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Southwest Washington Wildlife Reports
May 21, 2007

2007 Youth Expo on May 18 and 19th. The event was well attended and provided a variety of outdoor activities for children to participate in or learn about.

2007 Youth Expo: Biologists Miller, Anderson, Holman; Wildlife Area Managers Calkins, Hauswald, VanLeuven, Grabski, Vanderlip; Temporary Scientific Technician Ridenour, and Program Manager Jonker all participated in the 2007 Youth Expo on May 18 and 19th. The event was well attended and provided a variety of outdoor activities for children to participate in or learn about. The Region 5 Wildlife Program displayed the 4 Wildlife Areas in the Region as well as elk management in the Region and provided several activities for the school children and families to engage in. In addition, the Program provided information on waterfowl identification for the Game ID booth. We received positive feedback from children expressing the event was the best educational event they had been to. Office Manager Morrison organized a Region 5 WDFW booth providing informational material and was assisted by Fisheries Biologist Stephenson and Wildlife Program staff.

Region 5 Wildlife Areas

Klickitat Wildlife Area Grazing: Acting Wildlife Manager VanLeuven continued to monitor the effects of cattle grazing currently on-going on the Wildlife Area and maintained water source for the cattle.

VanLeuven met with Habitat Biologists from Region 5, Fish Biologist from the Yakama tribe, member of WDFW Engineering staff, and a volunteer with experience in road abandonment projects to discuss bridge removal projects on Dead Canyon Creek. These projects are part of the Wildlife Area's RMAP agreement with DNR.

In addition, VanLeuven wrote work plans for the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crew and met with the WCC supervisor and crew to describe and direct work activities. The crew has been working on picking up debris in the Klickitat Wildlife Area compound, cleaning and servicing equipment (lawnmower and weed cutter), mowing grass, fence repair, etc. In addition, VanLeuven directed WCC crew to look for the noxious weed (Dalmatian toadflax) at the Mineral Springs Unit and pull it. The weed was blooming on the Soda Springs Unit, and all plants were hand-pulled.

Game Management Division

7th Western States and Provinces Deer and Elk Workshop: Biologist Holman attended the 7th Western States and Provinces Deer and Elk Workshop in Estes Park, Colorado. Representatives from most Regions, Deer and Elk Section Manager Nelson, and Statewide Deer and Elk Specialist McCroquodale attended as well. This gathering is held every-other year and is sponsored by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The Colorado Division of Wildlife hosted this year’s meeting.

The three-day session featured presentations on a variety of deer and elk related topics. Some highlights included information regarding the effect that conversion to an entirely "permit-only" system of deer hunting management has had in Colorado, the impacts to a deer population in Wyoming during the development of extensive gas and oil mining, elk movement patterns in response to hunting when a nearby refuge is available, updates on Chronic Wasting Disease, the importance of nutrition on reproductive rates of deer and elk, other factors impacting elk recruitment and the impact of the reintroduction of wolves on the elk population. Thanks to all of those who helped put on the conference and those who shared their information. WDFW will host the next conference in Spokane in the spring of 2009.