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Southwest Washington
Wildlife Reports
February
25, 2008
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| Elk
along the roadway where hay is being distributed. |
Region
5 Wildlife Areas
Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area Winter Feeding Update: Agency staff continue
to deliver alfalfa hay to the Mt. St. Helens Wildlife Area on a daily basis.
The Emergency Winter Feeding operation, which began on January 28th, was a significant
challenge for the first couple of weeks due primarily to difficult road conditions
from heavy snowfall. At one point we had a flat bed truck stuck on the Wildlife
Area for over one week and had to resort to the use of 4 wheel drive pickups
to transport the hay. We currently are feeding about two tons of hay per day
and estimate that we have approximately 600 elk on the area. The attached photo
shows some of the elk along the roadway where hay is being distributed.
Shillapoo Wildlife Area Tree Plantings: Assistant Manager Hauswald and Technician Fox have been busy this week planting about 1,800 trees at four different sites on the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. Two of the sites are riparian plantings, and received about 1,100 trees; one was a cottonwood planting of 500 trees in an effort to restore a previous Great Blue Heron Rookery; and the fourth was an upland site, which received about 200 trees. A fifth site, which was approved for tree planting late last fall, will receive about 600 trees next week. The majority of the trees being planted are Oregon Oak, in an effort to restore native oak forest communities in the area. Each project site will take several years to complete the plantings and the desired plant composition at each.
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| An
otter and a porcupine sleeping on a stump in the creek were observed during
the site visit at Swale Creek area. |
Klickitat Wildlife Area Projects: Wildlife Area Manager VanLeuven met with the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group to discuss the Swale Creek area. An otter and a porcupine sleeping on a stump in the creek were observed during the site visit. In addition, Manager VanLeuven conducted a site visit around the Sipes property with a Wildlife Area neighbor, Columbia Land Trust, and Habitat Biologist Weiler. Discussions included current condition of the habitat relative to western gray squirrels and other features, such as recent land uses, etc. The group observed two groups of deer and one western gray squirrel during the visit, as well as 25 to 30 squirrel nests. Manager VanLeuven also met with former Wildlife Area Manager Morrison to discuss various issues related to the Wildlife Area - Mr. Morrison provided a wealth of historical information that is very valuable with respect to current management considerations on the Wildlife Area.
Game
Management Division
Hunting Season Recommendations: Biologist Holman reviewed preliminary
harvest data for deer and elk in Region 5. Additionally, population modeling
was conducted to ascertain what impact the liberalization of antlerless elk
harvest in the St. Helens Herd had on the overall population. Further consideration
was given regarding the severity of the current winter. Per the Mt. St. Helens
Elk Herd Plan, the 2007 season began the 5-year effort to reduce the St. Helens
Elk population from approximately 13,000 individuals to 10,000. As a follow-up
to these efforts, Regional Wildlife Program Manager Jonker, District Wildlife
Biologist Anderson, and Biologist Holman met with Game Division Manager Ware
and Deer and Elk Section Manager Nelson regarding Region 5 hunting season proposals.
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| Fish
and Wildlife Scientific Technician Ridenour and volunteer Howell spent
a morning checking the cameras on Lord and Fisher Islands. |
Wildlife
Diversity Division
Columbian White Tailed Deer: Fish and Wildlife Scientific Technician
Ridenour and volunteer Howell spent a morning checking the cameras on Lord and
Fisher Islands. Of 11 images on Fisher Island, 1 contained a picture of a Black
Tailed deer and 10 others were images of a coyote. No images of deer were recorded
on Lord Island, although 1 camera had a battery malfunction. Images are used
to estimate deer subspecies on the island during other surveys.
Administrative: District Wildlife Biologist Miller is recovering from surgery from a work related injury. Miller is required to wear a knee-high boot to prevent any moment of his ankle/heel for another 9 weeks. Since this injury is on Miller's right foot, he is unable to drive or engage in extensive walking/hiking until the end of April, and arrangements for some surveys will be impacted.
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