Wildlife Program report: Mar. 1-15, 2025

Managing Wildlife Populations

Deer: Private Lands Biologist Heitstuman followed up on a sick deer report in the Clarkston area with Conflict Specialist Wade. This is a repeat caller. The deer is still mobile and has been for several months.

Bald Eagle: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman got a report of a potentially sick bald eagle from a landowner on the Tucannon River. When she arrived to look at the eagle, it jumped off the fence and flew away downstream. The eagle did not appear to be sick, and the landowner will call back if things change.

Raven/Raptor Survey: Biologist Brinkman conducted a point-count survey to document ravens and raptors observed at each of the 17 roadside point counts in Lincoln County. These weekly surveys are conducted during the sharp-tailed grouse breeding season to provide an index of predator abundance within sharp-tailed grouse breeding habitat.

Forest Grouse Wing Bee: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman hosted the Eastside Wing Bee in District 2 for forest grouse wings collected during hunting season within the eastern Districts. Biologists from the other eastern districts brought wings collected from their respective areas to be identified and recorded. Small game section lead Garrison provided a demonstration on what to look for to identify species, sex, and age from the submitted wings and/or tails. The biologists then broke out into two groups to go through each sample to record those data. 

LeClerc Creek Wildlife Area Elk: Acting Wildlife Area Manager Palmer and Natural Resource Technician Graves visited the LeClerc Creek Wildlife Area to familiarize Graves with more of that property. While checking site conditions for work planning needs on the West Branch parcel of the wildlife area, 20 white-tailed deer and 40 elk were observed bedded and feeding on the site. It’s great to see this utilization response to improved wildlife habitat resulting from ongoing forest restoration work on the site. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Voluntary Public Access Contracts: Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley worked with Natural Resource Technician Moberg in sending out A-19 forms to landowners/managers to attain signatures to process payments for access while participating in the Voluntary Public Access Program. Private Lands Biologist Thorne Hadley scanned and uploaded signed A-19 forms for review and payment.

Water Access Site Field Work: Natural Resource Technician Brant serviced water access areas in District 1, performing routine maintenance duties to have sites ready ahead of the fishing season opener in late April. Brant has been focusing on pressure washing the restrooms and taking advantage of the seasonal lack of foliage on shrubs to get into the bushes for a deep clean of litter.

WT Wooten Wildlife Area Lakes: Natural Resource Technicians Jensen and Tritt checked the lakes daily and adjusted as necessary. The technicians picked up trash around the lakes. The technicians used tailings that were delivered to the Wooten Headquarters to make repairs to the road between Rainbow Lake and the Deer Lake inlet where there are large potholes from the Rainbow Lake construction project.

Region 1 South Access Areas: Access Manager Heimgartner serviced access sites at the Wooten Wildlife Area, upper and lower Grande Ronde, and Heller Bar. At Heller Bar, Heimgartner and Wildlife Area Manager Dice filled a troublesome pothole with sealant material Greg picked up from a vendor in Spokane.  

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Turkey: Natural Resource Technician Edmondson responded to several calls about turkeys causing damage. Edmondson assisted Springdale residents to help them deter turkeys from their property.

Elk: Private Lands Biologist Heitstuman conducted an elk search on private lands in the Cloverland area per the request and reports from landowners concerning crop damage. The details were added to the sighting map developed by Heitstuman on Google Earth. Heitstuman conducted an onsite review of a property enrolled in the Hunt by Written Permission program for suitability to enhance wildlife habitat.

Sick moose reported: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris received multiple reports of sick moose in the Spokane area. The moose were reported as being skinny and missing large patches of hair. Harris advised callers that the hair loss was caused by winter ticks. 

Conserving Natural Landscapes

4-O Ranch Wildlife Area: Wildlife Area Manager Dice looked at property lines on the north side of the wildlife area to assess whether or not Capital and Asset Management Program staff members could enter and successfully walk planned fence lines. The property line was still a little wet for hiking, with snow still covering some of the lines. The other concern is how to cross Wenatchee Creek, given how high it is with snowmelt. Dice put up many new signs in an effort to control access from e-bikes and notify people that either a Discover Pass or Vehicle Access Permit is required to recreate on the wildlife area. 

