Managing Wildlife Populations

Greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse: It’s officially grouse survey season! Biologists are monitoring known leks across Douglas County to get population estimates of both greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, both of which are classified as endangered by the state of Washington. Douglas County has by far the highest abundance of greater sage-grouse in the state of Washington; however, the population is small and has experienced a steep decline over the past several decades. 

Additionally, biologists and other Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff members and agency partners are conducting an intensive search for previously unknown leks by driving county roads and stopping every half mile to get out and listen for the vocalizations grouse often make while displaying. With this year’s increase in survey effort, biologists hope to find more lek sites for both species and locate leks that were displaced by the Pearl Hill Fire. For more information on greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in Washington, visit the WDFW website.

Sage Grouse Lek Counts: The Biodiversity Team has been conducting annual lek counts to monitor sage grouse populations in Douglas County. This year, they have been monitoring the Pine Canyon lek and the Dutch Henry lek, which have both been active. Lek counts will continue through spring, along with search efforts to find new leks in the area.

Washington Ground Squirrels: Biologists from across central/eastern Washington gathered for a training day about how to trap and process Washington ground squirrels. Throughout this spring, biologists will be trapping Washington ground squirrels to collect buccal swabs (AKA a swipe on the inside of the cheek) to collect DNA samples that will be sent to the University of Idaho as part of a genetic study. Washington ground squirrels are designated as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need by WDFW, and a state candidate for listing. 

Mountain Goats: Biologist Jeffreys and Wildlife Conflict Specialist Bridges spent a day aerially surveying the north shore of Lake Chelan and the Stehekin Area for mountain goats as part of ongoing efforts to learn more about the distribution, abundance, recruitment, and trends of mountain goat populations in the Lake Chelan Basin. Survey weather was ideal, with no wind and with partly cloudy skies becoming completely clear as the day progressed. Surveyors observed 62 goats between Lone Fir Creek and Boulder Creek, which represents the highest count for the north shore herd in over a decade! 

This compares to last year’s count of 40 goats on the north shore, which in turn was higher than all counts between 2017 and 2023 (Range = 17-30). Biologists hope to see numbers continue to rise in the coming years. 

Salamander Sightings: Evening work for northern leopard frogs has resulted in three incidental observations for tiger salamanders. Tiger salamanders are rarely seen as they are most active at night, but spring rains and warm evenings facilitate movement. Incidental observations like these are important for keeping updated records for species of concern. 

Northern Leopard Frog Surveys: The Biodiversity Team have been performing breeding surveys for northern leopard frogs. These surveys are important as they help inform WDFW where these state-endangered frogs are not only occupying, but breeding. This spring, northern leopard frogs have been observed successfully overwintering for the first time at a reintroduction site and calling in ponds that were found to have these frogs for the first time in over 20 years. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Distance Sampling Training: Biologists Sage and Technicians Trautmann and Leipold attended a distance sampling training session ahead of the Taylor’s Checkerspot survey season to practice estimating distances. Estimating abundance using distance sampling for the butterflies requires the ability to accurately estimate distances out to 12 meters.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

North Olympic Invasive Species Management: Wildlife Area Manager Laushman and Technician Morgan treated invasive plants at the Bell Creek Unit in Sequim.

Discovery Bay Student Volunteer Day: Wildlife Area Manager Laushman helped with the North Olympic Salmon Coalition’s Real Learning Real Work field trip with middle school students who had designed native planting plans. Students planted native shrubs and trees to continue the restoration of Snow and Salmon creeks at the Discovery Bay Wildlife Area Unit.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Firefighter Refresher Training: Wildlife area manager Bechtold and Technician Martinez attended the annual firefighter refresher course at JBLM and passed the arduous work capacity test. Trainings like these are required for wildland and prescribed fire duties. 

Oregon Silverspot Butterfly Working Group: Technician Martinez attended the Annual Working Group meeting for the recovery of the Oregon Silverspot Butterfly (OSB). Purpose of the meeting was for researchers, field practitioners, and resource managers to discuss the current condition of OSB recovery and current habitat restoration efforts across the butterfly’s native range. WDFW team members were recognized for conducting the first prescribed burn at Milepost 6 in the fall of 2024.

Dan Kelly and Eden Valley Habitat Management: Biologists Sage and Ament met with Diversity Program Restoration Coordinator Munes, Westside Butterfly Lead Winton, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and Center for Natural Lands Management to discuss future habitat restoration needs and funding opportunities for the Dan Kelly and Eden Valley sites.

Other

Poster Presentations: Technicians Leipold and Trautmann presented posters at the joint Wildlife Society, Society for Northwest Vertebrate Biology, and Northwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Conference. Technician Leipold presented "Under the Bridge: Factors Influencing Bat Roosting Under Western Washington Bridges." She found that bats were more likely to use bridges in the following order from most likely to least likely: expansion joints, concrete bulb-T beams, concrete I-beams, rectangular beams, timber beams, steel girders, flat bottoms, and arches. She did not find significant differences in temperature between bridges or bat use but recommends exploring microhabitat differences in the future. She recommends bridges be designed with bat use in mind noting that they prefer concrete beams that form interior structures.

Technician Trautmann presented "Evaluating the Effects of Microhabitat and Landscape-scale Factors on Western Snowy Plover Nest Success in Washington." She found that nest success was higher with closer nearest active neighboring nests (e.g., nest density increased success). Microhabitat features, such as whether the nests were concealed or exposed by beach debris or vegetation, did not have a significant impact on success; but the small number of nests, particularly those that hatched, limited power to detect differences. These covariates will be included in the daily nest survival model that Research Scientist Amburgey uses to monitor snowy plovers.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Bighorn Sheep Population Aerial Survey: District 8 Biologist Wampole, Assistant District 8 Biologist Wilson, and Scientific Technician Ogburn completed aerial population census surveys for the Quilomene, Yakima Canyon and Cleman Mountain districts' three bighorn sheep populations. 

L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Crew Assisting Conflict: As part of ongoing bighorn sheep research for disease management, L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Natural Resource Technician Blore and Assistant Manager Winegeart assisted District 8 Conflict Specialist Wetzel with the removal of three sheep from the Yakima Canyon population. Nasal swab sample results collected during captures in February revealed that these individuals were carriers of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi), a pathogen responsible for persistent bronchial pneumonia. These individuals were removed from the population because they transmit the pathogen to lambs, leading to annual lamb die-offs and poor survival. 

Sunnyside/Snake River Wood Duck Boxes: Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Assistant Manager Jahns, and Natural Resource Technician Pizzini assisted Richland Rod and Gun Club volunteer members with spring wood duck nest box cleanup and maintenance in the Bailie and Windmill Ranch Units of the Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area. Two of the nest boxes in the Windmill Ranch Unit were occupied by nesting Northern saw-whet owls. Bands were placed on both owls. Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area staff members will assist Richland Rod and Gun Club members later this spring to band nesting wood ducks.

Franklin County Burrowing Owls: Sunnyside/Snake River Wildlife Area staff members and Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach assisted District 4 Biologist Fidorra, Assistant District 4 Biologist Hoffman, and other WDFW staff members with the installation of new artificial burrows for burrowing owls in Franklin County. It was a windy, labor-intensive day but many hands made light work!

