Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Waterfowl management is a major goal at the Delta National Wildlife Refuge, yet there is little information on mottled duck (Anas fulvigula) nesting on the Mississippi River Delta (MRD) in Louisiana to guide management decisions. In 1998 and 1999, we determined nest success and its relationship to sites and habitat types. Average Mayfield nest success for all locations and years was 20.0%. Nest success differed among sites in 1998 and among habitat types in 1999. Greatest nest success (56.7%) was on Mississippi River levee sites and lowest nest success (0.3%) was on canal banks. Most nest failure was attributed to female abandonment (33.1%) and nest depredation (27.7%). Habitats selected for nesting sites were not used in proportion to their availability, with grassland habitats being used more than expected and marsh and forested habitats being used less than expected. No nests were located on splays.

During winters 1990-1992, we manipulated food availability 5%-20% less than that of ad libitum feeding for captive groups of wild-strain North American wood ducks (Aix sponsa) to test effects of increasing levels of food restriction on prebasic molt of females. Birds fed ad libitum and 5%-15% restricted diets exhibited a protracted molt (>90 days) of low intensity. Most females fed a 20%-restricted diet did not initiate molt until resumption of ad libitum food availability. We hypothesize that a 20% restriction exceeds a threshold in food availability and possibly body condition needed by captive female wood ducks to meet nutritional demands of maintenance and prebasic molt. A lower threshold may exist for free-living wood ducks, implying the importance of adequate food availability and quality during winter to minimize negative effects on within- and cross-seasonal life-cycle functions.

Managers have assumed that migratory geese regularly interchange among wintering refuges, providing a potential to manage them as a complex. The primary purpose of our study was to determine population affiliation and magnitude of goose movements among 4 national wildlife refuges (NWR) in Tennessee and northern Alabama, thereby assessing the feasibility of this approach. Interchange and population affiliation were examined using neck collar observations from 1977-1998. Population affiliation varied among refuges, with Southern James Bay geese being most common at Wheeler NWR, and Mississippi Valley geese being most common at Reelfoot NWR. Only 5.1% of 11,039 different blue-and orange-collared geese observed at the 4 refuges were observed at more than 1 refuge during the entire study period.

Accurate nocturnal bird abundance and distribution data are necessary for managing nocturnal avian communities. We compared vocalization playback and silent methods for surveying 3 nocturnal avian species in Mississippi in 1997 and 1998. Playback elicited more responses from eastern screech-owls (Otus asio) than the silent method. Playback was more effective than the silent method at detecting habitat associations of eastern screech-owls, which were strongly associated with pine regeneration stands than pine sawtimber stands and pine-hardwood stands. Playback of broadcast vocalizations more effectively detects abundance of some nocturnal bird species than silent methods. Increased detectability and accuracy are essential for monitoring and managing nocturnal avian communities and their habitat associations.

Identifying habitat for species with special ecological requirements can be a challenging task when procedures are based on remotely sensed data. I used georeferenced locations of red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) cavity trees to evaluate the effectiveness of Landsat Thematic Mapper (tm) data and a digital elevation model in identifying oldgrowth pine forests that provide nesting habitat for this species. Remotely sensed data associated with active cavity trees (N=142) and polygons surrounding active cavity clusters (N=179) were compared to locations with unsuitable habitat (N=1000). Elevation was the best predictor of woodpecker locations, but some TM bands improved classifications slightly. The best classification (overall accuracy=74%, kappa=0.45) was based on an elevation mask and transformed TM data associated with the red, blue, and green TM bands.

Insects and herbaceous vegetation important to young eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo sylvestris) may be enhanced in forested areas by managing clearings. Natural resource agencies in Virginia and other eastern states have committed significant resources to create and maintain forest clearings to provide habitat for wild turkey broods in predominantly forested areas. However, techniques used to manage clearings often lack definitive ecological justifications. We compared effectiveness of 4 management regimes on forest clearings typical of those used by wildlife managers in the eastern United States to produce insects and vegetation beneficial to turkey broods. Ranging from low to high intensity in development and maintenance, treatments were 1) mowing; 2) disking and liming; 3) planting ladino clover (Trifolium repens latum), mowing, and liming; and 4) planting a perennial grass-forb mixture, mowing and liming.

Use of crossbow equipment to hunt white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has increased in recent years. Concurrently, beliefs about efficiency of crossbows relative to upright bows has spawned concerns among many hunters that use of crossbows during standard archery seasons will lead to overharvest and herd degradation. To examine relative efficiency of crossbows as weapons for harvesting deer, we collected 5 years (1996-2000) of deer harvest data from special hunts in southeast Oklahoma where hunters were restricted to either crossbows or traditional (recurves or longbows) archery equipment. We found that success of crossbow hunters (22.8%) was greater than success of hunters using traditional archery equipment (6.9%). We found no difference in quality of deer harvested between crossbow and traditional archers as measured by body mass, antler characteristics, and age of male deer.

