Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

It is very difficult for wildlife enforcement officers to navigate wilderness patrol areas without occasionally incurring damage to their patrol vehicles. This is especially true in pursuit situations. To respond to this need, the Training staff of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission developed a method to minimize vehicular accidents by directly increasing wildlife officer woods driving proficiency through a precision training program.

The responsibility for the motivation of conservation officers belongs primarily to the agency's management. If the agency is to have well motivated officers, supervisors must be aware of their role and be willing to accept this responsibility.

During 1975 the Division Of Wildlife in Ohio faced a legislative battle that would have ended all trapping in the Buckeye state. The division, with help from the sportsmen, prevailed and the bill died in committee. Anti-trapping forces, following their legislative defeat, gathered the 235,000 signatures necessary to place an amendment to the Ohio constitution that would have banned all trapping. This amendment, known as Issue 2 was defeated by nearly a 2 to 1 margin. However, nearly 1.2 million people voted for Issue 2 and wanted to stop all trapping. Subsequently the Division Of Wildlife initiated an educational campaign designed to inform the uninformed and non-consumptive wildlife user that regulated hunting, trapping and even fishing are all a part of wildlife management. A bill was introduced and subsequently passed which mandated that all first time hunters take a hunter safety course and all first time trappers take a trapper educational course.

The Ranger Corps has clearly demonstrated its value and effectiveness in improving the management of Puerto Rico's Natural Resources. It has provided a climate of security and inspired respect islandwide to the general public, communities, government agencies and the judiciary branch. As human beings, the Rangers understanding of the idiosincracy of our Island together with their impartial and objective actions, have heen able to gain the confidence of our citizens. We are aware that much more needs to be done and that more resources are necessary. Nevertheless we cannot but feel proud of our achievements in the 3 years of our existence.

Waterfowl use of 23 coal strip mine ponds in Alabama was investigated from January 1976 to December 1977. Nine of the ponds were 5 years old at the time of the study, 10 were 15 years old and 4 were 25 years old. Visual observations were made on a monthly or bi-weekly basis to determine waterfowl usage. Vegetation, cover, and food prod uction on 10 of the ponds (three 5-year-old ponds, four 15-year-old ponds, and three 25-year old ponds) were investigated to evaluate pond potential as waterfowl habitat. Older ponds were positively correlated (P<'O I) with increased waterfowl use. Species most frequently observed were wood duck (Aix sponsa), ring-necked duck (Aythya col/aris), and pied-billed grebe (Podilymhus podiceps). Lack of shoal waters, limited food resources, and lack of cover on younger ponds are believed to be limiting factors for waterfowl.

Data from the use of live traps in marking and recapturing nutria (Myocastor coypus) for an estimate of the population size showed a disproportionate level of recapture in adults and subadults. The use of radio transmitters to determine movement and the use of steel traps and shooting to obtain recaptures demonstrated that the adult and subadult nutria were avoiding the live traps. Population estimates by the Schnabel method and the Lincoln Index illustrated the error introduced by trap avoidance. The use of a different recapture technique eliminated this source of error.

Ambient temperature was significantly correlated with alligator (Alligator mississipiensis) nesting activity. Nesting occurred earliest when March-April-May ambient temperatures were highest. Rainfall had no significant relationship with time'of nesting activity although water levels did affect the degree of nesting. Egg deposition occurred when diurnal period was at its maximum. The bulk of egg laying took place within a 2-week period each year.

Habitat preference of cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus.f7oridanus) on a seeded and mechanically maintained. power line right-of-way was studied in 1974-76. Trap data and locations obtained by telemetry were used to determine habitat preference. Both techniques showed that cottontails avoided large honogenous stands of sericea (Lespedeza cuneata) and preferred areas dominated by native vegetation. Management techniques encouraging native vegetation and reducing the large stands of sericea should have a beneficial effect on rabbit populations.

Two hundred twelve white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were aged by tooth wear and replacement and by sectioning the incisors. Aging by cementum annuli placed 67.8% of the animals in an older age class, 7.2% in a younger age class, and 24.9% in the same age class as aging by wear and replacement. Of deer with 3 cuspid 3rd premolars aged by cementum annuli, 17.3% were aged as 1.5 years, 69.2% as 2.5 years, 9.6% as 3.5 years, and 3.8% as 4.5 years. Five fawns were aged as 1.5 years by the annuli technique. Aging by cementum annuli produced a significantly older age structure than that produced by wear and replacement aging (p

Reproductive data were collected from 774 female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) taken in Mississippi between 1976 and 1979. One- to 2-year old does and 2-year or older does had mean corpora lutea counts of 1.61 and I. 78 and mean fetus counts of 1.40 and 1.66 respectively. Fawn breeding was observed in 4 of 140 fawns and also was evidenced by the presence of lactation in 5 of 146 1-1/2 year old deer. Breeding occurred between November 20 and March 15. Over 80% of breeding occurred December 21 to January 21 with 50% of all breeding between January 7-21.

