Lakes Benefit from Habitat Projects in New Jersey
September 24, 2008
The Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries completed four artificial habitat projects in 2007 and 2008 at Union Lake, Lake Lenape (Atlantic County), Hammonton Lake, and Penbryn Lake. These projects were made possible through partnerships with the Boy Scouts, South Jersey Bass Club Association, Hammonton Lake Water Quality Committee, and Atlantic County Division of Parks and Recreation.
Artificial habitat projects are well documented to be effective in increasing angler catch rates as a result of improved habitat. The Division of Fish and Wildlife has cooperatively worked with local-fishing organizations to enhance the habitat in many of New Jersey’s lakes, ponds, and reservoirs for years. The locations of artificial habitats have been mapped with GPS coordinates.
Other projects recently completed at Assunpink Lake, Stone Tavern Lake, and Mercer Lake (2006) were highlighted in the feature article, “Local Lakes Get Home Makeover.”
Descriptions of the most recent projects are as follows:
A lake habitat enhancement project was completed at Lake Lenape, Atlantic County on February 22, 2008. A total of thirteen individuals comprised of Atlantic County Parks staff, members of the Cedarwater Bassmasters and Bucketmouth Brigade Bass Club, and a volunteer from the local rowing association completed the project on a cold winter day. Park staff and the rowing association provided boats to deploy the habitat structures. Structures were placed in eight locations in the deeper section of the lake near the dam, which had the least amount of cover. A total of 300 discarded evergreen trees were dispersed at the six locations.
| Lake Lenape | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 27′ 24.0″ N | 74° 44′ 01.7″ W |
| 2 | 39° 27′ 24.6″ N | 74° 44′ 10.8″ W |
| 3 | 39° 27′ 23.0″ N | 74° 44′ 14.7″ W |
| 4 | 39° 27′ 20.0″ N | 74° 44′ 16.0″ W |
| 5 | 39° 27′ 15.7″ N | 74° 44′ 17.3″ W |
| 6 | 39° 27′ 15.9″ N | 74° 44′ 16.2″ W |
| 7 | 39° 27′ 40.7″ N | 74° 44′ 23.8″ W |
| 8 | 39° 27′ 44.4″ N | 74° 44′ 25.4″ W |
UNION LAKE
Tom Ritterhoff, a Boy Scout from Cape May Court House, NJ, was instrumental in the Union Lake project. The structures were deployed by fisheries biologists from the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries. Tom obtained all materials and built the structures with the assistance of members from Troop 65.
A total of 25 structures were deployed at two existing habitat structure locations in Union Lake. The structures were constructed from PVC pipe and plastic buckets and were placed in 10 - 12 feet of water. Warmwater fish species including largemouth and smallmouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, and chain pickerel will greatly benefit from this
| Union Lake | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 25′ 01.9″ N | 75° 03′ 53.8″ W |
| 2 | 39° 24′ 25.5″ N | 75° 03′ 51.5″ W |
| 3 | 39° 24′ 42.4″ N | 75° 3′ 52.5″ W |
| 4 | 39° 24′ 58.7″ N | 75° 3′ 56.4″ W |
| 5 | 39° 24′ 58.7″ N | 75° 3′ 32.6″ W |
| 6 | 39° 24′ 45.5″ N | 75° 3′ 23.2″ W |
| 7 | 39° 24′ 20.6″ N | 75° 3′ 29.4″ W |
| 8 | 39° 25′ 27.4″ N | 75° 3′ 42.8″ W |
| 9 | 39° 25′ 29.7″ N | 75° 3′ 56.8″ W |
| 10 | 39° 24′ 8.8″ N | 75° 3′ 39.6″ W |
| 11 | 39° 24′ 26.4″ N | 75° 3′ 54.0″ W |
| 12 | 39° 24′ 19.9″ N | 75° 3′ 14.3″ W |
| BOLD indicates locations of new structures | ||
A lake habitat enhancement project was completed at Hammonton Lake, Atlantic County on May 13, 2008. Structures were placed in three locations in the deeper section of the lake. A total of 35 discarded evergreen trees were dispersed at the three locations. Phase two of this project, consisting of 30 additional structures constructed by a local fishing organization, will be completed during the fall of 2008.
