Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Changing pasture and hayfield management practices have impacted grassland songbird and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations in the Mid-South in the past 50 years. Non-native species, such as tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), are commonly used for hay production, where they are managed in dense stands that are harvested during peak nesting periods for grassland birds. Native warm-season grasses, including switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) have been promoted for hay and biofuels production and are often touted as beneficial for wildlife. The benefits of native warm-season grasses for grassland birds and northern bobwhite are influenced by stand management.

Scientific knowledge provides an important basis for effective wildlife management decisions. Given frequent budget constraints that impact the ability of wildlife agencies to generate their own knowledge, using trained research scientists at a university is a cost-effective alternative. We describe the cooperative agreement between Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) and Mississippi State University (MSU) as a model of cost-effective partnership that blends science with management. Since 1976, our cooperation has produced 107 master of science theses, 19 doctor of philosophy dissertations, and 301 peer-reviewed publications which have contributed to the scientific literature while effectively addressing adaptive management needs of the agency. We describe the Deer Management Assistance Program as an example of the products produced through this cooperative venture.

Use of trail cameras to make population estimates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has increased since an estimator was developed by Jacobson et al. (1997). We evaluated the accuracy of the camera estimator in six 81-ha enclosures with varying densities of deer replicated on two study areas. Baited camera surveys were conducted for 14 days in autumn and winter. We also tested the finding from previous studies that the probability of sighting bucks and does in photographs was equal. Finally, we conducted an open range test by comparing a camera survey to a helicopter survey. The camera estimator underestimated known populations of marked deer in the enclosures by a mean of 32.2%. The underestimates were the result of photos/marked buck being 1.9 times greater than photos/marked doe. However, cameras captured >90% of marked bucks and >84% of marked does.

Native grasses and forbs have been promoted in conservation programs to enhance habitat for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). However, high seeding rates and a lack of management result in vegetative structure that is less than optimal. We implemented six management practices (November disk, March disk, March burn, March mowing, strip-herbicide application, and September burn) with a control on an unmanaged field of planted native warm-season grass in East Tennessee, 2003 - 2004, to evaluate effects on habitat for northern bobwhite. We recorded vegetation composition, vegetation structure, and biomass of invertebrate orders preferred by bobwhite broods, 2004 - 2005. Disking treatments increased coverage of bobwhite food plants and reduced planted native grass cover. Disking and burning treatments enhanced vertical cover and openness at ground level and decreased litter in the season after treatment.

We radio monitored 13 raccoons (Procyon lotor) from August 2010 through February 2012 in an agricultural region in northwest Tennessee to ascertain seasonal and gender differences in use of resting areas. Males were located 69 times and females were located 119 times. All den locations were in the ground, tree cavities, or brush piles. Male raccoons exhibited no significant difference in diurnal refugia use among seasons. Trees were used more than other resting areas during spring, summer, and fall, and were used to the same degree as ground dens during winter. Female raccoons exhibited significantly different diurnal refugia use among seasons (X2 = 16.70, P = 0.01). Ground dens represented 69% of female locations during spring, but were not used during summer when tree cavities and brush piles represented 57% and 43% of locations, respectively.

Any deviation (poaching) from hunting or fishing regulations damages natural resources and negatively impacts both consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife users. This study explored deterrents to rule-breaking rooted in normative and traditional regulatory models, and evaluated factors influencing legitimacy of regulations by poachers. Hunters and anglers in North Carolina who had broken regulations (n = 60) were asked to rate the importance of poaching deterrents including sanctions (penalties issued for breaking rules), enforcement of regulations by wildlife officers, and normative social pressure. Respondents rated the known presence of game wardens as the most effective deterrent to poaching and rated factors associated with normative pressure as the least important.

We attempted to quantify hunter use in five publicly managed mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) fields during the 2007 and 2008 dove hunting seasons on Conoho Farms (CF) in Martin County, North Carolina. Self-administered diary surveys (n=845) were mailed to every individual receiving a special hunt (SH) and point-of-sale (PS) permit during both dove hunting seasons on CF. We used the modified Tailored Design method to collect hunter effort and harvest data for each hunting season. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test to determine differences in hunter effort and harvest between seasons and permit types. The adjusted overall response rate for the survey was 74.7%. Only 141 (22.7%) respondents reported hunting doves at CF. Respondents reported expending 801.75 hours (¯x =4.01, SE 0.13), firing 6782 shots (¯x =33.91, SE 2.25), and harvesting 1331 doves (¯x =6.66, SE 0.36) during the 2007-2008 dove hunting seasons.