Foods consumed by 115 ducks and coots (Fulica americana) collected from 2 central Florida study sites were analyzed to assess the importance of the exotic pest species hydrilla (Hydril/a verticil/ata) as a food plant. Contents of esophagi or gizzards were identified and measured by volumetric displacement. Hydrilla was the most important identifiable food on both study sites in terms of mean of volumetric percentages (aggregate percentage) and frequency of occurrence. Implications of findings with respect to waterfowl habitat and aquatic weed control are discussed.

The ecology and distribution of banana waterlily (Nymphaea mexicana) and its utilization by canvasback ducks (Aythya valisineria) was studied in South Carolina and the southeast during 1971-78. A high preference by canvasbacks for banana waterlily was found based on field research and questionnaires sent to land managers. Results of water chemistry and soil analyses showed that banana waterlily preferred alkaline or slightly brackish impoundments, especially near coastal waters. Land managers should be encouraged to identify suitable banana waterlily habitat and propagate this high quality canvasback food.

Significal1t (P<0.05) correlation coefficients were obtained by relating various forest characteristics to amounts of selected (succulent, new-growth) forage from plants utilized by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus I'ir!{inianus) in mixed pine-hardwood forests. Forage from forbs and grasses was inversely related to most characteristics pertaining to basal area, age, dbh, height, and number of layers. Forage from vines was not significantly correlated with any forest characteristic. Forage from woody plants was directly related to hardwood density, age, dbh, and basal area. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed and only the forage from forbs was significantly correlated (r'=0.586) with a single forest characteristic. Four additional characteristics raised the R' to 0.716. Correlations for grass, vine, woody and total deer forage were too low to provide any confidence that deer forage could be predicted on the basis of forest measurements.

The Water Bank Program in the southeastern United States has been limited to Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. A review of the program in Mississippi suggests that a southern Water Bank Program can be consistent with national Water Bank Program objectives through the preservation of production habitat for the wood duck (A ix sponsa). Mississippi has 90 Water Bank Program agreements. which include 3,403 ha of wetland habitat and 4,585 ha of adjacent land habitat. Agreement areas range in size from 5 ha to 470 ha and average 89 ha. Annual payments to landowners are computed at a rate of $12.35 per ha per year and amount of $98.642. In 1977. the cost for technical services from the Soil Conservation Service was $1.95 per ha.

Seasonal food habits and diet overlap between white-tailed deer (Odvcvileus virginianus) and cattle are being studied on grazed and ungrazed, forested and clearcut loblolly-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda-P. echinata)-hardwood sites in Louisiana. Preliminary data from direct observation of cattle and captive deer suggest that little diet overlap is likely if cattle stocking is based primarily on grass supplies. Greatest overlap occurred during winter on forested sites and during summer on clearcuts. However, few plant species shared by deer and cattle contributed more than 1% of either animal's diet during any season. Summer and fall overlap mainly involved grasses. Winter and spring overlap centered on grasses and woody plants in clearcut areas, and on woody plants in forested sites. Diets on clearcuts appear to represent complementary use by deer and cattle of an abundant resource rather than direct competition.

Winter populations of American woodcock ( Philohela minor) in coastal South Carolina were concentrated in cypress-gum (Taxodium-Nyssa) swamps and flood plains and along the margins of ponds in pine (Pinus) stands and clearcuts. Flushing rates varied from 0 to 6 flushes per man-hour in the field based on 303.4 man-hours of hunting. The winter population began to increase in mid-December, was highest in mid-January, and was low by late-February. Age and sex ratios were largely skewed towards the immature female segment of the population. Earthworms made up 64% of the aggreate volume of 122 proventriculi. DOE, Mirex, and PCB's were the main pollutant residues found in the abdominal fat of 41 birds although these were at lower levels than previously reported.

