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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
March 12, 2007

Region 5 Wildlife Areas

Cedar Creek riparian zone and bank stabilization site.

Cedar Creek Wildlife Area Inspection: Wildlife Area Manager Calkins recently visited the Cedar Creek Site which is a satellite unit of the Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area to check on maintenance needs in an established riparian planting, survey for meadow knapweed and other weeds, and determine what is needed for fence repair in one location. The riparian zone and bank stabilization work is holding up very well as shown image to the right.

Calkins discovered nearby that someone had planted a few hundred Douglas Fir seedlings which is a concern. This work by an unknown party was not coordinated with Calkins and most of the trees will have to be removed. This site was purchased because of a mineral spring that is important to Band-tailed pigeons. These spring sites are a critical habitat component for these birds and must remain open or they will be abandoned. Although not yet formalized, the plan for the open fields where the trees were planted is to have them largely covered with fruit producing hardwoods to benefit the pigeons as well as other species that use the site.

Shillapoo Wildlife Area Shillapoo Pump Upgrade: Since it was originally installed some years ago, the pump that was installed to manage water in wetland basins on part of the South Unit has not met expectations. This is largely due to the way the pump was designed. The screen surface area and pump volume did not meet fish screening criteria needed to protect juvenile salmonids at typical river levels.

WDFW's TAPP's and Engineering programs have been working with Wildlife Area Manager Calkins on this issue and an upgrade to the system is almost complete. The work includes installation of seals on the screens to better protect juvenile fish and the installation of a second, smaller pump that can be used at lower river levels within the fish screening protection guidelines. The larger pump will still be in place and used when river levels are high enough, but the smaller pump will allow management of water levels, and thus vegetation, on a more reliable basis. The end result will be better protection for fish and more reliable, improved management and native habitat in our wetland basins that the pump station serves.

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, usually a 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. 2007 plans are to identify key areas in the Tilton River arm of Mayfield Lake and place several new boxes in those identified locations.

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 Diversity Division

US Forest Service Grazing Allotment: Biologist Anderson is currently assisting the habitat division with review and analysis of the Ice Caves cattle grazing program on the Mt. Adams district of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This permit process allows for the grazing of 200 cattle in the Cave Creek area near Trout Lake. Resource issues for WDFW include protection of butterfly habitat for the mardon skipper, riparian protection, and range availability for big game. In the past, the USFS has had a poor record of overseeing the specifics of monitoring this range allotment. We have concerns about overgrazing of important meadow and riparian habitats. Final comments are being drafted by the habitat division and will be complete next week.

Adult male Golden eagle.

Raptor Study: Biologist Anderson is assisting Biologist Watson from the research division with developing a study of raptor movements associated with wind farm development in the Columbia River Gorge. Mitigation money is being requested for transmitter-equipping several raptors nesting adjacent to proposed turbines. The goal of the project is to learn more about pre and post construction habitat use by birds of prey. This week an adult male golden eagle was captured and fitted with a satellite transmitter that will provide valuable data for this project.

Game Management Division

Cowlitz Valley Elk Survey: WDFW Wildlife Biologist Woodin and Puyallup Tribe of Indians Wildlife Biologist Barbara Moeller combined efforts to complete a survey of elk in the Cowlitz and Cispus River valleys last week. A total of 657 elk were classified in both valleys. In the Cowlitz valley, 526 elk were classified with a ratio of 19 bulls to 100 cows to 36 calves. In addition, 77% of bulls seen were spikes, with 14% raghorn and 9% mature bulls.

Bull elk spotted from helicopter during Cowlitz Valley elk survey.

The Cispus valley survey managed to classify 111 elk with a composition of 11 bulls to 100 cows to 39 calves. Spike bulls composed 50% of the total with raghorn bulls at 38% and mature at 12%. See image at right of some bulls seen during the flight.

The success of this survey goes to our pilot, Jess Hagerman, for his mastery in flight skills as well as spotting and classifying elk.

Mount Saint Helens Elk Management: WDFW Commission Chair Jerry Gutzwiler organized a meeting with key Weyerhaeuser managers, representatives from Longview Fiber, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and WDFW to discuss access to Weyerhaeuser lands. The level of browse damage received by the timber companies over the past several years has generated significant interest in facilitating the herd reduction identified in the Mount St. Helens Elk Herd plan. Weyerhaeuser has committed to working with WDFW and local citizen groups to provide well controlled and managed hunter access for this fall.

As follow-up to the above-described meeting, Regional Wildlife Program Staff along with Game Division Manager Ware met with representatives from Weyerhaeuser and DNR. Additional details regarding hunting access to Weyerhaeuser's lands were discussed. Specifically, seasons for all user groups including early and late hunting periods, access points, the critical role to be played by volunteer groups, browse damage, objectives of the Mt. St. Helens Elk Herd Plan, deer management, etc. were all discussed.