FERAL HOG CONTROL ON BIG LAKE WMA

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1 FERAL HOG CONTROL ON BIG LAKE WMA Project Summary: Funds for the project are going to be used for monitoring, reducing and/or eliminating feral hog populations on Big Lake. Cameras will be placed on the management area to determine population estimates and monitor the effectiveness of trapping efforts. Traps will be baited and checked at least twice a week and moved if necessary. All feral hogs trapped or observed will be disposed of and blood will be drawn and sent to the lab to test for possible diseases. Project Leader: James Foster Biologist Affiliation: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Address: jdfoster@agfc.state.ar.us Mailing Address: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Attention: James Foster P.O. Box 406 Manila, AR Telephone: (870) Project Partners: Jeremy Bennett Refuge Manager US Fish and Wildlife Service jeremy_bennett@fws.gov (870) Project Cost: $70,000 SWG Money Requested: $50,000 Matching Funds/In-kind Contributions: $20,000 Source: Employee Salaries

2 While feral hogs have been present in Arkansas for quite some time, in recent years their population seems to have exploded the number of Wildlife Management Areas on which they are known to be present has doubled to 29 since Feral hogs are now found in all regions of the state, though they are probably most dense in the bottomland areas of southern Arkansas ( Feral hogs are predators of nests of ground nesting birds and will also eat small mammals (Wilcox and Van Buren 2009) and herpetofauna (Jolley 2007) and cause all sorts of havoc to agriculture as well as damage sensitive habitats such as seeps. Based on prior food habits studies, six mammals listed as species of greatest conservation need are among the documented or potential prey of feral hogs in Arkansas: Plains Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys montanus), Desert Shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi), Eastern Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis), Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis), Southeastern Shrew (Sorex longirostris), and Southern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys cooperi). These avian species of greatest conservation need are ground nesters or require low dense understories and can potentially be impacted by feral hogs: Bachman s Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis) American Woodcock (Scolopax minor), Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulean), Swainson s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii), EasternTowhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora pinus), Chuck-will s-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis), Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferous), Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus), Wormeating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus), Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrine), and Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus). Fecal contamination of waterways by feral hogs has been shown to be a threat to freshwater mussels in western Louisiana and could potentially be a problem for all Arkansas mussels listed as species of greatest conservation need (Kaller et al. 2007). The objective of this project is to determine the abundance of feral hogs on Big Lake WMA and also reduce and/or eliminate feral hogs on the management area. The expected results and benefits to species of concern is to reduce the number of feral hogs that are located on Big Lake WMA. As soon as funding is received, equipment (such as a utility vehicle, trapping supplies, cameras, etc.), will be purchased to begin the project. After equipment is purchased, cameras will be put out on different areas of the WMA to determine where the largest concentrations of feral hogs are. After determining where the highest populations of feral hogs are then traps and bait will be put out to trap the hogs.

3 Big Lake WMA is located in the northeast part of Arkansas as shown on the following map. Big Lake WMA Mississippi County Big Lake WMA is located in the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Ecosystem and are part of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) Bird Conservation Region.

4 Budget: Trapping Supplies: $2,000 Utility Vehicle: $16,000 Trailer: $4,000 Fuel: $4,000 Bait: $18,000 Surveillance Eq. $2,000 Salary (in-kind contribution): $24,000 Total: $70,000

5 Qualifications: James Foster has over 12 years of experience dealing with feral hogs. He graduated in 1996 from Mississippi State University with a bachelor s degree in Forestry/Wildlife Management. He has trapped and removed hogs on private and public lands. As biologist of Big Lake WMA James will be able to monitor, bait and put out the traps necessary for removing feral hogs. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission have on staff biologists that will lend expert advice and employees from different management areas that will assist in completing the project. The agency is also currently involved in trying to remove feral hogs off their management areas.