| Hammonton Lake | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 37′ 46.4″ N | 74° 46′ 41.8″ W |
| 2 | 39° 37′ 46.9″ N | 74° 46′ 36.0″ W |
| 3 | 39° 37′ 50.5″ N | 74° 46′ 22.0″ W |
PENBRYN LAKE
A fisheries management plan was completed in 2005 for Penbryn Lake, and recommendations were made to deploy artificial habitat structures to improve the largemouth bass and black crappie fisheries. The Penbryn Lake project was completed through a partnership with Patrick Fuzer, an Eagle Scout from Mount Laurel. The project was completed on April 12, 2007. Eight scouts and three parents assisted with the project. The scouts provided all materials including evergreen trees, concrete block and rope. More than 190 trees were deployed in the lake. Locations were predetermined utilizing a bathymetric map, GPS, and depth finder. Structures were placed in 10 to 25 feet of water.
| Penbryn Lake | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 45′ 59.3″ N | 74° 56′ 16.5″ W |
| 2 | 39° 45′ 57.9″ N | 74° 56′ 32.3″ W |
| 3 | 39° 45′ 53.6″ N | 74° 56′ 31.7″ W |
| 4 | 39° 45′ 54.7″ N | 74° 56′ 21.0″ W |
| 5 | 39° 45′ 55.0″ N | 74° 56′ 16.2″ W |
| 6 | 39° 45′ 58.1″ N | 74° 56′ 14.3″ W |
| 7 | 39° 45′ 59.1″ N | 74° 56′ 21.6″ W |
| 8 | 39° 45′ 58.4″ N | 74° 56′ 32.5″ W |
| 9 | 39° 45′ 57.8″ N | 74° 56′ 25.0″ W |
The staff of the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries is continually working to improve fishing opportunities throughout the state of New Jersey and welcomes the input of independent anglers and of organized clubs.
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Crossbows: Coming to a Treestand Near You?
September 16, 2008
Did you know that only two states in the country do not allow the use of a crossbow for hunting? Did you know that only four states place an age restriction on crossbow use? Did you know that New Jersey is one of 17 states that allow physically challenged hunters to use crossbows? Did you know that a change is in the works?
The crossbow is a popular hunting tool throughout the United States. Since 2002, eight states have added crossbow hunting. New Jersey hunters have shown an increased interest in hunting with crossbows based on requests to Fish and Wildlife to add them as a legal sporting arm. New Jersey now has a proposal to expand the opportunity to use crossbows for deer hunting to all hunters beginning in the 2009-2010 deer seasons. Crossbows are NOT legal for the 2008-09 deer seasons except for hunters issued a physically-challenged hunting permit.
The Fish and Game Council, which sets Garden State hunting regulations via the Game Code, acknowledges this growing interest in crossbows, as well as an objection to crossbows among some hunters. Fish and Wildlife’s role is to provide the Fish and Game Council with scientific data upon which to make regulatory decisions.
To that end, Fish and Wildlife conducted an opinion survey in 2007 of resident hunting license holders about their preference regarding crossbow hunting. The report to the Council also compared the capabilities of crossbows and compound bows, plus reviewed the experience of other states that hunt with this equipment. In addition, Fish and Wildlife biologists examined the current research and literature to identify crossbow misconceptions.
For the survey, Fish and Wildlife biologists contacted a random selection of resident sportsmen and sportswomen representing all New Jersey hunters. Each license-holder type – i.e., all-around, archery, firearm, etc. – was sampled in the same proportion as they exist in the hunter population. This ensured all user groups were represented fairly. The survey demonstrated support for the expanded use of crossbows across all user groups. To view the survey results, go to www.NJFishandWildlife.com/pdf/2008/xbowsurvey07.pdf
(pdf, 112kb).
Crossbows resemble a firearm in that their short limbs are transversely mounted on a rifle stock and they have a trigger with a safety. The shooting technique is similar to shooting a rifle and is simple to learn. After cocking, crossbows hold the bowstring in the cocked position without the shooter’s continued effort and are released mechanically with a trigger. With practice, crossbows are accurate and easily mastered.