Providing Recreation Opportunities

L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Road Maintenance: A total of 23 volunteer members from the Back Country Horsemen of Washington and Master Hunters conducted some firewise work, fence, and trash removal along the Robinson Canyon Road. They trimmed and removed several tons of overgrown brush, fallen trees, and limbs which also greatly improved motorized access. In addition, one half mile of relic barbed wire and livestock fencing that was impeding wildlife passage was also removed. 

Oak Creek Wildlife Area Visitor’s Center and Elk Viewing: Friends of Oak Creek volunteer members continued seven days per week staffing of the Oak Creek Visitor’s Center and elk viewing area while providing truck tours on the feed site. The last day of feeding was March 27th, but volunteer staffing continued until March 31st to educate visitors. See table below for most recent visitor statistics along with the previous two seasons for comparison.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Kittitas County Conflict: Elk are migrating in significant numbers from eastern winter range to westward following significant green up in the past two weeks. Elk have been easy to move and are not causing many problems for crop areas at this time. 

Yakima County Conflict: Elk in the Cowiche area have been outside the elk fence in several areas but have begun to stay west of the elk fence and have followed significant new green up in the last two weeks. 

Bighorn sheep management actions occurred during the last half of March in the lower Yakima Canyon area.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Guzzler Repair with Richland Rod and Gun Club: Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach assisted a group of volunteer members from the Richland Rod and Gun Club with a complete guzzler replacement near the Benton and Yakima County line. The guzzler tank and frame were both beyond repair following a fire a few years ago. A new frame constructed completely out of steel was built and installed along with a new fiberglass catch tank. Along the way, two other guzzlers were cleaned of debris.

Private Lands Work Party: Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach and Natural Resource Technician Pizzini attended the 2025 Private Lands Work Party in Whitman County. Private Lands staff members from across the state, as well as Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologists, Pheasants Forever volunteer members, and other partners from the National Wild Turkey Federation and Bureau of Land Management got together to meet, install habitat projects, get trained on equipment and implements, and discuss potential future collaborations. 21 rows of fabric mulch were installed on the Revere Wildlife Area in preparation for a large Pheasants Forever planting project coming up April 12th. Fabric mulch and shrubs/trees were installed on another property in the Private Lands access program.

Franklin County Shrubs: Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach continued work on a Hunt by Reservation property in Franklin County. There have been over 200 new trees and shrubs planted this spring, with work to continue further. In addition to planting, more ground was cleared to make way for future shrub plantings and catch basins were formed around shrubs to help with water collection.

Oak Creek Wildlife Area Tieton River Stream Restoration: Under a memorandum of understanding, the Yakama Nation Fisheries group completed its stream restoration project to re-water a side channel of the Tieton River located within the Oak Creek Wildlife Area. Although this project occurs in the area affected by the 2024 Retreat Fire, the project has been in the planning stages for years prior. A temporary bridge was installed across the Tieton River in the area of Nissan Flats along U.S. Highway 12 to access the site with heavy equipment and materials. Water is currently flowing through this historic side channel, but the project was designed to not divert water during periods of low flow. This project should lend itself to providing more spawning habitat with addition of aggregates of appropriate size for the spawning anadromous fish species. Additionally, it is intended to re-water not only the side channel but its associated wetland. The Tieton River Nature Trail was re-routed, armored, and compacted gravel placed in strategic areas. Additionally, hardwood and softwood tree species were planted in disturbed areas.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Wenas Wildlife Area- BPA Contract Renewal: Wenas Wildlife Area Lands and Habitat Specialist Miller finished submitting all necessary materials for the annual renewal of the Wenas Wildlife Area O&M contract for Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funding. BPA funding makes up a majority of Wenas Wildlife Area funding and is crucial for maintenance of buildings and equipment as well as staff time for project implementation.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Willapa Hills Elk Survey: Staff members from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Regions 5 and 6, as well as from Olympia, joined to complete an aerial survey of the elk population in both the North and South Willapa Hills elk herd areas. The work was led by District Biologists Novack and Cent, from WDFW District 17, as well as Biologists Holman and Stephens from District 10. The effort took place over “Willapa Hills South” which includes Game Management Units 530 (Ryderwood), 506 (Willapa Hills), 681 (Bear River), and 673 (Williams Creek), as well as “Willapa Hills North” which includes Game Management Units 658 (North River), 660 (Minot Peak), and 672 (Fall River). The survey is conducted within a random stratified sampling design in which sub-areas of each GMU are flown by helicopter, while three WDFW observers plus the pilot search the landscape for elk. The animals are then counted as well as classified into sexes and ages. Additionally, the amount of vegetation concealing each group of elk is recorded. 

Approximately 3,500 elk were observed by the team within 27 survey units, over the course of nine days. Folloyyyking data analysis, estimates of herd population size, sub-herd population size, GMU population sizes as well as calf to cow and bull to cow ratios will be generated. These metrics will be used to evaluate the status of the Willapa Hills elk population per the guidelines outlined in the WDFW Game Management Plan and the Willapa Hills Elk Herd Plan. Results will be published in the annual Status and Trend Report.

Thanks to current WDFW Region 2 Director Hoenes for his development of the survey method during his time as District Wildlife Biologist in Pacific and Gray’s Harbor Counties. Thanks to Ungulate Section Manager Garrison for securing the funds for this work, aiding in managing contractual requirements, prioritizing this work in planning exercises, and incorporating the results into management of the elk herd. Thanks to the many staff members who participated in the survey. Thanks to the staff members at the Naselle Hatchery for allowing their facility to be used as a heliport. Thanks to the staff members who conducted Flight Following. Thanks to Regional Wildlife Program Managers Jonker and Calkins, as well as Assistant Regional Wildlife Program Managers Hauswald and Blankenship for their daily attention to crew safety and timely review and thoughtful edits of the Flight Plan. Finally, thanks to Pilot Pete Emerson for his precise, efficient, assertive and safe piloting during the effort. 

Dusky Canada Goose Surveys Conclude: In March, Biologists Wickhem, Ott, Stephens, and Holman completed their bi-monthly dusky Canada goose surveys in Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties. Dusky geese are a sub-species of Canada goose that spend summers in Alaska and migrate through and/or overwinter in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon. Duskies are closed to recreational harvest due to low population levels. The purpose of the survey is to count dusky geese observed, document their locations, and read alphanumeric codes on any red neck bands on the geese, also called collars. Wildlife managers survey the geese multiple times across their primary wintering grounds and use the data to generate survival estimates. Surveyors also identify and document observations of all additional species of geese and swans incidentally located during the effort. 

In Clark County, Biologist Wickhem recorded 15 groups of Duskies and two collars in her final two surveys of the season. In Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties, Biologists Stephens and Holman located flocks of Dusky, western, and cackling Canada geese along with Trumpeter and Tundra swans. However, no collared Duskies were found. Other wildlife species encountered during the effort included many species of ducks, shorebirds, raptors, nesting bald eagles, gulls, pelicans, Columbian white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, elk, coyotes, otters, beavers, and three species of marine mammals. 

District 10 Deer Project: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted Biologist Holman with trail camera checks via snowmobile and deer capture efforts in Cowlitz County as part of a new deer research project that started up in 2025. Jacobsen also assisted Biologist Holman with several days of deer capture attempts, which were unsuccessful.

