Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

A difficult land management problem facing wildlife agencies today is the use of and demand for areas to utilize off-road vehicles (ORVs). Problems arising from conflicts between ORV users and other recreationists on the Cherokee National ForesUWildlife Management Area are discussed. The impacts of ORV use on soil, water, wildlife, and fisheries resources are described. Difficulties faced by law enforcement officials relative to ORV use and ways to solve those problems are presented.

A basic outline is provided to aid and encourage wildlife officers with disseminating timely local area information utilizing the print media.

Fatty acid profiles of cultured hybrid striped bass and red drum were compared to their diets. Correlation coefficients were 0.94 and 0.98, respectively. Of the fatty acids examined, linoleic acid (18:2n6) levels were particularly high in cultured fish due to various dietary sources and extremely low in wild fishes. Such differences may be suitable to distinguish cultured from wild fish and may become another biochemical tool for use by law enforcement agencies involved in the protection and conservation of natural resources.

Wildlife law enforcement operations cover vast areas of a state. Aerial surveillance, using small aircraft, is an excellent aid to the ground-based wildlife enforcement officer in locating potential violations. Such aircraft have a deterrent effect on violators and can also be used by the Agency's other divisions.

"Deer jacking" is an illegal form of deer hunting. The poacher temporarily blinds a deer with a spotlight thereby incapacitating it and then shoots the animal. This research analyzes over 200 offenders involved in about 100 episodes of deer jacking from 1977 to 1987 in southwest Georgia. Data were extracted from field citations written by officers of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Deer jacking is primarily a white young male phenomenon, often carried out in groups. Information on offender profiles, co-offending, and dispositions constitutes the bulk of the paper.

In 1986 the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Section (GDNRlLE) began developing a comprehensive 5 year plan. A major thrust of that plan was to infuse scientific research procedures into agency operations. One critical component of the plan was the critical review of select agency data collection methods and analysis related to officer productivity. This study found that officer characteristics and activity and productivity measures can serve to support agency management policy making. Suggestions for future data collection and analysis are proposed.

Too few supervisors are present in conservation agencies to adequately oversee and motivate conservation officers. In order to properly manage these officers, self-management techniques need to be implemented. To initiate selfmanagement, the supervisor must learn what motivates an employee; give the employee some responsibility; show him the importance of his job; provide proper equipment, training, recognition, and pay raises when applicable; and allow the employee to participate in the decision making process. The supervisor must also be trustworthy, honest, promote positive attitudes, and exhibit interest in the employee. By utilizing these techniques, we will not only get the most out of our employees, but also improve conservation of wildlife resources.

This paper qualitatively analyzes the variables affecting accidents to determine the impacts of mandatory hunter education. The similarities and differences in the 2 study states, Alabama and Arkansas, were determined as were the factors influencing accidents in these states. It was found that problem areas must be pinpointed and hunter education programs be modified to address these areas.

Over the course of 3 years, the hunter education program in Virginia was evaluated to determine its performance, strengths, and weaknesses and to develop recommendations for improvement. Students gained about 16% in knowledge of hunting and hunting safety from the 6-hour course. Observations of dove hunters with and without hunter education training suggested that the hunter education program had no significant impact on hunter behavior. A naturalistic inquiry evaluation of the program, involving analysis of interviews with 57 persons involved in hunter education, indicated program administration, program delivery, and course content could be strengthened. In the years since completion of the evaluation, the hunter education coordinator and his staff have implemented approximately 80% of the 43 suggestions.

Most landowners have an inadequate knowledge about how to improve habitat for wildlife on their properties. A Backyard Wildlife Habitat Model was developed to teach landowners how to create a natural home for wildlife in their backyards.

Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) comprised 35.9% of the 92,823 trawl-caught fish at 8 stations in the vicinity of a power plant on the Cape Fear River estuary, North Carolina. Monthly length frequency determinations of trawl-caught spot showed the major size mode progressed from about 4 to 10 cm from April 1975 to December 1975. The highest catches per unit of effort during the 2-year study were in the intake canal of the power plant. Of 982 spot tagged in the intake canal, 161 were returned and 9.4% of these were impinged on intake screens. The rate of impingement was highest for those released nearest to the intake structure and least for those released at greater distances.