Restoring historic fire/grazing interactions and increasing the population of the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), a keystone species, are two management priorities for North America's grasslands. To evaluate the response of prairie dogs to the fire/grazing interaction, 2-ha plots of uncolonized mixed-grass prairie directly adjacent to active prairie dog colonies on Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge were burned in 2009 and 2010. Longhorn cattle (Bos taurus) and American bison (Bison bison) had access to the sites during both years thus replicating historic conditions where herbivores freely chose foraging patches. Prairie dogs responded positively to the fire/grazing interaction treatments by immediately colonizing all burned areas in both years, with the strongest response occurring in 2009 when precipitation during the growing season was lowest. There was no observed attempt to colonize any unburned (control) grasslands.

Bowhunting is often considered as an option for the harvest management of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in suburbs, parks, and similar restrictive environments. Higher deer recovery rates by bowhunters would promote better utilization of the resource and could lessen some of the objections to bowhunting. Bowhunters have a variety of equipment choices, yet little is known of the impact of these choices on bowhunter efficacy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the deer recovery metrics of bowhunters who used compound bows or crossbows with either fixed blade broadheads (having no moving parts) or mechanical broadheads (having moving parts). Our retrospective study relied on the daily reports of bowhunters who participated in a managed hunting program at the Naval Support Facility Indian Head, at Indian Head, Maryland. All bowhunters were required to pass the International Bowhunter Education Program and an annual pre-season shooting proficiency test.

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) cause extensive damage to commercial agriculture, wildlife, natural habitats, and personal property throughout a growing number of states. There is a need to quantify the location and type of this damage in Tennessee. We surveyed four groups of agriculture and natural resource management professionals to identify how feral swine populations have dispersed across Tennessee in the last 25 years and identify what type of damage they caused. Farm Bureau County Presidents, University of Tennessee Extension Agents, Natural Resources Conservation Service District Conservationists, and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wildlife Officers were surveyed in each of the 95 Tennessee counties to identify counties inhabited by feral swine and categorize the damage they cause. According to survey respondents, feral swine have become widespread throughout Tennessee with reported populations in 89 of 95 counties.

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.

The Game Management (GM) Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) implemented several processes in the late 1990s geared toward systematic long-term forest management of state-owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). These included development of 50-year management plans for individual WMAs, expansion of the Forest Management Unit (FMU), and development of a cooperative timber harvest proposal protocol. The effort culminated with a detailed forest stand inventory integrated with desired future stand conditions into a model that produces a timber harvest schedule includes a detailed five-year harvest plan and revenue projection for each inventoried WMA, as well as a state-wide 35-year timber harvest and revenue projection. The model is also structured to incorporate changes in revenue and harvest constraints.

Lethal removal by trapping is the most cost- and time-effective means for managing wild pigs (Sus scrofa); however, there is much debate regarding the effectiveness of continuous-catch doors (trap doors that allow the entry of additional pigs into the trap after the door initially closes). Our objective was to determine entry rates by wild pigs of root, saloon, and trainer continuous-catch doors. We constructed 26 corral traps on four study areas in east-central and southwest Alabama during the summer 2011. We pre-baited each trap for ≥1 week to condition wild pigs to freely enter and leave traps, and we used game cameras to verify conditioning and to identify individuals and sounders. We then randomly assigned a trap door to each trap, set the trap to capture only part of each sounder, and used game cameras to record the behavior of non-captured individuals.

We investigated effects of growing-season prescribed fire on daily nest survival, nest success, and poult survival of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) on two similar research sites in southwestern Georgia: the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center and Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area. We collected daily locations for radio-tagged females throughout the 2011-2012 nesting seasons. Females with nests or poults near or within an active growing-season fire were located hourly. We estimated poult survival using flush counts and incidental sightings until poults were lost or indistinguishable in size from females. We investigated nest survival of 51 nests at the microhabitat and landscape-level using an information theoretic approach, but found no important predictors, most likely from an insufficient sample size.

