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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
Fred Dobler, Wildlife Program Manager

March 13, 2006

Region 5 Wildlife Areas

Cowlitz Wildlife Area: Cowlitz Trout Hatchery Tree Planting– CWA staff utilizing a local reforestation crew planted 4800 trees and shrubs into 10 acres of wildlife area fields. The fields were planted with a variety of trees including red alder, black cottonwood, bitter cherry and Oregon Ash. Additionally several brush species were planted as well including snowberry, salmonberry, Pacific willow and red-osier dogwood. The hopes are that survival will be high and that the area can be returned to a mixed deciduous forest habitat with a forested wetland regime. In addition to the deciduous planting, 1100 conifer were planted to augment the existing visual barrier that borders the fields along the trout hatchery road.

Cowlitz Wildlife Area: Artificial Nest Box Annual Maintenance and Inventory– Habitat Technician Morris and Assistant Manager Vanderlip performed the annual inspection, maintenance and survey on the artificial cavity nest boxes. Use data was on average with previous years but mortality was higher. Several clutches were laid in Swofford Pond nest boxes but hatches were unsuccessful. Additionally Oxbow Lake, a usually heavy producer, had a starling problem. Also, predation had occurred in a large percentage of the boxes. Attrition and vandalism accounted for the loss of 8 boxes across the wildlife area. 2006 plans are to identify key areas in the Tilton River arm of Mayfield Lake and place several new boxes in those identified locations.

Cowlitz Wildlife Area: Weed Control Activities– Assistant Manager Vanderlip hand pulled approximately 250 scotch broom plants on the Swofford Pond unit of the wildlife area. The plants were located along Green Mountain Road near the outlet of Swofford Pond and on the recently acquired property adjacent to Blue Road (was Tacoma Power recreation lands). This is a small population and is targeted for eradication. The area will be monitored often and any plants observed will be pulled before they can set seed.

Recreation Information: Riffe Lake Water Levels– Tacoma Power updates lake levels and other recreation information on its toll-free Fishing and Recreation Line every weekday at 1-888-502-8690.

Wildlife Biologist Miller and Wildlife Area Manager Calkins conducted a second elk winter mortality survey of the mudflow portion of the Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area on March 8th with help from Toutle High School students.

Mt. St. Helens Elk Winter Mortality Survey– Wildlife Biologist Miller and Wildlife Area Manager Calkins conducted a second elk winter mortality survey of the mudflow portion of the Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area on March 8th. About twenty volunteers helped with the survey by systematically walking sections of the wildlife area in search of elk that had died on the site. This included students from Toutle High School that have been helping with the effort throughout the winter. A total of 20 new mortalities were found bringing this winter's total to 25 for the site. This total is consistent with what should be expected considering the conditions this winter and the high number of elk that have been seen using the site. The effort was covered by the Longview Daily News in a story that was published on March 10th.

One of the elk that had died was fresh enough to offer the opportunity to collect more detailed samples through a Necropsy. Miller preformed the procedure with the help of three of the students and their instructor. Samples were collected from the lungs, heart, intestine, liver and muscle tissues and one leg for lab analysis. Pat did an outstanding job of explaining the process he was following and how winter stress effects the animals ability to survive. This will undoubtedly be an experience the students will remember for many years as part of their education.

Game Management Division

Region 5 Deer Management– The annual Spring survey of black-tailed deer on and near the Klickitat Wildlife Area was conducted on the 7th and 8th of March. Biologists Anderson and Holman, Klickitat Wildlife Area Manager Ellenburg, Fisheries Biologist Gray, and Department of Natural Resources WCC Crew Leader Matt Adams conducted the survey. A total of 476 deer were observed during the effort with 450 classified. The number of classified deer was similar to the 15-year average of 559 deer.

Klickitat Wildlife Area Spring Deer Survey GMU 588 Deer Harvest   Does Bucks Total F:A KWA 1992 156 810 966 0.42 1993 83 497 580 0.13 1994 242 339 581 0.34 1995 55 737 792 0.56 1996 125 725 850 0.42 1997 87 530 617 0.18 1998 83 809 892 0.47 1999 127 955 1082 0.58 2000 183 1180 1363 0.46 2001 139 982 1121 0.54 2002 200 749 949 0.52 2003 171 525 696 0.52 2004 107 799 906 0.52 2005       0.60 2006       0.66

GMU 588 Spring Deer Survey Summary 1980-2006 Click to Enlarge

More significant than the total number of deer observed, however, is the annual ratio of fawns to adults. Young deer are more likely to succumb to harsh winter conditions and food shortages, therefore the ratio provides a barometer for winter severity. During severe winters, fawns suffer mortality at a greater rate than adults thereby reducing the ratio of fawns to adults.

This year's survey resulted in a ratio of 66 fawns per 100 adult deer. Reflective of the latest in a series of mild Klickitat County winters, 66 fawns per 100 adults represents the second-highest ratio observed in the 27-year history of the survey and is significantly higher than the long-term average of 47 to 100. The 2006 survey indicates, that the deer present on or near the Klickitat Wildlife Area suffered little in the way of winter losses during 2005/06. Please see the attached figure illustrating the fawn to adult ratio recorded on the annual Spring Survey during the past 27 years and the number of deer classified during the past 15 years. Thanks to all those that participated in the annual spring survey.