Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Sound management of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) populations requires an understanding of survival and cause-specific mortality; however, these parameters have not been investigated at the southern extent of the species' range. Ruffed grouse were studied in the mountains of western North Carolina. Grouse (n = 276) were radiotagged and monitored >3 times/week. Mean annual survival was greater than reports from the northern core of the species' range. Seasonal survival was greatest in summer, followed by fall, winter, and spring. Of 155 mortalities, the greatest proportion was attributed to mammalian, followed by avian, and unknown predation, hunter harvest, and other. Scavenging prior to transmitter recovery may have positively biased mammalian predation rates. Despite long hunting seasons that extended into winter, hunter harvest rates were among the lowest reported in the literature.

Changes in white-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica) distribution and habitat use have occurred in Texas since the 1940s. Breeding populations are now common in urban areas throughout Texas. These changes have resulted in unique challenges for monitoring populations in urban environments because of factors such as traffic, construction, and residential development. Delineating potential breeding habitat within urban areas may make surveys more efficient. Our objectives were to examine nest tree selection and identify habitat attributes associated with urban populations of white-winged doves. We conducted nest searches at 15 auditory-count survey points in Kingsville, Texas, in 2003 and documented trees used for nesting.

Reliable population estimation techniques for cryptic forest predators generally are lacking. Development of an efficient and reliable technique to estimate predator abundance directly would be a valuable tool for wildlife managers concerned with predator management. We evaluated the potential for camera survey techniques to provide abundance estimates for bobcats (Lynx rufus) in southeastern forest habitats. We also determined our ability to capture other forest carnivores photographically using these techniques. We used TrailMaster 1500 active infrared-triggered cameras to estimate abundance on a 1318-ha private land holding in eastern Texas. Camera stations were located along roads and wildlife travel corridors using a 65-ha block grid overlaying the property. We established 20 camera stations yielding a mean coverage of approximately 1 camera/65.9 ha. All camera stations were baited with bobcat urine and a visual attractant and monitored for 12 weeks.

Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) ecology in bottomland hardwood forests remains poorly understood. Specifically, managers lack basic information on spatial ecology and survival of males in these forests. Space use is an important tool to determine areas of extensive or non-use, and these areas may provide insight to managing quality habitats for turkeys. Furthermore, no information is available on potential shifts in space use by males before and during the breeding season, yet such information could help managers better understand male behavior relative to habitat management scenarios. Likewise, little information is available on survival of males in Louisiana although estimates of survival help managers balance population and harvest management. We radio-monitored 29 male wild turkeys to evaluate spatial ecology during 2005-2007 in south-central Louisiana. We used 108 males (with and without radios) to assess seasonal survival rates during 1998-2007.

We compared survival rates of eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo sylvestris) gobblers in hunted (Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and Ecological reserve [CWMA]) and unhunted (Savannah River Site [SRS]) populations in South Carolina to assess impact of spring gobbler-only hunts. Annual survival rate of gobblers on SRS (0.71) was greater (χ2 = 5.11; df = 1; P = 0.02) than that of gobblers on CWMA (0.54). Our results indicate that spring gobbler harvests constitute additive mortality to turkey populations. However, even in years when reproductive rates were relatively low, a spring-only gobbler harvest rate of 25% appeared to have a minimal effect on turkey populations.

Playas and other wetlands of the High Plains provide important winter and migration habitats for the continental population of northern pintail (Anas acuta). Factors hypothesized to influence habitat use by pintails in the Playa Lakes Region of Texas (PLR) include wetland type, annual rainfall, and natural and anthropogenic disturbance. We assessed patterns of habitat use for 133 and 164 radio-tagged female pintails 23 October 2002-18 February 2003 and 10 October 2003-18 February 2004, respectively, in the PLR. Birds were continuously monitored for a 24-hour period at least three times a week.