We evaluated selected characteristics of forest industry hunt-lease programs for the 1999 calendar year in the southern United States. Sixty questionnaires were mailed to wildlife biologists and hunt-lease administrators of various forest industries within these states. Thirty-four completed questionnaires were returned, yielding an overall response rate of 56.7%. Respondents owned 6,006,050 ha; they leased 4,600,611 ha (76.6%) to the private sector and 424,784 ha (7.1%) to the public sector. The average annual lease fee for the private sector was $9.69 per hectare, and the average annual lease fee for the public sector was $3.39 per hectare. Results from this survey were compared to those of a similar survey from 1994 to determine changes and trends in industry hunt-lease programs.

Future successes in wildlife conservation will hinge on our ability to forge partnerships, and the best opportunities for new partnerships will come from private, nonprofit foundations. The number of new foundations is growing at a remarkable rate, and the funding they provide to projects dealing with the environment and wildlife exceeds $1.7 billon annually. Additionally, these foundations are rich in scientific and educational expertise, land for study areas, laboratories, and other resources essential for scientific investigations and educational programs. Private foundations have produced many of our best scholars and professional leaders. The Nemours Wildlife Foundation, located in the coastal plains of South Carolina, was established by Eugene duPont, III, and family in 1995 and is one of these new partners in wildlife conservation.

The Aquatic Investigation and Recovery team of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is a 12-member team that is responsible for the recoveries of as well as provides investigative assistance for many water related fatalities in the state of South Carolina. Three specific incidents are discussed here. The first being the 1994 Susan Smith case, when a mother murdered her two children by allowing her vehicle to roll into Lake John D. Long in Union County, S.C. The second occurred in 1996, also in Lake John D. Long, when seven people—four of which were children under the age of 7—drowned when their vehicle rolled into the lake. The third incident occurred in 1999 and involved a 16-year-old female from Pennsylvania who slipped into a class IV rapid on the Chatooga river in Oconee County, S.C. Due to adverse water conditions, her body was not recovered for almost two months. Recovering bodies can take a toll on those who provide this service.

In 1998, over 70% of Florida voters elected to revise the state's Constitution, which, among other things, combined Florida's Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and Marine Fisheries Commission. In July 1999, the merger went into effect creating the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; the largest conservation agency in the nation. This agency is responsible for all wild animal life, fresh water and marine life, and boating safety enforcement in the state of Florida. The largest division in the new agency is the Division of Law Enforcement, which is made up of law enforcement officers of the former Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection's Marine Patrol (more than 700 sworn and nearly 200 non-sworn employees). Facilitating the merger of the 2 separate law enforcement entities created many challenges.

Geographic information systems (GIS) have been used in wildlife and fisheries management and research for many years. These systems are not being used, however, to the fullest potential in conservation law enforcement. At present, there are only 5 conservation law enforcement agencies in the United States using GIS. In Mississippi a GIS is being developed for use in conservation law enforcement. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, in conjunction with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at Mississippi State University, is involved in the development of this GIS. This paper will address the good (advantages), the bad (disadvantages), and the ugly (serious problems) in the development of this GIS. The information provided in this paper is to be used as a guide for conservation law enforcement agencies that are interested in establishing a GIS for use in their state.

Management of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu), and walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) fisheries in Meredith Reservoir has a long history of challenges addressed by fisheries managers including dramatic water level changes and habitat loss, changes in sampling gear and sampling protocols, changing angler concerns, and limited information. Management philosophy changed from a period of liberal harvest regulations designed to promote maximum harvest to one of more restrictive regulations designed to optimize both fish populations and angler success. As data and analytical tools improved and new information was obtained, regulations gradually became more stringent resulting in improvements in density and size structure of the fish populations and increased opportunities for anglers.

After efforts to eradicate hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) with herbicide applications proved to be unsuccessful in Caney Creek Reservoir, triploid grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were introduced in an effort to control the expansion of the exotic, while leaving total aquatic plant coverage at a beneficial level of 15%—30%. After 2 years, the aquatic vegetation population that had been dominated by submerged species was composed primarily of emerged species. Aquatic vegetation coverage was reduced to < 15% for the remainder of the study. Releative abundance of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and number of angler efforts were directly proportional with the reduction in aquatic vegetation coverage. Angler success was slightly increased. Water quality parameters and nutrient levels were not appreciably changed.

Due to a history of cyclic adult largemouth bass population trends, a 406-mm minimum length limit was imposed on largemouth bass on Lake Eufaula in July 1992. Two main objectives for the harvest restriction were to increase the abundance of adult largemouth bass in the fishery and to maintain an abundant bass population so that the cyclic nature of this fishery would not be as severe. We examined the effects of the harvest restriction by comparing several population variables from sampling data collected 6 years before the length limit (1987-1992) and 6 years after the length limit (1994-1999). A large database was available due to consistent standardized sampling by Alabama and Georgia fisheries personnel. Spring proportional stock density estimates did not change significantly, with an average of 63 before and 65 after the length limit.

