Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

We evaluated three low frequency electrofishing pulse rates (30, 15, and 7.5 pulses per second [pps]) for differences in relative abundance, size structure and species composition of catfish species in two north Florida rivers (Apalachicola and Suwannee). Three species of catfish were collected from each river: Apalachicola River-flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), and blue catfish (I. furcatus); Suwannee River-spotted bullhead (Ameiurus serracanthus), channel catfish, and white catfish (I. catus). In both rivers, the dominant catfish species (Apalachicola: flathead catfish; Suwannee: spotted bullhead) was collected similarly with all three pulse rates. However, significant differences occurred in relative abundance, size structure, and species composition of the less dominant species in both systems.

A two-part sediment sampler (stationary base and removable trap) was designed for a long-term study of stream sedimentation associated with highway construction. Before the long-term study, a laboratory study in an experimental flume examined efficacies of our sampler and two other sediment samplers: a modified core sampler and Whitlock-Vibert boxes. Based on the flume experiment, the efficacy of our sediment sampler was consistent with that of core and Whitlock-Vibert samplers. The advantage of our two-part sediment sampler design is that it allows for repeated removal of sediment samples without continual disturbance of the streambed. It also minimizes labor necessary to collect sediment samples. Our sampler is designed for long term monitoring of streams impacted by sedimentation and not for characterization of stream substrate composition.

Stock-recruit (SR) relationships have been reported for numerous stocks of trout and Pacific salmon, but despite the intuitive appeal, evidence of such relationships is lacking for brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The relationship between number of adults spawning in a stream and the subsequent number of young produced can be used by management to predict year class strength. Disruptions of SR relationships (for species that exhibit strong relationships) can be indicative of environmental perturbations or habitat impairment. As part of a long-term study we have estimated brook trout abundance and measured habitat and water quality in 25 headwater streams in West Virginia since 2003. These streams span 4 geologies and include: Hampshire group, Mauch Chunk, Chemung, Pottsville, and Pottsville streams limed by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

We conducted acoustic surveys at National Park Service and state park properties in south-central West Virginia to create bat habitat association models across a large, topographically complex and relatively intact Appalachian Hardwood landscape representative of the Allegheny Plateau portion of the central Appalachians. We developed generalized and species-specific groups of a priori habitat association models to predict bat presence using various microhabitat and landscape features linked to body-size, wing morphology, food habits and echolocation call characteristics for seven species. Habitat associations for the species generally followed expectations based on previous research in the region.

State wildlife management agencies use harvest regulations to manage white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herds at sustainable levels while providing recreational opportunities for sportspersons. State agencies face increasing challenges when managing white-tailed deer because hunter expectations and satisfaction levels vary. Changes in harvest regulations that may influence hunter expectations and satisfaction should be evaluated by state agencies considering alternative management strategies. We conducted a mail survey of white-tailed deer hunters in Arkansas to evaluate opinions of what constituted a “quality deer” and to determine which factors contributed to hunter expectations for an enjoyable deer season. Sixty-six percent of respondents felt that the chance to harvest a mature buck was an extremely important component of an enjoyable hunting season. Forty-four percent of respondents thought the opportunity of seeing deer while hunting was important.

We conducted a five-year study during the 2001-2005 hunting seasons to determine the economic impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hunting in Mississippi. Activity days for state residents ranged from 2,390,619 to 3,181,957 and for non-residents, 265,103 to 357,253. Total economic impacts ranged from US $761 million to $1.03 billion (in 2007 dollars). Over the five years, number of full- and part-time jobs supported by deer hunting activities ranged from 26,489 to 37,888. Aggregated economic sectors benefiting the most were services, manufacturing, and trade. Statewide economic multipliers were low (from 1.63 to 1.65) compared to other types of recreation expenditures but nevertheless represent a $1.63 to $1.65 return on every dollar spent on white-tailed deer hunting in Mississippi.

As exurbia becomes more dominant in our landscape, the number of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in parklands surrounded by housing increases and creates new challenges in deer management. Traditional harvest regimes often are not possible in areas with heavy human use. Instead, many managers use controlled hunts to reduce deer abundance. We studied the efficacy of a two-day controlled shotgun hunt on Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area, Cecil County, Maryland. Deer density was 48 deer/km2, adult sex ratio was 5.3 does/buck (SE = 1.45), and fawn-doe ratio was 0.88 fawns/doe (SE = 0.054). The average fecundity for adults, yearlings, and fawns were 1.76, 1.44, and 0.06 fetuses/doe, respectively. Survival rate of adult does was 0.66 (SE = 0.07), with harvest as the most prominent mortality cause (85.7%), followed by deer auto collisions (14.3%).