We tracked male mute swans (Cygnus olor) (n = 2) in 2002 and in 2003 (n = 3) using Global Positioning System (GPS) in a 217,500-ha area of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. We quantified habitat use among four habitat categories (submerged aquatic vegetation, open water, shoreline, and upland) and between diurnal and nocturnal periods. Swans did not use habitats in proportion to their availability; they consistently used upland less often than what was available within their home ranges. Most use occurred within submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and open water, which typically were the most abundant habitat types. When SAV was used, most locations were within sparse to moderately dense vegetation (11%-70% horizontal coverage). Diurnal and nocturnal use of habitats was similar.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Inland and Coastal Fisheries Divisions have maintained a cooperative stocking program for marine red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) in six freshwater power plant reservoirs since the early 1980s. We used experimental fish enclosures to analyze the effects of acclimation time (2.5 h vs. 5.0 h) and stocking season (summer vs. fall) on post stocking survival of red drum fingerlings in two of these power plant reservoirs. Calaveras and Tradinghouse Creek reservoirs were similar in size and depth, but Calaveras maintained total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinities twice that of Tradinghouse Creek. Mean summer and fall temperatures recorded during the study were 31.3 C and 16.6 C for Tradinghouse Creek and 32.6 C and 19.7 C for Calaveras, respectively. Overall, 10% of the fingerlings tested survived the 72-h trials, substantially better than observed in an earlier study.

To determine if inbreeding was a cause of an apparent decline of large striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in Lake Texoma, striped bass sampled from four sites on the reservoir (n = 206), in the Red River below Denison Dam in 2001 (n = 58), and archived scale samples from Lake Texoma collections in 1978 (n = 44) were genotyped and evaluated at six microsatellite loci. There was evidence of weak population genetic structure among the collection sites. However, analyses of Hardy-Weinberg and linkage equilibrium within sites did not provide evidence of recent inbreeding within Lake Texoma. Consequently, recent declines in the number of large adult striped bass in Lake Texoma cannot be explained by inbreeding depression.

The Florida subspecies of largemouth bass (Micropterus s. floridanus) has been widely stocked throughout the southern United States, including Texas. Quantifying the success of these stockings has been difficult. In this study, relationships among large scale genetic, biological, physical, and limnological variables, and measures of fishing quality and trophy were examined in 89 Texas reservoirs greater than 202 hectares. No relationships among stocking measures and any genetic variable were detected. In general, oligotrophic reservoirs in South Texas had significantly higher measures of Florida introgression compared to eutrophic reservoirs in North Texas. Largemouth bass growth rates increased from west to east and as elevation decreased. Angler success variables measuring number of bass caught were negatively related to longitude, whereas angler success variables related to size of bass caught were more influenced by local reservoir-specific variables.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) primarily stocks Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus; total length range 30 to 46 mm) to influence the genetic composition of existing populations or to supplement limited recruitment. These stockings have altered the genetic composition of largemouth bass populations; however, stockings often result in variable and low contributions to cohort abundance. Potential sources of stocked fish mortality include hauling stress, lack of prey and foraging success, and predation. Previous studies indicate that predation may be the largest immediate source of mortality with estimated losses of over 25% of all stocked fish within 12-h post stocking in a Texas reservoir.

Largemouth bass virus (LMBV), a recently identified pathogen, affected largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in the southeastern United States beginning in the 1990s. Concern about the impacts of this little-known pathogen on largemouth bass populations, effects on fisheries management, and the need to provide anglers and the media with consistent and accurate information prompted a private organization (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) to invite managers and researchers from state and federal agencies and universities to a series of five annual public workshops beginning in 2000. These workshops provided a mechanism to share information, identify and prioritize action items, and develop consensus information and outreach materials that could be provided to bass anglers and the media. Regionalizing the LMBV issue and collaboration among researchers, managers, and a fishing organization may also have allayed angler and media concerns.

At Amistad Reservoir, Texas, the National Park Service (NPS) built a 46-m long release tube for convenient return of tournament-caught largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to the reservoir following weigh-in. Several members of the public raised concerns to NPS that use of the tube might have been leading to increased tournament-associated mortality. We simulated two largemouth bass tournaments in August 2006 and March 2007 using volunteer anglers to compare six-day delayed mortality between fish returned to the reservoir via the tube and other methods. In summer, delayed mortality averaged 56% for boat-ramp hand-released fish, significantly lower than for fish released via the tube with chlorinated tap water running through it (89%). Initial mortality in the spring trial was 5%, significantly lower than in the summer trial (14%). In spring, delayed mortality was low across treatments (<12%), and did not differ significantly between treatments.

