Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Forest managers are increasingly expected to incorporate conservation of biodiversity in forest management plans, but a paucity of information exists regarding herpetofauna responses to mid-rotation release practices of dormant-season prescribed fire and herbicide in intensively-managed pine (Pinus spp.) stands. However, these management tools have demonstrated capabilities of improving conservation value in southeastern pine forests. Therefore, we investigated herpetofauna responses to factorial combinations of dormant-season prescribed fire and imazapyr using a randomized complete block design of six mid-rotation pine stands with four experimental units to which we applied at random one of four treatments (e.g., burn only, herbicide only, burn + herbicide, control). We captured 814 reptiles and 3,699 amphibians of 17 and 16 species, respectively, using drift fence arrays during May and June 1999-2007.

American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the Interior Highlands, Arkansas, have expanded since reintroduction in the late 1950s and early 1960s requiring management of harvests and nuisance complaints. Success of bear conservation efforts and the effects of nuisance harvests cannot be evaluated without reliable information on population abundance, trends, and distribution. Moreover, concern and interest in bears from the general public, combined with a growing need to integrate land management efforts to conserve biodiversity, have intensified the need for efficient, well-coordinated management efforts for black bear in the Interior Highlands. In this study we used noninvasive genetic sampling (five sevenday trapping sessions in June and July) to estimate the population size of black bear populations at two locations in the Interior Highlands: the Ouachita Mountains (2006-2008) and the Ozark Mountains (2009-2011).

Standing dead trees (snags) are an important component of forest ecosystems, providing foraging and roosting substrate for a variety of wildlife species. We examined the effects of four timber harvest treatments on residual snag density and compared these to densities found in unmanaged natural forests (controls) during the second, fourth, and sixth year after timber harvest in mixed pine-hardwood forests of Arkansas. Timber harvest methods were: clearcut with residual tree retention and snag creation, shelterwood, single-tree selection, and group selection. Density of large snags (>24.9 cm dbh) was least in shelterwood cuts and density of small snags (10.0-24.9 cm dbh) mirrored residual basal area, with controls and group selection harvests having the greatest number of snags. Density of smaller snags in clearcuts was generally greater than other treatments due to snag creation via injecting herbicides into standing trees.

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) have been utilized as a biosentinel of aquatic ecosystem health in the Great Lakes Region since the early 1960s. Bald eagle populations have been monitored at Voyageurs National Park (VNP), Minnesota, since 1973. For the past 20 years, researchers have collected feathers from nestling bald eagles to assess their dietary exposure to mercury (Hg) on Rainy, Kabetogama, and Namakan lakes in VNP. Current geometric mean concentrations have declined by 77.4% since 1989 at VNP. While all samples from 1985 to 1989 had detectable concentrations of Hg, 10% of current samples had concentrations below the reportable detection limit (0.001 mg/kg DW, n = 180). The major lakes at VNP are impounded, and Hg concentrations also declined greatly after the lake level stabilization order by the International Joint Commission was implemented in 1999.

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are a sentinel species used to monitor concentrations of environmental contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCs) in North America. Bald eagles were very slow to recover after the ban of PCBs and OCs because of their environmental persistence. The bald eagle population at Voyageurs National Park (VNP) provides an opportunity to assess temporal and spatial trends of persistent environmental contaminants. Nestling bald eagle plasma samples were analyzed for PCBs and OCs for the past 14 years. Total PCBs, total DDTs, 4,4'-DDE, and dieldrin are reported here since >50% of nestling plasma samples had detectable concentrations. Total PCBs, total DDTs, and 4,4'-DDE concentrations all decreased (26.09%, 24.09%, and 40.92% respectively). Concentrations of dieldren increased which lead to the need for a NOAEC for plasma to be calculated for this study (NOAEC=0.4 μg/kg).

Prescribed fires are frequently used to restore and maintain pine savanna in the southeastern United States. Although several declining bird species occur within these pine savannas, few studies have directly compared the effects of growing versus dormant season prescribed fires on breeding birds. Therefore, we compared the effects of growing- versus dormant-season prescribed fires on breeding bird communities in mature pine (Pinus spp.) stands within the Fort Benning Military Reservation in west-central Georgia. We used 50 m fixed-radius point counts to sample breeding bird communities in growing and dormant season burned stands for two years post-treatment. We detected 50 bird species between 1-2 years post-burn, with 43 species detected on growing-season burned sites and 48 species detected on dormant season burned sites. We detected few effects of season of burn on vegetation, individual bird species, bird habitat associations, or migratory strategy.