However, the range and velocity of a crossbow is comparable to those of a compound bow. And just as with a compound, long or recurve bow, crossbow hunters must still develop shooting skills to be successful: correct cocking technique, proper stance, breath control, careful aim, smooth trigger pull and follow-through along with the ability to judge distance.
Data collected from the 48 states that currently have some type of crossbow hunting (including New Jersey) indicate that crossbows are as safe as other types of bows; their use does not increase either hunting accidents or wounding of game. The success rate of crossbow hunters is equal to – or only slightly better than – hunters with compound bows. No state with legalized crossbow use during the archery seasons has needed to reduce the bag limit nor shorten the archery seasons as a result of crossbow hunting.
The Council’s proposal to broaden crossbow use is based on the positive attributes of crossbow hunting. These benefits include improved hunter recruitment and retention, better deer management in areas of suburban/rural interface and increased agency revenue. Crossbows may encourage a greater participation by youths, women and others who have difficulty drawing a regular bow to engage in the sport and start (or maintain) a family hunting tradition.
Crossbows will also enable aging hunters with various physical limitations not defined as a handicap, to continue with or to come back to the sport they love. Crossbows can be a practical alternative in populated areas where firearms discharge has been restricted by local ordinance. This will assist Fish and Wildlife to achieve deer management objectives where hunter access has been limited. And while no additional fees will be charged to hunt with a crossbow, additional revenue is anticipated through an increase in archery license and Permit Bow Season permit sales.
After reviewing the survey results and the documentation provided by Fish and Wildlife biologists, the Fish and Game Council voted to amend the 2009-10 Game Code to broaden the definition of a bow to include crossbows, and allow their use for deer hunting in any open bow season for legal hunters of all ages. If adopted, this proposed amendment will not take effect until the 2009-10 hunting season.
Game Code changes to include crossbow hunting, as well as the other proposed changes to hunting and trapping regulations (see Proposed Changes to Hunting in New Jersey) are subject to a public comment period whereby the citizens of New Jersey can express their opinion. Check periodically on Fish and Wildlife’s Web site (www.NJFishandWildlife.com) for details on the public comment period, public meeting dates and to view the proposed changes to the Game Code. And remember, crossbows are NOT legal during the 2008-09 deer seasons.
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Proposed Game Code Changes for 2009 - 2012 Hunting Seasons in New Jersey
September 16, 2008
The following first appeared in the August 2008 Hunting Issue of the Fish and Wildlife DIGEST, page 80.
Changes to hunting regulations are established by the Fish and Game Council through revisions to the Game Code. The Council voted to accept the following Game Code amendments on April 8,2008 (pdf, 24kb), which, if approved, are scheduled to be effective in 2009. They are presently under attorney review and will be published in the NJ Register when that review is complete. A public comment period will follow publication in the Register. NOTE: These changes WILL NOT be in effect for the 2008-09 seasons.
RABBIT and HARE
Opening day of rabbit season will move forward from the second week in November to the last Saturday in September.
The opening day of small game traditionally starts on the Saturday closest to November 10 to allow farmers time to harvest crops. This proposal maintains that tradition by keeping the November opening day timing for pheasants, chukar and quail. An earlier rabbit/hare season should not interfere with farming activities since rabbit hunting involves hedgerows, old fields and most often uses a dog to flush and chase game back to the stationary hunter. An earlier open also provides ample opportunity for rabbit/hare hunters to enjoy their sport when rabbit populations are most abundant plus will allow hunting on WMAs without encountering bird hunters and trappers. Private landowners can choose not to allow the earlier open on their property.
FISHER
Add fisher to the Game Code in the section covering raccoon, fox, opossum, weasel and coyote trapping, with a closed season.
New Jersey is at the southern portion of the fisher’s natural range; restoration projects are ongoing in New York and Pennsylvania. It is believed that fisher may be migrating southwest into New Jersey from New York’s Catskill Mountains. There have been two confirmed sightings (Frelinghuysen Twp., Warren County 2004; Stokes State Forest, Sussex County 2006), and seven unconfirmed sightings from June through December 2007. Game species designation will clarify the fisher’s status as a protected furbearer with a closed season.