The eastern small-footed bat (Myotis leibii) is a rarely encountered species that has experienced declines in its populations and is currently being petitioned for federal listing. Throughout most of its range, M. leibii roost in rock fields and talus slopes with low canopy cover and high solar exposure. However, we know little about roost characteristics in the southern portion of its range. Therefore, in summers 2011 and 2012, we studied a male-dominated, bridge-roosting population of M. leibii in the Southern Appalachian Mountains to document the characteristics of their roosts. We tracked 25 individuals via radio telemetry and found 13 natural roosts. Similar to other studies on M. leibii, roosts were in large (width = 68.15 m, height = 15.25 m), south-facing (= 183°) rock expanses.

The red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) (RCW), a species dependent upon mature, fire-maintained pine forests in the Southeastern United States, was listed as endangered in 1970 due to habitat destruction and degradation. With roughly a quarter of RCWs occupying private lands, many landowners were reluctant to maintain habitat attractive to RCWs for fear of Endangered Species Act (ESA) land-use restrictions associated with harboring the birds. The Safe Harbor concept was developed to address this issue: in exchange for voluntary habitat maintenance and enhancement, private landowners are exempted from ESA restrictions for any RCW groups that move onto their property in the future as a result of those habitat improvements. In 1998, South Carolina became the second state to initiate a state-wide Safe Harbor program. Since then, it has grown to include 151 landowner agreements and 299 baseline RCW groups.

The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Approach is a method for developing functional indices for specific wetland subclasses based on reference data and the protocols used to apply these indices to the assessment of wetland functions at a site-specific scale. It has been argued that the data collection and analysis process for HGM assessments are overly burdensome for routine application. This HGM rapid assessment procedure for the natural forested wetlands of the Arkansas Delta (HGMRAP) attempts to retain the classification and wetland subclass-specific reference data that correctly grounds the HGM approach, with the ease of use of a rapid assessment. In addition a module for Greentree Reservoirs (GTRs) was created. The original HGM reference data did not include managed systems, such as GTRs, and so the normal HGMRAP procedures cannot be appropriately applied to them. In addition, GTRs are managed to maximize a single function: to attract waterfowl.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Volunteer Stewardship Program (VSP) was established to implement citizen science projects that focus on priority habitats and species, as well as fill data gaps for species of greatest conservation need identified in the Florida State Wildlife Action Plan. The program builds partnerships with conservation agencies and organizations to develop a statewide network of trained volunteers. These volunteers participate in various activities including wildlife research, biological sampling and monitoring, habitat restoration, and laboratory work, as well as education and outreach. Several projects will be presented which highlight volunteer activities, along with project objectives, results, successes, measures learned, and future directions.

The eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) occurs across most of eastern North America, with 10 recognized subspecies in the United States. Six of these occur in the southeastern coastal plain and Piedmont regions and are associated with the fire dependent, pine (Pinus sp.) forests that once dominated the landscape. In Florida, over 90% of the longleaf pine (P. palustris) forests have been lost, and the resulting range contraction and population decline in fox squirrels has led to the protection of two subspecies: the Sherman's fox squirrel (S. n. shermani) and big cypress fox squirrel (S. n. avicennia). Knowledge of distribution and habitat selection is essential for sustainable management; however, this information is lacking for fox squirrels in many parts of their range, particularly in Florida. One way to address this issue is to collect sighting information from the general public.

Concerns about energy availability, cost, and climate change have increased attention to policy that encourages advances in biomass production and capacity to process biomass. Bioenergy policy and production can result in positive steps toward meeting U.S. energy needs but sustainability depends on consideration of impact on the Nation's natural resources to ensure all societal needs are met. Fish, wildlife, and their native habitats are among the resources that can be affected and are important for many reasons, including how they contribute to the overall economy (the outdoor economy is a $730 billion/year industry and accounts for one in 20 of all U.S. jobs), and because they represent an irreplaceable storehouse of genetic diversity not fully explored in regard to societal benefits. Studies indicate that 30 U.S. ecosystems have declined in area by >98%, 58 by 85%-98%, and 38 by 70%-84%.

