Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

A circular plot method of censusing non-game birds on southern Appalachian forest recreation Forest recreation areas was devised and tested, Plot boundaries were defined with a range finder. Accuracy of the method was affected by the variability inherent in wild bird populations, rain and wind, dense vegetation, and complexity of the late summer period, Data are presented indicating significant differences in evening and morning bird activity and a significant within-season decline in late summer bird population estimates. The census method used was judged satisfactory for a post-breeding bird census. An exploratory study, designed to furnish data on the late summer habitat of non-game birds in the region of the southern Appalachian mountains, was conducted in 1969 (Fowler, 1970). Since no suitable techniques for censusing late summer birds were available, it was necessary to devise a procedure for use in campgrounds of 5 to 9 acres.

The impact of predation by common mergansers (Mergus merganser americanus) wintering on Lake Carl Blackwell (650 ha) in Payne County, Oklahoma was investigated. Parameters measured included merganser usedays, daily food consumption, and food habits; plus the standing crops offish in the lake. There were 27,500 use-days in the winter of 1971-72 and 13,100 in the 1972-73 winter. The approximate daily food consumption was determined to be 454 g (1 pound) per merganser. Common Mergansers consumed an estimated 12.5 and 6.0 percent of the mean standing crop of fish in the winters of 1971-72 and 1972-73, respectively. Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) comprised 84 percent of the mergansers' food by weight, and 25.6 and 12.6 percent of the standing crop of this fish was consumed in the respective winters. In 1971-72, 27.5 percent of the standing crop of white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) was consumed, as compared to 13.2 percent in 1972-73.

An 88-question survey was conducted on 15 beagle clubs in Tennessee, Club history and membership, lands and enclosures, predator control, cottontail introduction, hahitat management, and field trial management are summarized. Results revealed that clubs expend significant amounts of money annually to perpetuate their sport, continue to introduce large numbers of rabbits, conduct predator control programs, and practice highly varying degrees of habitat management. Characteristics of a "typical" beagle club are described. Based on the club responses an evaluation is made of the relative "state of the art." Suggestions are made regarding better habitat and field trial management for the benefit of both the beaglers and the cottontail rabbit.

For several years, ecologists, naturalists, and others have been concerned over the possible ecological effects of wide-spread gassing ofgopher tortoise burrows by snake hunters in the southeastern Coastal Plain. Research was conducted on some of the effects of tortoise burrow gassing at several localities in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida in 1969, 1970 and 1971. Forty-one tortoises were gassed in their burrows with amounts of gasoline ranging from 0.25 ounce to 6 ounces. They were recovered by excavation following exposure periods of from 6 hours to 42 days. None of the tortoises died or showed any ill-effects of having been gassed. Of fourteen eastern diamondback rattlesnakes gassed, 3 died and 2 nearly died, apparently from the effects of the gasoline. Tests were made on 3 indigo and 2 Florida pine snakes to determine their reaction to gassing and the effects of gassing upon them.

Although the Delmarva fox squirrel was once distributed through southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and two counties in Virginia, it now occurs only in portions of four Eastern Shore counties in Maryland. This study has shown that the Delmarva squirrel prefers forest habitat areas with an open understory. This trait has also been demonstrated for other subspecies of fox squirrels. It is postulated that lumbering and development have been major determinants in reducing the numbers of the Delmarva fox squirrel.

Nightlight counts and daytime observations were utilized in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to measure the effects of hemorrhagic disease on a high density white-tailed deer (Odocolieus virginianus) population. Deer utilization of 1,846 acres of pasture in the Cades Cove area appeared to be greatest during February, 1971. Following the availability of spring browse, the number of deer utilizing the pastures stabilized at approximately one deer per ten acres until the die-off. During the period of mortality (August through October) utilization of pastures by deer decreased by 84 percent. This decrease in utilization closely corresponds with percent mortality observed under experimental infection with the epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus in deer. Utilization of pastures nine, twelve and twenty-four months post-dieoff was similar to pre-dieoff use.

Twig growth of young browse plants growing in the open was several times greater than that of plants beneath pine trees. The difference was most pronounced when plants were youngest. Most twig growth was within reach of deer (below 5 feet) until plants were 5 or 6 years old, but the proportion decreased with age for tall shrubs and small trees. Although twigs constitute only a small fraction of the browse consumed by deer (Harlow and Hooper 1972), twig length is a good indication oftotal browse yields (Schuster 1965). This paper presents data on the length of annual twig growth for young browse plants growing in the open and beneath a canopy of pine trees in east Texas.

