. After a day and a half of watching geese land and walk everywhere but in front of the net, 53 geese were captured. Unfortunately, the majority, 49, were small cacklers and not the wanted Taverner's cackling geese. Four transmitters were deployed on the four Taverner's. It was obvious that the geese were somehow aware of the nets and actively avoiding them. The fields were cattle pastures where lines of hay are common. The rancher even believed the geese were present due to left over alfalfa hay.

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Coordination Meeting with the Yakama Nation Wildlife Program: Region 3 Wildlife Program staff attended a meeting with their counterparts at the Yakima Nation. The purpose of the meeting was meant to discuss shared priorities and management objectives including pronghorn, big horn sheep, mountain goat and waterfowl.

Cougar Harvest: District 8 Biologist Bernatowicz sealed a cougar harvested by a tribal member on the Yakama Reservation. The hunter had a lot of questions about cougars and bears, which he believed were numerous on the reservation. The SURVEY123 system did not appear to be set up for tribal harvest as it required Game Management Unit (GMU) and WILD ID.

Elk numbers have been high at the Watt feed site as weather and temperatures fluctuate between sun, snow, rain, and wind and 22 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Numbers have been low at the Robinson site with estimates ranging from 1 to 300 and feeding has been based on hay left over from the last feeding, occurring every other day on average. Bulls are just beginning to lose their antlers and feeding is anticipated to end as grass begins to green up with warmer night temperatures.

DATE	SITE	COW/CALF	BRANCHED BULL	SPIKE BULL	Mortality	TOTAL
2/11/23	Watt	592	48	16		656
2/11/23	Robinson	529	47	16		592
2/17/23	Watt	143	19	12	0	174
2/27/23	Watt	735	19	31	1	785
2/28/23	Robinson					350  (estimate)
3/6/23	Watt	693	32	30		755
3/13/23	Watt	625	7	20		652

Burrowing Owl Data Submitted to WDFW database: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Fidorra compiled and submitted eight years of study data from the Tri-Cities Burrowing Owl Project. This data is important to enter as it feeds the Priority Habitats and Species database which is used in land developers during project siting.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Wenas Target Shooting Clean Up: Recreation Specialist Frame removed 520 pounds of trash from Sheep Company Road target shooting area and Sheep Company Road and Cottonwood Creek Area. Small campfires composed of trash are common in this area.

Cleaning up Private Lands Hunting Opportunity: Private Lands Biologist Hulett and Private Lands Technician Manderbach cleaned up a private lands access site that has been plagued with litter. In total 9,500 pounds of litter was collected and taken to the transfer station.

Grading Parking Lots: Natural Resource Tech Barbosa has started to grade smaller public access area in the Lower Valley.

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Dumping: Natural Resource Tech Barbosa and Access Manager Garcia removed a large dump pile at Duportail public access. Officer Fulton discovered the trash while patrolling the area and informed Manager Garcia of the findings.

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Hazardous Tree: Access Manager Garcia removed a hazardous tree that was along the entrance to Teanaway Junction.

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Graffiti: Natural Resource Tech Barbosa painted out graffiti at Pond 6, unfortunately the site was tagged again the next day.

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There has been a lot of waterfowl activity at the Sunnyside Headquarters Unit. Snow geese, white-fronted geese, and swans have been foraging in the agriculture fields near headquarters.

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Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Rattlesnake Hills Elk: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand had contact with landowners on Rattlesnake Mountain concerning current weather conditions and access. Heavy amounts of drifting snow and cold temperatures at the end of February had some roads in the area closed. Elk are continuing to utilize low elevations areas near highway 240 on the Hanford National Monument.

Ringold Beaver Damage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand met with an orchard owner in the Ringold area along the Columbia River that had sustained damage to several of his cherry trees from beavers. Multiple preventative strategies were discussed as well as contact information provided for hiring a licensed nuisance control operator.

New Damage Permit System: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand participated on the new damage permit testing team. The first iteration of the permit system had numerous functionality issues and has been scrapped. WDFW Information Technology Division will be working with an outside vendor to start development of a new damage permit development platform with hopes of having a workable solution by early fall 2023.