Revere Wildlife Area On-Site Meeting: This week Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner and Natural Resource Technician Duclos went to the Revere Wildlife Area to meet with the new agriculture lease, Melville, and check a key out to him. Currently, the new lease is in the process of being finalized and sent out for signature. While at Revere, Wagner and Duclos meet with Wildlife Biologist Jennings to go over what area of the fences and what wire needs to be removed to make it “wildlife friendly.” The plan is to exchange the top barbed wire with a smooth wire on the north and westside of the property to meet that standard. The bottom wire is already smooth wire. Wagner and Duclos came across a herd of elk at Revere.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Property Native Grassland Field Inspection: This week Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner made a trip over to the BLM native grassland field that was planted last November to inspect for erosion due to all the rain and the melting snow. Wagner took photos of the erosion that will have to be repaired this spring to prevent further erosion. Wagner and Natural Resource Technician Duclos will fill in the ditches this coming spring and plant the disturbance with Great Basin Wildrye to provide cover and establish a root mass to prevent further erosion. 

Ducks Unlimited Tour of Revere Wetland Project: This week Ducks Unlimited employees made it down to the Revere Wildlife Area to check out the successful wetland project. Prior to this wetland being excavated and cleaned out, Bulrush has covered the entire area which left no open water. 

Providing Education and Outreach

Deer Park Elk Meeting: Wildlife and enforcement program staff members from Districts 1 and 2 gave a presentation to landowners and producers around Deer Park regarding elk population management and Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements. Staff members also discussed options for managing the growing elk herd, which resides primarily on private cropland.

Public calls and emails: Biologists Lowe and Brinkman responded to members of the public on a variety of topics, including raising game birds, outreach programs, scat identification, and avian influenza.

Kindergarten Class: Biologist Brinkman talked to a kindergarten class about what it’s like to be a biologist. He was joined by a wildlife biologist from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to talk to the class. Biologist Brinkman provided a wide variety of animal skins, skulls, scat, and tracks for the kids to handle, and they were encouraged to ask questions about the different animals. 

Science and Leadership Meeting: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman participated in the Science and Leadership meeting and field tour with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), tribal governments, PA 5-15 consultants, Salmon Recovery Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Ecology, Lower Snake Comp, and various other folks. WDFW presented the preferred alternative that was agreed upon with the agency to provide a starting point for the comanagers to come together in agreement on a path forward for the Tucannon floodplain on the WT Wooten Wildlife Area.

Reardan High School Debate Class: This week the Reardan High School debate team came out to the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area office to perform in front of staff members. The debate topics this year range from grazing on public lands to riparian setbacks. Eleven students came out to debate these topics in front of Wildlife Area Manager Finch, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner, and a local rancher Schneider. After the debate, the panel asked several questions to test the student’s knowledge on each topic. The students did an excellent job answering the questions to stand behind their stance on the topics. 

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Public Assistance: Wildlife Area Manager Dice accompanied Enforcement Sergeant Mosman on a welfare check on a woman at the Wenatchee Guard Station in the Umatilla National Forest Thursday evening. They rode Enforcement’s snowmobiles from the Cloverland Snowpark to the Guard Station. The woman was overdue to get back to her vehicle and her family was concerned. She was found safe and sound, and said she had a miscommunication with her family.

Other

University Student Meeting: Supervisor Earl met with a student from the University of Idaho who is interested in seasonal employment. Earl passed along several summer opportunities that may be coming available soon in the area.

Managing Wildlife Populations

Annual Grouse Surveys: Private Lands Biologist Braaten began annual Sage and Sharp-tailed grouse surveys in Douglas County. County road conditions have improved. Some leks are becoming more active.

