Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

We simulated thermal increases encountered by postlarval and juvenile estuarine fishes entrained in power plant cooling systems. Three methods were used to measure the effects of thermal shock on these fishes: (1) critical thermal maximum (CTM); (2) changes in routine oxygen consumption; and (3) survival after exposure to sudden increases in temperature for various periods of time. For menhaden, spot, and pinfish acclimated at 15° C, CTM values were 29.4, 31.0, and 31.0 respectively. Oxygen consumption of menhaden, spot, and pinfish, increased as we raised the temperature in 5° increments from the environmental temperature, indicating that additional energy expenditures are necessary to maintain the fish at the elevated temperatures. At temperatures of 15° C above the normal environmental temperature, all of the menhaden, spot, and pinfish died within 5 to 10 minutes.

The acute effects of four crude oils and two oil spill removers on four species of marine shrimp (Penaeus setiferus, P. aztecus, Palaemonetes vulgaris, and P. pugio) were determined. Results of 48-hour bioassays showed that distinctive differences in toxicity existed between crude oils from different areas with all shrimp tested. The oil spill removers were much more toxic than the crude oils. Addition of the oil spill removers to all crude oils at recommended application ratios increased the toxicity of both the crude oils and the oil spill removers, indicating a synergistic effect. The Palaemonetes species appeared more tolerant to all toxicants. Evidence indicates that the most serious effects of oil pollution would be noted in the shallower areas where high concentrations of toxic compounds may build up.

The movements of brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) and white shrimp (P. setiferus) over weirs in a South Louisiana esturary were influenced by tides. Brown shrimp concentrations inside the weir were greatest on incoming tides, water flowing into the weired area. The incoming water stimulated brown shrimp to the weir. White shrimp concentrations inside the weir depended on water head differences between weired and outside waters. The head difference usually occurred with approaching cold fronts and drops in temperature. The shrimp catch was greatest at night.

Three years ago, in June 1968, our Chief of Law Enforcement and I went to the State of Pennsylvania, to see what we could learn about their Special Investigation work. We visited with the Pennsylvania Wildlife heads for three days and were sold on the type of work or ways of apprehending large scale, illegal, killing and selling of game. They pointed out to us the most important points to consider; administration of program by experienced personnel, the selection of competent personnel for undercover agents, never use one of your agents for any type of personnel investigation. Your agents are solely to collect evidence and information of game law crimes (in most cases, impossible through routine law enforcement). We realized that we were faced with an ever increasing law enforcement problem involving large scale, illegal killing and selling of game.

In 1970 the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission initiated a Wildlife Officer Cadet School for the purpose of giving new Wildlife Officers some formal training in the operation of the Commission before assigning them to positions in the field. The School, which is a prerequisite to being hired as a Wildlife Officer, consists of five weeks of schooling at Arkansas Polytechnic College and one week of field training on the skills a Wildlife Officer must employ and the situations he will face in his daily activities. The Commission is also making an effort to have all field personnel complete the schooling at Arkansas Tech, and is sending twenty employees to each session held there. The Commission accepts ten cadets for each session of the school and the field training. In 1970 only one session was held, but in 1971 the course was expanded to two sessions. So far, ninety men, employees and cadets, have completed the course.

The Arkansas Planning Commission, in cooperation with the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, has completed a study of the loss of wetlands and woodlands in Eastern Arkansas. Although the detailed study was limited to the Arkansas portion of the Mississippi River Delta Region, essentially the same conditions prevail in the Delta portions of five other states and the recommendations to alleviate the problem are applicable Regionwide. Shortly after the study got underway, it was recognized that the destruction of wetlands, woodlands and other environmental qualities in the Delta was precipitating losses which extend far beyond what is generally believed to be the limits of conservation interests. In the fall of 1969, Governor Winthrop Rockefeller directed attention to the far-reaching effects of the losses of these resource values by calling a multistate seminar to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

A pesticide analysis was run on 21 deer collected from the Mississippi Delta Region during the winter of 1969-1970. The primary tissues analyzed were flesh, liver and fat. The residues found were DDT and its metabolites. Average DDT and metabolites concentrations of the tissues were: flesh 0.062 p. p.m; liver 0.194 p. p.m; fat 1.210 p.p.m.

Pesticide residues were measured in selected tissues of the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, from a leading cotton and soybean producing area in Calhoun County, South Carolina. A minimum of four deer per month were collected from March, 1968, to February, 1969. Nine additional deer were collected from the same area in August and November, 1969. Five deer from an area where pesticides had not been used were included as a control. Samples of fat, brain, liver, kidney, loin muscle, rump muscle, feces and rumen contents were lyophilized, extracted with hexane, then analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Only DDT and metabolites were detected. Two residue peaks were evident, one in early spring, and another corresponding to the spray season in late summer. The highest mean residues (1.76 ppm) were found in fat, followed by brain, feces, rumen contents, liver, loin muscle, kidney, and rump muscle in that order.

Disease as a limiting factor on big game populations has been long recognized but formal studies did not begin until 1963. Three diseases studied since that time are presented to demonstrate that intelligent management decisions can be derived from knowledge about the diseases. The three diseases discussed are theileriasis, bluetongue, and salmonellosis. Disease has long been recognized as a limiting factor on Texas big game herds (Van Volkenbergand Nicholson 1943, Hahn 1945, Buechner 1950 and others). Large-scale white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) die-offs have been recorded frequently (Taylor and Hahn 1947, Taylor 1947, Hahn and Taylor 1950, Hahn 1945, Teeret aI, 1965, Marburger and Thomas 1965). These earlier workers were unfortunately ill-equipped to follow-up their superficial finds and suspicions.

Seasonal vanatlOns in sex ratio and group compositIOn of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied on the Welder Refuge, Texas. Group size varied from 3.2 to 7.3 with a mean of 4.9. Sex ratio (0 to <;> ) varied from 27:100 to 42:100 with a mean of 35:100. Group composition also varied throughout the year, due to variations in reproductive behavior. Data indicate that total counts are best conducted in April but sex ratios are best determined in August. The purpose of this paper is to describe the seasonal associations of whitetailed deer with emphasis on evening feeding groups. Several authors (Davis 1963, Hanson 1963, Wight et al. 1965, Rupp 1966) have pointed out that a knowledge of both real and apparent fluctuations is essential when changes in sex and age ratios are used to improve our understanding of population dynamics and management.