Quality deer management (QDM) advocates the protection of younger-age white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) bucks, but the subsequent survival of these animals remains unknown. We conducted a study to investigate the impact and importance of harvest and non-harvest mortality factors on adult male white-tailed deer in Mississippi on areas managed under QDM. We captured 408 deer and fitted 238 adult bucks with radio collars from February 1990 until January 1997. During the study, we documented 185 mortalities, which were used to estimate survival and cause-specific mortality rates. Harvest-related and natural mortality accounted for 75% and 12% of buck losses, respectively. Annual survival rates ranged from 0.50 to 0.82 and differed among age classes. Seasonal survival rates ranged from 0.48 to 1.0, with survival during February-September greater than during October-January.

Despite recent stabilization in measured indices, American woodcock (Scolopax minor) populations have demonstrated long-term population declines since 1968 as measured by the Federal Singing-Ground and Wing-Collection surveys. We quantified long-trends in annual sex and age ratios, recruitment index, and changes in body mass of 3,022 woodcock harvested in eastern Texas during winters of 1977-78 through 2002-03. The mean juvenile:adult ratio was 0.58 and none of the annual values exceeded 1.0. This ratio declined significantly over time for females. The male:female ratio for all birds also declined from 1977 to 2002. The calculated recruitment index (number of harvested young/harvested female) of 1.03 for this population was nearly 50% lower than the published (1.9) Federal index for Texas from 1963-2005. There was a negative yearly trend in wintering body mass for adult males and adult females, with both groups experiencing a 3% decline.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was designed to remove highly erodible cropland from production. Although wildlife habitat benefits are an important component of CRP, millions of hectares of CRP do not produce optimal wildlife benefit because of poor cover crop choice. Kentucky-31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea; hereafter, fescue) was one of the most commonly planted grasses on CRP fields but provides relatively poor habitat for grassland birds such as northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). Control of fescue and release of a latent native plant community may enhance habitat value of CRP fields for northern bobwhite and other grassland birds. During 1999-2000, we evaluated effects of various spring herbicide applications, both singular and in combination, on vegetation structure and composition in fescue-dominated CRP fields. Glyphosate produced the poorest fescue control, released an undesirable johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) stand, and suppressed legumes.

Go Fish Georgia is an initiative intended to boost the state's economic development while transforming Georgia into a world-class fishing destination. The initiative will capitalize on Georgia's diverse fishing opportunities and provide improved fishing and recreation access points throughout Georgia. The three primary goals of Go Fish Georgia are to: 1) improve the quality of fishing in Georgia waters by enhancing fish habitat and by improving fish stocks including the construction of a new state-of-the-art hatchery/research facility, 2) develop and/or improve access to Georgia waters from smaller, underutilized aquatic resources up to the development of a system of major fishing event access areas on Georgia's larger reservoirs and rivers, and 3) increase fishing participation by promoting Georgia resources through a new Go Fish Georgia Center.

Ecological restoration projects have come and gone over the years. Some have succeeded and others have failed. The projects that have succeeded in the long run have one element in common: society decided to adopt and support the fundamental concepts of the restoration project. The Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Alligator Gar Restoration project began with almost immediate support for various reasons. This was not by accident. MDC involved the Missouri public in a variety of ways to gain social acceptance for a species that had been hated for decades. Our presentation will outline the different steps that MDC took to ensure a good response from Missouri residents. These steps allowed us to put youth to work, recruit future fish biologists, gain a substantial workforce to complete research, acquire free media attention, all while gaining public support for the project.

Fish movement is an important ecological component to the any lotic ecosystem. The Ohio River was once a large free-flowing system, but since the early 1880s this large river system has been altered to its current state of navigation pools and tailwater reaches. To determine movement of highly migratory fish species, a study was conducted on sauger, hybrid striped bass, and paddlefish to ascertain movement patterns and the influence of riverine conditions. Fish were inserted with either t-bar anchor tags (sauger and hybrid striped bass) or coded wire tags with elastomer marks (paddlefish). Movement of sauger was primarily in the upstream direction with greater than 50% displaying movement through at least one lock and dam complex. Interestingly, less than 1% of all sauger tags returns were from fish moving in a downstream direction. Hybrid striped bass displayed an equal tendency to move in both directions.

