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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
Fred Dobler, Wildlife Program Manager

April 10, 2006

Mt. St. Helens Elk Winter Mortality: Wildlife Area Manager Calkins and Biologist Miller have each responded to questions from the media and a state representative due to concerns about winter mortality in the elk population around Mt. St. Helens. A very graphic story which aired on Portland news has added additional attention from the public. WDFW documents winter mortality in this area every year but it appears that this winter may have taken a larger toll than that of recent years. Surveys earlier this winter have documented 25 elk dead due to malnutrition on the Mt. St. Helens State Wildlife Area. We are certain that more elk have died since the survey. Tissue samples from a subset of these animals have been collected for disease monitoring. WDFW will conduct an additional survey later in April.

Wildlife Area Management

Cottonwood cuttings, one of the many methods of controlling erosion on the banks of rivers on WDFW Wildlife Areas.

Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area Erosion Control Measures: Wildlife Area Manager Calkins with the help of volunteer Mike Braaten and several students from Kelso High School has continued work to stabilize the erosion prone edge of the remaining mudflow on the wildlife area. This has included the planting of 165 cottonwood cuttings that had been rooted in water, 200 purchased 2-3 ft alder seedlings and 150 seedlings transplanted from other parts of the wildlife area. The alder trees were planted on the southern side of the area known as "the island." a grass legume seed mix will also be added to the same sites in the coming weeks. Areas further to the west where most of the work had been done in previous years are now well vegetated and withstood higher river flows earlier this winter quite well. This gives us some assurance that this work has paid off by protecting our existing elk forage areas. Areas on the eroded gravel bars that have been seeded in the last two years to increase forage production also are still showing promise, indicating that over time we will be able to replace some of the forage producing acreage that had previously been lost to erosion.

Daren Hauswald has been hired as the Assistant Manager for the Shillapoo Wildlife Area.

Assistant Manager for Shillapoo Wildlife Area Hired: Daren Hauswald has been hired as the Assistant Manager for the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. He started work on March 27th. Daren has worked on the wildlife area in the past which has help him get a quick start on many of his assigned tasks. In addition to the required orientation and training that is necessary Daren has already started into getting equipment ready for the field season and working on some timely field projects. These include seeding bare soil areas where blackberry control had occurred last year and noxious weed control.

Wildlife Diversity Division

Columbian White-tailed Deer: Efforts to increase the stability of the population of Endangered Columbian White-tailed Deer in the Lower Columbia River watershed continue. A recent translocation of these deer onto upstream islands was successfully accomplished.

Biologists from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with highly experienced volunteers from Kitsap Bowhunters and Eyes In The Woods cooperated in this endeavor. Ten whitetails from Puget Island in Washington were transported upstream to Fisher and Hump Islands. Five additional deer were moved to the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge from Puget Island. Fourteen deer from the Wodson area in Oregon were moved upstream to Lord, Walker and Crimms islands in Oregon.

Efforts to increase the stability of the population of Endangered Columbian White-tailed Deer include a recent translocation. The capture involves both a helicopter and a crew on ground to funnel the deer into nets.

The capture involves both a helicopter and crew on the ground to funnel the deer into nets located in cottonwood plantations. Crews at the nets immediately untangle the deer and apply eye masks, hobbles and place them in bags for aerial transport to the receiving islands. Veterinarians from both Washington and Oregon monitored each deer to insure their health and safety.

Once on the receiving island, each deer was inspected and released. Ongoing monitoring of the deer continues using infra-red cameras in Washington. See photos for an example of a monitoring picture. Thanks to all those that helped on this project.

Peregrine Falcon Monitoring: Surveys of Peregrine Falcon nesting territories have begun in Southwest Washington. In Wahkiakum County, one previously documented territory has confirmed occupancy of an adult pair while a second know site cannot be monitored from ground or boat and will need to be surveyed from the air. WDFW volunteer Bruce DeShaw assisted Biologist Holman in the establishment of artificial nesting structures for barn owls at the Clark County Fairgrounds. A new potential site in Cowlitz County where one adult peregrine has been seen did not yield a second bird and will continue to be monitored. These surveys are part of ongoing monitoring of Peregrine Falcons by both Washington State and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Barn Owl Nest Boxes: WDFW volunteer Bruce DeShaw assisted Biologist Holman in the establishment of artificial nesting structures for barn owls at the Clark County Fairgrounds. Bruce additionally constructed and installed a nest box in the Vancouver Lowlands. See the attached photo of Bruce at the nest box location on the Vancouver Wildlife Area. Nest box productivity will be monitored in June. Thanks to Bruce for his volunteer work on a number of different bird species in Region 5 and to Clark County Fairgrounds Staff for their work to provide habitat for their barn owl population.