Monthly Activity Report Wildlife Division: March Alan Peoples, Chief Bill Dinkines, Assistant Chief Wildlife & Lands Management

Transcription

1 Monthly Activity Report Wildlife Division: March Alan Peoples, Chief Bill Dinkines, Assistant Chief Wildlife & Lands Management F10AF00163: Central Region- Jeff Pennington F10AF Prescribed fire operations were completed this month in the central region. The weather did not cooperate and spring green up was about two weeks early this year. Despite the obstacles, an additional 2,700 acres were burned in five units on two WMAs in March. Area biologists began monitoring the success of the 2012 prescribed burns as leaf out began on woody plants towards the end of the month. Specific activities for the month include: 3.2 miles of access road were bladed. 1/2 mile of road was renovated. Three miles of roadway was cleared of fallen trees caused by prescribed fire operations. Three miles of boundary was surveyed. 1/4 mile of fence was constructed and one mile was repaired. Seven access gates were repaired. Trash was removed from four miles of public access roads. Twenty four parking areas were maintained. Thirteen parking areas and campgrounds were sprayed to control vegetation. Twenty eight heavy use sites were maintained. 140 boundary signs were installed. ¼ mile of firebreak was constructed. Thirty acres were worked up for future planting operations. Three man days were spent on area surveillance during youth turkey season. Seven man days were spent working in wetland development units (WDU). Specific WDU projects include: Contractor activities monitored, structures were maintained, plant germination and development was monitored, and water levels were manipulated. A program was given and a meeting was conducted with adjacent landowners on the Keystone WRP. Considerable time was spent on routine maintenance and repairs to equipment. Budgets for FY 13 were submitted. Headquarters were mowed at most WMAs. STATE- Two man days were spent on the cash lease program. Two man days were spent on the grazing program at Cross Timbers. Two deer were scored for the Cy Curtis Award. An article was written for Outdoor Oklahoma. Personnel attended 12 hours of HRDS training and 16 hours of reserve officer training. F10AF Three man days were spent scoring at the state shoot for the archery in the schools program. Five man days were expended maintaining shooting ranges. F10AF00210-Turkey check stations were set up in the central region counties east of I-35. F10AF00171-Two prairie chicken survey routes were conducted, roadside furbearer counts were completed, and technical assistance was provided to one landowner in McClain County. F10AF00159: Northeast Region - Craig Endicott F10AF Management activities included: draining 9 wetland units (547 acres), mowing habitat (32 acres), applying herbicide (3 acres), conducting 5 controlled burns (6,190 acres) and assessing 2 wildfire burns (420 acres). Personnel maintained miles of roads, 15 signs, 8 parking areas, 2 camping areas, 6 gates, 1 boat ramp and 1 mile of fence. Personnel also picked up area trash, cleaned and maintained area shops/compounds, and maintained/repaired area equipment. Administrative and other area duties included: adjusting FY13 budgets, conducting wildlife surveys (2 area waterfowl and 40 turkey gobble counts), conducting 6 hunter-use surveys, meeting with Cherokee Nation concerning road construction, and assisting with den work on bears (3 females, 5 cubs and 1 collarless mail).

2 F10AF Set up 58 turkey check stations. F10AF Provided habitat technical assistance to 2 landowners (13,090 acres), tagged otters and bobcats as requested, conducted roadside furbearer surveys and conducted prairie chicken surveys (2 counties). F10AF Conducted 5 STEP programs, scheduled programs, maintained guns, throwers and trailers, maintained 1 shooting range, worked state AIS shoot and maintained 1 shooting range. F11AF Assisted fisheries with replacing brush habitat in Lake Eufaula (1 day). STATE- Monitored oil and gas activities, wrote recommendation letters for tank batteries, salt water injection well and power line, handled agriculture and grazing lease administration and activities, met with new agricultural lessee concerning fields and lease provisions, served on Hunting Guide Committee (1 meeting, draft edits, related contacts, reviewed Guide and applicable 800 s), submitted quarterly website reviews, cleaned and maintained vehicles, attended 2-day training class and worked on projects for Leadership Development Program, met with ODOT concerning Vitt property, met with GTC concerning power lines on area and performed law enforcement duties (ride along, training, etc.) F10AF00169: Southeast Region - Joe Hemphill F10AF Prepared 4 miles of fire guard, control burned 12,300 acres and 30 brush piles, picked up and disposed of 24 bags and 4 truckloads of trash, mowed 14.5 acres at headquarters and facilities, assisted Forest Service in control burning 2,000 acres, conducting gobble counts, and flagging 9 miles of fire line, bladed 7 miles of access roads, cut 1 acre of brush, cut 50 cedar trees for fish habitat, completed budget plans, removed 2 beaver dams and cleaned out 7 tin horns. F10AP Installed 1 new insert at C107 and 1 at C5, installed 4 inserts at R12-1, continued checks at active clusters, thinned additional hardwoods around R27 and R208. F10AP Continued thinning on the 271 acre block that borders Slapover Mountain. F10AF Prepared the winter turkey flock survey report. F10AF Provided technical assistance to 1 landowner, aged DMAP jaws, and entered data. F10AF Assisted with the National Archery in the Schools State Shoot. F10AF Cleaned out 6 water control structures and removed 6 beaver dams. NRCS-12- Removed 8 feral hogs and 3 beavers, picked up and disposed of 2 bags of trash, put up 6 new nesting boxes assisted with area tours and surveys, and attended monthly NRCS and USFS meeting. M78- Installed 1 informational sign, control burned 3,300 acres, repaired 12 miles of access roads, and completed budget plans. State- Conducted 1 program, built 1 bear trap, attended HRDS classes, and assisted with the NRCS prescribed burn certification school. M74M/M75M- Gave presentations at the annual ODWC/Weyerhaeuser meeting, continued attending the Reserve Officer Academy, checked 367 boundary signs, 53 gates, and 2 pipe barriers for vandalism, completed 3 wetland surveys, 4 turkey gobble counts, 1 pond survey, and 3 furbearer surveys, assisted with controlled burns on Atoka WMA and McCurtain County Wilderness Area, checked 4 camp sites for trash and cleaned 1 camp site (1 bag), updated SFI audit report for Weyco, searched for habitat improvement projects, checked 68 berms for repairs, worked on FY 2013 budget, updated pond data, worked on computer and sign order requisitions, toured Campbell Group property, checked logging activity in 2 walk-in turkey areas, ordered