Catfish in the Ohio River have been a target of commercial fishers for years and are increasingly being sought by hook and line enthusiasts as well. Because of this growing popularity, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife began looking at age and growth of channel, blue, and flathead catfish in 2004. Capture methods included obtaining fish from sport anglers and using hoop nets, trotlines, and electrofishing. By 2007, otoliths from nearly 1,000 catfish have been examined. Of the three species of catfish present in the Ohio River, blue catfish grows the fastest followed by flathead catfish. However, there is considerable variability in fish length and weight for the same aged catfish. Differences in growth also exist between male and female catfish for two of the three species. Blue and flathead catfish males and females grow at similar rates up to approximately 34-36 inches. After that point male growth in length and weight surpass females in both species.

Over a century of coal mining in the Cheat River watershed in northern West Virginia resulted in abandoned coal mines that have generated massive amounts of acid mine drainage (AMD) and depressed or eliminated fish populations in Cheat River and Cheat Lake. However, approximately 185 land reclamation and water treatment projects have been completed since 1994 in order to reduce AMD in the Cheat watershed and restore fish populations. A rotary drum neutralization station was constructed on Blackwater River in the upper Cheat watershed in 1994. This restored 6.5-km of trout water on the Blackwater River and provides some alkalinity to the Cheat River. Fish surveys at Seven Islands on Cheat River downstream of the Blackwater in 1959, 1973, 1980, and 1999 produced standing crops of 67, 30, 24, and 65 kg/ha. Historic AMD input from Blackwater River and improvements from neutralization in 1994 are reflected in this data.

Intersex is a gonadal abnormality in which both testicular and ovarian tissues are present in an organism known to be gonochoristic. This condition has been observed in several locations, one of which is the Potomac River. There are several chemical contaminants with endocrine disrupting properties that have been suggested as possible contributors to intersex. The purpose of this study is to analyze what contaminants are present, and to determine if these have any effect on sperm quality or intersex severity in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Potomac. Samples were collected by boat electrofishing in May 2006 from three sites in the South Branch of the Potomac River and one site in the Gauley River. The three South Branch sites are in areas with historically high intersex occurrence. The site on the Gauley serves as the control site. Gonads were collected from 38 male fish.

Recently an intersex condition, defined as the presence of oocytes in the testes of male gonochoristic fish, has been observed in smallmouth bass in the South Branch of the Potomac River, West Virginia, which indicates exposure to exogenous estrogens. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC's) are generally hydrophobic and would tend to be found within the sediment of aquatic environments. Few studies have attempted to show the effects of exposure to EDCs on fish using sediment chemical extracts. We have developed a mass sediment extraction technique to determine the effects of extracted chemicals from three sites (Springfield, Petersburg, and Franklin) on reproductive performance of adult mating pairs of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) for 14 days. Sediments were divided, sonicated separately with two solvents (hexane and ethyl acetate:acetone (50:50), and filtered three times.

The recent spread of the swim bladder nematode parasite, Anguillicola crassus, in American eels (Anguilla rostrata) along the Atlantic coast has caused concern among biologists and fishery managers. This study documented the presence of A. crassus in yellow-phase American eels on the Shenandoah River, West Virginia. Two hundred eels were collected at Millville Dam during fall 2006 and summer 2007. Swim bladders were removed and examined for the presence of the adult nematode parasite. The number of adult parasites in each eel was recorded, and prevalence (percent of infected eels), intensity (number of nematodes per infected host), and mean intensity (average number of nematodes per infected host in a sample of hosts) were calculated. We plan to measure the relationship between length and age to parasite infestation rate. This is the first study that confirms the presence of A. crassus in the upper freshwater portion of the Potomac River watershed.

Muskellunge Esox masquinongy ohioensis were examined to determine biological characteristics, movement patterns, and habitat preferences, and to evaluate these characteristics between a catch-and-release reach and standard regulation reaches on Middle Island Creek, a stream in west central West Virginia. Between 2002 and 2007, 245 muskellunge were collected 371 times with pDC-boatmounted electrofishing equipment. Individual fish were measured, and muskellunge great than 450 mm were inserted with two different tags prior to release. Release locations were noted with global positioning system (GPS) and later included into a fisheries geographic information system (GIS). Sixty-eight fish were recaptured 142 times during subsequent electrofishing-based surveys and via anglers. Recaptured locations were noted with GPS, included in the GIS, and compared with initial capture locations. Movement patterns and growth rates varied between sexes.