Kahlotus and Paterson Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Hand continued to conduct deer hazing operations at multiple winter wheat fields in the GMU 381 and wine grape vineyards near Paterson. Current mild weather conditions have deer finding adequate forage in non-crop areas.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Byron Unit: Assistant Manager Ferguson and Natural Resource Technician Wascisin continued beaver-proofing the culvert underneath an access road in the Byron Unit with additional cattle panels after retaliatory efforts from the resident beavers causing blockages. The panels are keeping the beavers away from the culvert now, but new dams have been created upstream and downstream of the road crossing.

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Sunnyside Wood Duck Boxes: Natural Resource Technician Wascisin helped Richland Rod and Gun Club volunteers with yearly cleaning and repair of wood duck nest boxes at the Sunnyside and Byron units.

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Sagebrush Planting: Habitat Specialist Miller and Recreation Specialist Frame began planting Sagebrush in the Wenas Wildlife Area. These plantings will help to supplement natural regeneration of sagebrush within the Wenas Wildlife Area. Sagebrush plugs will be planted throughout the Cow Canyon Fire, Cleman Mountain, and sites that burned in the Evans Canyon Fire.

Shrub-Steppe Restoration: Colockum Wildlife Area personnel used the Colockum landing craft to assist in hauling restoration equipment and supplies to an area burned by the 2022 Whiskey-Dick Wildfire. WDFW staff members used the boat to transport an all-terrain vehicle, seeder, harrow and native grass seed to be used for early spring seeding. Access roads to the area are still snowed in making vehicle access difficult.

Colockum Forest Restoration: Work has paused on the Colockum Forest Health Project as we wait for the soft, muddy roads to firm up this spring. WDFW has temporarily closed the last mile of the Ingersoll Road to vehicles, posting signs and blocking the road with logs. Depending on the weather, the road should be back open around April 30.

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Providing Education and Outreach

Assistant Manager Winegeart attended the Eastern Washington Riparian Symposium in Ellensburg. The training took place over two days and included a day of presentations and a half day of project site visits. Bottom line, your best chance for successful shrub and tree establishment with plants that like to have their roots in water is to plant deep enough that the roots are still in water during the dry season and beaver dam analogues, when properly engineered, can greatly improve riparian habitat, and help water reach higher elevation terraces that are part of the 100-year flood plain.

Working with Partners on Fire Prevention Strategies: Private Lands Biologist Hulett took part in Bureau of Land Management’s Lower Basin fire prevention meeting. Hulett shared his knowledge and current projects with the group to help combine efforts for fuel breaks on public and private ownership.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Sunnyside Maintenance: Assistant Manager Ferguson and Natural Resource Technician Wascisin have been conducting maintenance on the wildlife area heavy equipment, doing fluid changes, filter changes, and any necessary repairs before the spring planting season.

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Other

Wenas T-Post Puller Fabrication and Construction: Assistant Manager Taylor, Habitat Specialist Miller, and Recreation Specialist Frame fabricated and assembled seven T-Post pullers for future fence removal projects. The pullers are constructed from square metal tubing and flat bar. Pullers were painted blaze orange for easy visibility. All fabrication and assembly took place in the Wenas shop.

L.T. Murray Hay Damage Issues: Assistant Manager Winegeart fed elk on a few occasions and took note of water damage on some grass and triticale mixed hay. This isn’t the first time the issue of professionally installed hay tarps having holes has surfaced. Hopefully the Joe Watt barn will get a hay shed soon and this will be a problem of the past.

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Managing Wildlife Populations

Chronic Wasting Disease: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade fielded Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) related questions from the United States Forest Service (USFS) range manager. A local newspaper published an article detailing Idaho Fish and Game's response to CWD detection in deer populations near Slate Creek. This article has raised questions among staff and grazing permit holders. Wade recommended that Ungulate Research Scientist DeVivo would be the best source of information. Wade assisted with coordinating between DeVivo and the USFS. DeVivo will be giving a presentation at the USFS’s annual employee orientation in June.

