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Southwest Washington
Wildlife Reports
February
4, 2008
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Snow
has impacted many of the acitivities of the Klickitat and Cowlitz Wildlife
Areas. |
Region
5 Wildlife Areas
Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area Emergency Winter Feeding Initiated:
Hay was delivered on Monday the 28th and WDFW immediately began the emergency
winter-feeding on the Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area. We currently estimate that
at least 600 elk are on the area. During the first week, between 1300 and 4000
pounds of alfalfa have been fed per day. Conditions for the feeding crew have
been somewhat miserable, having to deal with driving through up to 18 inches
of snow to reach the site. For the time being, we have abandoned the use of
larger flatbed trucks and are feeding out of 4 wheel drive pickups, which are
currently the only vehicles that can make it in and out of the site safely.
As we would ordinarily expect under conditions such as these, staff have observed
two elk mortalities that may be due to winter conditions. Last year, even with
a feeding program operating, a total of 18 mortalities were found on the site,
an indicator that forage is not the only factor leading to winter mortality.
Harsh winter conditions are just as important in dictating the severity of winter
on the animals.
Klickitat and Cowlitz Wildlife Areas: Staff at both Wildlife Areas have been spending many hours clearing and trudging through snow; impacting outside related work activities. Staff have been monitoring impacts to wildlife.
Game
Management Division
Region 5 Post-Season Deer Surveys: Biologist Holman compiled the results
of post-season deer surveys conducted in GMU 388 (Grayback) and 382 (East Klickitat).
During the effort a total of just over 800 deer were classified with a combination
of aerial and ground surveys employed. Please see the table and graph below
summarizing the post-season deer survey results from 2003 through 2007 in these
two important Region 5 GMUs. A post-hunting season goal of 15 bucks per 100
does has been established as a state-wide benchmark per the Game Management
Plan. Note that although located in Region 5, and containing both mule and black-tailed
deer as well as hybrid animals, GMU 388 is now managed as a mule-deer area.
A three-point or larger antler restriction for all user-groups was implemented
in 2006 and the general rifle season was shortened to 14 days. During the period
spanning 2003 through 2005, Grayback was hunted under a more liberal two-point
restriction and offered a longer general rifle season. Post-season buck to doe
ratios under prior management strategy averaged just 8 bucks per 100 does annually.
The survey indicates that this change in management strategy has resulted in
improved post-hunting-season escapement of bucks in GMU 388. WDFW will continue
to monitor the post-season deer population in GMU 388 in future years.
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Region
5 Post Season Deer Survey Summary 2003-2007 Click chart for enlargement |
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Wildlife
Diversity Division
Columbia River Gorge Trails: Biologist Anderson is currently assisting
the Habitat Division with review of several proposed trail systems in the Columbia
River Gorge. Many of the trails under review are mountain bike trails that have
not been approved for development by the USFS and have been built in sensitive
wildlife habitats near Catherine and Major Creeks near White Salmon. The public
review process is attempting to go back and determine if many of the trails
should be closed or allowed to continue to exist. Trials are currently in areas
with sensitive raptor nesting sites and big game concentration areas.
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