3 seed for spring food plots, and attended meetings with Weyerhaeuser, Molpus, Rayonier, and Hancock Forest Management as needed. F10AF00162: Northwest Region Steve Conrady F10AF Activities this month included the following: personnel cut and stacked 11 acres of upland cedar trees, disked 8.3 miles of fireguard, strip disked 10 acres, and disked one 20 acre field to encourage native sunflower growth, dozed 4 miles of fireguard, applied herbicide on 2 acres, suppressed and monitored 1 wildfire approximately 400 acres in size, conducted 1 prescribed burn on 627 acres, repaired 6 windmills, serviced 16 windmills and 12 solar pumps, hauled and spread 50 tons of rock on 2.5 miles of area road, bladed 13 miles of road, replaced 2 (4x8) entrance signs, repaired 1 access gate and installed 1 access gate, checked 8 miles of service roads, removed 100 feet of old fence, repaired wind damage to 1 outbuilding roof, maintenance and repairs were performed on area equipment, hunter use surveys were conducted during youth turkey season on 7 areas, winter bird surveys were conducted and lesser prairie chicken activities were monitored on Cimarron Bluff and Cimarron Hills, 1 lesser prairie chicken viewing opportunity was held at the Cimarron Bluff viewing trailer, personnel gave 1 presentation regarding WMA hunting opportunity, meetings were attended with the Corps of Engineers regarding projects on Canton, with OSU regarding bird survey results on Drummond Flats, with the Texas Sporting Dog Club regarding volunteer work on Optima, and with a landowner regarding boundary fence materials on Beaver. F10AF Personnel assisted with a 1200 acre prescribed burn on Packsaddle and a 500 acre burn on Ellis County WMA. F10AF Conducted winter turkey flock surveys for all region counties. F10AF Conducted 1 sandhill crane survey F10AF Personnel assisted with the Archery in the Schools State Shoot. M Personnel assisted with the preparation and presentation of the annual report. F03AP00007 Personnel met with members and board members of the Oklahoma Wildlife & Prairie Heritage Alliance to discuss landowner assistance programs, distributed eighteen cases of Great Plains Trail maps, attended High Plains RC & D Council meeting in Buffalo and conducted a LPC assistance programs presentation, assisted with 1 prescribed burn in Woods County to benefit LPC habitat. F10AF Conducted LPC roadside lek counts and flush counts in Woods County, F11AF Met with OSU research personnel to provide additional quail traps for Packsaddle. TREE SPADE- Personnel rented the tree spade to one land owner in Beckham County and 1 landowner in Woodward County for habitat improvements. LEPCHCP- Personnel met with landowners in Ellis County concerning habitat work on 7,500 acres, inspected fireguard preparation on 1 LEPCHCP contract and conducted status reviews on 2 LEPCHCP contracts, attended the LPCI workshop in Garden City KS, conducted presentations at the OACD meeting in Beaver, and in Woodward at Senior Circle luncheon, assisted Biologist on Beaver and Canton WMA with creating area maps, conducted aerial surveys for lesser prairie chickens. STATE- Personnel prepared 12 agriculture leases, prepared and sent out area grazing lease payment notices, checked and serviced 18 windmills, 14 solar wells, and 5 submersible wells, repaired 5 windmills, replaced 2 solar pumps, repaired ¼ mile of fence, constructed 2 H braces, and one gate, burned shoreline vegetation at Lake Evans Chambers, established a 20 mile hiking