The estimation of fish abundance in small streams is often accomplished with removal sampling and an electrofisher. Several electrofishing gears are available, and studies have compared different gear types as well as different sampling techniques, such as the number of passes, with the same equipment. We conducted seven-pass electrofishing removal sampling with two sampling gears (a backpack DC electrofisher and a parallel wire AC electrofisher) within the upper Greenbrier River drainage, West Virginia. We compared the two gear types at 10 paired-sites based on capture efficiencies. Estimates of capture efficiencies (from binary logit analysis) between parallel wire and backpack methods were based on capture data of adults of three relatively common species; western blacknose dace (Rhinichthys obtusus), fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare), and mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi).

A need exists within the natural resource community for an inexpensive and rapid technique for mapping and quantifying benthic habitat features of navigable river systems. Habitat mapping and assessment are critical components of research and management of aquatic fauna and the systems they inhabit. Unlike more expensive side scanning sonar units, the Humminbird side imaging system employs a transducer that can be mounted directly to the transom of a small boat thus enabling the survey of streams that include shallow, rocky areas. Our field experience with the Humminbird 981c has demonstrated this device can be used to easily obtain high-resolution, geo-spatially referenced images of riverbed habitat. Such images might then be organized and analyzed within a geographic information system (GIS).

The Greenbrier Sporting Club initiated a voluntary stream enhancement and restoration effort to restore trout habitat in nearly 4.02 km of Howard Creek, a perennial stream located near White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Howard Creek, which has a 170.94 km2 watershed, receives runoff from the town of White Sulphur Springs, flows through the Greenbrier Resort, and ultimately drains into the Greenbrier River. The effects of urbanization and historic stream modifications have degraded stream habitat and function within Howard Creek. More specifically, channel armoring, sedimentation, unstable stream banks, and higher instream temperatures have severely impaired trout habitat conditions. In May 2001, Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) and the Greenbrier Sporting Club began a cooperative effort to restore trout populations.

Large woody debris (LWD) is an integral part of the ecology of forested headwater streams and has been shown to store organic matter, provide overhead cover, and create pools. Pool creation is of particular interest to resource managers since it forms critical summer refugia for brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). We investigated the morphological effects of riparian logging and LWD additions in seven headwater streams in central West Virginia. Each stream was divided into three sections: reference (uncut), logged (50% or 90% riparian basal removal), and logged + LWD additions. Each section was 250 m long and had a riparian zone defined as being 30m from the stream edge. The sections were logged and had LWD added during summer and fall 2006, with stream measurements and LWD surveys during baseflow conditions in 2005 and 2007. LWD is expected to have increased within all logged sections, with the greatest change in the logged + LWD sections.

We examined relationships between landscape physiographic variables and summer stream temperatures in the Cheat River watershed, West Virginia, to develop statistical models for characterizing thermal patterns at the stream segment and watershed scales and to examine the relationship between modeled thermal patterns and the distribution of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) at these scales. Our study produced three important results. First, we developed a model to accurately predict weekly mean July temperature (WMJT) in this system using easily obtainable landscape variable (R2 = 0.81) and then validated this model (R2 = 0.77) in a neighboring watershed. Second, after using this model to predict WMJT in unsampled stream segments, we characterized the geography of coldwater, coolwater, and warmwater segments among as highly variable at both the segment and watershed scales.

The Appalachian Region contains the greatest diversity of freshwater mussels in the world. Freshwater mussels are also the most endangered taxa in the United States. Although small-scale studies have identified threats to mussel fauna, few studies have examined patterns in decline at the watershed scale. Mussel community types are not widely used in the literature, making it difficult to propose appropriate sampling designs for large-scale research. Describing mussel communities provides a framework for extrapolating research findings from local studies to a regional scale and gives researchers the ability to design sampling regimes that appropriately represent mussel community types. Our study therefore 1) evaluated potential classification strategies for freshwater mussel communities in the Appalachian Region, and 2) explored the relationships between mussel communities and environmental variables on a landscape scale.