Shoreline-set single-cod trap nets are the standard gear used by Texas Parks and Wildlife to assess crappie (Pomoxis spp) populations. In some reservoirs, standardized trap net catch is too low to provide the desired information. In 2006, we compared offshore-set dual-cod trap nets to shoreline-set single-cod and offshore-set single-cod trap nets in ten Texas reservoirs. Catch rates of shoreline-set single-cod trap nets (13.4 fish per net night; F/NN) were similar to each end of the offshore-set dual-cod trap nets (27.1 F/NN when both cod-ends were summed) and all were statistically greater than offshore-set single-cod trap nets (8.0 F/NN). In 2007, we compared shoreline-set single-cod trap nets to offshore-set dual-cod trap nets for one and three night soak times in eight reservoirs and offshore-set dual-cod trap nets only for one and three night soak times in five reservoirs.

Restrictive fish stocking policies in National Parks were developed as early as 1936 in order to preserve native fish assemblages and historic genetic diversity. Despite recent efforts to understand the effects of non-native or exotic fish introductions, park managers have limited information regarding the effects of these introductions on native fish communities. Shenandoah National Park was established in 1936 and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) restoration within selected streams in the park began in 1937 in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). An analysis of tissue samples from brook, brown (Salmo trutta), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from 29 streams within the park from 1998-2002 revealed the presence of Renibacterium salmoninarum, Yersinia ruckeri, and infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNv).

Stream restoration projects in coldwater streams have become increasingly common in North Carolina. Many of these projects are undertaken to reduce streambank erosion; however, improving aquatic habitat for fish is often a secondary goal. In an effort to evaluate the impact of stream restoration work on trout, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission monitored trout abundance and biomass within two North Carolina streams. Trout were monitored one year prior to and for four years following restoration with backpack electrofishing gear. The data collected from each restoration reach was compared with data collected from an un-restored upstream control reach. Annual variation in relative trout abundance was similar between the restoration and control reach on both streams, suggesting that the changes observed were a result of natural variability.

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) habitat restoration is needed across a range of stream sizes; however, studies quantifying brook trout habitat preferences in streams of differing sizes are rare. We used radio-telemetry to quantify adult brook trout microhabitat use in a central Appalachian watershed, the upper Shavers Fork of the Cheat River in eastern West Virginia. Our objectives were to: 1) quantify non-random microhabitat use by adult brook trout in the Shavers Fork main stem (drainage area = 32 km2) and an adjacent tributary, Rocky Run (drainage area = 7 km2); and 2) construct stream-specific habitat suitability curves (HSCs) for four important microhabitat variables (depth, average current velocity, maximum current velocity within one meter, and distance to cover).

Increasing interest in “trophy” catfish angling in Oklahoma has prompted Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) staff to collect basic biological data aimed at managing these fisheries. In light of recent studies indicating slow growth rates of reservoir blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) populations, management of trophy fisheries becomes challenging. In an effort to better understand catfish angler and harvest statistics, ODWC Law Enforcement Division personnel interviewed catfish anglers statewide to determine angling method, average angler party size and species, numbers, and sizes of catfish harvested. Data were collected from 4007 catfish anglers (1889 parties contacted) on 66 bodies of water from May 2006 through December 2007. Most anglers pursued catfish using rod and reel (69.1%), followed by juglines (23.7%), trotlines (5.0%), and limblines or noodling (2.2%). Rod and reel angling accounted for most catfish harvested (4425), followed by juglines (2206).

A modified fish health assessment index (mHAI) and liver lipid concentration was used to determine condition of individual blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), channel catfish (I. punctatus), and flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivarus) in tailwater and reservoir habitats of the Coosa River, Alabama. Our goal was to describe and compare condition using a mHAI and liver lipid analyses of catfishes from the Coosa River. Tissues and organs of fish were collected, evaluated and scored for deviations from normal appearances to derive a mHAI score for each fish. Percent liver lipid content was also determined. Health of all catfish, based on mHAI, was generally good. No differences in health were found for blue catfish and channel catfish by season or habitat. Flathead catfish health varied seasonally. No seasonal or habitat differences in percent liver lipids were found for any species.

