Washington Wildlife Areas Past and Present: Driscoll Island Wildlife Area

Contact Information: Dale Swedberg, Manager P.O. Box C Loomis, WA  98827 509-223-3358   Home Directions and Map Rules and Regulations Access Sites Physical Geography Driscoll Island: Past and Present Driscoll Lake Photo Gallery Bird Checklist Mammal Checklist Reptile & Amphibian Checklist Fish Checklist Butterfly Checklist Links A Vehicle Use Permit is REQUIRED on ALL WDFW Lands Purchase Vehicle Use Permit About Vehicle Use Permit

Located about one mile south of Oroville, in north central Washington, Driscoll Island lies at the confluence of the Similkameen and Okanogan Rivers.  Ever since the arrival of Europeans, Driscoll Island has been farmed or grazed. Prior to that time it was used by Aborigines for camping and food gathering, including freshwater mussels and fish.  Dan Driscoll first settled the island in 1869, and one of the cabins he built still stands on the island. Purchased in 1974, the 260-acre Driscoll Island Wildlife Area became the focal point of Canada goose management in the Oroville area.  The primary objective was to provide goose nesting and foraging habitat.  In order to provide the best goose foraging habitat, the island had to be grazed, since Canada geese prefer short grasses for forage in addition to the fact they can easily see predators approaching.  Additionally, by providing well-grazed grass pastures next to the rivers, it was hoped that Canada geese in the area would show a preference for foraging on the island rather than private property in the area—a form of goose damage management.  Livestock grazing has not been allowed since 2001, and there are no plans to reinstate grazing.  In addition to goose habitat, the island plans included management for upland game birds by planting grain crops and fencing riparian areas to protect trees and shrubs, needed for cover, from livestock use.  Wildlife-oriented recreation, with hunting and fishing in particular, were other reasons for the purchase. During the first twelve years of ownership, a footbridge provided year-round access to Driscoll Island for hunters, fisher persons, and birdwatchers.  In 1986, the footbridge was condemned as unsafe for the public to use and was torn out within a year.  Presently the only access to Driscoll Island is by boat or by wading across the ford during low water, which is generally July 15 to April 15.  Authorized vehicles such as WDFW employees or the sharecropper are allowed to drive across the ford.  Access to the island has been an oft-debated issue and was particularly hot shortly after the footbridge was closed and removed. Driscoll Island is a popular place for upland bird hunters in the fall when they pursue the California Quail, Hungarian partridge, and Ring-necked Pheasants found on the island.  Steelhead fisherpersons can also be found wading across the ford in the fall through spring in order to get to prime fishing holes that are best fished from the Driscoll Island side.  There is a small population of mule deer and a few white-tailed deer that inhabit the island and which may be hunted occasionally.  When access to the island was easier, people would search the island for wild asparagus, which grows everywhere.  A few people use the island for hiking and training their dogs. To increase nesting sites and production, the North Okanogan County Sportsmens Council and Oroville Sportsmens Club have installed and maintained “goose tubs” for nesting Canada geese since the 1940s on Driscoll Island and the surrounding area.  They have also installed and maintained Wood Duck nesting boxes. Endangered upper Columbia Steelhead, Fall Chinook, and the Osoyoos Sockeye pass through the river channels surrounding Driscoll Island on their way to Lake Osoyoos. Weeds, in particular Dalmatian Toadflax, Plumeless Thistle, and Russian and Diffuse knapweed, have been and will continue to be a challenge that requires persistence and dedication to keep them under control.  However, biocontrol of Diffuse knapweed seems to be relatively successful, with hopes of more biocontrol agents becoming available for the other weeds. Funding for management of Driscoll Island has come from the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area Operation and Management budget.  In 1998, a Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) grant was obtained through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  These funds were used to build fences to keep livestock out of riparian areas, install watering troughs for off-river watering sites, plant shrubs, and install a watering system for the shrubs.