We quantified brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) microhabitat use in a central Appalachian watershed, the upper Shavers Fork of the Cheat River during spring/summer 2001 with telemetry. Our objectives were to: 1) quantify non-random microhabitat use by brook trout in the Shavers Fork main stem and Rocky Run (a major tributary), 2) quantify the effects of increasing water temperature on microhabitat use, and 3) construct habitat suitability curves for four important microhabitat variables. Trout used a subset of available habitats in both the main stem and Rocky Run. Specifically trout tended to occupy deeper, higher velocity microhabitats than expected by chance alone. Trout also tended to remain close to cover and in close proximity to extremely high velocity microhabitats. During periods of warm water temperature, trout habitat use within the Shavers Fork mainstem was further constrained by access to coldwater sources near tributary mouths and along lateral groundwater seeps.

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are the only salmonid native to the Appalachians and are thought to have experienced substantial declines over the past century. They continue to be an important recreational resource and are an excellent biotic synthesizer of aquatic integrity for forested watersheds. Management of forested watersheds to maintain and even enhance water quality and this specific species are critical to sustainable forest management in this region. We are conducting a set of manipulative experiments in streamside management zones within forested watersheds in order to determine: 1) the effects of increased solar radiation on stream productivity, especially brook trout, and 2) water quality, and the 3) effects of increased large woody debris (LWD) inputs on those same factors and on 4) habitat structure (e.g., pools). Subwatersheds of the Middle Fork River, West Virginia, were selected for the treatment sites.

The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) was formed to implement range wide strategies that sustain healthy, fishable brook trout populations. Hudy et al. (2005) recently completed a comprehensive analysis of eastern brook trout distributions representing a critical first step towards fully integrating brook trout conservation efforts in this region. The study identified a distinct gap in our knowledge of the status and distribution of brook trout in West Virginia. Using WVDNR data collected the past ten years, we developed a landscape scale predictive classification tree model for brook trout presence/absence for each major basin (Potomac, Monongahela, Kanawha). We used the output from these predictive models to select 80 additional sites across the Potomac drainage and 75 additional sites across the Kanawha drainage (the Monongahela drainage was already well sampled).

Randomization of survey sites is generally preferred over using predetermined fixed sites for most sampling designs due to its unbiased approach and improved interpretation and inference of results. However, a completely randomized approach to sample site selection often leads to serious logistical complications and is often abandoned in favor of fixed sample sites. We conducted sign surveys for river otters (Lontra canadensis) on the Big Piney and Osage Fork rivers in southern Missouri using randomized survey points (n = 60) and fixed bridge crossing points (n = 20) in summer and winter 2001 and 2002. In each season of each year, we conducted two samplings on three 10-mile sections of each river. Otter sign was more likely to be located at random sampling sites than bridge sites on both rivers in winter and summer (P < 0.05).

Few studies have assessed methods of estimating abundance, density, and trends of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) populations and most wild turkey survey efforts have been unstandardized, unsuccessful, or limited to small scales. However, successful large-scale monitoring programs are important to management decisions and evaluating management activities. Our objectives were to evaluate survey techniques for wild turkey. We used inflatable turkey decoys, radio-tagged wild turkeys, and computer simulations to evaluate road surveys and aerial surveys from fixed-wing aircraft (Cessna 172) and helicopters (Robinson R-44). We modeled detectability using logistic and linear regression. Modeling efforts suggested distance and flock size were important variables in detectability during road surveys, but flock size and vegetative cover were important during aerial surveys.

West Nile virus (WNV), St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLE), eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE), and avian influenza virus (AI) are zoonotic pathogens that affect many species including wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). Several studies have documented serum antibodies to these pathogens in wild turkey; however, few studies have tested for the presence of viral antigen in tissues. Therefore, we initiated a study to test samples of multiple organs (heart, liver, kidney, spleen, brain, testes, and lung) from opportunistically-collected wild turkey for the presence of these viruses. Tissues from 45 birds from South Georgia were collected from 2005 to 2007 mainly during the spring hunting seasons. The RNA was extracted from the fresh tissues and tested for WNV, SLE, EEE, and AI using rt-PCR. We found that 56% (15) of 27 turkeys were positive for WNV, 19% (5) of 27 were positive for SLE, and 0% (0) were positive for EEE and AI. Three birds tested positive for both WNV and SLE.