Radio transmitters were implanted in 20 northern snakeheads (Channa argus) in April 2006 to evaluate movement and habitat use of this newly established population. Eight fish were monitored through 15 September 2006, and five transmitters remained active until the conclusion of the study in January 2007. Linear movement was summarized for nine fish frequently found (7-28 contacts; mean 20, SD = 8). Mean movement was 541 m (SD = 356) and the mean “maximum recorded distance” was 2901 m (SD = 2050). Linear movement for fish tracked during the spawning period was significantly different between individuals (ANOVA, P = 0.01), while post spawn movement was not. Northern snakeheads moved more during the post spawn period than during spawning months (March-September). Northern snakeheads showed a habitat preference for hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata, 24.0%), floating docks (22.8%), and milfoil (Myriophyllum, spicatum, 21.6%) during this study.

We evaluated recreational fishing for black bass (Micropterus) species in two eastern Oklahoma streams. We conducted creel and tagging exploitation studies on the Baron Fork of the Illinois River in northeastern Oklahoma and Glover River of the Little River in southeastern Oklahoma. We used a roving creel survey on Baron Fork and the bus-route creel survey on Glover River. Over three years, exploitation rates of smallmouth bass in Baron Fork exceeded those in Glover River by about 30% and for all black bass by about 7%. Catch and harvest per unit effort, fishing pressure, and yield on Baron Fork exceeded those of Glover River. The smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu) fishery in Baron Fork was characterized by high catch and harvest rates, and yield was among the highest reported in the literature for smallmouth bass stream fisheries. Conversely, the fishery in Glover River was typified by lower catch and harvest; however, the average length of smallmouth bass at harvest was greater.

In order to assess the change in spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) density relative to water level in a disconnected low-water refuge, we used monofilament gill nets to collect adult gar throughout the annual flood pulse in the Atchafalaya River Basin (ARB), Louisiana. Spotted gar density was greatest during low-water periods and there was a strong negative correlation between spotted gar catch per unit effort and the Atchafalaya River water level at Butte La Rose (P = 0.0002, R2 = 0.5763). The spotted gar population in Deer Lake, a disconnected backwater area, was estimated to be 2,079 individuals (95% CL = 849 < N < 5,198) during a low-water period. Adult spotted gar biomass in Deer Lake at bank-full level was one of the highest recorded levels (267 kg ha-1; P [109 ≤ 267 ≤ 668] = 0.95) in a large river floodplain. Fall 2005 water levels in the ARB were among the lowest on record.

Fish attractors are commonly used by fisheries agencies to concentrate cover-seeking species. The objective of this study was to determine if an attractor fabricated with polyethylene pipe (plastic) attracted and concentrated as many largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and sunfish (Lepomis sp.) as juniper tree (Juniperus ashei) attractors. Fish counts at each attractor type were made by scuba divers at five study sites in Canyon Reservoir, Texas. Overall, few fish were observed in the plastic attractors (mean = 3.4) compared to juniper tree attractors (mean = 30.3) (P < 0.05). Significantly greater numbers (P < 0.05) of adult and juvenile largemouth bass and bluegill (juvenile and adult) were concentrated in juniper attractors compared to plastic attractors. While 81% of the attractors deployed at the test sites were plastic, there was strong evidence (P < 0.05) that bluegill (adults and juveniles) and adult largemouth bass selected juniper attractors.

A 35-d growth trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of fertilization with flaxseed meal versus cottonseed meal on fingerling red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) production characteristics (individual weight, total length, and percent survival), water quality parameters, and zooplankton densities in plastic-lined ponds. Red drum fry were stocked into 16 randomly allocated 0.40-ha ponds, with eight ponds per fertilization treatment. Mean individual weight of red drum fingerlings was significantly larger in ponds fertilized with flaxseed meal than in ponds fertilized with cottonseed meal throughout the growth trial. Similarly, red drum fingerlings had significantly greater mean length in ponds fertilized with flaxseed meal during the first 25 days of culture; however, no difference in total length was observed at the termination of the growth trial.

Beginning in the early 1900s, the original range and abundance of brook trout within Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) was drastically reduced due to landscape alterations resulting from increased logging and introduction of nonnative salmonid species. Consequently, brook trout populations retreated to the headwaters of most streams, resulting in geographic isolation due to waterfalls and eventual genetic differentiation of the fish inhabiting these streams. In an effort to reestablish LeConte Creek's extirpated brook trout population, GRSM fisheries managers collected fish from three streams known to support populations of genetically pure “Southern Appalachian” brook trout (Greenbrier, Cosby and Indian Camp Creeks). Brook trout were collected, pooled, and transplanted into LeConte Creek.