Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Silastic tube-type implants containing diethylstilbestrol (DES) were placed subcutaneously in five male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Implants were recovered from four deer and determined to have a mean daily release rate of 205 ug. At this rate DES drastically suppressed antler growth, but the velvet was shed and bone antlers were formed. Treated males had significantly lower testes weights than controls. However, DES affected spermatogenesis but the response was not uniform, ranging from almost complete cessation to limited sperm production. The round spermatid population was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in the DES group. Morphologically, the Leydig cells in treated deer appeared different from those in the control animals. The epididymides were unaffected by treatment. The treatment affected the secretory cells of the Cowper's and prostrate glands in three of the four deer and the secretory cells of the seminal vesicles in all four.

Neither the frequency nor quantity of mast crops of running oak (Quercus pumila, Walt) were measurably increased by fertilizer treatments using N, P, and K singly and in combinations at levels 0 and 112 kg per ha.

Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) were collected from river and creek study areas in East Tennessee from July 1972 to June 1973. An imbalance in sex ratios was found to be seasonal and an overall sex ratio approaching 1:1 is likely the actual case. Significantly heavier body weights of river versus creek animals likely reflects the more abundant and/or higher quality food supply present on the river than on the small creek. Adult male muskrats from the river tended to exhibit expected patterns of deposition and utilization of internal body fat, with increased fat levels from spring through fall and decreased amounts from winter to spring. Nonpregnant females exhibited a decrease in body fat from winter through summer while fat deposition occurred in pregnant females from spring to summer. Adults of the river contained more internal body fat than their creek counterparts over the winter, again indicating the better nutritional conditions on the river study area.

This paper describes a technique to evaluate the breeding habitat of the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) utilizing a "windshield approach" capable of identifying habitat parameters correlated with call counts. Habitat parameters accounted for up to 77.8 and 97.8 percent of the variation in call counts within transect intervals and transects, respectively, when regression analyses were conducted within ecological areas. Techniques presented can be used to evaluate the habitat of any game or non-game species for which transects are used to obtain population data, can be modified to include particular plants important to a given wildlife species. and may be useful in monitoring annual or long term changes in wildlife habitat.

Several problems associated with introduced species are discussed as are problems caused when native species are removed to new areas. Data from a survey of states on laws governing importation of exotics and on control ofanimal holding facilities are presented.

The Southeastern Wildlife Law Enforcement Research Project was initiated in 1976 by cooperative efforts and funding among Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the Wildlife Management Institute, the American Petroleum Institute, the National Wildlife Federation, and the wildlife agencies of Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. Progress has included staffing, problem analysis, two publications, massive data collection, and initiation of two projects on agent allocation and crimeload prediction. Minor problems encountered are discussed, studies on agent deployment summarized, future plans outlined, and agencies invited to participate.

A self-administered questionnaire survey of 104 Mississippi game law cooperators (i.e. persons who report wildlife violations) was conducted in 1975. In addition, violation reports received from cooperators were analyzed. Generally, cooperators thought game law enforcement was "ineffective" but "fair," and that agents made "too few" arrests. Most cooperators felt "good" toward game laws but thought fines levied against violators were "too low. "All cooperators opposed violators. The majority of cooperators reported that "a lot" of violations occurred in their residence county. All cooperators were Caucasians, nine of every 10 were males, and ages were widely distributed. The most frequently cited occupation was industrial work. The majority of cooperators were homeowners living on a farm or in open country. The most frequently cited income level was $14,000 or more a year.

A survey of fish on 33 southeastern National Forests was conducted during the period July 1972 through July 1975. Of the 470 species listed, 442 are recognized in American Fisheries Society Special Publication No.6. Another 28 species or groups ofspecies, recognized or under study since this publication, are also included. The Shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, is the only fish on the current endangered or threatened register likely found on the Forests, although 20 species ofknown or probable occurrence on National Forest lands have been recommended for such status.

Spotted bass were propagated and stocked by the Missouri Deparbnent of Conservation into 16 northern and central Missouri streams to establish spotted bass fisheries. Until recently, spotted bass in Missouri, were confined to the southern half of Missouri primarily in the lower reaches of large streams. A review of spotted bass habitat requirements as detennined by earlier studies indicated that spotted bass might thrive in some ofthe northern Missouri streams which are too silty or turbid for the other black basses. Seining and electro-fishing were used to determine the degree of success of these introductions. As a result of stocking more than 28,000 spotted bass fingerlings (1.2-5.5 inches in length) during the years 1961 through 1968, spotted bass fisheries were established in Lamine and Loutre rivers and Perche and Silver Fork creeks in central Missouri.

Experimental gill nets were fished at sites with and without cages in which catfish were fed pelletoo feed in lakes Hartwell and Keowee, South Carolina, during 1972, 1973, and 1974. Native fishes were indentified, counted, and weighed. Of34 species captured in the two lakes the most numerous were threadfin and gizzard shad, carp, bullhead species, white bass. bluegill, and largemouth bass. Total numbers of fish caught in each lake were greater at cage sites than at control sites after stocking cages. and total weight of fish caught in Lake Keowee was greater at cage sites than at control sites after stocking the cages and for the overall experiment, but not before stocking.

Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, Lac. fingerlings were successfully grown in cylindrical cages made of a synthetic netting fabric. Diet was Oregon Moist Pellet or floating trout pellets fed ad lib. Feed conversions ranged from 1.31 to 5.19 for 16 cage replications included in four trials. One trial was in the fall months when water temperature averaged 14. 7°C. Another was during the fall and winter (144 days) when average water temperature was 12.8°C. The other two were done in the slimmer at an average water temperature of about 27°C. Survival was 83.7 percent or higher for all lots except two where side effects from a disease treatment caused mortality. Response of the test animals to the cage environment was comparable with what had been observed in rearing this size bass on artificial feed in small earthen ponds. Cage design was satisfactory and the method shows promise for specialized use in bass culture.

Hybrid (blue lctalurus furcatus x channel l. punctatus) channel catfish were grown separately at 3000/acre in 0.1-acre ponds for a growth period of 220 days. The average net yield was 3,752 pounds/acre for the hybrid catfish and 3,262 pounds/acre for the channel catfish. This difference was significant (P<0.0l with the hybrid catfish averaging 13.5 percent more pounds/acre than the channel catfish. When the two fish were compared in other commercially important aspects, the hybrid catfish was captured more easily by seining, more uniform in size, and had greater dress·out percentage. The channel catfish was slightly lower in fat and moisture percentage. No significant diflerence (P<0.05) was noted between the two catfishes in survival or protein percentage.

Channel catfish were cultured alone, and in combination with Tilapia aurea, Israeli carp, and hybrid huffalofish in O.l-acre earthen ponds. Studies were conducted on the stomach contents ofthese species in May, July. and October. During the study the stomachs of 243 channel catfish, 17 adult hybrid buffalofish, 85 fingerling hybrid buffalofish, 157 tilapia, and 7 Israeli carp were examined. Supplemental feed comprised 87% ofthe channel catfish diet. 58% in the tilapia, 42% in the adult hybrid buffalofish, 56% in the hybrid bulfalofish fingerlings, and87% in the Israeli carp. Net yields ofchannel catfish were reduced with the polyculture combinations used.

Polyculture studies were conducted in coastal brackish ponds evaluating buffalo (Ictiobus spp.) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) combinations. The 1973 and 1974 southwest Louisiana studies demonstrated feeding to be necessary, without it, buffalo were found to compete with catfish for natural foods. Bigmouth buffalo (I. cyprinellus), black buffalo (I. niger) and bigmouth x black hybrid buffalo when stocked at 100 per acre with 1,600 and 2,000 catfish did not compete to any extent for supplemental feed. Addition of buffalo in some ponds actually resulted in increased catfish production. Results showed average buffalo production ranged up to 300 pounds per acre in addition to catfish production. The stocking of buffalo will supplement incomes where the demand for this fish is high.

The feasibility of raising rainbow trout with Dver·wintering channel catfish in 0.04 ha (0.1 acre) ponds was examined. Three treatments with three replications were used; (1) 200 rainbow trout fed three percent offish weight per day, (2) 100rainbow trout and 75 charmel catfish fed three percent of trout weight per day, (3) 100 rainbow trout and 75 channel catfish not fed. Trout grown alone showed slightly higher gains than those grown with catfish and receiving feed. and were statistically significant (P<.05). Both trout and catfish not fed showed statistically significantly less gain than those receiving feed and the trout significantly lower survival than trout receiving feed. Catfish receiving feed showed a mean gain of 117 g. Trout receiving feed demonstrated a mean gain of 217 g. in the 131 days of the study.

This study was designed to obtain population estimates of largemouth bass in 703-acre Forrest Lake, Missollri, and also to compare population estimates obtained using electrofishing and tournament angling as recapture methods. A total of 283 electroshocked bass was marked with floy tags during September 30--October 4, 1974. Recaptures obtained during a two-day (October 12-13, 1974) bass fishing tournament yielded a population estimate of 1,203 bass over 250mm (10 in) in total length. During October 15-17, 1974. bass were resarnpled by electrofishine resulting in a population estimate of 1,032 bass over 250mm in length.

We estimated populations of largemouth bass (Micropter salmoides) 12 inches tong or longer in total length by mark and recapture, using angling tournament catches on 28,200-acre Beaver Lake in 1974, and tournament catches and a supplemental creel census on 45,440-acre Bull Shoals Lake in 1975. Population estimates were 55,450 in Beaver Lake and 30,800 in Bull Shoals Lake. These estimates were in good agreement with those based on mark-recapture samples taken each spring by electrofishing near shore, and were correlated with harvest when applied to the lower reaches ofeach lake. Lakewide estimates ofanglers' catches indicated that the largemouth bass populations may have been 2-2.5 times larger than those based on tournament catches in hoth lakes. Probable sources of bias in these estimates include nonrandomization of marks and recaptures, and an exceptionally high tag return during the 1-month creel census on Bull Shoals Lake.

Largemouth bass caught by fishermen during the March, 1975 B.A.5.S. fishing tournament on Toledo Bend Reservoir were tagged and released from a central site to measure dispersal and recapture rate. Dispersal of bass durining the four months following the tournamament ranged between 0 and .5 miles. The majority of the recaptured fish (93.6 percent) were caught within 2 miles of the release site. A total of 16.7 percent of the released fish was caught by fishermen during the study period. Suggestions are given concerning utilization of tournament caught bass in fish tagging programs in large impoundments.