It has been postulated that the declining population of red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) is limited by the amount and availability of horseshoe crab eggs at Delaware Bay, a major stopover site. To test this hypothesis, we quantified rates of horseshoe crab egg depletion by foraging shorebirds from 15 May 2005-3 June 2005 on eight beaches on Delaware Bay. We compared the 1) numbers of eggs lost and 2) proportion of eggs lost directly between plots where birds were allowed to forage versus plots from which they were excluded in three beach microhabitats: wrack line (e.g., intertidal zone concentrations of organic debris), crab nest depressions, and randomly-selected sandy locations. When considering samples from wrack line alone, we found a net 86% egg loss between control plots where birds were allowed to feed versus areas from which they were excluded.

Mudflats in the Tennessee River Valley (TRV) provide a critical migratory stopover for thousands of shorebirds. The Tennessee Valley Authority controls the availability of mudflats by manipulating water levels in reservoirs interconnected by the Tennessee River. We compared shorebird use of mudflats between Douglas and Chickamauga reservoirs in east Tennessee over two years. These reservoirs were drawn down on different dates, resulting in temporal differences in mudflat exposure. In 2005, mudflat exposure at Douglas and Chickamauga reservoirs began on 4 August and 4 October, respectively, and on 15 July and 3 October in 2006. Four mudflats per reservoir were surveyed with a spotting scope twice per week from 15 August 2005-13 January 2006 and from 31 July 2006-12 January 2007. In September 2005 and August 2006, mean daily abundance of shorebirds on mudflats was greater (P < 0.03) in Douglas than in Chickamauga reservoir.

Understanding bias associated with invertebrate sampling methods is essential for relevant comparisons among studies. As invertebrate research becomes more prevalent, it is imperative that sampling technique efficiency across habitats is understood to facilitate selection of an appropriate sampling framework. Therefore, we compared results from suction sampling and pitfall trapping in intensively managed, mid-rotation pine (Pinus spp.) stands owned and managed by Weyerhaeuser Company near Scooba, Mississippi. We used a randomized complete block design of six replicate stands with four randomly-assigned treatment plots, separated by >50 m, per stand (burn only, herbicide only, burn*herbicide, control). We used suction sampling and pitfall trapping to collect invertebrates monthly from April-September 2004 and 2005 and May-October 2004 and 2005, respectively.

A primary directive of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is to assist landowners with habitat improvement, land management, and wildlife conservation. In a state that is more than 94% privately owned and managed, the Technical Guidance (TG) program is critical for wildlife conservation on private lands. Department biologists assist almost 5,500 landowners who manage over 8.4 million hectares. Since establishment of the TG program in 1973, there has been minimal documentation of the history, evolution, focus, and success of this program. In an effort to better understand the TG program, we surveyed and interviewed TPWD field biologists who assist landowners in developing and implementing wildlife management plans. We used a quantitative email survey sent to 94 TPWD staff (response rate 74%, n = 70). Additionally, we utilized qualitative personal interviews from eight biologists for further insight and information about the history and effectiveness of the TG program.

Previous research conducted at Mississippi State University found that non-industrial private (NIP) landowners in Mississippi can diversify incomes derived from their properties through the development of fee hunting enterprises. In 1998, revenues collected from fee hunting on Mississippi private lands ranged from US$2,964 to $5,254 on average per landowner or $7.50 to $14.28 per ha, depending upon the region. Net revenues averaged from $1,539 to $3,244 per landowner survey respondent or $3.90 to $9.54 per ha. Additionally, fee access wildlife recreation contributed an average increase of $808.73/ha or an increase of 36% in sales proceeds collected on lands sold in Mississippi between 2002-2005. Similar trends in fee access wildlife and fisheries recreation and land sales influenced by outdoor recreation have been documented in other southeastern states.

The “Bat Blitz” is a program of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network (SBDN; www.sbdn.org). Blitzes are intensive surveys that sample the bat community in an extensive area. The first Bat Blitz was held in 2002 at Great Smoky Mountains National Park as part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory organized by the Park. Since then, SBDN has sponsored five additional blitzes on national forests in five states (Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). The value of survey efforts at all Blitzes combined (175 sites) is over $262,000. Blitzes are efficient, allowing collection of data in three days that would usually require an entire season of surveys. Blitzes also bring together bat biologists, students, and interested persons from across the nation (>20 states), providing opportunities for participants to work together in teams sharing ideas, information, and field techniques.