Winter Range Closure: Biologists Repp and White continue to monitor the winter closure areas for deer. While in one closed area, biologists noticed a well-established snowshoe trail. Later that afternoon, the biologists encountered two individuals on the trail. The trail was so well established that snowshoes were not needed in two feet of snow. Biologist Repp recognized the violators and reported the activity to Enforcement. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

Methow Wildlife Area Shooting Range: Biologist White fabricated target stands and new stools for the shooting range. Recently, the Methow shooting range went through an extensive lead mitigation and cleanup effort. This range is known to be a highly popular recreational shooting area and people travel from as far away as Western Washington to target practice here. 

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Moose in Fenced Orchard: Specialist Bridges and Supervisor Rickel attempted to haze a young bull moose that was in a fenced orchard near Bridgeport. To complicate matters, there were two linemen crews in the orchard at the time working to replace electrical lines. Ultimately, the fence was cut to allow the moose to exit. Bridges and Rickel repaired the fence a few days later once the moose had gotten out on his own.

Responding to Possible Cougar Conflict: Specialist Heilhecker responded to an alleged report of a cougar attacking two dogs. The reporting party let the two dogs outside during the day. The dogs came back injured. The older pit bull had puncture wounds to the head and front legs; the younger pit bull mix had scratches on its face. The dogs were taken to the vet. According to the reporting party, the vet thought the two dogs fought with each other, except the owner has never witnessed the dogs fighting. The following evening, the neighbor reported seeing a cougar on the hill behind their houses. Specialist Heilhecker discussed protection measures with the dog owner.

Cougar Depredation Response: Specialist Heilhecker followed up with a landowner who reported sheep depredation from a cougar. They discussed nonlethal deterrence measures and the requirements for filing a livestock damage complaint. While the landowner has filed several claims in the past, there was some confusion regarding the timeline to file for a claim. Heilhecker and the landowner talked through the challenges. Specialist Heilhecker has visited the property in the past and confirmed the nonlethal deterrence measures, but she will visit the property again to sign off on the nonlethal deterrence measures.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Othello High School seniors plant native grasses: Biologists Morris and Cook, Private Lands Technician Blanchard, and Water Access Technician Wilson, along with four volunteer students from Othello High School planted 340 grass plugs in a an area along Lind Coulee. This area is great for wildlife, as the landowner plants food plots nearby. The area is between water and agricultural fields, and there are adjacent mature tree and shrub rows. Morris planted 300 basin wildrye grass plugs and 40 Indian ricegrass plugs to help create dense nesting, thermal, and escape cover next to the food and water. This was also a great opportunity for the Othello High School students to participate in habitat restoration and better understand Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW) work. The current planting included about 400 native grass plugs to increase the diversity of native grasses.

Providing Education and Outreach

Grant Elementary School Science Fair: Biologist Cook, Regional Wildlife Program Manager Haug, Customer Service Specialist Bilodeau, and Administrative Assistant Jones hosted a room at the Grant Elementary School Science Fair in Ephrata. Prepared skulls, skins and displays were available for students and families to touch, interact with, and learn about wildlife with Cook and Haug explaining animal features, characteristics and facts. Coloring pages, informational activity books, bee and butterfly mask making, Make Your Own Creature activity, and small giveaway items were available also.

Outreach and Education at Chelan Middle School: Biologist Morris presented at the Chelan Middle School career and college day. He spoke with middle schoolers about how to prepare for a career in biology, the schooling required, biologist skills, and many of the fun experiences you can have as a biologist. The day was a lot of fun and students had lots of great questions for Morris.

Farmer’s Forum: Biologist Repp attended the Methow Conservancy’s Farmer’s Forum. This forum brought local farmers and ranchers together to learn and discuss relevant issues. This was a great opportunity to network, converse, and educate folks on the grazing and agriculture leases on the wildlife area.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

Mountain Goat Survey: Specialist Bridges was scheduled to assist with this aerial-based survey, but it was rescheduled due to poor weather conditions. 