Natural Resource Technician Janowski collected two CWD samples from an elk and a white-tailed deer. The elk was harvested using a landowner kill permit and the white-tailed deer was salvaged from a roadkill. 

Forest Grouse: Biologist Lowe, along with staff members from Regions 1, 2, and 3, conducted the annual eastside wing bee in Spokane. Biologists identified species, sex, and age class of forest grouse wings and tails collected from wing barrels during the 2022 hunting season. A reporter from a local news station visited the wing bee. The newscast can be viewed. 

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Tyson Foods Permitting: Wildlife Biologist Vekasy responded to a Department of Ecology request for work window recommendations around the artificial wetlands used by the Tyson Foods animal processing facility near Burbank. Water treatment ponds attract both feeding and nesting waterbirds, and we are recommending limited activity and maintenance on the ponds during the breeding season.

Lynx Camera Monitoring: Wildlife Biologists Prince and Turnock replaced a camera in the Kettles for the purpose of monitoring lynx. The cameras are operated cooperatively with Washington State University, Department of Natural Resources, and the Colville National Forest.

Culvert Planning: Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Daro Palmer hiked in to inspect an unnamed tributary to the Little Spokane River on March 7, where WDFW will be replacing a simple ford with a culvert, for improved water quality and fish passage. He found quite a bit of snow remaining. Palmer scheduled a site visit with Habitat Biologist Bruce Heiner for March 27, as staff members continue to develop plans and determine permitting requirements.

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

Tucannon Lakes: Natural Resource Technician Tritt and Natural Resource Worker Jensen continued checking the lakes and fish screens to make sure everything was working properly. Lots of people came to the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area to fish the Tucannon lakes on the March 1 opener. Wildlife Area Manager Dingman continued working on the Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) application for the Beaver Lake Inlet to be able to keep water flowing into Beaver and Watson lakes this summer. 

W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area Campgrounds: Tritt and Jensen cleaned up trash in the campgrounds. They constructed a buck rail fence along the north edge of Campground 2 to discourage the public from driving into the adjacent field.

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Sherman Creek Road Maintenance: Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Daro Palmer inspected the winter-closed Bisbee Mountain Road using an ATV on March16, 2023. He found a couple spots where water had ditched the road, but the road was clear otherwise. The ditches will be repaired before the gate swings open for public use on April 1, 2023

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Wolf Education Lamont: Wildlife Conflict Specialist McCarty provided guidance and reached out to local ranchers regarding a wolf confirmation in their area that was near a calving pasture. 

Pro-Active Deterrents: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb spent part of two days procuring fencing components and installing fladry, turbo fladry, and fox lights on a Columbia County calving pasture. The pasture has experienced wolf activity and depredation by wolves on cattle in the past. Multiple trail camera photos of wolves near the pasture site have been documented over the winter. The pro-active deterrents are an effort by WDFW and the producer to reduce the likelihood of carnivore activity or wolf-livestock interaction.  

Asotin County Wolf Activity: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade continued to work with producers in the Anatone area regarding wolf activity near active calving operations. Wade met with two producers who had active calving pastures in the immediate area of the recent wolf activity. Wade discussed preventative measures that were currently in place and recommended others. Wade delivered fox lights to one of the producers to deploy around their calving pastures and the other producer deployed fox lights that they had retained from their summer grazing pastures. One of the producers also used temporary fencing to reduce the size of their calving pasture. Wade continued with daily/twice daily updates to producers in the surrounding area and the Asotin County Cattlemen’s Association president. Wade also spent two days checking the area for signs of wolf activity and to attempt to collect information that would help determine how many wolves were possibly in the area. Two wolves were observed near one of the calving pastures and the producer hazed them out of the area with gun fire.

Continuing Education: Natural Resource Technician Harris listened to a webinar on range riding put on by Western Landowners Alliance and Montana State University.

Elk Hazing: Natural Resource Technician Heitstuman traveled to Cloverland to check on commercial crops for elk damage. A large trail was located. Due to the extensive hazing efforts in the area, this herd has become almost completely nocturnal.