District 9 Deer Collar Retrieval: Wildlife Conflict Specialists Jacobsen and O’Connor assisted District 9 biologists with the retrieval of several deer collars after their programmed drop-off date.

Deer Mortality Investigation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen investigated the death of a GPS-collared mule deer as part of the Klickitat County Mule Deer Migration Project. The deer appeared to have died of an unknown medical condition, and biologists are awaiting lab test results on collected tissue samples.

Pelt Sealing: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and Regional Program Manager Jonker sealed a total of ten bobcats and two river otters for two trappers who were preparing for the upcoming spring fur sale.

Annual Spring Klickitat Deer Survey: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted District 9 Biologists with the annual spring deer survey along the Klickitat River.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Road improvement: Access area staff members have begun a project to place large rocks along La Frambois road at Vancouver Lake. Initially, access staff members were using the rocks already on site along the road and moving them closer to the asphalt to keep people from driving on the shoulder and off roading inside the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. Additional rock will be ordered in the near future to extend this barrier along the Wildlife Area boundary for the whole length of the road.

Spring-cleaning: Access area staff members have been busy with some spring-cleaning projects including pressure washing the exteriors of restrooms, ADA parking spots, and signs, as well as filling in numerous sink holes that have been popping up in parking lots and walking trails. Access area staff members have also been taking advantage of mild weather and have been working on getting several sites cleaned up and ready for the summer season. Many sites only need some minor work while others, such as Silver Lake and Vancouver Lake, need more intensive work with clearing heavy vegetation and restroom repairs. The restroom at Vancouver Lake is unfortunately routinely vandalized and has been without a lock on the door, plus damage to the door, making privacy nonexistent. Access area staff members have recently made repairs to the restroom ensuring the restroom is effective for its purpose. Hopefully the repair will last.

Road Management and Repair: Cowlitz Wildlife Area staff members conducted road maintenance on four miles of the Peterman 1000 mainline. The road was dragged using a box scraper to remove potholes and then the road was regraded using a dozer. The roads are currently closed to unauthorized vehicle travel, facilitating the repairs as crew members get ready to open the roads May 1.

Hazard Trees: Access area staff members recently felled three hazard trees at Kress Lake in Kalama. The trees were slowly being whittled away by the local beavers. Usually this can be avoided or at least slowed by wrapping the trees in wire, but timing is everything. Unfortunately for the trees in question, salvaging them was not an option.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Elk Damage Complaints: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to multiple elk-crop damage complaints across Klickitat County. Damaged crops included wheat, barley, managed pasture, hay, organic herbs, and apple trees. Jacobsen deployed youth damage hunters to some of the properties and hazed elk to help alleviate elk damage to commercial crops.

Elk Fencing: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen worked with a landowner and a fencing installer on a cooperative fencing project to protect organic produce from elk and deer damage. Funding for cooperative fencing projects is allocated by the state legislature.

Llama Depredation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a llama that had been killed by a cougar. Local law enforcement responded and attempted to track a cougar with hounds but were unable to locate a cougar. Jacobsen conducted a necropsy on the frozen carcass. After an extensive investigation, Jacobsen concluded that the llama was killed by domestic dogs. A couple of weeks later, the landowner called Jacobsen to confirm that his own dogs were responsible, as he had just caught the three of them in the act of attacking and killing two more llamas.

Calf and Bull Depredation Investigations: A livestock producer contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding several calves that had died on his ranch over the past few weeks, as well as a large bull that had died. Jacobsen conducted necropsies on three calves and the bull. All of the deceased livestock died of natural causes and were not killed by wildlife.

Horse Depredation Investigation: A livestock producer contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and asked for help determining what killed one of his horses. Jacobsen was unable to conclusively determine cause of death for the horse because he was only provided part of the horse's carcass for investigation and could not investigate the location where the horse died.

Domestic Dog Depredation Investigation: A landowner contacted WDFW after his domestic dog was attacked. The landowner believed that a cougar may have been responsible. Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen investigated. After reviewing security camera footage and examining the dog’s injuries, Jacobsen determined that the dog was attacked by other domestic dogs.

Klickitat County Deceased Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen and Biologists Bergh, Wickhem, and Ott responded to multiple reports of dead or dying deer in Klickitat County over the past few months. Jacobsen ended up euthanizing several sick deer over the course of the winter. Despite the fact that winter die-offs do occur in deer populations, this year’s winter was very mild, and the deaths did not coincide with severe winter events. Several deer died in or around houses, barns, or carports, and several lethargic deer had to be euthanized. Some deer appeared to have died from rumen acidosis, a condition caused by supplemental feeding by humans, but other cases were not as clear. Lab tests results from tissue samples have come back inconclusive. WDFW staff members will continue to monitor deer mortalities in the area. Currently, chronic wasting disease and epizootic/adenovirus hemorrhagic diseases are not of concern in these mortalities. WDFW staff members want to remind homeowners that feeding wildlife can often be detrimental to wildlife and may likely do more harm than good.

Injured Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted WDFW Officer Way on an injured deer incident. The deer had been hit by a car right outside of a 25mph zone and had severe injuries. The situation was not safe for firearm discharge, so Jacobsen chemically immobilized the deer prior to euthanizing it.

Residential Elk Calf: WDFW staff members received multiple calls over a month-long period regarding an elk calf that had decided to take up residence in a neighborhood. WDFW was not concerned about the activities of this independent-aged elk calf, as the neighborhood was immediately adjacent to contiguous elk habitat where the local elk herd regularly passes through. Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen suspected that multiple residents were feeding the calf, and photos of the calf’s distended rumen supported this. Jacobsen discouraged residents from feeding the elk for the sake of its own health, as well as for the safety of the residents in the area. Unfortunately, local rumors indicated that the calf died a short time later, possibly due to the effects of supplemental feeding. Again, WDFW staff members STRONGLY discourage the feeding of wildlife by homeowners. The public should also be aware that on March 24, 2025, the WDFW director approved a rule prohibiting feeding deer, elk, and moose in Washington, as feeding draws animals together where they can spread disease.

Deer Attacked by Dogs: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted Officer Myers with a report of a deer that had been attacked by dogs and chased across a large, swollen creek. Jacobsen and Officer Myers spent a substantial amount of time attempting to assess the deer’s condition from afar, as it was inaccessible in its current location. Jacobsen determined that the shed-antlered buck was severely injured and likely hypothermic given the amount of time that it had been in its current position, half-submerged in the creek. Jacobsen was able to euthanize the deer and eventually access the carcass. A necropsy of the carcass confirmed that the deer was attacked by dogs. Officer Myers worked on the official investigation regarding the dog attack on wildlife.

Deer Shot with Pellet Gun: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen assisted WDFW Sgt. McQuary and Officer Myers with a deer that had been shot with a pellet gun by a homeowner. The homeowner was attempting to haze the deer out of his garden and didn’t think that the pellet gun would cause harm to the deer. The pellet was moving more than fast enough to cause damage and ended up paralyzing the deer. Jacobsen euthanized the deer. WDFW officers handled the investigation with the landowner and also provided him Jacobsen’s card so he could learn about acceptable and humane methods of deterring deer from gardens.

