Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Bowfishing may represent a substantial portion of the recreational harvest of alligator gar, but little is known about the relative efficiency of the angling method. To better understand angler effort and harvest rates, we collected data from three Trinity River bowfishing tournaments each year during 2009, 2010, and 2011 (n = 9). Harvest ranged from 2 to 30 alligator gar per tournament with 641 anglers harvesting a total of 134 fish for all years. Mean (± SE) harvest rate (fish h-1) of alligator gar for tournament participants was similar among years at 0.023 ± 0.095 in 2009, 0.018 ± 0.008 in 2010, and 0.016 ± 0.004 in 2011 (F = 0.24, df = 8, P = 0.79). Harvested alligator gar ranged from 229 to 2210 mm in total length, indicating a wide range of vulnerability to bowfishing.

White bass (Morone chrysops) are a popular sport fish throughout most of their zoogeographic distribution. We conducted a population assessment of white bass in Pool 4 of the Arkansas River. Using population metrics calculated from the assessment, responses of the white bass fishery to a 254-mm or 305-mm minimum length limit (MLL) were simulated using the Fishery Analysis and Modeling Simulator (FAMS) model. White bass ages ranged from 1-7, but 88% of white bass were less than age 5. Conditional natural mortality averaged 0.43, and total annual mortality was 54%, so exploitation was estimated to be 0.15. Implementation of a 254-mm MLL would reduce the number of fish harvested by 18%-32%, but increase the average weight of harvested fish by 21%-43%. Yield was predicted to increase or decrease by 10% depending upon natural mortality and exploitation. The portion of the cohort reaching preferred size (300 mm TL) ranged from 5% to 26%.

Most hybrid catfish are produced by fertilizing eggs from hormone-induced, strippable channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) females with sperm from blue catfish (I. furcatus). Water to most hatcheries is supplied from 300 to 400-m deep aquifer, yielding geothermal water of 25-30 C with low level of calcium hardness and hence supplemented with an external source of calcium. Many catfish hatchery water sources have low calcium concentrations and are supplemented with an external source of calcium. Nevertheless, failure of calcium pump or delivery system in commercial catfish hatcheries is not uncommon. This study examined 12 sequential 8-hour periods of exposure of hybrid catfish eggs to calcium-deficient waters from fertilization to hatch. Periodic exposure to calcium-deficient waters did not affect fertilization of hybrid catfish eggs.

We investigated the effects of exposing pellet-reared, advanced-fingerling largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to live forage on the ability of bass to capture live forage (competitive ability). Wild and pellet-reared largemouth bass were paired in competitive trials in 75-L aquaria and offered live fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Prior to competitive trials, pellet-reared largemouth bass were placed into trial groups and fed fathead minnows daily for 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 days among groups. Pellet-reared largemouth bass without exposure to live forage captured the fathead minnow in 9% of competitive events against wild fish and captured significantly fewer fathead minnows than pellet-reared largemouth bass with exposure to live forage (logistic regression; P < 0.05). Pellet-reared largemouth bass with exposure to live forage before competitions were similar to wild largemouth bass in competitive ability.

Long-term tagging studies require a tag that has high retention and does not cause significant mortality. Retention and induced mortality were determined for advanced fingerling channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) tagged with Carlin dangler tags. We stocked three replicate 0.10-ha ponds with 100 tagged and 150 untagged channel catfish. Mean length ± SD of fish stocked was 232 ± 20 mm (range: 179-282 mm). Mean annual tag loss was 10% and ranged from 4% to 19% among ponds. Annual survival was 9% lower for tagged (mean = 52%) than unmarked control fish (mean = 61%). Annual growth of tagged fish was 58 mm and 376 g less than that of unmarked fish. Overall, results of this study indicated that long-term tag loss of Carlin dangler tags was acceptable for most applications (i.e., 10% per year), but investigators should be aware that tagged advanced fingerling fish, with an associated adipose fin clip, may have reduced survival and growth.

Studies conducted during the last 30 years have identified benefits and adverse impacts and have documented increased frequency of fishing tournaments. This study used information provided by state fisheries management agency administrators to measure the frequency of black bass (Micropterus spp.) tournaments in southeastern states and assessed how reported changes in tournament frequency have impacted fisheries management. The average annual number of black bass tournaments reported by 14 southeastern states for 2009-2011 was 41,939, which was a 124% increase from the average annual number of tournaments for all freshwater species reported by southeastern states for 2002-2004. Despite this considerable increase, agencies reported that tournaments were generally beneficial.