Other

Interview Panel Participation: Specialist Heilhecker participated on an interview panel for the natural resource technician position at the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area.

Specialist Heilhecker participated in an interview to fill the wildlife conflict specialist position in Pasco, WA.

District Team Meeting and Planting Project: Okanogan Lands staff members recently attended the quarterly District Team Meeting. The majority of Lands staff members met at the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area to attend the virtual meeting as a team. A few staff members attended virtually. The meeting was insightful as District wide updates were provided by all programs in attendance.

After the meeting, a mixture of wildlife area staff members from Scotch Creek, Sinlahekin, and Methow wildlife areas teamed up for a native shrub planting project in the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area. Staff planted approximately 150 shrubs consisting of aspen, red osier dogwood, and water birch near the banks of Scotch Creek as part of ongoing habitat enhancement work occurring in the adjacent area. Of note, this area of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area is highly important for sharp-tailed grouse who winter along the creek. The species planted, particularly the water birch, which is a primary winter forage plant for sharp-tails, should expand critical habitat for grouse, but also for a wide array of other wildlife species known to frequent the area. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Burrowing Owl Conservation: Assistant District 4 Wildlife Biologist Hoffman along with Technicians, Reed and Hart, performed artificial burrow maintenance in anticipation of burrowing owls’ return to southcentral Washington for the breeding season. 

Ferruginous Hawk Nesting Territory Surveys: Assistant District 8 Wildlife Biologist Wilson began conducting occupancy surveys for the Ferruginous Hawk in Yakima County. This species is state endangered in Washington, requiring a status review every five years to decide if reclassification is necessary. The 2025 survey will cover the species' entire range in the state, focusing on occupancy, productivity, and distribution of nesting territories, with the findings contributing to the review for continued state listing.

Grouse Identification: 
District 8 Scientific Technician Ogburn attended the Eastside Grouse Wing Bee to identify the wing and tail samples collected in District 8 in 2024. This informs statewide specialists of age, sex, and species distribution of local grouse populations.

Movi in Bighorn Sheep: District 8 Scientific Technician Ogburn observed bighorn sheep in Yakima Canyon following the recent capture efforts. Bighorn sheep groups are continually monitored for symptoms in coalition with the test and remove study. Movi results from this capture were returned, showing four positive rams and two indeterminate individuals (one ram and one ewe) in the Umtanum South group of Yakima Canyon. No other subherds had Movi-positive individuals in this area. In Cleman Mountain, two ewes and one lamb returned with positive test results.

Deer populations: District 8 Wildlife Biologist Wampole and Scientific Technician Ogburn retrieved collars from mule deer mortalities to aid the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe collared deer study. When possible, samples were obtained to opportunistically monitor for chronic wasting disease in the district.                                                                                                              

L.T. Murray Elk Feeding: The L.T. Murray crew member wrapped up their elk feeding season. Total numbers were above 600 animals on March 10 but a couple days later, numbers were 0. The early grass growth showing on south and southeastern slopes were providing decent forage, but the quick departure probably had something to do with reports of lights on the closed feed site after dark of people searching for easy-to-find elk antlers. 

Providing Recreation Opportunities

L.T. Murray Green Dot Roads: L.T. Murray Assistant Manager Winegeart worked with a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) archaeologist and a Capital and Asset Management Program engineer in surveying and evaluating the Whiskey Dick Unit’s pump house and Cayuse roads in preparation of green dot road maintenance planned for this spring. 

Wenas Wildlife Area – Volunteer Target Shooting Trash Collection: Wenas Lands and Recreation Specialist Frame collected 640 pounds of target shooting trash picked up by WDFW volunteer members.

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

L.T. Murray Hunter Education: The Kittitas County Field and Stream Club used the Green Gate area of the Quilomene Unit of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area to conduct the outdoor portion of a hunter education class. This was the third and final class being held on this site for 2025. 