COYOTE
Increase the coyote season length for the special permit night season.
The current season runs from the second week of January to the third week in February. The proposal opens the season from January 1 through March 15 plus removes the bag limit. Coyotes are well established through all 21 counties. Damage complaints have increased and attacks on humans have occurred. An increased number of permit applications prove an increased hunter interest.
GROUSE
Create two hunting zones divided by Rt. 70 with seasonally-adjusted opening days.
This confers some protection to the southern population where suitable habitat is in short supply.
WILD TURKEY
There are three proposed changes for turkey.
1. Open spring turkey season one week later, decreasing the season length by one week.
Spring seasons should coincide with the onset of egg incubation by hens. A cooperative research project among eastern states shows that the optimal time for a season opener is around April 25 for northern New Jersey and April 20 for the south. Under this proposal, opening days would fall between April 19 and 26. A later opener will disturb clutching hens less, plus should reduce illegal hen harvest. A later date will also better coincide with the second peak in gobbling activity, as more hens will be on the nest and fewer will be with toms. This proposal will help offset the turkey population decline of the past several years in the central portion of the state. 2. Redefine the boundaries of Turkey Hunting Areas (THAs) 15, 20 and 21.
Turkey harvest densities have increased in the southern portion of THA 15 over the past 10 years. The southern part of THA 15 will be moved into THAs 20 and 21. This adjustment will open up the shifted areas to fall turkey hunting. The transfer of the appropriate number of permits from THA 15 to THAs 20 and 21 has been calculated based upon land area and hunter densities.3. Remove THAs 6, 7 and 10 from the fall hunting season.
The criteria to open a THA for fall hunting is an annual harvest of greater than or equal to one gobbler per square mile of turkey habitat for three consecutive years. If the gobbler harvest in a THA open to fall hunting drops to below 0.75 gobblers/mile sq. for three years in a row, that THA will be removed from the fall hunting season. THAs 6, 7 and 10 meet the criteria for removal.
WHITE-TAILED DEER
There are seven proposed changes for deer.
1. Expand the use of crossbows to all hunters during the three existing archery seasons. (For more on this proposal, see the feature article, Crossbows: Coming to a Treestand Near You?.) 2. Grant authority to the Fish and Game Council to shift the assignment of a deer management zone (DMZ) into a different deer regulation set, provided certain criteria are met. (See 2008-2009 Deer Regulation Sets (pdf, 23kb)
Amendments to the Game Code formerly followed an annual cycle; currently, a three year cycle is in effect to accommodate the regulatory process. With the authority to make changes within this three year cycle, the Council can affect a timely response to unforeseen or undesirable deer population changes to better achieve deer management goals, and to avert potentially damaging situations.3. Add a new “Regulation Set 9″ to the existing deer regulation sets. (See 2008-2009 Deer Regulation Sets (pdf, 23kb)
The regulations in the proposed Regulation Set 9 will be more liberal than the most liberal, existing Regulation Set 8Harvest results from the 2007-08 deer seasons show an antlerless deer harvest reduction during this first year of regulation changes in the Set 8 DMZs. These changes included the removal of the Earn-A-Buck regulation from all seasons except the first three weeks of the Fall Bow Season, and moving the antlerless-only days of Permit Shotgun and Permit Muzzleloader seasons from the week of Thanksgiving to the week after Thanksgiving. The proposed Regulation Set 9 will allow the Council to respond to an undesired population growth, should current harvest trends continue.
Regulation Set 9 will have four additional days of antlerless-only hunting for both the Permit Shotgun and Permit Muzzleloader seasons during Thanksgiving week. Data from previous years shows a significant portion of the overall antlerless harvest occurred during these early November days.