Bear in Garbage: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen responded to a report of a bear that had been getting into a landowner’s garbage cans every night. The bear managed to rip apart the wire cover that the landowner thought would keep the garbage secure. Jacobsen loaned the landowner some electric fence supplies and installed the fence around the garbage to keep the bear from obtaining a human food source reward.

WDFW Bear Fence: Last summer, Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen loaned an electric fence setup to a landowner that did not have regular garbage service and was having issues with a bear accessing their trailer full of garbage. Jacobsen installed the fence for the landowners. This spring, Jacobsen returned to the residence to retrieve the fence setup. Unfortunately, the landowners had left the loaned fence in a state of disrepair despite the fact bears had already become active in the area. Jacobsen took possession of the fencing materials and advised the landowners to purchase their own supplies and to maintain the fence as soon as possible.

Livestock Carcass Hauling: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen continued hauling off livestock carcasses for producers in Klickitat County. These carcasses would have otherwise ended up in carcass piles on producers’ property, which could inadvertently attract carnivores to active livestock operations.

Injured Owl: A landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen regarding an owl that had gotten tangled up in chicken coop netting. Jacobsen was over two hours away at the time, so he advised the landowner on how to wrap up the great-horned owl and release it from the netting. Once the bird was freed and secured in a container, Master Hunter Rudberg volunteered to transport the bird to the nearest bird rehabilitation center. A special thanks goes out to Master Hunter Rudberg for his assistance on this impromptu wildlife rescue call!

Deceased fawn: A concerned landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen after discovering a dead fawn in his yard. Based on photos of the scene, Jacobsen believed that the small deer was likely killed by a bobcat. Jacobsen provided advice to the landowner.

Beaver Complaint: A landowner contacted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen about beavers that were cutting limbs off of her willow trees. After an unusually wet spring with abnormal flooding in the area, the landowner’s yard was underwater which allowed the beavers better access to her willow trees. Jacobsen advised the landowner to fence off her three trees to prevent beavers from accessing them.

Blind Deer: Wildlife Conflict Specialists Jacobsen and O’Connor, along with Communications Specialist Ransford, responded to a report of a deer walking in circles on a landowner’s property for several hours. After assessing the deer, Jacobsen determined that the deer was likely blind in both eyes and needed to be euthanized. Jacobsen successfully darted and chemically immobilized the deer. Further assessment confirmed that the deer was missing its left eye entirely and was also blind in its right eye. Jacobsen euthanized the deer.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Klickitat Wildlife Area: Klickitat Wildlife Area staff members partnered with Columbia Land Trust (CLT) and Department of Natural Resources staff members on a reconnaissance mission to the boundary of CLT and WDFW property.

Providing Education and Outreach

Smelt (Eulachon) Arrival: The annual arrival of smelt to the lower Columbia River and its tributaries brings a welcome bounty of marine derived nutrients to the area. Avian predators including bald eagles, gulls, and pelicans, among others, are joined by harbor seals and California and Stellar sea lions to take advantage of this surge of oil-rich fish. This concentration of wildlife brings wildlife viewers out to enjoy the sight of the abundant wildlife taking advantage of this valuable food resource. Biologist Holman opportunistically engaged with some of the wildlife viewers to point out good viewing locations and chat about the species present. 

White Salmon Tree Fest 2025: Biologist Wickhem held down a table at White Salmon Tree Fest, which occurs annually in mid-March. The event is organized by the Underwood Conservation District whose native plant sale is the anchor of the festivities. This year’s fest included live music, a food truck, and 23 tables of local conservation-related businesses and organizations, including Mountain Top Wildlife Rehabilitation, Oregon State University Master Gardeners, Columbia Land Trust, and the Skamania County Noxious Weed Board to name a few. Approximately 250-300 people attended the event with 163 stopping at the WDFW table to ask questions, examine the animal specimens, and/or collect informational material. Huge thank you to mini-volunteer Babik, who tallied all of the table’s visitors, assisted with questions, handed out pamphlets, and kept Wickhem company throughout the event.

WFFA: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen delivered a presentation to the local chapter of the Washington Farm Forestry Association. The presentation focused on a wolf update for Klickitat County as well as on installing and monitoring trail cameras on properties for wildlife.

Klickitat County Board of Commissioners: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen provided a Klickitat wolf update to the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners at their request.

Central Klickitat Conservation District CRM Presentation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jacobsen presented an update on wolves in Klickitat County, as well as on the livestock depredation and compensation process, to livestock producers attending their annual Coordinated Range Management meeting hosted by the Central Klickitat Conservation District.

Hunter Education: Cowlitz Wildlife Area (CWA) staff members and the CWA Hunter Education Team held a hunter education hybrid course. The hybrid course includes a self-paced online module followed by a field skills evaluation where students take a quiz on the online portion content and receive hands-on training and evaluation by certified instructors. Fourteen students signed up to complete their certification. Four students were no-shows but ten students, ranging in age from eight to fifty, successfully passed the class and are now certified to hunt in the state of Washington.

Other

Dart Gun Practice: Wildlife Conflict Specialists Jacobsen and O’Connor worked on sighting in O’Connor’s dart gun so that she can effectively immobilize ungulates and carnivores when necessary.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Waterfowl: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman attended a training with Waterfowl Section staff members to go over set up and operation of rocket nets for trapping and banding waterfowl. Two rocket nets were set up to trap pintail, but neither were successful. Dr. Phillips (WSU) brought her Wildlife Ecology class to attend the training so they may be able to assist in future operations. The group was also given a tour of several wetlands and restoration projects by Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge Biologist Dixon. 

Golden Eagle: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman checked the Merengo and Hartsock golden eagle nests. An adult was sitting in the Merengo nest and an adult was foraging north of the nest. No golden eagles were seen in the Hartsock nest but the gusty wind kept blowing the spotting scope around, so Dingman will go back later to check the nest.

Sharp-tailed Grouse: Biologist Brinkman, along with Wildlife Area Technician Duclos and Washington Shrubsteppe Restoration and Resiliency Initiative biologist Jennings, conducted a lek survey of a historically active lek where sharp-tailed grouse had been documented alongside the road a few weeks prior. No sharp-tailed grouse were detected during this survey. Biologist Lowe searched a lek complex that has not been active in recent history and did not find any birds. 

Ferruginous Hawks: Biologist Brinkman completed an occupancy survey of a Ferruginous Hawk nesting territory in southwestern Lincoln County. No birds were observed at the old nest site or in the area. A follow-up occupancy survey will be conducted in April. Biologist Brinkman also drove past a different ferruginous hawk territory alongside the highway and took photos of a hawk sitting on a nest, but did not stop to complete a survey. The lighting made it difficult to see, but upon review of the photos it turned out to be a dark morph ferruginous hawk which means that territory is likely active. A follow-up confirmation survey will be completed soon. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Recreational site closure: Wildlife Area Manager Dice and Natural Resource Specialist Whittaker closed the Pine Bar/Turkey Bend access site on Tuesday. It was discovered that two live Ponderosa Pine trees had been cut down and made into firewood with a chainsaw. A third tree had been chopped into with an axe. Trees like these are rare at this low elevation site. Other damage included cut down hackberry shrubs, garbage left on site, and a torn-up parking lot from spinning tires. The site was closed using four concrete ecology blocks hauled in from the Asotin Creek Wildlife Area. The closure is for less than one month. This is not the first-time trees, and other natural resources have been damaged at this site. We will open the site once we complete some rehabilitation work and installation of a kiosk/directional signage with an emphasis to protect resources.  