Management of blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) fisheries has recently increased in priority for many fisheries management agencies, but little is known about managing these fisheries. Also, while large-scale surveys (i.e., national and statewide) have provided managers with baseline sociological information, localized motivations and opinions of blue catfish anglers remain unknown in most areas. A mail-out survey was conducted to quantify motivations and opinions of blue catfish anglers in an eight-county area in north-central Texas to better manage local blue catfish fisheries. Surveyed anglers were generally harvest-oriented and preferred to harvest fish <610 mm total length. They supported the current harvest regulation (305-mm minimum length limit, 25 fish/day bag) or increasing the minimum length limit but did not support a reduced bag limit or a protected slot length limit.

Reports of extensive hybridization among black bass species throughout North America as well as anecdotal information from anglers led to an investigation of the possibility of hybridization between Alabama bass (M. henshalli) and both subspecies of largemouth bass (M. salmoides salmoides and M. s. floridanus) in Alan Henry Reservoir, Texas. Fish were collected and identified by field staff and then by using genetic markers. Results suggested no hybridization had occurred between Alabama bass and largemouth bass in Alan Henry Reservoir; however, genetic markers did reveal misclassifications when identification was based on morphology.

An exploratory study was conducted on paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) anglers at Lake of the Ozarks near Warsaw, Missouri, to learn about their social and cultural aspects, such as activity involvement and place dependence in relation to travel distance. Although Lake of the Ozarks is a premier fishery in the state of Missouri, little is known about these participants. An on-site survey was completed and returned by 423 out of 595 anglers (71% response rate). Respondents were middle-aged men who lived in rural areas in Missouri, and traveled a median distance of 179.3 km (one way) to this location. The average angler started this activity at age 25.9 and had been a participant for 11.2 years. Socialization and harvest were important reasons for angling participation. Significant differences were found between proximate and distant paddlefish anglers on activity involvement and place dependence.

Despite its importance to anglers, the Arkansas River spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) fishery has not been intensively studied or managed. Thus, spotted bass populations in the lower nine navigation pools of the Arkansas River were assessed during 2004-2005 using nighttime boatmounted electrofishing. Across years and pools, size structure measures were within acceptable ranges for black basses (mean PSDQ = 38, range 21-56; mean PSDP = 10, range 0-19). Theoretical maximum sizes generated from growth models were not large for spotted bass (mean L∞ = 395 mm TL, range 351-429 mm total length), though populations exhibited good condition and growth. Total annual mortality estimated from catch curves averaged 49% and ranged from 43%-57% across pools. Although population metrics exhibited few longitudinal relationships within the Arkansas River, spotted bass populations compared favorably to other populations from similar impounded river systems.

Adult alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (A. aestivalis) (collectively referred to as river herring) have rarely been trapped and transported during the spawning period to restore spawning runs in southern coastal U.S. watersheds, though this is a common practice in New England. We tested the feasibility of this practice in North Carolina to develop a protocol to assist in restocking and conservation efforts. River herring were collected using pound nets in the Scuppernong River at Columbia, North Carolina, from February-April 2007. Fish were removed from pound nets, placed into an oxygenated 833-L holding tank, and transported approximately 30 min to Lake Phelps, a natural Carolina Bay lake on the Albemarle-Pamlico peninsula with an outlet to Albemarle Sound. The density of river herring in the tank was maintained < 1 fish / 3.78 L-1.

A primary responsibility of wildlife resources agencies is to determine a species' conservation status. Two widely utilized protocols for status determination are those of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and NatureServe. This study compares the risk categorization for 58 species of aquatic wildlife extant in North Carolina. The IUCN and NatureServe protocols produced threat rankings that were correlated with each other but very different in terms of how they classified risk. The NatureServe protocol most often placed a species as being in a higher threat category than did the IUCN protocol. Differences mainly appeared to be due to how the protocols treat species with restricted geographic range. Resource managers should be aware of the relative performances and reasons for discrepancies of these two protocols when determining conservation status for a species.