4. Add a new “Regulation Set 0″ to existing deer regulation sets. (See 2008-2009 Deer Regulation Sets (pdf, 23kb)
The regulations in the proposed Regulation Set 0 will be more restrictive than the most restrictive existing Regulation Set 1.Certain DMZs in Regulation Sets 2 and 3, namely Zones 21, 23, 24, 34, 43, 45 and 46, have experienced harvest declines; all are below their population goal. Harvest data from the past six years shows the majority of the antlerless harvest being taken during the Permit Muzzleloader Season. Adoption of a more restrictive regulation set will allow the Council to increase deer populations in DMZs having less productive habitat.
Regulation Set 0 will reduce the Permit Muzzleloader Season by four days and reduce the antlerless bag limit to one per season.
5. Implement a Deer Management Assistance Program.
Fish and Wildlife has proposed a plan for landowners to better cope with undesirable deer densities on their properties while utilizing the current hunting season regulations and hunters to remove additional antlerless deer. The Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) would be available for the 2009-10 deer seasons. See the Deer Management Assistance Program page for details.6. Change regulation sets for DMZs 18, 22 and 26. (See 2008-2009 Deer Regulation Sets (pdf, 23kb)
These zones have been experiencing declines in harvest and/or are below the population goal. Zones 22 and 26 will be moved from Set 4 to Set 3; Zone 18 will be moved from Set 3 to Set 2. Moving these zones down one regulation set into more a set with more restrictive seasons will allow moderate population increases.7. Change a portion of the boundaries between Zones 23 and 25.
A portion of the boundary between Ancora and Hammonton running along Blue Anchor Brook and Albertson Brook will be changed to Routes 30 and 206. The brooks comprising part of this border are run seasonally. Changing the boundary to roadways will provide a more definitive border between zones.
Until formal adoption of the proposed Game Code amendments all the above changes are tentative. Interested individuals welcome to submit written comments and/or speak at the public hearing regarding any or all of these proposals. Watch the Division of Fish and Wildlife homepage for an announcement about publication of the proposed amendments in the NJ Register. Subscribers to the Hunting E-mail List will be notified automatically - see the E-mail Lists page for details and to subscribe.
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Bears, Youth Deer Hunt Featured in Latest Issue of N.H. Wildlife Journal
September 16, 2008
CONCORD, N.H. — Few New Hampshire experiences are quite as memorable as coming face to face with a black bear. New Hampshire Wildlife Journal magazine’s September-October 2008 issue gets up close and personal with black bears in “The Bear Necessities,” an article written by forest educator and journalist Dave Anderson.
Feature articles in this issue of the Journal, New Hampshire’s only magazine dedicated to fish and wildlife conservation and recreation, include Anderson’s entertaining and informative look at fall activity in bear country, plus “Youth Deer Adventures,” which profiles three young hunters who took part in the New Hampshire youth deer weekend hunt last October. Readers will discover that there’s much more to a deer hunt than bringing home a whitetail. In fact, it’s hard to say who is more excited, the kids or the dads, in this story that’s as much about family and tradition as scouting and shooting.
Think wildlife just needs vast, undisturbed forest to thrive? You’ll think again after reading Ned Therrien’s story about creating woodland openings to encourage a diversity of wildlife. A resource list of organizations that provide training, practical tips and even financial assistance for improving wildlife habitat on your land tells how to get started.
As always, the magazine features beautiful professional photography that brings Granite State wildlife, from moose to red-tailed hawks, into focus for readers.
Regular columns bring you Conservation News, Warden’s Watch, Kids Corner and more:
- This issue’s Wild Ways explores the mystery of why fall leaves change color.
- In Naturalist’s Notebook, you’ll learn that the brilliant colors of the Eastern brook trout are more intense in the fall, when this fish spawns.
- Conservation News looks at the comeback of the New Hampshire State Butterfly, the Karner blue, on the Concord Pine Barrens, and more.
Not a subscriber to New Hampshire Wildlife Journal? The magazine is published 6 times a year by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Subscriptions are just $12 for one year — that’s 40% off the newsstand price — or $20 for two years. CLICK HERE to subscribe, renew or purchase gift subscriptions for the outdoor enthusiasts in your life.
For a limited time, new subscribers can take advantage of Fish and Game’s current “Wild Deals” offer. Just $25 gets you the 2009 N.H. Fish & Wildlife calendar AND a two-year subscription to N.H. Wildlife Journal magazine (new subscribers only please), plus a free issue of the magazine — a package valued at $32.90. For details and an order form, visit www.wildnh.com/wilddeals.