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Cougar: Natural Resource Technician Edmondson brought a cougar trap and a deer carcass to Sergeant Leonetti at the Region One office to assist with the capture of two potentially orphaned cougar kittens that have been seen in District Two. 

Turkey complaint: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb followed up on a call passed along from a weekend Enforcement response involving conflict turkeys in Walla Walla County. The reporting party (RP) was upset there have been turkeys in their yard. After conducting a site visit, Kolb explained why trapping would be challenging at the location. The RP also wanted to know if they could have kill permits. Kolb explained that although they were technically in the county, there were very limited shooting lanes due to an adjacent school and numerous other homes in the area. Kolb had a couple of Critter Gitters® with him and assisted the RP in setting those up around their property with the goal of changing the turkey movement patterns. The RP was appreciative of the site visit and the equipment loaned by the department. 

Cougar trap: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Kolb delivered a newly built cougar trap to the Clarkston field office. The trap was built by Walla Walla Community College welding program students as part of their yearly project builds. A second build trap will remain at the Walla Walla District Office. 

Bats: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman accompanied several Avista employees on a tour of the Long Lake Dam to learn more about the bat colony using the structure. Avista staff members were very interested in bat ecology, as well as steps to reduce bat use inside the structure and maintain safe conditions for their workers. The building dates to 1915 and provides ideal conditions for a bat maternity colony. 

Moose Relocation: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris and Sergeant Leonetti relocated a bull moose from North Spokane that had been causing property damage despite efforts to haze the moose away from private property. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Habitat: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley and Natural Resource Technician Moberg contacted landowners/managers interested in enhancing their property for spring habitat projects; coordinating delivery and planting dates of trees, shrubs and seed. 

SCWA Golden Eagle Nest Territory: Acting Wildlife Area Manager Palmer and Natural Resource Technician Graves were working near the golden eagle nest territory on Sherman Creek Wildlife Area this week and observed a golden eagle flying. Checking on the only known nest remaining in the territory, Palmer and Graves found it to be unoccupied. With a little binocular work, Graves discovered a new nest in the territory, with one egg in the nest, as seen in the photo below. 

Revere Shrub Planting Project: This year the Revere Wildlife Area will be in their second year of replacing some of the shrub plots that were lost as a result of the 2022 Wagner Road Fire. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff members prioritized specific areas for recovery and, along with the Spokane Chapter of Pheasant Forever as a partner, will be planting over 1,100 trees and shrubs on April 12^th and 13th. Wildlife Area Manager Finch worked with WDFW’s archeologist to clear the proposed sites prior to any work starting. So far, over 50 volunteers have signed up for the project in the WDFW CERVIS program for volunteers. Pheasant Forever Habitat Chairman Gruenke has already been mowing the three sites where the plantings will take place. 

Swanson Lake Wildlife Area staff members loaded the rototiller and tractor on the equipment trailer after having two new tires replaced on the equipment trailer at Les Swab in Davenport. 

This week Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner and Natural Resource Technician Duclos hauled materials from Swanson Lake’s storage sheds such as matting, deer fence, and staples. Wagner and Duclos also hauled the tractor with rototiller to start tilling up the shrub plots. 

Private Lands Work Party: Natural Resource Technician Moberg attended the three-day long private lands work party in Whitman County. Private Lands staff members from across the state gathered to prep and plant at several sites enrolled in the private lands access program. The habitat work was done in conjunction with Pheasants Forever. 

Sherman Creek Wildlife Area (SCWA) Prescribed Burn Preparations: Acting Wildlife Area Manager Palmer and Natural Resource Technician Graves started work on freshening up prescribed burn unit control lines at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. Units prioritized for this spring were treated with prescribed fire about eight years ago. For the fire dependent ponderosa pine forest, with a natural fire cycle of every 8-12 years, it is time to re-enter the units to mimic that natural fire interval. Palmer and Graves are utilizing a mini-excavator and ATV with pasture harrow to freshen up existing control lines by removing burnable fuel to expose bare soil. WDFW Burn Program Coordinator Lionberger also spent time on site to prioritize the sequence of control line work and identify control lines that need to be addressed by hand crews where machine operation is not feasible. The photo below shows a harrowed control line. 

Trash dumping at Campbell Grade Road: Wildlife Area Manager Dice looked at trash/debris dumped off Campbell Grade Road near the wildlife area boundary. Digging through the trash produced two pieces of old mail with the same name, indicating a residence in the town of Asotin. The perpetrator used a dump-trailer as evidenced by tire track marks on the road shoulder. Earlier in the week, we were notified by the County that someone had used a caterpillar key to unlock, start, and use their loader parked along South Fork Road near a gravel stockpile. The loader was used to steal a load of gravel. We later learned that the trash dumping suspect had a dump trailer parked in his back yard with a load of gravel. Apparently, the suspect dumped his load of garbage, then went down to South Fork Road to help himself to a load of gravel using the County’s loader. Dice turned over evidence to the Asotin County Sheriff’s office who are preparing to file charges.  

Providing Education and Outreach

STEAM Night: Biologist Brinkman and Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris set up an outreach booth at the South Pines Elementary STEAM night. They interacted with approximately 75-100 people, comprised of a mix of elementary students, parents, and teachers. The outreach booth had a “spin-to-win" wheel with different trivia categories where the biologists asked a question, and the student got a prize (WDFW swag) if they answered the question correctly. The students were mostly asked to identify an animal by looking at scat, tracks, skulls, and pelts, or to identify a bird by its sound/call. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Sharp-tailed Grouse Translocation: This month, fifteen male and fifteen female sharp-tailed grouse were trapped in British Columbia and relocated to the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. Wildlife area managers and staff members transported the birds from the Canadian border and transferred them to release boxes in the wildlife area and released them from there. Satellite tracking is being used to follow the movements of these birds, and staff members have enjoyed watching where they choose to spend their time. This translocation required cooperation and involved working with the sharp-tailed grouse translocation team, Diversity Program staff members, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife communications team. 

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Photo by WDFW

Sharp-tailed Grouse Lek Surveys and Searches: This month wildlife area staff members have continued with sharp-tailed grouse lek surveys. Staff members began completing adjacent lek counts synchronously removing suspicion that birds could be double counted after being flushed. New Natural Resource Technician Garcia started this month and was able to tag along for the last week of lek counts.  

Northern Leopard Frogs (NLF): In recent weeks, Biologists Dougherty and Clements, along with the assistance of Technicians Leipold, Kelly, Reed and Puckett, successfully established 25 tadpole pen enclosures at Columbia National Wildlife Refuge where eggs collected directly from Potholes Reservoir are being reared along with tadpoles that have been reared at our partner locations, the Oregon Zoo and Northwest Trek. The crew has also completed the elastomer tagging to help identify metamorphs later in the summer field season.

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Waterfowl: Biologists Dougherty and Clements, with the help of volunteers from a local waterfowl group chapter, have been monitoring hen mallard nest tubes that got reconstructed over the winter and were placed in early spring. So far one nest tube has been seen to have a hen mallard inside of it while a couple of others have shown some early activity of nesting inside of them. The monitoring will continue throughout the month of June. 