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Depredation Investigation, Calf, Davenport: Wildlife Conflict Specialist McCarty assisted in depredation investigation with LEO reported as a wolf but upon arriving landowner was unsure about cause of mortality. Carcass had been removed and the enclosure had been disturbed heavily with human footprints. Coyote tracks were found, blood trail was minimal due to snow melt, but video was provided by landowner that provided insight and confirmed that several coyote track lines were seen, and the blood trail was extensive. Upon skinning calf remains, punctures and scratches on the nose and hocks were indicative of smaller canid species. Confirmed coyote depredation. 

Depredation Investigation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade conducted a depredation investigation on a newborn calf that a producer suspected had been killed by a cougar. Wade conducted a necropsy and determined that the calf had likely been stillborn and scavenged by coyotes. Wade assisted the producer with collecting and cleaning up the remaining hide to be used for grafting an abandoned calf to the mother cow.

Reported Wolf Sighting/Depredation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb and Natural Resource Technician Moberg followed up on a reported wolf sighting and depredation (single chicken) in the town of Dayton. After speaking with the reporting party, Kolb followed up with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). CCSO reported that one or multiple domestic dogs were reported to have been involved with multiple chicken depredations the previous day. Kolb followed up with the reporting party from the CCSO report, who had photographs of one of the large domestic dogs implicated in the previous chicken depredation. Kolb shared the photo with the reporting party from the most recent incident and the reporting party indicated that it “might” be the same canine. Kolb also spoke with the owner of the chicken that was reportedly taken. The owner of the chicken stated that they were going to repair their fencing so chickens could not get out of their yard. A thorough search of the area reveled domestic dog signs, but no wolf sign.      

United States Forest Service Follow Up: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade reached out to the United States Forest Service (USFS) range manger to follow up on questions regarding the use of lime for carcass sanitation in the rare case that a carcass couldn’t be removed from the landscape. Wade, Range Manager Druffle and District Ranger Piper discussed the use of lime. Wade answered questions regarding the amount needed. Druffle and Piper requested that Wade inform them if lime is used for carcass sanitation on USFS property and that it is not to be used within the riparian zone. Wade forwarded the information to Conflict Supervisor McCanna. 

Asotin County Wolf Activity: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade continued to have daily check-ins with the Asotin County Cattleman’s Association president and multiple producers in the area of recent wolf activity. Wade and Natural Resource Technician Heitstuman traveled to the Anatone area to check for signs of wolf activity and to collect information. Wade met with two producers in the area to discuss the recent activity and to deliver more fox lights to one of them. Wade and Heitstuman located tracks from four wolves near where collar data showed there had been recent wolf activity. Wade also received two other wolf reports form Officer Sabo. The first was from a shed hunter who reported seeing three black and three gray wolves traveling near Shumaker Grade. The second was from a homeowner who hazed a black and a white wolf near his home in the Anatone area.

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Photo by WDFW

Carcass Sanitation: Natural Resource Technicians Harris and Janowski picked up a horse carcass from a landowner in North Stevens County and transported it to the Stevens County Landfill for disposal. The horse had died of natural causes and the landowner was unable to dispose of the carcass. WDFW staff members assisted to prevent predators from being attracted to the property.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Shrub Planting: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley planted additional shrubs at a habitat project on a Feel Free to Hunt property in Walla Walla County and removed weed barriers at an old shrub planting site to clean up the area. 

Spring Habitat Projects:  Private Lands Supervisor Earl met with the Garfield County Conservation District to review and line out the re-plantings that will occur this spring. Earl also visited a site for a potential new project along Deadman Creek in Garfield County.