New Hampshire Wildlife Journal magazine contains no advertising, and subscription revenue helps the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department conserve, manage and protect the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats; promote conservation education; and create opportunities for outdoor recreation in the Granite State.
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Fish Passage Program Solves Dam Problems
September 15, 2008
This year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Passage Program provided nearly $8.3 million to remove or bypass more than 168 barriers to fish passage. Along with nearly $18 million in partnership funds, the Fish Passage Program will help reopen 1,716 miles of streams and rivers and 9,471 acres to improve habitats for recreational fish and imperiled aquatic species.
The widespread issue of fish passage is the result of the construction of millions of culverts, dikes, water diversions, dams and other artificial barriers that impound and redirect water for irrigation, flood control, electricity, drinking water, and transportation — all changing natural features of rivers and streams. As the Service’s understanding of the response of fisheries to these barriers has grown, efforts have begun to reverse the negative impacts they’ve had on our fish and environment. The Fish Passage Program uses a voluntary, non-regulatory approach to work with municipal, state, tribal and federal agencies, as well as non-governmental agencies to reopen and improve aquatic habitats in the nation’s streams and rivers. The program provides funding and technical expertise to partners to remove or bypass dams and other obstructions and replace or improve culverts under roads or railroad tracks — all to allow fish to swim through. The goal of the program is to restore native fish and other aquatic species to self-sustaining levels by reconnecting habitat that has been fragmented by barriers.
One exemplary project supported by the Program is the removal of the Balmoral Dam on Mill Creek, a major tributary to the Wisconsin River, Wisconsin. The removal of the dam will restore stream flows and allow access to more than 92 miles of habitat for brook trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, western sand darter and other native fish and mussel species. The removal will also improve the quality of the cold-water trout fishery in the upstream reach, the warm-water fishery in the lower section, as well as improve water quality throughout the stream.
Other funded projects include:
- John Day River Basin, Oregon - $66,231 in Service funding and $440,000 in partner funds to restore passage at six diversions, allowing access to an additional 40.8 miles of stream habitat for the listed bull trout and Mid-Columbia River steelhead salmon, as well as spring Chinook salmon, redband trout and other native fish species.
- Homestead Woolen Mill Dam, Ashuelot River, Swanzey, New Hampshire - $83,623 in Service funding to remove the dam and restore access to five miles of stream habitat for Atlantic salmon, American shad and blueback herring.
- Loosahatchee Bar, Tennessee - $100,000 in Service funding and $65,000 in partner funding to remove one dam and restore access to four miles of stream habitat for pallid and shovelnose sturgeon and other fish species.
- Two Moose Creek, Alaska - $42,857 in Service funding to restore access to nine miles of stream habitat for steelhead, Coho and sockeye salmon.
- Oak Run Creek, Shasta County, California - $33,450 in Service funding and $20,000 in partner funds to remove to barriers and restore access to six miles of stream habitat for resident wild trout and other fish species.
Since its inception in 1999, the National Fish Passage Program has removed or bypassed 655, restoring access to almost 10,612 miles of river and 51,361 acres of wetlands. The Program has also been able to leverage an average of three dollars for every project dollar spent through its partners.
Click here for a complete list of funded 2008 projects:
http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/fwma/FishPassage/pdfs/NFPP08projects.pdf
For more information about the Fish Passage Program, visit our home page at:
http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/fwma/fishpassage
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
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Flood Effects Are A Mixed Bag For Wildlife
September 14, 2008
Unusually wet weather has been a bane to some animals and a boon to others.
JEFFERSON CITY—Ground-nesting wildlife has taken it on the chin, while fish have enjoyed some ofcd the best spawning conditions in more than a decade.
Those are the broad outlines of reports from Missouri Department of Conservation biologists around the state. They say the effects of heavy rains, swollen rivers and bank-full lakes are a mixed bag for fish and wildlife. They also report that conservation areas (CAs) took a hit, and hunting opportunities will be curtailed at some areas as a result.