Space use and habitat selection of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) has been well studied in various upland landscapes, but information within bottomland hardwood systems is lacking. Turkeys in bottomland systems face unique situations (e.g., flooding) and turkey behavior observed in upland systems may not directly apply to bottomland systems. Therefore, we evaluated seasonal (pre-incubation, incubation, brood rearing, and fall-winter) space use and multi-scale habitat selection of adult female wild turkeys in a bottomland hardwood forest in south-central Louisiana during 2002-2004 and 2007-2010. Space use varied with the largest home ranges during pre-incubation and the smallest during brood-rearing. Female turkeys selected dry, upland forests relative to available habitat types at all spatial scales. Because upland forests are free of flooding and have adequate understory vegetation, they likely provide consistent foraging opportunities and suitable nesting habitat.

Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) is a useful index of population density that is often applied to harvested populations. Because CPUE is an economical index and data collection is simple, we wanted to enhance the user-friendliness and accessibility of a tool for tracking deer population abundance by recoding an existing FORTRAN estimator to JMP scripting language (JSL). Using the revised CPUE-JMP method, we estimated an antlered white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population on Chesapeake Farms, Maryland, from 1981-2006 to compare the performance of CPUE techniques in a short (one-week) non-selective hunting season versus a longer (two-week) hunting season with selective harvest criteria. For reference, we compared CPUE estimates to a population reconstruction generated from harvest and natural mortality records.

Wildlife-related fee access can provide supplemental income to private landowners, potentially protecting wildlife habitat by keeping land undeveloped. We surveyed 1,368 private landowners in North Carolina to determine the factors influencing whether they leased land to hunters or were interested in offering leases for other types of wildlife related recreation. Five percent of landowners allowed access for fee hunting. Twenty-eight percent of landowners provided access to their property for wildlife related activities, but <1% of these landowners earned income from it. Ten and 16% of landowners not currently leasing their property were interested in leasing land to hunters and for non-hunting access at a cost, respectively. Absentee landowners whose land was used to earn income (e.g., through farming or forestry) were more likely to offer fee hunting, while resident landowners who hunted were more apt to offer free access for other wildlife related activities.

In North Carolina, black bear (Ursus americanas) and human populations have steadily increased between 1971 and 2001. To test the hypotheses that acceptability of bear management actions varied in different management contexts and was dependent on respondents' sex, participation in hunting, and knowledge of black bears, we surveyed North Carolina residents in 2005. We asked questionnaire recipients about the acceptability of educating the public on dealing with bear problems, frightening a bear with tools such as rubber bullets or fireworks, or destroying a bear in the following situations: a bear is sighted in a residential area, a bear chases a pet in a residential area, a bear attempts to enter a person's home, or a bear, unprovoked, injures a human. The mean acceptability of educating the public decreased with situations that were more threatening to humans, while destroying the bear became more acceptable with the higher the threat to people.

Reductions in habitat quantity and quality have contributed to precipitous declines in the Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli) population over the last 30 years. Additional information on microhabitat and nest site selection is needed to increase quality of the remaining habitat and increase the population. In 2005-2006, we evaluated microhabitat selection by comparing structure and composition of vegetation at known woodrat locations to random locations in available areas. We evaluated nest site selection by comparing nest substrate availability and habitat characteristics around nests with random locations. We detected little support for selection of foraging areas based on structure and composition of vegetation. Key Largo woodrats selected nest sites in areas with higher abundance of artificial nest substrate and higher percentage of younger hammock.

Commercial pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southeastern United States are critical to providing fiber for global wood supply needs. Intensive forest management techniques including row spacing and woody debris distribution can impact plant communities. Therefore, we quantified response of plant communities in replanted P. taeda stands to mechanical site preparation at two levels of row spacing (narrow and wide) and two methods of distributing woody debris (piling and scattering) following harvest in Louisiana. Sites were prepared with a combination of row spacing between planting beds (n = 2; 4.3 m and 6.1 m) and distribution of logging debris (n = 2; piled and scattered). We examined structural, compositional and speciesspecific characteristics of plant communities in each of four replicate stands for four years post-treatment. We documented 124 genera or species of plants and species richness and Shannon-diversity estimates were similar between site preparation methods.

Sustainable management of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) requires information on distribution and abundance across the range. Techniques for surveying wild turkey populations in Texas are constrained by land access issues, requiring integration of landowners and managers into monitoring activities. We evaluated the use of 1) aerial surveys for estimating the distribution of Rio Grande wild turkeys (M. g. intermedia) relative to roosting habitat, and 2) multiple-observer roost counts for estimating local turkey abundance and roost-site fidelity within the Texas coastal sand plain. Double observer surveys indicated that detection probabilities varied little between observers, with detection rates typically exceeding 0.80. Estimated roost-site fidelity was 0.84 with roost-level detection ranging between 0.69 and 0.79.