Forty artificial nesting cavities were placed in 5 wetland areas containing no natural tree cavities suitable as nest sites for wood ducks (Aix sponsa) or hooded mergansers (Mergus cucullatus). These wetlands were surrounded by agricultural fields; wetland sizes were between 0.4 ha and 10.6 ha. In 1976,5 successful wood duck nests were observed. In 1977, II successful wood duck nests and 4 successful hooded merganser nests were observed. Visual searches failed to discern the presence of broods or their hens after the days on which the broods exited their nest boxes. Two wood duck hens followed by radio tracking led their broods away from the broods' natal agricultural wetlands to larger, more isolated wetlands that contained more aquatic vegetation. Several comparisons were made between the largest agricultural wetland (which produced 16 duck broods) and a nearby wetland of similar morphology but surrounded by a bottomland hardwood forest.

A split-plot design was used to determine the effects of controlled burning at various seasons on vegetative communities in old fields on the Laurel Hill Wildlife Management Area. Analysis of variance indicated no differences in the frequencies of grasses, legumes, and forbes resulting from September, December, March and May burns. Split-plot analysis of variance of frequencies of legumes, grasses, and forbes and frequency differences between burned and control plots indicated that benefits to bobwhite quail (colinus virginianas) (decreases in grasses and increases in legumes and forbes) can only be achieved through annual burnings, and periodic burnings may be detrimental to bobwhite quail. It was recommended that if benefits to bobwhite quail are expected, controlled burns should be conducted annually.

Peak numbers of wood ducks (Aix spo/1sa) occurred in the piedmont region of South Carolina in mid-November. During this period of time, 85% of the birds entered a beaver pond roost as flocks (2 or more birds). Significant correlations between numbers of birds observed at equivalent light intensities were used to indicate primary diel habitats for the local wood duck population. A trend in increased flight activity at lower light intensities (foot candles) was observed from September through November. Eight-seven percent of the wood ducks departed from the roost site before official sunrise. Similarly, peak numbers of ducks arrived at the roost site after official sunset. This flight behavior made wood ducks susceptible to being shot after legal hunting hours, which, due to darkness, resulted in increased crippling and a reduced retrieval rate for downed birds.

The Southeastern Section of the Wildlife Society was chartered in 1948 at the second annual meeting of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners at Lexington. Ky. Highlights of the Section activities for the first 20 years were given by Kennamer (1970). This paper is an attempt to up-date the history for the decade of years 1969 through 1978. Newsletters, Proceedings of Annual Conferences, records of executive board meetings and correspondence files provided the basis for this report. The assistance from the past presidents of the Section in preparing portions of this paper was also most helpful.

White-crowned pigeon (Columba leucocephala) populations have undergone a widespread decline as a result of habitat destruction and poor (or no) management. The Dominican Republic once had large populations of this pigeon, but our investigations between 1976 and 1978 showed their numbers are now drastically reduced. The pigeons are migratory, using lowland areas for nesting (March through October), and following available food sources through a wide range of habitats during the non-breeding season. Areas of 4 nesting colonies ranged from 16.0 to 40.9 ha and were formed of a dense core with dispersed or solitary nesting birds around the periphery. Numbers of adults in the colonies ranl?ed from 8,000 to 16,800, and .nest densities .observed were fron: 0.8 to 3.3 nests / 100 m'. Human harassment of colomally nesting pigeons was responsible for the failure of most breeding colonies we inspected.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conducted 2 harvest surveys by mail during 1976, I sampled currently licensed hunters and the other sampled hunters that were licensed I year previously. Both surveys requested information concerning hunting activity during the current season. A portion of the currently licensed hunters who did not return questionnaires were contacted by telephone to adjust for non-response bias. The survey sampling out-of-date hunters was not adjusted for non-res pone bias. The harvest and related hunting statistics estimated from regression models developed from the result of these 2 surveys are comparable to statistics estimated by sampling currently licensed hunters. This technique also provides for the early availability of harvest statistics (6 weeks after the last day of the season) and reduces the expense ofconducting the survey by eliminating the telephoning requirement to adjust for non-response.

Seasonal usage by bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) of plant foods affected by prescribed fire management was investigated in southwestern Georgia and northern Florida. The early spring diet changed quickly from greenery to grass seeds (particularly Panicum spp.), while fruits from woody plants predominated in summer. The fall-winter diet was dependent on rainfall during flowering and fruiting periods of forbs and on periodic hard mast crops. An inverse relationship existed (P<0.05, r = -0.54) between consumption of legumes (Fabaceae) and oak mast (Quercus spp.); acorns apparently were preferred when both were available. Habitats comprised of (I) annually-burned grass-forb areas for seed production, (2) infrequently-burned rough for fruit supplies, nesting and escape cover, and (3) hardwood coverts for mast production provide for seasonal requirements and help buffer the effects of drought on food supplies.