Missouri’s average annual precipitation ranges from approximately 35 inches in the state’s northwest corner to about 48 inches in southeastern Missouri. As of Aug. 31, St. Joseph had recorded a fairly normal 26 inches of precipitation, according to the Missouri Agricultural Weather Database. However, Knox County in northeastern Missouri recorded nearly 42 inches of precipitation during that period, and Cape Girardeau County got 48 inches, its full annual allotment in the first two-thirds of the year.
Equally important for wildlife is the way this year’s rain has fallen. In Knox County, 19.5 inches (47 percent) of the precipitation that fell from January through August came in 10 cloudbursts of 1 inch or more. The biggest deluges occurred June 24 through 26 (6.44 inches) and July 24 and 25 (4.83 inches). Eight to 10 inches of rain fell on southeast Missouri in less than 24 hours in March and was followed by more torrential rains a week later.
Resource Scientists Tom Dailey and Beth Cole monitor quail, pheasant and wild turkey populations in Missouri. They say these three species and other ground-nesting wildlife are strongly affected by unusually wet weather.
“The most dramatic effect is drowning of nests and young animals,” said Dailey. “We certainly have seen the potential for that this year, but wet weather has other, more subtle effects – especially when coupled with below-normal temperatures.”
Dailey said young birds remain vulnerable to chilling for several weeks after hatching. Until then their feathers are not fully developed to shed rain and provide insulation.
Quail, turkeys and pheasants whose early nest attempts fail often try again. However, the continuation of wet weather throughout the summer made subsequent nest attempts less productive than normal. Dailey said this fact is borne out by early results of turkey brood surveys conducted from June through August.
“Data from August are still coming in,” Dailey said, “but it doesn’t look good so far. I think it is likely that turkey production will be disappointing again this year.”
He said last year’s turkey production was the second-worst on record, largely due to a freak freeze that occurred after hens had started laying eggs. This year’s limiting factors were flooding and rain.
“The worst year for turkey brood production was 1961,” said Dailey. “We recorded an average brood size of .8 poults per hen that year. Last year we recorded 1 poult per hen. It looks like this year will be at or below 1 poult per hen this year.”
Every coin has two sides, and rainy weather is not without advantages for wildlife. Dailey noted that wet conditions caused extensive delays in haying activity, and this gave young animals from deer to quail a longer-than-normal window of opportunity to grow large enough to escape the danger posed by mowers. Also, weeds and grass are common in fields where row crops failed, possibly supplying food and cover for wildlife.
Birds were not the only wildlife that suffered. Flood conditions persisted for months along the Mississippi River Valley in southeast Missouri, hitting deer with a double whammy. Rising water drowned fawns and pushed adult deer out of low-lying areas, crowding them together in limited upland habitat. The displaced deer suffered disproportionately from conflicts with resident deer and collisions with cars.
In one month, Conservation Agent Kyle Booth saw 16 deer in Pemiscot County that died of drowning, vehicle strikes or injuries crossing fences. He also reported seeing a video of 172 deer stranded on a small portion of levee and a group of turkeys huddled on a patch of dry ground within a few yards of a coyote The predator, apparently gorged to capacity on wildlife fleeing flood waters, was not bothering the turkeys.
Besides those immediate effects, flooding also destroyed much of the vegetative cover needed by deer and turkeys in low-lying areas, and substantially reduced this year’s crop of acorns and other staple foods. On the other hand, all the rain has led to an abundance of soft mast and hard mast in areas that were not flooded.
When 8 inches of rain fell on southeastern Missouri in less than 24 hours in March, followed by more torrential rains a week later, the Conservation Department was forced to close 11 areas during Missouri’s spring youth turkey hunting season. Those areas were open during the regular spring turkey season, but hunters in the Mississippi River flood plain will find worse hunting overall this fall as a result of flooding. The effects will be erratic, with very little game in low areas and more than usual in upland refuges.