Adult striped bass (Morone saxitilis) are vulnerable to high summer water temperatures and low dissolved oxygen (DO) in southern reservoirs, potentially resulting in poor body condition and elevated mortality. In Lake Buchanan, Texas, mean relative weights for striped bass >500 mm ranged from 77 to 84 from 2002-2007 in spring surveys when relative weight should be maximized. Two hypotheses were tested that could explain the observed poor condition of Lake Buchanan adult striped bass in spring: (1) lack of available prey, or (2) lack of suitable habitat during the previous summer. Striped bass condition was monitored monthly from August 2007 to March 2008 and additionally in October 2008 and February 2009. Sampling of vertical and horizontal forage distributions was conducted concurrently from September 2007 to March 2008.

Studies assessing whether there are differences in angling susceptibility between northern largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides salmoides (NLMB) and Florida largemouth bass M. s. floridanus, (FLMB) have typically been conducted at small study sites and have produced inconsistent results. Thus it is unclear how these results translate to natural populations, particularly those in large bodies of water. We evaluated the genetic composition (seven microsatellite loci) of angled and electrofished collections of LMB from five Texas reservoirs and related these results to angling susceptibility between these subspecies. In the angled collections, a single reservoir exhibited lower FLMB influence (proportion of FLMB alleles) than was found in the elecrofished collection (Pinkston, P < 0.001). Two populations had fewer non-introgressed FLMB in the angled sample than in the electrofished sample (Pinkston and O. H. Ivie; P = 0.010 and 0.030, respectively).

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has been annually stocking Florida largemouth bass (FLMB, Micropterus salmoides floridanus) at rates of 250 fish ha-1 into small dendritic sections of two large Arkansas reservoirs, Lake DeGray and Lake Ouachita, since 2006 and 2007, respectively, to alter local pre-existent northern largemouth bass (NLMB, Micropterus s. salmoides) populations. The management goal for these actions is to have 40% of the local largemouth bass (LMB) population possessing FLMB alleles within eight years of the initiation of the stocking program. Microsatellite analysis of ~1200 LMB were performed prior to and post stocking three and five years for Lake DeGray and three years for Lake Ouachita populations to measure progress towards this management goal. Stocked FLMB represented 2%-3% of sampled fish for both lakes. Following five years of stocking FLMB into Lake DeGray, 10% of the sample was identified F1 LMB.

Emphasis on catfish management has increased in Tennessee, and in 2003 the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency adopted new regulations protecting trophy-sized catfish by restricting recreational harvest of catfish >864 mm to one fish per day and eliminating all commercial harvest of catfish >864 mm. A statewide survey on licensed catfish anglers was conducted in fall 2000, 2005 and 2006 to determine if angler responses changed following implementation of these regulations. Before the regulation change, catfish anglers generally supported protecting trophy-sized catfish but angler responses for managing catfish as a sportfish were equally divided between support and opposition. Catfish anglers surveyed in 2005 and 2006 had not diminished their support for the regulation, but support for managing catfish as a sportfish had increased by 75% over the previous survey.

In 2010, we conducted a follow-up survey of anglers who responded to the 2009 Texas Statewide Angler Survey and indicated that they fished for catfish in the previous year or listed catfish as a preferred species. The follow-up survey assessed demographics, fishing methods, areas fished, species preferences, attitudes, and satisfaction of Texas catfish anglers. Only 26% of respondents considered catfish to be their primary species sought. We grouped anglers by their preferred species, but observed few demographic differences among these groups. Most (≥70%) catfish anglers preferred to catch and harvest the fish they caught. Most respondents (82%) lived within or close to urban centers and preferred to fish in areas that were close to home as long as they were free of litter, noise, and other people.

During 2002-2003, we trapped and banded 1870 mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) in Hell Creek Wildlife Management Area located in northern Mississippi. Of these, we recovered 152 banded doves and recorded 845 live recaptures. We calculated apparent weekly survival using live recaptures model in Program MARK. Best model yielded adult survival estimates of >0.90 through week 13, then declined to 0.88 by week 15. Juvenile survival estimates followed a similar trend with >0.90 through week 13, then dropping to 0.85 by week 15. Annual survival rate of mourning doves in northern Mississippi was 0.32 (SE 0.07). Recapture probability of AHY doves was 0.014 (SE = 0.01 - 0.13); HY doves exhibited greater recapture probability, ranging from 0.04 (SE = 0.01) to 0.13 (SE = 0.01). We used simulations to examine the influence of number of releases and reporting rates on precision of mean survival estimates.