Day and night float counts for wood duck (Aix sponsa) broods were conducted on a 10.8 kilometer segment of the Holston River during the spring of 1973. Nighttime float counts were made using two boats, one down each side of the stream. Hand-held airplane landing lights were used to search the water's edge for roosting broods. Daytime float counts were made the morning following each night census on the same segment of river as the night census. The night and day methods were compared. Eight float counts during the day and eight during the night were completed. The mean number of broods seen at night was 29.5 (2.7 broods per kilometer). The mean number of broods seen during the day was 7.3 (0.7 broods per kilometer). There was a statistically significant difference between the day and night float techniques. The night counts were much more accurate and precise than the highly variable day counts. More than four times as many broods were seen at night as were seen during the day.

During the fall of 1971 and 1972, the first successful efforts were made to capture and band white-fronted geese on their wintering grounds. Careful observations of feeding behavior were instrumental in developing rocket net techniques that would work with these extremely wary birds. Nets were strategically located in ryegrass fields where geese naturally fed and could be concentrated with judicious scattering of fice. A total of 290 geese have been banded.

Canada goose nests were manualIy transferred from normal ground position into a metal tub. Nesting success for transferred geese was 68.5 percent. Three years average hatchability of disturbed eggs was 62.0 percent while that of undisturbed eggs was 67.5 percent.

Wild-trapped sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis) captured and moved to habitat occupied by cranes 152 miles away did not return "home" and were seen near the release site up to 20 months later. The frequency that the translocated birds were seen near the release site indicated that dispersal had been minimal and that restocking in suitable habitat might be done with relatively few wild-trapped cranes. Dispersal behavior is an Important factor m restockmg success with wildtrapped animals and determines the minimum number of individual animals required. To measure dispersal behavior in sandhill cranes in anticipation of future restocking efforts, we trapped and moved cranes from high population areas to other occupied crane habitat. We thank M. J. Fogarty and D. W. Peterson for help in capturing some of the cranes.

Bobwhite nesting success data was collected during a five year (1967-71) study on an area with a high population density (2 + quail/acre) and a three year (1969-71) study on an area with an "average" density (4 acres/ quail). Despite the differences in population density and the intensity of habitat management, the season nesting success on both areas averaged approximately the same, 17.5 percent on the high density area (based on 1,412 nests studied) and 20.8 percent on the "average" density area (based on 313 nests studied.

Farm ponds and community lakes continue to attract a large number of fishermen. The manageability of these waters for increased fish production offers opportunities for substantial gains in terms of benefits to fishermen from management input costs. Intensive culture of channel catfish, tilapia and mirror carp can provide sport fishing opportunities, especially where fishing pressure is intense. Almost a ton of channel catfish per acre has been harvested by sport fishermen from intensively managed ponds. Problems associated with intensive culture are nutrition, disease, and the diminished aesthetics of fishing an intensively managed pond. Present management practices for bass-bluegill ponds are adequate, but intense study of optimum rates of exploitation and fertilization should provide for more efficient techniques. Strategy and tactics for the future should consider energy flow patterns in fish communities.

Despite continued deterioration and outright destruction of many streams Missourians still have a notable and diverse stream resource. Nearly 9,900 miles of permanent streams and 8,200 miles of intermittent streams with permanent pools remain. Positive stream management practices and activities in Missouri include water quality surveillance and control, access site acquisistion and development, stocking for put-and-take trout fishing, National Scenic Riverways designation, commercial fishing on some larger rivers, and continuing research projects. Three examples of application of research to stream resource problems are discussed. The first is an evaluation of gigging for rough fishes. On Big Piney River, it was shown that giggers had catch rates up to 22 times higher than hook and- line anglers. The harvest by gig, expressed as pounds per acre, nearly equaled the average annual harvest by anglers.

There are about 500 reservoirs (larger than 500 acres), totaling 4.3 million acres, in the 14 States of the Southern Division. Angling demand is predicted to double on Southern waters by the year 2000, and most of the increase is expected to be satisfied by man-made lakes. Southern reservoirs are typically below average in basic fertility, but long growing seasons foster high annual production rates, resulting in above average sport fish yield potentials. The steady accumulation of reservoir environmental and biological data during the past quarter century has greatly increased our ability to predict standing crops and angler harvests and to devise management practices based on production potentials. Production is primarily controlled by available nutrients, basin morphometry, water exchange rate, climatic cycles, eutrophication rate, and species composition.