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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
Brian Calkins, Acting Wildlife Program Manager

September 11, 2006

Wildlife Diversity Division

Western Pond Turtle: Biologist Anderson is currently working with Bonneville Power Administration staff to develop a budget and scope of work for fiscal year 2007. It appears that funding will be secured for another year to continue with our population enhancement in the Columbia River Gorge.

Field staff have started to check for hatchling juvenile WPT's from this years nesting. Due to dry conditions, several sites may be dug earlier than normal to prevent mortality of turtle eggs. Past experience has shown that years of extreme drought usually means lower productivity.

Game Management Division

Elk Composition Surveys: Regional Wildlife Staff conducted aerial elk composition surveys over the Siouxon (572), Yale (554), Toutle (556) and Margaret (524) Game Management Units on the 5th and 6th of September. Weather conditions were suitable with limited fog and calm - moderate winds during the three survey flights. The new Wildlife Program Standard Operating Proceedures for flight were followed during the effort. These proceedures require additional Staff and resources to maintain compliance but do add a measure of safety to the flights.

September 5, 2006

Diversity Division

Non Native Wildlife: Thirteen Eurasian Collared Doves were seen at the grain silos in Goldendale, Klickitat County this week. Originally from Asia, Eurasian Collard Doves are rapidly expanding their range since showing up in Florida, from the Bahamas, several decades ago. This is the largest group of these exotic doves seen in Klickitat to date.

Western Pond Turtle Habitat Project: Biologist Anderson was notified that the USFS currently has $12,000 allocated for WPT habitat improvement in Skamania County. The majority of this money will be used to remove
unwanted vegetation like Scot's broom and blackberry. In addition, thinning of Douglas fir will be accomplished in select timber stands adjacent to turtle habitat.

Game Division

Game Species Status and Trend Reports: Biologists in the region have completed their portions of the agencies annual status and trend reports for deer, elk, cougar, grouse, turkey and mountain goat. These reports summarize survey efforts, harvest trends and other factors such as habitat changes and how they effect the future management of each species.

Elk Herd Composition Surveys: Regional Wildlife Program Staff have devoted considerable time in preparation of next week's annual elk surveys. Standard Operating Procedures now predicate considerable time in the coordination of logistics and safety related aspects of survey flights. Specifically, new requirements for on-board GPS units, Personal Locator Beacons, Flight Tracking, Ambient Noise Reduction equipment, extra radios, etc. all add to the complexity of flying.

Elk composition flights are designed to determine annual bull to cow ratios, calf to cow ratios and bull mortality rates. The data generated from these efforts is used as a portion of the input into the Regional elk population model. Next week's flights will be conducted within the Siouxon, Yale, Margaret and Toutle GMUs.