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Sage Grouse Surveys: Private Lands Biologist Braaten continues to count and search the last of the grouse leks in Douglas County for 2024. This last two weeks Private Lands Biologist Braaten has walked many miles of Conservation Reserve Project (CRP) in north Douglas County. These efforts finally paid off with the discovery of two new sharp-tailed grouse leks consisting of an additional 15 grouse. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

Pygmy Rabbit Support: Biologist Cook and Technician Blanchard mowed a fire lane to provide access and an area for fire crews to create a defensible space in case of wildfires. The main goal of this work is to protect one of the pygmy rabbit enclosures. On the same trip, Cook and Blanchard mowed access roads used by the pygmy rabbit crew to reduce fire risk when it will most likely be accessed later in the year when fire danger is higher. During the mowing Cook drove the tractor while Blanchard followed in a truck with a 110-gallon spray tank to be able to extinguish any fire starts that may occur. The mowing also occurred in the morning on a day with lower winds and temperatures to reduce fire risk.

Providing Recreation Opportunities

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

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Elk Issues: Specialist Heilhecker received a report of elk damage. The livestock producer stated 60 head of elk were eating all the grass. Therefore, he was not able to turn his cows out to pasture. The elk are also damaging his livestock fences. They discussed nonlethal hazing options. Specialist Heilhecker will meet with the producer to sign a damage prevention cooperative agreement. 

Range Rider Coordination: Specialist Heilhecker met with a new Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife contracted range rider (CRR). They discussed wolf activity in the county, reviewed paperwork the CRR needs to submit for payment, and possible riding locations for the grazing season. Heilhecker also gave the CRR a Garmin InReach to use. The CRR started work in the Sullivan Creek pack territory.

Depredation Investigation: Specialist Heilhecker and law enforcement investigated a dead calf in the Sullivan Creek pack territory. Based on information gathered at the scene, they determined the calf was a probable wolf depredation event. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was notified of the event.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Bridgeport Bar Irrigation and Preparation: Staff members have been working to prepare fields and irrigation on the Bridgeport Bar for spring seeding. Natural Resource Technicians Haney-Williamson and Ruiz completed routine maintenance, replaced several butterfly valves, and started the pump on the winter wheat fields.  

Scotch Thistle Spraying: Wildlife area staff members sprayed Scotch thistle sites across the Big Bend Wildlife Area. They saw a noticeable reduction in the number of plants as a result of last year’s spraying efforts. While completing this project, they assessed the success of last year’s bull thistle spraying and noticed that lakes that were covered in hundreds of bull thistle rosettes last year now host only a handful.  

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Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Spraying: Thirty-nine acres were treated using chemical fallow treatment to prepare for a seeding project on Barry Field in the Big Bend Wildlife Area. In this cooperative project wildlife area staff members supported the grazing permittee and NRCS with this spray project. 

Habitat Plots: Biologist Cook met with the Cultural Resources archeologist to look over maps of four potential projects to determine siting changes to avoid known cultural resources and potential needs for field surveys. Cook learned more about the cultural resources review process and how best to submit and track projects review progress. These projects are expected to begin work later this fall or next spring.

Biologist Morris set up a game camera on a habitat plot. The game camera serves two purposes: it will hopefully reveal any wildlife use of the habitat plot, and it will also show the plant development and growth throughout the year.

Biologist Morris has also been monitoring another habitat plot that has some mature and some recently planted (1 year ago) trees and shrubs. The plot has some Canada thistle and will need to be sprayed. Biologist Morris is keeping an eye on the thistle since it will need to be sprayed either when it starts bolting, or this fall before dormancy sets in.

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Providing Education and Outreach

Chief Joseph Dam Earth Day Event: Biologists Balderston and Haupt participated in an Earth Day Event at the Chief Joseph Dam where many different organizations led stations for groups of students from local elementary schools. Balderston and Haupt taught students what they can learn about an animal by looking at just their skull.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Photo by WDFW

STEAM by the STREAM Event: As hosts of the annual STEAM by the STREAM event, wildlife area staff members prepped the site on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area and led stations for students from local elementary and middle schools. Three of the four stations were run by Douglas County Wildlife Area Complex staff members, and these stations included landscape painting, planting native forbs, and a skull and bones themed nature walk. Students also learned about sharp-tailed grouse and the work that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife does to help protect and enhance their habitat.  

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Contracting: Lands Operations Manager Finger participated in contractor interviews for a Route Inventory and Assessment contract. The successful contractor will inventory trails, assess trails sustainability, and provide recommendations for trails improvements across a select few wildlife areas across the state. 

Safe Harbor Agreements to Conservation Benefit Agreements with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Biologists Rickel and Morris met with U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff members to begin transitioning existing Safe Harbor Agreements to Conservation Benefit Agreements. The new regulatory certainty template serves as a better management tool for species conservation and landowner flexibility. 

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Assistance: Private Lands Biologist Braaten received a call from Okanogan County NRCS. They requested assistance and wanted to talk with someone for advice regarding a 2012 conservation easement Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has on private land near Oroville. There was a Department of Natural Resources timber thinning project that recommended thinning timber in the easement area. Okanogan Land Trust also forwarded information of easements to Private Lands Braaten regarding this issue. Private Lands Biologist Braaten forwarded info to Regional Program Manager Haug, and he forwarded it to our Real Estate Manager.

Other

Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) Grant Applications: Biologists Blake and Haupt submitted RCO grants this month. One application was for work at the Big Bend Wildlife Area, and the other was for the new acquisition at Barclay Crane (Wells Wildlife Area) to do habitat restoration and cultural resource protection.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Sage BIL Grant Application: Biologist Haupt submitted a proposal for a USFWS Sage BIL grant. If funded, the project will involve mowing, weed control, and native planting to improve habitat for Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area.

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Managing Wildlife Populations

Sinlahekin Beavers: Manager Wehmeyer was out inspecting campgrounds to see what spring maintenance needed to be done, when he came across an area that looked like someone had been falling trees. On further inspection the notorious sport faller was a beaver, that had been hard at work building its dam. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Northern Leopard Frogs: The District 5 frog team (Biologists Clements, Dougherty, Nason, Turnock, and Technicians Hara and Force) has been working to locate northern leopard frog egg masses to assist with species recovery efforts, to date there have been nine egg masses located. Eggs will be collected from each mass (which represents a single female breeding effort). The eggs will be transported to either a partner zoo or to the translocation site. The frog team will continue monitoring northern leopard frog breeding throughout the occupied areas. Additionally, the frog team will be adding two technicians in the coming weeks to further increase staff member capacity. 

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Waterfowl: In early March, Biologist Clements along with some additional Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff members participated in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Flyway Wingbee Workshop in Redding, California. Hunters throughout the Pacific Flyway are selected and requested to submit the wings of their harvested geese and ducks throughout the season. Then biologists come together to determine species, sex and age of each wing. At this year’s workshop, biologists inspected 17,000 wings.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Greater Sage-grouse: Biologists across Douglas County continue to monitor known greater sage-grouse lek sites and search for new ones. A couple new leks have already been identified! Sage-grouse numbers recorded so far this spring are higher than they have been since the Pearl Hill fire, which is encouraging to see, because this species is classified as endangered by the State of Washington, and has been experiencing a dramatic population decline for many years now. For more information on greater sage-grouse in Washington, visit the WDFW website.  