The production of bioenergy “feedstocks” (i.e., plant-based material used for transportation fuels, heat, and power) has been expanding rapidly in recent years. Unfortunately, there are considerable gaps in our knowledge base about implications of this industry expansion for wildlife. This information deficit is likely to grow as the industry expands and rapidly evolves in new directions in the coming years. In response, The Wildlife Society (TWS) Council charged a special committee to develop a TWS Technical Review about the effects of bioenergy production on wildlife and wildlife habitat. The scope of the review includes all types of bioenergy, with a heavy emphasis on cellulosic forms of bioenergy for heat and ethanol production. The Review takes an ecosystem approach and focuses on the current state of knowledge about the impacts to wildlife from growing, managing and harvesting feedstocks for bioenergy.

Every year, invasive species cost the United States billions of dollars and affect countless acres of native ecosystems. The southeast in particular has been dramatically affected by invasions of such species as kudzu. The recent rapid expansion of biofuels and bioenergy production, combined with the diversification of potential bioenergy crops, has generated considerable interest in the use of non-native and genetically modified biomass feedstocks that have the potential to become ecologically-damaging invasives. Examples of potentially invasive plants that are currently being cultivated as bioenergy feedstocks in test plots and/or commercial-scale plots in the southeastern United States include giant reed (Arundo donax), napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), and seeded giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus). Very little is known about the full potential scope of the problem, yet the industry is moving full speed ahead, often without safeguards.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are one of the most sought after species at the 19 state fishing lakes operated in Mississippi. Bass anglers fishing these lakes typically use artificial lures; however, anglers using live bait for catching largemouth bass have been reported on a limited number of lakes. These lakes were stocked during relatively the same time period and each lake is known for producing trophy size largemouth bass. Attitudes toward live bait use vary and some believe the practice can impact the fishery. Fisheries managers wanted to know if angler catch rates and sizes of fish caught differed among the two methods, and if harvest-release rates differed among anglers using the two methods. Surveys were conducted at Calling Panther Lake, Neshoba County Lake, and Lake Bill Waller during 2011 spring creel surveys. A total of 146 bass angler parties were interviewed consisting of 252 anglers.

The majority of piscivores found in southern U.S. reservoirs consume primarily age-0 (≤100mm) gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum). However, gizzard shad grow rapidly, so even systems with high gizzard shad biomass could be food-limited if most gizzard shad are too large to be eaten. Previous studies comparing gizzard shad abundance and piscivore prey demand have only considered one or a few piscivores, but many southern reservoirs have seven or more piscivores in the community. This suggests prey limitation may be more common than these studies suggest. We used 29 years of data from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to test for correlations between gizzard shad abundance (catch per unit effort [CPUE] or biomass of all gizzard shad or only gizzard shad < 100 mm TL) and piscivore abundance (CPUE or biomass), relative weight, and proportional size distributions.

The human population of Texas is projected to nearly double in the next 50 years. The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1 in 1997 initiating a regional water planning process for the state. Additional requirements were added as a result of the passage of Senate Bill 2 during the 77th Texas Legislature in 2001. Senate Bill 3 was passed in 2007 and established a stakeholder driven, science-based process for setting environmental flow standards. Regional water planning groups are responsible for developing plans that ensure sufficient water will be available at a reasonable cost to safeguard public health, safety, and welfare; to further economic development; and that protect the agricultural and natural resources of the area. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) participates as a non-voting member in the water planning and environmental flow standard setting processes by providing information and technical assistance.

Since 2006, White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) has devastated bat populations across eastern North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates the loss at more than 5.5 million bats. WNS and/or the fungal causative agent (Geomyces destructans) has now been documented in 21 states in the United States including Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia, and 4 Canadian provinces. Several southern states have confirmed the presence of G. destructans, without manifestation of WNS or the significant mortality observed in northeastern sites. Additionally, some southern species, including the Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus), a federally endangered species, have not displayed the pathogen mediated damage associated with WNS, despite their suspected vulnerability to infection and exposure to the fungus.