We compared post-release mortality of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) caught with treble hook lures, soft plastic worms, and live common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Also, we evaluated relations between mortality, bait type, anatomical hooking location, bleeding occurrence, and fish total length (TL). Thirty fish were caught with each bait type during each of 2 angling events conducted at Lake Umphrey, Texas, during August 1995, tagged and held for 72 hours in a cage located in the lake. Mortality ranged from 13% to 33% across bait types and angling events and was not related to bait type for fish caught during either angling event. However, hooking location was related to mortality and bait type. Throat-hooked fish experienced greater mortality (48%) than fish hooked in the gill (17%) and mouth (20%). Fish caught with plastic worms were more likely to be hooked in the throat than fish caught with the other bait types.

The availability of quality nursery habitats can be an important factor in the recuitment dynamics of littoral fish species. Eight artificial habitats composed of crushed rock substrate were established in littoral areas of an embayment of B. E. Jordan Lake, North Carolina, that historically exhibited low abundances of juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Response of juvenile largemouth bass to habitats was assessed by night shoreline electrofishing at treatment sites and associated controls on 4 occasions during the growing season in each of 3 years. Significantly more age-0 largemouth bass were collected on the artificial substrates than at control sites during 3 of 4 sampling periods. Densities of age-0 largemouth bass in shoreline areas where habitat was added increased over the course of the study relative to those recorded at long-term monitoring sites.

Minimum size limits of 279, 305, and 330 mm total lengths (TL) were evaluated using Beverton-Holt yield modeling for the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) population in Lucchetti Reservoir, Puerto Rico. Growth, estimated from micro-tagged fish, was faster until maturity compared to the populations in the contiguous United States. The von Bertalanffy growth coefficient (k) was 1.44 with L∞ estimated at 404.4 mm TL. Survival rates for adult largemouth bass (>250 mmTL), calculated from mark-recapture studies, were estimated to be 40% for 1998 and 30% for 1999. Simulations revealed that a 305-mm length limit results in higher yield when instantaneous natural mortality exceeds 0.4. Higher harvest rates would be achieved with a 279-mm length limit, whereas a 330-mm length limit would result in greater mean-fish-size at any of the instantaneous natural mortality rates addressed (0.3, 0.4, and 0.5).

The purpose of this study was to assess the abundance, size composition, and food habits of the flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) poopulation in Sutton Lake near Wilmington, North Carolina, and to determine if the flathead catfish population could be diminished by repeated electrofishing over several months. Flathead catfish were collected monthly from June through October 1999 and removed using 2 boat-mounted electrofishing units. A total of 255 flathead catfish weighing 1,550 kg were collected. Individuals >600 mm total length dominated the catch. Fish accounted for 92% of the food items found in the stomachs of flathead catfish collected. During the 5-month sampling period, the number of fish collected each month never declined and no significant changes in size distribution was observed.

Current standardized sampling procedures in Oklahoma call for the use of gill nets to collect relative abundance and size structure data on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). While gill nets are effective at catching channel catfish, their usefulness as a sampling tool is limited because of the variability of the resulting data. Furthermore, gill nets represent a lethal means of sampling channel catfish which can adversely affect channel catfish populations. Hoop nets have been found to be an effective alternative method for catching channel catfish, but little is known concerning seasonal effects on catch efficiency of hoop nets, especially in reservoirs. We sampled 2 Oklahoma reservoirs monthly from April through October 1999 using baited hoop nets.

A contingency of local anglers and guides from Weiss Lake, Alabama, has voiced concern that the natural reproduction of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) has negatively impacted the popular crappie (Pomoxis spp.) fishery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of naturally reproducing striped bass on the crappie population in Weiss Lake. Specifically, we examined striped bass food habits and compared crappie population characteristics before (1990-1992) and after (1993-1999) the establishment of the naturally reproducing bass population. Shad (Dorosoma spp.) accounted for 93% of the prey items consumed by striped bass whereas crappie accounted for 0.2%. Crappie growth, abundance, and size structure were variable among years, but were generally similar betwenn treatment periods. Conversely, crappie relative weight was less variable among years, and for stock- and preferred-length crappie, was higher during the post-natural reproduction period.

We estimated the accuracy of field identification of white bass (Morone chrysops) and palmetto bass (M. chrysops X M. saxatilis) by Texas fisheries workers and evaluated the reliability of meristic and morphometric characteristics commonly used to differentiate between these 2 fishes. Electrophoretic and isoelectric focusing analyses of diagnostic proteins were used to verify the fisheries workers' identification of fish (1,087) sampled from 16 reservoirs thoughout Texas. Overall, accuracy of field identification was high and fisheries workers correctly identified all sampled white bass; however, 5% of hybrid striped bass were incorrectly identified as white bass, and 12% of these fish were found to be Fx hybrids. The majority of white bass (78%) exhibited 1 basihyal tooth patch while most hybrid striped bass (89%) had 2 patches.

We used mark-recapture methods, diet analysis, and bioenergetics modeling to assess the threat adult striped bass posed to trout stocked in the upper Chattahoochee River, Georgia. An estimated 311 (95% CI = 159-1,166) striped bass inhabited the trout waters during the summer of 1998. Their diet was dominated (numerically) by crayfish (60%) and trout (15%). Striped bass in the Chattahoochee River preyed on stocked trout and are capable of consuming 7-28% of the trout stocked annually. Further, estimates of predatory demand suggest that the current and possibly growing striped bass population pose a threat to the stocked-trout fishery.