Wenas Wildlife Area – Winter Elk Feeding: Wenas Assistant Manager Taylor continues with winter elk feeding of 944 head. With weather warming up, winter feeding is slowly coming to an end.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Mesa Lake Flooding: Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Assistant Manager Jahns, and Natural Resource Technician Pizzini installed a new beaver deceiver device on the outflow structure of the seven-acre pond in the Mesa Lake Unit. The water control structure is often impeded with beaver debris, which results in flooding and erosion of the levy. The newly installed beaver deceiver should prevent beavers from accessing the outflow and protect against continued flooding and erosion issues.

Ringold Tree and Shrub Planting: Sunnyside Snake River Wildlife Area Manager Kaelber, Private Lands Biologist Manderbach, and District 4 Technicians Hart and Reed finished up the shrub planting at the Ringold hatchery. Overall, eight rows of trees and shrubs were planted that will provide a windbreak, wildlife cover and forage, and help stabilize the sandy soil to prevent wind erosion. Irrigation will be installed soon, which will help get the shrubs established over the next few years. Future upkeep will include filling gaps, weed control in the planting holes and between rows, and native grass and forb seedings between rows.

Neff Jones Road Shrub Planting: Private Lands Biologist Manderbach continued work cleaning up an unfarmed draw on a Private Lands Access property in Franklin County. Upon finishing up weed eating much of the draw, 150 native shrubs were planted, flagged, and watered. Work will continue in this draw through the spring, consisting of more shrub plantings, invasive weed control, and supplemental watering. This property burned in 2020 and has little to no shrub cover left. The CRP grasses are doing well, but the property lacks shrub cover and effort has been made since 2023 to fill the steep draws with native shrubs to provide cover and winter browse for wildlife.

Wenas Wildlife Area – Elk Fence Tumbleweed Burning: Wenas staff members have started burning tumbleweeds that collect along elk fence. Burning the weeds in the spring in safe burning conditions allows for major fuel reduction for future wildfires that may occur in the area. Once burning along the firebreaks on the elk fence, the team will begin spraying residual herbicide along firebreaks, parking areas, and roadways in order to prevent noxious weeds from growing throughout spring and summer.

Other

L.T. Murray Grazing: L.T. Murray Manager Morrison and Assistant Manager Winegeart gave a Western Washington University researcher a tour of the Quilomene unit grazing pastures. The researcher was looking for locations to potentially place antennas to support a cattle tracking system that would place receivers on cattle ear tags. The system has some merit and may be implemented with the L.T. Murray grazing lessee sometime in the next few years. 

Managing Wildlife Populations

Marbled Murrelet Captures: Biologist Sage and Technicians Leipold and Trautmann assisted the ongoing Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) marine bird research team with their at-sea murrelet capture efforts. Samples that staff collected at capture will provide information on the birds' diet. The team caught one marbled murrelet near Port Townsend. 

Amphibian Surveys on Wildlife Areas: Biologist Sage and Technicians Leipold and Trautmann surveyed nine wetlands for amphibians in the new West Twin River Unit of the Olympic Wildlife Area near Port Angeles. The survey methods included visual encounter surveys, funnel trapping, and dip net sweeps. For visual encounter surveys, staff members walked the shallow perimeter of each wetland to identify and count adults, juveniles, and eggmasses of amphibians. Staff members also used nets to sweep the bottom substrate of each pond. They set a total of 28 collapsible, mesh funnel traps across three of the wetlands. They found and identified eggmasses of red legged frogs, Pacific chorus frogs, and northwestern salamanders. They also saw or caught adult chorus frogs, rough skinned newts, and red legged frogs. 

Blacktail Deer Project, Region 5: Biologist Murphie completed project training and assisted with deploying trail camera associated with a new project using trail cameras to assess blacktail deer populations. 

Black Tailed Deer Camera Training: Biologist Cent attended a training to install remote cameras per protocol for the upcoming black-tailed deer study starting in Region 5.

Elk Composition Flights: Biologist Murphie coordinated and conducted elk composition flights in three game management units within the Olympic elk herd range.