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More recently, Biologist Clements assisted staff members from Alaska Department of Fish and Game with Canada goose captures. The capture efforts were primarily focused on lesser and Tavener’s Canada geese to better understand harvest and migration for these sub-species. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Wolf Cameras: Biologists Jeffreys, Eilers, and Morris picked up three remote trail cameras north of Lake Chelan that were used to survey the area for wolf occupancy. A female collared wolf from the Navarre pack was photographed. She was collared a couple years ago, but the collar malfunctioned and is no longer sending information. Other wildlife captured on camera included mule deer, bobcat, and coyote. 

Spring Mule Deer Surveys: Biologists Fitkin and Heinlen started spring mule deer surveys to gather data on fawn recruitment. Early returns suggest over-winter fawn mortality was low, which is not surprising given the generally very mild winter conditions.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Mule Deer: Biologists Jeffreys and Eilers picked up 15 remote trail cameras on game trails near Blewett Pass. These cameras were used to capture images of the Wenatchee Mountains mule deer herd from October 2023 through December 2023 when they were undertaking their annual eastward migration to lower elevation winter range. Biologists will soon analyze all images collected to determine age and sex of photographed deer and use this information to generate fawn to doe and buck to doe ratios for the herd. Biologists will then compare these ratios with those obtained from aerial surveys that took place in December 2023 to determine whether remote camera placement could be a viable method to assess mule deer herd composition moving forward.

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Photo by WDFW

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

Hunter Access: Biologist Morris checked and posted signs on hunter access properties. 

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Conservation Reserve Program: Biologist Morris worked on more recommended leave areas for the Conservation Reserve Program to protect potential pygmy rabbit habitat. Part of the reason for preserving sagebrush areas is that it can take 10-20 years to get a stand of sagebrush that is mature and dense enough to support pygmy rabbits. Every time mature sagebrush is destroyed it resets the clock for another 10-20 years before the area could provide pygmy rabbit habitat again. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Conserving Natural Landscapes

Limebelt Forest Health: Scotch Creek staff members teamed up with the Sinlahekin staff members for a day of thinning on the Limebelt. In total, approximately ten acres were thinned. 

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Scotch Creek Riparian Restoration: Staff members constructed a new fence enclosure and added weave material to multiple beaver dam analogs within the project area. The enclosure will be planted with deciduous shrubs the first part of April.

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Additionally, we had a special guest assist on the burn, M. Danielson from Conservation Northwest. Danielson hopes to work with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct some educational outreach with our partners about the benefits of prescribed burning. Last but not least, hats off to Methow Wildlife Area staff members, Biologist Repp and Natural Resource Specialist Wottlin for planning, prepping, and helping implement this important project.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Providing Education and Outreach

Private Lands Work Party: Biologists Morris, Cook, Braaten and Supervisor Rickel attended the Private Lands Work Party in Electric City. The private lands team from across the state met to work on some habitat projects, get training, get updates on the private lands program, and to network with other Private Lands staff members. There was a lot of rain and mud, but it was fun. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Sinlahekin Residence Upgrades: The Sinlahekin residence received a much-needed roof replacement. The project was led by Capital Assets Management Program Construction Project Coordinator Noddings. Contractors removed the old asphalt shingle roof that was missing in some areas and replaced it with a new metal roof. The old roof outlived its life expectancy. The new roof should handle the elements a lot better than the asphalt shingles.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Other

Incidental Observations: The recent warm spells have coaxed snakes from their hibernacula. Rattlesnakes are now basking near their den entrances as conditions allow and other species like garter snakes and gopher snakes have begun foraging. 

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Photo by Rohrer (USFS)

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Photo by Rohrer (USFS)

Scotch Creek Boundary Fence Repairs: Staff members repaired approximately two miles of boundary fence on the Scotch Creek Unit, one mile on the Ellemeham Unit, and one mile on the Tunk Unit.  

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Photo by WDFW

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Training: Staff members attended the Lands Division Quarterly and the Okanogan Noxious Weed Board winter recertification class for pesticide credits.  

Managing Wildlife Populations

Necropsy Training: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman attended a necropsy training conducted by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Veterinarians Drs. Mansfield and Haman, and Pathologist Dr. Oliveira from the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab (WADDL) at Washington State University (WSU). Staff members from several eastside districts and programs attended the class, which included classroom instruction and field necropsies on a variety of species. During the training, Dr. Oliveira performed a necropsy on a bighorn ewe that was collected last week from the Lincoln Cliffs herd. 

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Fairchild Airforce Base: Biologist Lowe worked with Habitat Biologist Westerman to review and provide comments for the 2024-2028 Draft Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) for Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane County. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Eloika Lake Parking Stops: Access Manager Dziekan and Natural Resource Technician Brant traveled to Eloika Lake to replace parking stops that have been crumbling. The first step was to remove the old blocks. Dziekan and Brant used pry-bars to lift the blocks that were in place, and a sledgehammer to loosen up the rebar anchors. They prepped and leveled the site. Then they carefully removed the new parking stops from the dump trailer and placed them where the old stops were originally located. The old rebar was salvaged and was driven into the ground where the old anchors were. The old parking stops were turned into gravel and spread in the parking area on site. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Wildlife Area Maintenance: Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Palmer used a mini excavator to continue cleaning up roads and trails on Bisbee Mountain, at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. He also started cleaning up the exposed portion of the irrigation system coming off Sherman Creek. He removed leaves and silt and cleaned out the trash rack to ensure the water flows smoothly. This work is in preparation for turning on the seasonal irrigation system and gate opening on April 1. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Conserving Natural Landscapes

Volunteer Opportunities: Private Lands Biologist Nizer coordinated and setup four volunteer events for registered Whitman County Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife volunteers. Nizer led a crew of eight volunteers to plant 1,700 plants at designated locations on private lands enrolled in the Private Lands Access Program. 

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Spring Weed Control: Wildlife Area Manager Dice sprayed food plot fields at Joseph Creek in preparation for spring food plot planting. Assistant Wildlife Area Manager Woodall started spraying parking lots with a pre-emergent herbicide that will keep them clean and looking good. This work will continue next week. Natural Resource Technicians Meisner and Hammons spent the whole week spraying emerging Scotch thistles in upland areas at the Halsey Unit. 

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Noxious Weed Control: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman listened in on the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Project Advisory Committee meeting where they reviewed grant applications and answered questions pertaining to her noxious weed control grant application. The project ranked second on their list to be funded so once the official letter is received the project to spray yellow star thistle in upper Tumalum Creek can move forward. 

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

General Facilities and Equipment Maintenance and Repairs: Dziekan and Brant inspected their shop and vehicle first aid supplies and ordered more items to have fully stocked kits on hand, both in the shop and for the field. 

Asotin Creek Wildlife Area, Smoothing Iron Well Pit: Meisner and Hammons replaced a crumbling concrete well ring near the Smoothing Iron house. The old ring was failing, and it was not safe. They also installed a new concrete top with a manhole making access to well and pump equipment easier. 