The state Wildlife Action Plans provide consolidated information for each state and territory and are a valuable resource for developing much-needed conservation partnerships and programs for natural resources. To better inform bat conservation efforts for the Southeastern region a review of the plans for the 16 Southeastern states was conducted. The goals of the review were to gain a better understanding of the status patterns and trends for priority bats for the region and to identify areas where multi-state and multi-species actions and programs may be developed that will enhance the outcomes for at-risk and imperiled bats. Collectively, over half of the 17 bats that occur widely in the Southeastern region are included in these plans as priority species. Nine species common to the majority of the plans were identified. Four of these are federally listed taxa; Myotis grisescens, M. sodalis, Corynorhinus townsendii ingens, and C. t. virginianus .

As part of the nation-wide state wildlife grants effort, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) created Florida's Wildlife Legacy Initiative to serve the agency's commitment to conserve all native wildlife and their habitats. The Initiative identified sandhill and scrub habitat as the highest priority terrestrial habitats based upon current threats such as development and altered fire regime. Following goals set by the Initiative, we identified an area of remnant sandhill and scrub habitat in southwest Alachua County and northeast Levy County, known as Watermelon Pond, for an ecosystem restoration effort termed the Watermelon Pond Conservation Cooperative. The goal of the Cooperative is to enhance sandhill and scrub habitats and improve ecosystem connectivity by working with private landowners to implement land management activities. The approximately 17,000-acre area contains a mosaic of private and public ownerships.

The Southeast Gap Analysis Project (SEGAP; http://www.basic.ncsu.edu/segap/) is part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Gap Analysis Program. The SEGAP includes nine Southeastern states (Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia). The main focus of this regional GAP is to develop datasets and tools for use in conservation planning efforts such as State Wildlife Action Plans. We present the Gap Analysis process including the use of satellite imagery to map vegetation, developing databases for modeling predicted species distributions, compiling land stewardship data, and identifying conservation “gaps” (areas of conservation interest outside the conservation network). We will highlight the results of the recently completed analyses for over 600 vertebrate species in the Southeast.

Foraging ecology of cerulean warblers (Dendroica cerulea) is not well studied, yet an understanding of foraging behavior and selection of foraging habitat is important for conservation and management. During the 2006 breeding season, 359 foraging observations were collected on eight study plots in West Virginia and four in Kentucky in a mixture of national forests, state Wildlife Management Area (WMAs), and private forests. We analyzed foraging observations to quantify tree species preference based on use versus availability based on a chi-square goodness-of-fit test. Cerulean warblers preferentially foraged in hickory (Carya sp.), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum), avoided American beech (Fagus grandifolia), basswood (Tilia americana), and red maple (Acer rubra), and used chestnut oak (Quercus prinus) and tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipfera) in proportion to availability.

Fragmentation and loss of habitat at local and regional scales have been implicated as important factors contributing to declines of forest bird populations. Large-scale activities such as surface mining can alter the spatial configuration, increase edge:area ratio, and reduce overall patch size of forested habitats. These factors can negatively affect mature-forest dependent species such as the cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea). Canopy cover, canopy gaps (or amount of canopy closure), distance from large-scale edge, and aspect were identified as predictors of cerulean warbler presence and abundance in previous models developed for the central Appalachians, upper Midwest, and the Ohio Valley. Using classification and regression trees, we are developing region-specific predictive models for cerulean warbler presence/absence and abundance throughout the Appalachian Mountains Bird Conservation Region (BCR28).

Science-based monitoring of biological resources is important for a greater understanding of ecological systems and for assessment of the target population using theoretic-based management approaches. When selecting variables to monitor, managers first need to carefully consider their objectives, the geographic and temporal scale at which they will operate, and the effort needed to implement the program. Generally, monitoring can be divided into two categories: index and inferential. Although index monitoring is usually easier to implement, analysis of index data requires strong assumptions about consistency in detection rates over time and space, and parameters are often biased—not accounting for detectability and spatial variation. In most cases, individuals are not always available for detection during sampling periods, and the entire area of interest cannot be sampled.