Georgia's growing resident (non-migratory) Canada goose (Branta canadensis) population often causes nuisance problems in urban areas. One method of reducing nuisance goose problems is capture and relocation, especially if geese are relocated to rural areas where hunting may occur. To determine if relocated geese have different survival or band recovery rates than normal wild geese, I estimated probabilities of survival and recovery for adult, resident Canada geese between 2000 and 2009 using banding and dead recovery data from normal wild geese and from relocated geese in Georgia. Survival and recovery varied by group and time. Average annual adult survival rates were higher for normal wild geese (xˉ = 0.759, SE = 0.028, n = 10) than for relocated geese (xˉ = 0.624, SE = 0.032, n = 10). Recovery rates for normal wild geese (xˉ = 0.084 SE = 0.004, n = 10) were very similar to relocated geese (xˉ = 0.082, SE = 0.004, n = 10).

Aquatic invertebrates provide protein-rich foods for dabbling ducks (Anatini) and other waterfowl throughout their annual cycle. During winter, some species (e.g., mallard [Anas platyrhynchos]) undergo molt and acquire body reserves for migration and egg formation, which increase protein demands met primarily through consumption of invertebrates. Habitat managers often flood unharvested agricultural crops to increase energetic carrying capacity for waterfowl. However, few studies have estimated abundance of invertebrates in flooded croplands. In Mississippi in January 2009, we used a sweep net to sample invertebrates in three flooded corn fields containing a dense understory of moist-soil grasses and sedges (i.e., grassy corn), three adjacent moist-soil wetlands, two wetlands with robust (≥1 m) moist-soil vegetation, and two stands of flooded bottomland hardwood forest.

Wetlands created by American beaver (Castor canandensis) provide habitat for a diversity of resident and migratory birds. To estimate bird community characteristics of beaver wetlands and adjacent riparian forests, we conducted point count surveys in five beaver wetlands and adjacent floodplain ridges of first- and second-order streams during winter 2001-2002 and spring 2002 in central Mississippi. Ninety bird species were recorded in beaver wetlands and 69 bird species were detected in adjacent upland forests. In beaver wetlands, we recorded 57 species during winter 2001-2002 and 69 species during spring 2002. In adjacent floodplain ridges, we recorded 37 species in winter months and 52 species during spring. Mean relative abundance of birds in beaver wetlands averaged 24.3 (± 6.8) in winter and 32.0 (± 8.3) in spring. Forests of adjacent ridges supported a mean abundance of 11.0 (± 2.5) birds in winter and 13.3 (± 2.9) in spring.

The striped bass (Morone saxatilis) population of the Savannah River estuary declined in the 1980s, likely because of the operation of a tide gate that increased salinity on spawning grounds and accelerated seaward transport of eggs and larvae. Following discovery of this negative effect, periodic egg sampling monitored striped bass reproductive effort and documented a 96% decline in egg density (n/100m3) from pre-tide gate levels. The decline in egg density was concomitant with a similar decline in the adult striped bass population. An intensive stocking program eventually restored the adult population, but reproductive output remained low through the 1990s. Previous estimates of egg density allowed only relative comparisons between areas and/or years. Estimates of actual egg production for the system have not been attempted but would be helpful in understanding reproductive levels needed to set recovery goals (i.e., to pre-tide gate levels).

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are the primary sport fish in Puerto Rico reservoirs and the majority of management efforts directed at this species primarily employ electrofishing in sampling activities. However, little attention has been given to evaluating electrofishing sampling efficiency in these systems. To evaluate differences in diel and seasonal electrofishing efficacy, largemouth bass were sampled in two diel periods (day: 0900-1500 h; night: 2100-0300 h) every three months over a three-year period in Lucchetti Reservoir, Puerto Rico, using a boom-mounted electrofisher. No overall statistical difference was observed between day and night electrofishing catch rates for stock-size (≥200 mm TL) largemouth bass in Lucchetti Reservoir (F = 1.51, df = 3, P = 0.2222), yet night catch rates were greater in 9 out of 12 samples. Monthly mean catch rates were lowest in May and highest in February.