Willapa Elk Survey: Biologist Cent and Novack finalized the flight plan for the upcoming elk surveys. The flight plan is a preliminary planning and safety document that is required before helicopter operations can start.

Elk Surveys, District 11: Biologist Tirhi completed three days of elk surveys with the Nisqually Tribe and Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM). Ninety percent of JBLM ownership was flown (most western urbanized area not flown), lands south of JBLM from its southern boundary to approximately Grand Mound, and lands east of JBLM from its eastern boundary to approximately highway 162. Conditions for 3.5 of the 4-day survey were great. No elk and only a few deer were observed across JBLM although ground visibility was good. Very few elk were observed south of JBLM to Grand Mound. Although data is still being analyzed, this survey suggests few elk reside in the south Puget sound area of the South Rainier Elk Herd, including on JLBM and surrounding lands, and elk that are seen are transient. More elk were observed as crews flew eastward from JBLM; those elk represent the members of the North Rainier Elk Herd. 

Dusky Canada Goose: Biologists Cent and Novack continued the bi-monthly surveys of Dusky Canada Geese. It appears that some of the geese are starting their northward migration.

Streaked horned lark: Biologist Tirhi and LeGrand met with Olympia Airport and Black Hills Audubon (at the request of Port of Olympia) to discuss larks and gophers occupying the airport. The discussion included activities that may be impacting both species, such as the Olympia Airshow, and the opportunity to work together to reduce those impacts.

Oregon spotted frog: The spotted frog breeding season began in late February in the south Puget sound. District 11 staff members began the first of three surveys of all known breeding sites the first week of March and will continue surveys through April. 

Providing Conflict Prevention and Education

Osprey on Cell Towers: Biologist Tirhi completed and provided two nest removal permits to cell companies or their representatives seeking to remove full or partial nests during this inactive season. Permits cease March 1 with the beginning of the nesting season except for limited emergency situations.

Conserving Natural Landscapes

Twin Rivers Signage: Technician Norris and Wildlife Area Manager Laushman installed signage at the Twin Rivers Unit of the North Olympic Wildlife Area.

Lakewood Planting: Technician Morgan and Wildlife Area Manager Laushman received free native trees and shrubs from the Tahoma Bird Alliances’ Trees for Tacoma Program and planted them at the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area in Lakewood.

Duck Stamp Applications: Biologist Novack submitted a pair of Duck Stamp applications for habitat restoration and enhancement work in District 17. Additionally, he provided data and professional input for a number of other regional projects.

Willapa Refuge Stakeholder Meeting: Biologist Novack participated in work group session with various collaborators that have been working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Willapa Wildlife Refuge on expansion of public land ownership.

Olympic – Willapa Hills Wildlife Area Scoping Meeting: Biologist Novack attended the initial scoping meeting for the revision of the Olympic-Willapa Hills Wildlife Area.

Conducting Business Operations and Policy

New District 11 Biologist 2: Biologist Tirhi is happy to announce the hiring of a second Assistant District Biologist, Anne Yen. Anne comes highly skilled, having worked for numerous agencies, species, and habitats. After two weeks of onboarding, Anne jumped into our busy field season with elk and spotted frog surveys, snake fungal disease, deer cameras, and much more.

Work-planning: Biologist Murphie and other regional staff members conducted work-planning activities associated with the vacant District 16 biologist two position, as we change the position description to reflect the addition of work in District 15.

Spotted Owl Team Meeting: Biologist Murphie attended an online meeting of this group. 

Other

Interview Panel: Biologist Cent and Novack participated on the interview panel for the seasonal plover technician position. The preferred candidate was selected and accepted the position.

Bell Creek Barn Cleanup: WDFW volunteer members, along with technicians Morgan and Norris, and Wildlife Area Manager Laushman, cleaned up the barn located at the Bell Creek Unit in the North Olympic Wildlife Area. This barn has been used by volunteer members for the last 20 years and has gathered lots of old planting equipment that needed sorting, and trash that needed disposal.