A total of 230 otoliths was used for age and growth analysis of Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Male fish in the sample ranged from ages 0 to 6, whercas females were 0 to 4 years old. Females exhibited faster growth than did males. Von Bertalanffy growth equations were: males L = 552( I - e -0'''''+ 16h,), and females L = 604(1 - e 04'" ")751). Growth equations from this study showed that both sexes grew at significantly slower rates than did Spanish mackerel in south Florida waters. Age-frequency distributions showed a differential pattern of mortality between the sexes from ages I through 4. Females showed a 50% decline in numbers bctween ages I and 2, whereas males exhibited a decline of 80% between ages 2 and 3. The differential growth and age specific mortality patterns imply that males and females entcr the fishery at different ages and that the fishery is contributing noticeably to total mortality.

A trawl shrimp cage I (TSC), which was a modification of the cod end of a conventional wingnet, was evaluated for its ability to reduce the bycatch associated with shrimping. The webbing of the cod end was stretched around a box-like aluminum frame. This prevented the webbing in the cod end from collapsing under the weight of water pressure and cod end contents, thus releasing undersized shrimp and finfish directly into water. The TSC was evaluated between 6 June 1985 and 13 August 1985 in the estuarine marshes of eastern Louisiana. A 6.4-m aluminum flat bottom boat was outfitted with a conventional wingnet on I side and wingnet rigged with the TSC on the other. Although the TSC caught less shrimp overall, it retained approximately the same number of the larger, more valued shrimp « I04/kg heads on) as the conventional wingnet. The TSC reduced the finfish catch by an average of 75%.

Relative survival rates for phase II (150- to 250-mm total length) striped bass hybrids (Morone saxatilis x M. chrysops) were 23, 200 and 137 times greater than phase 1 (30- to 45-mm total length) fish for the 1983, 1984 and 1985 year classes, respectively. Mean condition factors of phase I fish collected in the field were significantly higher than phase II fish for all 3 year classes. Mean total lengths of phase I fish were significantly greater than phase II fish for the 1983 year class and for the 1984 fish collected in the spring of 1986. However, 1985 phase II fish collected during the summer of 1986 were significantly larger than 1985 phase I fish. Phase II fish made up 35% and 48% of the estimated striped bass hybrid harvest during the 1984-85 and 1985-86 creel periods, respectively. Stocking of tagged phase II fish was a useful technique in evaluating fingerling survival.

The establishment of a striped bass (Morone saxatilis) fishery in Lake Wateree, South Carolina, did not detrimentally influence largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) growth, abundance, or condition. There was no evidence striped bass introduction altered the clupeid, primarily Dorosoma spp., or the Lepomis ,Ipp. prey base. An important fishery was added, however, to the reservoir. The authors suggest care in applying results to other less fertile, prey deficient reservoirs.

Fingerling Morone hybrids were stocked into Storm Creek Lake, Phillips County, Arkansas, to control a nuisance gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) population and diversify the sport fishery. The lake, a 169.7-ha shallow, warmwater impoundment, was stocked with 31,000 hybrids during a 4-year period (1982, 1984, 1985, and 1987). Growth during their first 3 years was rapid (age 1-325 mm; age 11-428 mm; age III-591 mm). Number of age IV fish (602 mm) declined over time. Due to high water temperatures, low dissolved oxygen levels, and shallow nature of the lake, hybrid populations were not concentrated in deep, aerated areas, but were dispersed in shallow coves over the entire lake during summer and fall. Observation of hybrid stomach contents indicated use of shad (Dorosoma spp.) ranging in size from 178 to 229 mm. Population levels of young of the year and adult largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were not affected by the introduction of Morone hybrids.