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Land Maintenance:  Cool weather and light rain did not stop the blackberry vines from burning. Encroaching blackberry vines on food plot agricultural fields were plucked last fall and winter by wildlife area staff and piled for a spring burn. Scientific Technician Meisner and Rimmelspacher also mowed off decadent vegetation of the wildlife area fields to promote new growth and enhance wildlife habitat. Biologist Woodall and Rimmelspacher also planted some native trees and shrubs in a shrub plot that had some openings in the existing planting. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Asotin Creek Wildlife Area Land Maintenance: Wildlife area staff members finally had a good weather window to burn two small fields on the Asotin Creek Wildlife Area. The shooting range and the North Fork Trailhead fields totaling 14 acres burned easily and very fast. This burn will be good for reducing decadent fuels as it ironically did not burn in the 2021 wildfire that consumed everything around it, and the burn will also enhance wildlife habitat. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Revere Wildlife Area: Wildlife Area Manager Mike Finch hauled a utility task vehicle to Revere Wildlife Area to meet the Avista Representative Todd McLaughlin to do a visual inspection of the utility line right of way and document the deep ruts caused from the equipment during the repairs after the Wagner Fire last Aug. 18, 2022. According to the easement agreement, the utility company is responsible for any damage caused to the property during the pole replacement. Finch and Avista Representative McLaughlin marked all the damaged areas and will be hiring a contractor to do the repair work. After the repairs are completed, WDFW will broadcast seed those areas back to a native grass mix. 

Finch also met Pheasant Forever Mike Gruenke and the new Pheasants Forever President Mike Collier for a site inspection prior to the April 1-2 shrub planting day at Revere for the start of the Wagner Fire habitat recovery. The three took soil samples at two locations at a three-foot depth so the sites can be tested for pH. Over the years several sites have probably failed due to high pH levels and depending on the levels could change the decision on where to plant certain species.  

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Photo by WDFW

 

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Photo by WDFW

Chief Joseph & Asotin Creek WLA Land Maintenance: David Woodall and Blake Rimmelspacher started their spring spraying. They started with parking lots and buildings, applying a ground sterilant in these sites for fire protection breaks and to keep parking lots vegetation free and looking good. This work will continue into the next week.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Turkey Habitat Project: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley completed site preparation of mowing and harrowing and then seeded approximately five acres and planted 100 cottonwood trees to complete a WDFW turkey funded habitat project on a Feel Free to Hunt property in Walla Walla County. 

Additional Boat-Cleaning Unit: Access Manager Dziekan has been working with Access Section staff members in Olympia to obtain and install free-to-WDFW boat cleaning stations for three access areas: Newman, Badger, and Diamond Lakes. These self-contained, solar-powered stations are produced by CD3 Systems. While not technically decontamination stations, they do allow boat users to clean the outside of their boats before leaving the access area, to slow the spread of aquatic invasive species like quagga and zebra mussels. For an annual software fee, the stations also collect usage data that can be downloaded for analysis by access staff members. Dziekan is scheduled to receive the three units on March 23, 2023. However, on March 13 Dziekan and Wildlife Area Manager Anderson were notified that an additional station would become available, and they were asked if they would be willing to take it. Both agreed to take it, preferably for Williams Lake Access Area, with a backup location of Newman Lake Access Area. The fourth unit will arrive with the other three.

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Photo by Illustration from the CD3 website.

 

Providing Education and Outreach

Gray Wolf Presentation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Bennett presented information about gray wolves to an elementary class in Kettle Falls. They provided information of wolf biology, behavior, and answered student questions. 

Wilbur/Creston School: Wildlife Area Manager Finch and Private Lands Biologist Baarstad loaded up wood boards in the back of a pickup that were donated by Boise Cascade to WDFW. They hauled them to the Creston School so the shop students could start making blue bird and kestrel boxes prior to the field tour this coming April at Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area. Private Lands Biologist Baarstad will be taking an example of a wood duck box to the Creston School for their shop class to replicate those boxes as well. 

Coyotes, South Hill: Wildlife Control Specialist McCarty prepared and edited an existing urban coyote presentation for Rockwood Retirement Community next week.

Volunteer Project:  Biologist Baarstad worked with Hunter Education and Volunteer Coordinator Dazey to request volunteers to build more wood duck nesting boxes. Several master hunters responded, willing to help. The boxes will be placed in various locations on private lands and wildlife areas throughout eastern Washington.