The managed deer hunt at Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge in Pike County has been cancelled. The refuge, along with much of the surrounding land, is one big mud flat, with little chance that much vegetation will grow before fall. The situation was similar at B.K. Leach CA in Lincoln County, and persistent flooding at Ted Shanks CA in Pike County killed an undetermined number of trees planted to replace mature trees that died when the Great Flood of 1993 covered the area.
Damage persisted into September, as torrential rains from the remnants of Hurricane Gustav caused rising rivers to re-flood hunting areas whose levees were breached by earlier crests.
Managed deer and waterfowl hunts still will take place on most public areas, but conditions are likely to be less than ideal at many. Duck habitat and hunting are likely to be severely affected. Flooding prevented planting and cultivation of crops on many public wetland areas. Water levels also prevented growth of native weeds, which normally produce food for waterfowl on land not planted with corn or other crops. Without food to eat, migrating waterfowl will be less likely to linger on these areas.
Wetland areas on the western side of the state avoided these woes, but these, ironically, may have limited capacity to flood wetland pools due to dry weather. Montrose CA in Henry County is one such area. In mid-August Montrose Lake was about 6 feet low and falling fast. Rain from Hurricane Gustav helped, but the area needs more rain for maximum waterfowl habitat.
Flooding caused extensive damage to recreational facilities, also. Soulard Access on the Fabius River in Marion County was closed for some time due to downed trees on the entrance road. Workers are still trying to determine whether flood waters washed away the concrete boat ramp at Fenway Landing Access on the Mississippi River in Lewis County or simply smothered it under tons of boulders, gravel, sand and mud. The area’s concrete privy washed away, and like many flood-damaged CAs, Soulard Access might not reopen until next year.
If all that is discouraging, consider fisheries biologists’ perspective on this year’s floods. They say the strongest year classes of bass, bluegill, crappie and a whole array of non-game fish occurred in 1993. They say this year’s floods likely will produce a similar effect. Floods also deliver a bounty of foods and nutrients needed by the plants and animals that fish eat.
“During this spring’s fish sampling, one of our biologists commented that there were already a lot of juvenile catfish out there from last year,” said Fisheries Management Biologist Travis Moore. “The flood waters of ’08 would have exposed them to a tremendous amount of food, helping their growth. Although we have not sampled them lately, I’m sure they are little footballs.”
Flooded vegetation is spawning structure for fish, and such spawning habitat was abundant in large reservoirs around the state this year. The water level in lakes managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rose dramatically this spring, covering thousands of acres where vegetation had grown in recent dry years.
High water can be a mixed blessing, too, however. If lake levels fall after fish lay eggs, their offspring can be stranded. But this year’s wet summer has kept water in large areas that normally would be dry. Concrete information about the effect of spring floods on fish populations won’t emerge until fisheries biologists begin fall sampling, but they are guardedly optimistic about the long-term effects on fishing
The scouring action of floods creates deep holes and increase the diversity of habitat types available for fish’s different life stages. Those same areas benefit turtles, frogs, fur-bearing mammals, migratory birds, fresh-water mussels and other wildlife.
Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, however. Heavy rainfall in late July filled up Mark Twain Lake so fast that the Corps of Engineers was forced to release water into the lower Salt River in Ralls County at a rate of 58,000 cubic feet per second. For comparison, that is about as much water as the Missouri River’s normal flow at that time of year. The normally placid river became a raging torrent unsafe for boating, and the river was closed to traffic. Fisheries biologists are waiting to learn how the unprecedented event might have affected the lower river’s thriving smallmouth bass population.
Although heavy rains disrupt human activities, biologists say that periodic floods are part of dynamic ecological processes. Short-term dislocations can be distressing to people who love plants, animals and wild places, but floods play an important role in maintaining healthy biological systems.
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NDOW Says “Don’t Put That Boat Away Just Yet”
September 12, 2008
Just as Memorial Day marks the official beginning of the annual boating season on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Labor Day marks the official ending. With their children heading back to school, many boaters put their boats away for the year. But that could be a big mistake.
“Some of the best boating water of the year is available right now. Boaters who put their boats away too early are really missing out,” said Nick Duhe, boating education coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. “The water temperature is still reasonably warm, daytime temperatures are comfortable, the summer winds are gone and there is very little boating traffic.”
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.