Artificially feeding deer is controversial, particularly in North America. Our objective was to determine if published literature supports the hypothesis that supplemental feeding of deer leads to overuse of palatable plants and vegetation degradation. We found 16 papers regarding the feeding of deer through a search of the literature since 1989. Recent studies have not provided conclusive evidence that supplemental feeding of deer enables herbivores to concentrate feeding on the most palatable native foods in their environment or that it results in degradation of vegetation within the area. Providing supplemental feed does promote localized vegetation degradation by congregating animals near feeders.

Antlers contribute greatly to the life history and ecology of most species in the deer family (Cervidae). Diet composition and quality, precipitation, age, antler size, dominance rank, and demographic parameters (e.g., adult sex ratio, density) of the population may explain variation in antler breakage rates between individuals and subpopulations. Our objectives were to examine the effects of some of these variables on probability of antler breakage and provide a general description of antler breakage patterns in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). From 2001-2010, we collected 487 shed antlers from captive white-tailed deer managed at relatively high densities with a sex ratio skewed towards males. Overall antler breakage rate was 30% with approximately 51% of antlered males possessing ≥1 broken antler (at least one antler point or the main beam broken).

Hunting pressure can lead to drastic changes in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) behavior, though previous studies have focused mainly on females and juvenile males. Adult male white-tailed deer have not been studied in the context of hunting pressure since the advent of GPS technology. During 2006-2007, we deployed GPS collars on nine adult (≥2.5 years old) male white-tailed deer to examine changes in home range (95% fixed kernel) and core area (50% fixed kernel) size, shifts in home range and core area, movement, activity, and vulnerability to harvest during Maryland's two-week firearms season at Chesapeake Farms. Home range and core area size did not change between pre-hunt and hunt periods, and although adult male white-tailed deer movement and activity decreased from pre-hunt to the hunt period, this was at least partially attributable to hunting season coinciding with the post-breeding period.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are the most important game species in Louisiana and throughout the southeastern United States. Likewise, the forest products industry represents the most important agricultural commodity in Louisiana, and industrial landowners frequently lease their properties to sportsmen specifically for white-tailed deer hunting. We assessed survival, space use, and habitat selection of white-tailed deer on a 3885-ha industrial forest in Union Parish, Louisiana, 2009-2010. We radio-marked 47 (23M, 24F) mature deer and ear-tagged 13 (6M, 7F) fawns. Male home range sizes varied seasonally and were largest during spring, whereas female home range sizes did not differ seasonally. Forest openings were important to both sexes when establishing home ranges, whereas 0- to 4-year-old pine and 13- to 19-year-old pine stands were important when selecting core use areas.

Intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests are common in the southeastern United States and critical to providing fiber for global wood supply needs. There are concerns regarding possible effects of stand establishment treatments on plant communities, particularly availability and quality of browse for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We quantified response of non-pine vegetation productivity at either narrow (4.3 m) or wide (6.1 m) row spacing combined with either piled or scattered woody debris following clearcut harvest in Louisiana. We examined total (kg/ha) and preferred forage production and used crude protein percentages of preferred forage to estimate carrying capacity, based on lactation requirements, in each treatment (n = 16 replicates) for years 4-5-post treatment (2009-2010). We documented 95 genera or species of plants including 36 preferred forage species.

We conducted random mail and open web surveys of Louisiana waterfowl hunters following the 2011-2012 season, asking identical questions about waterfowl hunting effort, success, satisfaction, proposed regulatory actions, and demographics. We received 1,096 usable responses to our mail survey, and 1,286 usable responses to an on-line survey that was open for anyone to answer. Respondents to the web survey hunted much more, harvested more ducks, and were somewhat younger; but we noted similarities across survey methods in attitudes toward proposed regulatory actions. Using five variables measuring hunter effort, success, satisfaction, and demographics, we were able to correctly classify by survey method 65% of survey respondents, exceeding the 51% standard for predictive accuracy.

This research puts pay and contextual data gleaned from state conservation and state patrol agencies in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and West Virginia into the context of an anonymous survey of conservation rangers from across the country. Facts about pay, including the number of rangers, starting pay, and pay for experienced rangers is viewed through the lens of responses from 372 rangers in 17 states across the United States. The findings demonstrate that, at least in the states surveyed, state patrol officers generally make higher wages than conservation rangers, a fact not lost on rangers who responded to the survey. Nearly 98% of respondents believe that troopers make more money than rangers; about 86% attribute the difference in pay to politics. Understanding the facts about parity in pay as well as staff perceptions of inequity is important for state agencies attempting to recruit and retain qualified staff.