Forty-four hatchery-raised rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were implanted with ultrasonic tags and stocked into Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee, and tracked at least once per week for eight weeks to describe post-stocking dispersal rates, movements, and habitat use. Dispersal followed a three-stage pattern characterized by rapid movement away from each stocking site during the first week, relatively little dispersal during the next three weeks, and further dispersion during the final four weeks that fish were tracked. Rainbow trout exhibited a strong affinity for coves and were rarely encountered in the main channel. Tagged fish stocked in March exhibited lower mortality (Zweekly = 0.027) than those stocked in January (Zweekly = 0.062) during the first eight weeks post-stocking. Diets of potential predators in Dale Hollow Lake were examined. Walleye (Sander vitreus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), largemouth bass (M.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has developed fishery management plans for sharks that require delineation of nursery areas, monitoring of relative abundance of juveniles in these areas, and identification of habitat relationships between juvenile sharks and the nursery environment. Netting surveys conducted during 2008 and 2009 in the Altamaha River Estuary suggested that the estuary served as both a primary and secondary nursery for bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in 2008 and limited use as a secondary nursery in 2009. Variation in spatial distribution also suggested that bull sharks in the Altamaha River Estuary partitioned habitat based on size. This study represents the first documentation of a bull shark nursery in Georgia waters, but further monitoring is needed to determine the importance of this nursery and to identify factors influencing its use through time.

This case study examines the development of an overcrowded largemouth bass population following initial stocking in a tropical reservoir and efforts to correct crowding with a protected slot length limit. Cerrillos Reservoir is a relatively new impoundment (filled 1996) in Puerto Rico and is one of only two reservoirs that have been stocked exclusively with pure Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus). Largemouth bass were first stocked in Cerrillos Reservoir in 1997 and the population quickly expanded. Within three years, relative weight declined from above 100 to about 80 and the population displayed characteristics of overcrowding, with much of the population composed of fish ≤ 350 mm. This condition was most likely the result of limited harvest, as angling was not allowed during the first three years of the fishery. In 2000, the reservoir was opened to angling, but access remained limited and unpredictable.

Fish-habitat associations in streams have been widely studied; however, temporal considerations have been neglected, particularly during the winter. We quantitatively sampled perennial headwater streams in the Missouri Ozarks during the summer (n = 13) and winter (n = 4) to evaluate possible habitat shifts by three benthic fishes at two spatial scales: channel unit and microhabitat. Density of all three headwater species in streams was generally lower in winter than summer, with some species being ubiquitous in channel units of streams during the summer and almost entirely absent from the same streams during winter. Presence of each of three species during the summer varied by stream and channel unit, but patterns of channelunit use did not change depending on stream sampled. Ozark sculpin (Cottus hypselurus) was more likely to be present (> 50% probability) in riffles and runs, but not pools.

Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) were first detected in the Altamaha River, Georgia, during an access creel survey in 2005 and subsequently in 2006 during annual ictalurid sampling. Introduction of this species in the Altamaha River is believed to have occurred via escape from normal upstream reservoir releases from Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee. Relative abundance, as indexed by electrofishing catch rate (fish per hour), has increased from 2.9 ± 1.0 SE in 2006 to 38.8 ± 8.2 SE in 2011. The size of blue catfish captured ranged from 56 to 820 mm total length and 0.001 to 7.7 kg. Using otoliths obtained in 2010 (n = 214), age of fish ranged from 0 to 6 yrs, which indicated a relatively young population. The catch-curve analysis resulted in an instantaneous mortality rate (Z) of 0.75.

While the downstream effects of dams on fish habitat have long been recognized, broad-scale assessments of tailwater fish habitat have rarely been conducted. In this paper, I report on the status of tailwater fisheries in Oklahoma as determined through a web-based survey of fisheries biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation conducted in July 2010. Respondents addressed 38 tailwaters, encompassing all major areas of the state. The majority of fish species comprising these fisheries included blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), followed by white bass (Morone chrysops), channel catfish (I. punctatus) and flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). Most respondents indicated no or low concerns with fish habitat in tailwaters under their management supervision; only two tailwaters (Tenkiller Ferry and Fort Gibson) had the majority of concerns with fish habitat identified as high to moderately high.

No information existed on the recreational snag fishery for paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) in Cherokee Lake in eastern Tennessee, purportedly the largest such fishery in the state. Therefore, a roving creel survey was conducted during the 15-day season in March 2008, 2009, and 2010. The fishery could be characterized as a a destination fishery in that 448 anglers in 239 parties drove an average of 80 km one-way (± 2.43 SE; range: 2-352) to participate. Most (67%) anglers were Tennesseans, followed by residents of Virginia (26%) and three other states. Most (80%) anglers had fished previously for paddlefish; they averaged 6.8 (± 0.3 SE) years of paddlefish snagging experience. Annual fishing pressure ranged from 1,674 to 1,838 h each year. Pooled harvest rates were low in 2008 (0.088 fish/h) and declined further in 2009 and 2010 (0.020 and 0.021 fish/h, respectively). Thus, fewer paddlefish were harvested in 2009 (41-42) and 2010 (39-60) than in 2008 (169-237).