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Trainings: Natural Resource Technician Moberg attended the “How to Submit a Safety and Security Incident Report” online training. Moberg updated her First Aid/CPR Certification in Spokane. Additionally, Moberg studied Washington pesticide laws and related regulations for her upcoming pesticide certification test. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Region 3 Elk Surveys: Region 3 District Wildlife Biologists Wampole and Fidorra conducted aerial surveys of the Colockum elk herd. Aerial surveys provide data to estimate population size and post-hunt calf to cow and bull to cow ratios. This information is used to inform population trends. 

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Oak Creek Wildlife Area Elk Feeding Operations: Oak Creek staff members wrapped up the last of elk feeding on the Oak Creek Unit on March 16 and on the Cowiche Unit on March 19. A total of 702.9 tons of hay were fed to wintering elk from Dec. 26, 2023 to March 19, 2024. The high count of elk fed during this season was 3,072.

Walleye Fishing for Predator Food Web Project: L.T Murray Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Winegeart and Natural Resource Technician Blore assisted the Large Lakes fisheries team by taking a day to help catch walleye near Lyons Ferry. The study is to evaluate and understand prey utilization by walleye, but the L.T. Murray crew focused on fishing and learning more about what their coworkers do on a daily basis. 

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

L.T. Murray Recreation Access: After receiving a complaint from a hiker, L.T. Murray Wildlife Manager Morrison and Assistant Manager Winegeart looked at a structure that was constructed by a private landowner years ago on the Quilomene Unit property boundary. The structure was built to eliminate corner hopping from Department of Fish and Wildlife to Department of Natural Resources land. 

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Conserving Natural Landscapes

L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Access Site Improvements: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Winegeart, Natural Resource Scientist Nass, and Natural Resource Technician Blore replaced a partially burned wire gate with a new metal gate and placed barrier rock around the perimeter of the Whiskey Dick Unit’s Pump House Road parking site to replace the sagebrush barrier that was lost to the 2022 Vantage Highway fire. Individuals with trailers had begun driving outside of the parking site around other vehicles to turn around to avoid having to back up. A few tested their vehicles 4-wheel drive capabilities by driving farther into the newly replanted shrubsteppe. The rocks and gate provide an obvious boundary and facelift for this site. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Wenas Wildlife Area Plug Planting: Wenas Wildlife Area staff members, along with help from Region 3 Natural Resource Specialist Boggs, planted plugs of various species in three locations across the wildlife area. Near Sheep Co. Road, both sage and bitterbrush were planted, while a variety of species including sage, juniper, mock orange, bitterbrush, and Scouler’s willow were planted throughout the Cow Canyon fire 2022 burn scar and the Evans Canyon fire 2020 burn scar on Cleman Mountain.

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Photo by WDFW

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Wenas Wildlife Area Fence Repair: Wenas Wildlife Area Natural Resource Technicians Stoltenow and Janes repaired a portion of fence surrounding a parking area off Durr Road that had been torn down and members of the public were driving through off the green dot road. Tracks were going through a Conservation Reserve Program lease where the agency is working with a lessee on reestablishing the site back into native habitat.

Wenas Wildlife Area Firebreak Maintenance: Wenas Wildlife Area staff members finished burning weeds throughout the firebreak that runs along the elk fence in the southern portion of the wildlife area. The removal of the tumbleweeds will improve the chances of wildfires in the wildlife area to be contained and not jump to neighboring properties. This will also improve the effectiveness of the herbicide that will be applied to the firebreak. The herbicide will prevent weeds from building up throughout the rest of the year.

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L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Grazing: Manager Morrison worked with a Vence technician to install a virtual fence base station (tower) on the Quilomene Unit of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area. The tower has a line-of-sight reach of approximately ten miles. The wildlife area’s cattle grazing lessee will place GPS enabled shock collars on all adult cows that will communicate with the base station to allow the grazer to alter the collar’s preloaded boundaries via radio frequency while the GPS function will allow for tracking and delivering audible sounds and incremental shocks to the cows when necessary. 

The 2024 grazing season will mark the beginning of virtual fence use on the wildlife area. Hopes are high for this grazing management technique to be successful due to the state of the areas pasture fences and the impediment of fences to the wildlife that utilize the wildlife area. Boundary fences and fences needed for safety, such as fences paralleling the highway, will still be maintained. Ideally, internal pasture fences that are in very poor condition will be removed several years from now once the program proves successful. 

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Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Byron Shrub Planting: Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Assistant Manager Ferguson, Natural Resource Technician Cardenas, along with help from Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach have been plugging away with shrub plantings on the Byron Unit. These shrubs are part of a fire restoration project after a fire burned much of the area in September 2022. Sagebrush, bitterbrush, juniper, mock orange, serviceberry, golden currant, and Pacific willow are all being planted.

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Pine City Planting: Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach assisted Region 1 Private Lands Biologist Nizer and a group of volunteers with a large shrub and tree planting project in Pine City. The area burned in the Labor Day fires in 2020 and is an important roosting area for turkeys. Ponderosa pines were planted on the hillsides, along with hawthorn, juniper, and Wood’s rose in the flats. Nearly 700 plants were put in the ground that day on top of the 800 that were planted earlier in the week.

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Providing Education and Outreach

Oak Creek Wildlife Area Kiosk Updates: Oak Creek Wildlife Area Natural Resource Worker O’Brien updated signage at the kiosks on Tim’s Pond and the Naches River access site across from Rowe Farms.

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Other

Oak Creek Wildlife Area Graffiti Removal: Natural Resource Worker O’Brien covered up graffiti at multiple locations on the Oak Creek Wildlife Area. 

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Photo by WDFW

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Oak Creek Wildlife Area Gate Improvement: Oak Creek Wildlife Area Manager Mackey and Natural Resource Worker O’Brien retrofitted the locking mechanism of the Mud Lake gate to allow for multiple locks. 

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L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Elk Feeding: The L.T. Murray crew members took some bad hay to a local landscaping company for compost. The hay had too much moisture to cover with tarp at delivery and never had a chance to dry so a few of the top bales were set aside during the feeding season. Some would fall through the hay forks like butter. 

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L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Road Management: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Manager Morrison and Assistant Manager Winegeart inspected an area of the Corrals Access Road on the L.T. Murray’s Whiskey Dick Unit after heavy erosion was reported. The site burned in the 2022 Vantage Highway fire. Without standing vegetation and a litter layer to reduce and slow water runoff and with the addition of potentially hydrophobic soils resulting from fire intensity, excess water runoff altered this once easily traversable road to a barely accessible road. 

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L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Fence Repair: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Natural Resource Technician Blore worked with a master hunter to repair boundary fence around the Teanaway Valley Unit. Melting snow and wildlife always leave this fence in need of maintenance in the spring. 

L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Habitat Work: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Manager Morrison and Habitat Biologist Reavill deployed 20 data loggers in meadows near the L.T. Murray Unit’s Tamarack Spring to monitor snow melt timing and water availability to start a project to improve headwater retention in the Manastash drainage. 

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Private Lands Work Party: Most of the Private Lands team members from around the state met in Electric City for an annual Private Lands Work Party. Region 3 Private Lands Biologist Manderbach met many Private Lands staff members he had not met before. Private Lands biologists demonstrated equipment and tractor implements. They planted around 600 shrubs and seeded two food plots. 

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Managing Wildlife Populations

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

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

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

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

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

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Providing Recreation Opportunities

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

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Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Conserving Natural Landscapes

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

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Providing Education and Outreach

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

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Conducting Business Operations and Policy

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

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Other

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