Eggs of striped bass and white bass were subjected to hydrostatic pressures of 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, and 8,000 PSI for a duration of 5 minutes (2.5 minutes for 8,000 PSI) at 29, 45, or 55 minutes after fertilization. The most effective pressures for producing tetraploidy in white bass were 5,000 and 6,000 PSI and for striped bass 7,000 and 8,000 PSI. Late in the spawning season, only 45- and 55-minute treatments were effective for producing tetraploidy. The relative hatch of eggs subjected to hydrostatic pressure for tetraploid induction was 55% of controls. Original and reciprocal striped bass x white bass hybrid eggs were subjected to hydrostatic pressures of 6,000, 7,000, and 8,000 PSI, applied 2 to 7 minutes after fertilization for durations of 2 to 5 minutes. Several treatments produced triploids; however, 8,000 PSI was the most effective pressure (50% triploid induction) when initiated 2 or 7 minutes after fertilization for a duration of 3 to 5 minutes.

Mortality of striped bass <20 inches total length (50.8 cm) captured by hook and line was investigated. Both artificial lures and baits were used with single and treble hooks. A control group of fish was captured by electrofishing and handled in a similar fashion. Fish (N = 683) were caught from a freshwater river and a small reservoir during 4 different months of the year (October, February, June, and August). After capture, test fish were transported to holding ponds and held 2 weeks to evaluate total (pre- and post-release) mortality. No fish died prior to release in the holding facilities. There were no significant differences in mortality between any of the groups comparing month and method of capture. Likewise, there were no significant monthly differences between treatments. There were significant differences within treatments for different months when compared separately.

Differences in growth rates between sexes were compared for Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) from 5 north-central Florida lakes using lengths back-calculated for the most recently formed annulus on otoliths. Growing rates of Ages 1-6 fish differed between sexes in all lakes. Males were larger than females before Age 1 in 3 of the 5 populations, but by Age 2 females were larger than males in all lakes. Female fish were larger than male fish of the same age when the females attained total lengths of from 243 to 292 mm. Based on the samples collected, female Florida largemouth bass lived longer and attained larger sizes than males. Similar trends have been shown for several populations of northern largemouth bass (M. s. salmoides) and for comparisons of the growth rates of the 2 largemouth bass subspecies. We recommend consideration of sex differences in evaluations of growth rate of Florida largemouth bass.

Stomach contents of flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) from the Flint River, Georgia, were examined to gain information on basic life history of this introduced species and to assess potential impacts on traditional fisheries. Acrylic tubes and a flexible claw retriever were effective for observing and collecting stomach contents which were then analyzed by frequency of occurrence, percent composition by number, and percent composition by weight. Young-of-the-year catfish contained primarily aquatic insects and began eating crayfish, sunfish (Lepomis sp.) fry, and darters (Etheostoma sp.) toward the end of their first year. Crayfish were the dominant food item by number and weight in flathead catfish shorter than 600 mrn. Flathead catfish, unidentified fish, and channel catfish were the primary teleost food items by weight in fish 301 to 600 mm in length.

Food habits of flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) in the Cape Fear River were determined through analysis of 184 stomachs collected during the spring and summer of 1986. Fish were collected with a 5-bar, hand-cranked telephone generator (magneto). The objective was to determine if frequency of occurrence and percent by numbers of individual food items in the diet of flathead catfish changed significantly between 1979 and 1986. Current data indicate ictalurids, clupeids, and centrarchids remain the primary food items in the diet of Cape Fear River flathead catfish; however, a shift from ictalurids to clupeids as the primary food item occurred between 1979 and 1986. Centrarchids occurred with equal frequency in flathead catfish stomachs during 1979 and 1986 but were less numerous in the 1986 samples. There is no evidence to support anglers> claims that flathead catfish may be responsible for the reputed decline in sunfish populations within the river.

Food selection of 209 alligator gar (Lepisosteus spatula) and 165 longnose gar (L. osseus) in Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas, was examined. Gar were collected with gill nets and jug lines during September and October 1986. Alligator gar were selective, primarily for bottom dwelling fishes, but not to as great an extent as longnose gar. Longnose gar selected small prey, primarily threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). Both species will apparently shift to different prey depending on the species available.