In September 2005, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was confirmed in a 2.5-year-old male white-tailed deer in central Hampshire County as part of routine surveillance initiated in West Virginia in 2002. While awaiting confirmation of this first known occurrence in the state, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) initiated its CWD Response Plan. The goal of this plan is to guide decision-making in defining distribution and frequency of the disease in deer populations and attempt to prevent the spread of CWD to cervids in uninfected areas. In late September 2005, 206 deer were killed by sharpshooters and sampled for CWD within an 8-km radius of where the initial positive case was found. Four additional deer tested positive during this sampling period. Sampling 2170 hunter-killed bucks taken during the 2005 and 2006 hunting seasons resulted in one deer testing positive.

Hunting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with dogs is a 400-year-old tradition in the Southeastern United States. Today, this method of hunting involves using dogs, vehicles, and public roads to trail deer. Frequently, deer and dogs cover vast acreages requiring large consolidated tracts to keep dogs off neighboring lands. Conflicts among landowners, still hunters, and dog deer hunters in ascending order of intensity are: blocking of public roads, trespass to recover dogs, and trespass by deerhounds. During the 2002-03 hunting season, these conflicts escalated in four counties and resulted in regulatory proposals which eliminated hunting deer with dogs in those counties. Six other counties were likely to follow. Combined, this represented 25% of the opportunity for hunting deer with dogs. Faced with this reality, the Georgia Dog Hunters Association successfully sought a statutory change to mutually protect landowners' and dog-deer hunting interests.

Methylmercury is the predominant chemical form of mercury reported in the eggs of wild birds. The embryo is the life stage at which birds are most sensitive to methylmercury. Protective guidelines have been based largely on captive-breeding studies done with chickens (Gallus domesticus), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). Typically these studies are cost and time prohibitive. In the past, researchers have used either egg injections or the “sample egg” technique to determine contaminant effects on bird eggs. Both techniques have their limitations. As an alternative to the above methods and because most of the methylmercury is found in the albumen we have developed a novel, less invasive technique, to micro-sample the albumen of eggs in the field. An albumen sample would be analyzed and then compared to the hatching success of that egg. Using the micro-sampling procedure, the egg is oriented with the blunt end up and the pointed end down.

The National Park Service is dedicated to controlling exotic species if they interfere with natural processes or natural habitats, disrupt the accurate presentation of cultural landscapes, or hamper the land management. Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) had invaded a 20-acre wet meadow at Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington, Pennsylvania, providing breeding habitat for American woodcock (Scolopax minor). American woodcock populations in the northeastern United States have declined more than 45% since the late 1960s. This decline has mostly mirrored the loss of early successional habitat. In 2004 we began a project to develop a plan to remove invasive Morrow's honeysuckle from Fort Necessity National Battlefield, restore the native and historic vegetation, and at the same time maintain the woodcock and other wildlife species that occur on site.

The cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea) is one of the highest priority bird species in the eastern United States because populations have declined 4.3% annually during 1966-2005 based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Habitat loss and fragmentation due to land use changes is thought to be one of the major factors contributing to the decline. BBS routes, the primary source for monitoring bird population trends, include 50 sampling stops every 0.8 km. Although data from BBS routes are extrapolated to determine regional trends in bird populations, it is important to understand the effects of habitat changes at the stop-level along BBS routes. Route-level analysis of habitat changes may mask important changes that are occurring at a smaller scale particularly for the cerulean warbler which displays several micro-scale habitat preferences.

The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) is a broad-based citizen/industry/government program working to encourage the planting of productive trees on active coal mine lands and abandoned coal mine lands. Using a combination of private and governmental resources, the program will facilitate and coordinate citizen groups, university researchers, the coal industry, corporations, the environmental community, and local, state, and federal government agencies that have and interest in creating productive forestland on reclaimed mined lands. Forestry research conducted by various academic institutions has confirmed that highly productive forestland can be created on reclaimed mine land by using a Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA). The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) and the Appalachian region states have determined that this technology can be implemented under current state and federal regulations.

Coverboards are being used more frequently as an efficient method to inventory and monitor terrestrial salamanders. In summer 2006, we established a study to inventory and monitor salamanders at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, a residential environmental learning center located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. Our goals were to: 1) compare the effectiveness of two different types of coverboards in attracting salamanders; 2) compare salamander diversity and abundance between hardwood and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) forests; 3) establish a long-term salamander monitoring project; and 4) create a wildlife research project that engages children and adult volunteers as citizen scientists. We selected two hardwood and two eastern hemlock sites. We established five rows of eight coverboards, for a total of 40 coverboards per site.