Bighorn Show: Wildlife Biologist Prince and Wolf Biologist Roussin gave a presentation entitled “Managing Large Carnivores” at the Bighorn Show in Spokane. Unfortunately, attendance at the presentation was very light. However, those that did participate were given a free can of bear spray. 

Bighorn Outdoor Adventure Show in Spokane: Region 1 Access Manager Dziekan helped set up the WDFW booth at the annual Bighorn Show. He worked a Saturday shift as well. Wildlife Area Manager Juli Anderson worked a Friday shift. 

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Photo by WDFW

Creston Junior High School Science Grant Project: Wildlife Area Manager Finch is working with Creston Junior High School teacher Rosman, Creston Shop Teacher Clark, Conservation Education Curriculum Developer Eckenrod and District 2 Habitat Biologist Mackelvie planning for a student science grant project that the Creston School was successful in acquiring early this year. The project will take place one day in April and another day in June at the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area with students collecting habitat data and identifying plants to try to identify a trend since the Whitney Fire. Eckenrod contacted Finch to discuss different educational outdoor science opportunities prior to the pre-field trip tour with just teachers on April 6.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Administrative Duties: Wildlife Area Manager Anderson met Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area Manager Mike Finch at Swanson Lakes headquarters on Thursday, March 2, to bring Finch up to speed on Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA’s) CBFish online contracting system for Fish and Wildlife contractors. BPA completely funds Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area, and Finch has assumed the duty of developing and managing the annual contracts, on the WDFW side. Lands Division Fiscal Analyst Nelson also had a video call with Finch and Anderson mid-day, to discuss some expenditure issues. It was a very long but productive day.

New Damage Permit System Call: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade took part in a committee meeting for the new damage permit system. The committee decided to scrap the program that they were testing and seek a program created and managed by an outside vendor.

Collaboration Efforts with the Natural Resources Conservation Service: WDFW Private Lands staff members and Farm Bill Coordinator Reseland discussed an upcoming new agreement between the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and WDFW. Collaborative work between the agencies has been strained in the past due to workload and timeline issues, so Farm Bill Coordinator Reseland will meet with the NRCS to discuss new agreements going forward.

Ducks Unlimited North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grant: Private Lands Biologist Gaston received notice from local Ducks Unlimited Biologist Blewett that they were successful in obtaining their North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant. Private Lands Biologist Gaston worked with the Ducks Unlimited staff members to provide habitat restoration information on work already completed and assist their grant application. The grant received is for $100,000 and focuses on wetland restoration on Revere Wildlife Area in NW Whitman County. Additionally, it includes work being done by Private Lands Biologist Gaston as part of his private land's waterfowl habitat restoration program as well as work done by Swanson Lakes and Revere Wildlife Area Manager Finch.

Asotin Creek Wildlife Area Fence Work Update: A third contractor has been hired by Capital Asset Management Program (CAMP) to work on the Smoothing Iron segment of fence. The CAMP project manager and the contractor with his crew are arriving on Monday to begin work. Dice looked at fence lines at Smoothing Iron and found some of the lines are still snowed in. Deadfall trees were blocking some of the trails and Meisner and Dice sawed out the trails in Cooper Canyon and South Fork on Wednesday. Surveyors from Pace Engineering arrived this week and began their work to complete marking WDFW property lines at Harlow Ridge and in South Fork.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Fish and Wildlife Commission Blue Sheet Presentation:  Wildlife Conflict Supervisor McCanna traveled to Wenatchee and was part of a WDFW team that responded to a blue sheet request from WDFW Commission. McCanna presented on how WDFW works with the Department of Agriculture on their grants, range rider coordination with grant recipients, and non-lethal tools used to mitigate wolf-livestock interactions and depredations. 

Other

Whitman County Joint Conservation Districts Annual Meeting: Private Lands Biologist Gaston attended the joint Conservation District Annual Meeting in Colfax. Information about pesticides and habitat in Whitman County was distributed.

Stevens County Conservation District Meeting: Natural Resource Technician Janowski, Natural Resource Technician Harris, and Biologist Baarstad attended a meeting between WDFW and the Stevens County Conservation District. The meeting produced several collaborative project ideas between both organizations.