4 trail route for the Boy Scouts on Cooper, removed 3 abandoned tree stands, monitored the water level at Lunceford Playa, attended 3 HRDS courses, and the LEPC meeting in Beaver, met the FSA regarding crop base acreage on Canton, and with grazing lessees regarding upcoming leases on Beaver, prepared black footed ferret reports and submitted ferret allocation request, prepared prairie dog survey maps for Cimarron, Texas, and Beaver Counties, checked youth turkey hunters and hog hunters for license, and worked on preparing EXPO materials. F10AF00161: Southwest Region - Rod Smith F10AF Region staff completed preparation of the FY 13 region budget. Youth turkey season was monitored. WMA activities included: 36 acres cultivated for spring plantings; 20 miles of fireguard maintained; 120 acres cultivated for vegetation control; red cedars cut and stacked on 280 acres; 13 miles of road maintained and 1 culvert installed; 19 parking/camping areas maintained;.5 mile of fence repaired, 2 water gaps and 1 slope repaired; 4 boundary signs replaced and 7 maintained; and general maintenance and repairs conducted on area facilities and equipment. Trespass cattle issues were handled. Personnel completed 5 prescribed burns on 1800 acres. Water levels in wetland units were monitored; 120 acres of units were flooded; 2 miles of dike were mowed; 125 gallons of herbicide was applied to salt cedars; and 8 structures were repaired and a water distribution pipeline was maintained. Hackberry Flat Center facilities and grounds were maintained and benches were installed in a bird observation blind. Two WMA tours were conducted and a Boy Scout troop was assisted with WMA information. Several supervisor training workshops were attended. WMA coordination meetings were held with a Friends group, OSU quail research team, and U.S. Forest Service. F10AF Region personnel assisted NW Region with controlled burns. Assistance was also given with wildfire at Canton WMA. F10AF WHIP plan was prepared for landowner in Jackson County. F10AF Personnel assisted with the Archery in the Schools state shoot. State- Agriculture leases were prepared and advertised. Oil & Gas monitoring continued. Windmills, waterlines, and water wells were repaired prior to grazing season. Elk depredation complaint in NW Region was inspected and abatement was attempted. Meetings were held with grazing lessees. Wood duck nest boxes were prepared for production season. Surveillance for vandalism and off road ATV riders was handled. Cattle grazing compliance was monitored and a lessee probation letter was prepared. F10A Met with 4 landowners in Logan and Pittsburg Counties on 980 acres. Answered questions from sportsman about upland game birds. Sent out letter to Game Wardens about aerial survey efforts. Visited with Sutton Center about LEPC research. Completed NEPA and Section 7 for LEPC research. Edited information for NBCI about Oklahoma. Worked a quail booth at Grady County agriculture workshop. Conducted field exercises on LEPC habitat guide. Gave presentation on aerial survey effort to zoo personnel. Gathered information for GPS on helicopter and hand held for survey effort. Was on 3 LEPC conference calls. Made comments to LEPC conservation plan for Oklahoma. F10AF Attended OID meeting in San Angelo, TX with researchers. STATEWGA105GIS- Server Setup SQL Server Installation, OK State GI council Landcover meeting, OK Land cover development, Transmission/Fragmentation line planning, WGA preparation and planning for year 2, 5 state LEPC v 2.0 planning, OK LEPC Plan Meeting, LEPC Survey Planning

5 STATE- Monthly reports, vehicle service, Completed Leadership Development class Mastering Agency Change. Worked on Budgets. Conducted Aerial survey efforts on 4 blocks. Programs: Jerry Shaw F10AF Conducted various admin. Duties related to P/R section including budgets, monthly reporting requirements and review of other documents. Attended a GRDA technical committee meeting in Langley related to mitigation and licensing issues. Coordinated final contracting details on the upcoming Waurika WDU enhancement work w/du engineers. Cleaned out drains on Vann s Lake marsh. Worked on draft for Copan Power unit requisition. Provided mapping updates to the LMVJV Vicksburg office on WDU projects located in the SE Region. Completed and submitted 2013FY Duck Stamp budget. Conducted site inspections on the Cottonwood Creek WDU. Applied herbicide treatment to the waterfowl compound at the NE Reg. office. Picked up parts and conducted repair work on JD tractor and sprayer. F10AF Check in, edit and enter deer check book data. Picked up internet deer check in data and started editing. Continued correspondence with data entry provider to get bid for work. F10AF Conducted annual Spring Sandhill crane survey in SW OK. Prepared 2012 COLGS surveys for 1st mailing. Attended Central Flyway technical committee meetings in Grand Island, NE. Responded to duck hunter survey comments. Read and commented on draft GPWE HCP. Finished budget paperwork. Participated in Wingbee. F10AF Finished budget work for project. F10AF Finished budget work for project. F10AF Tagged bobcats at Okmulgee Fur Auction. CWD9512- Assisted with 2 roadkill deer in NW OKC for CWD samples. Removed obex from roadkilled deer. Disposed of heads. Traveled to reported roadkill location, evaluated deer for suitability. Removed unsuitable roadkill from roadway. Researched IR camera purchase. Researched and purchased digital camera. STATE- Assisted personnel with annual Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator- Special Canada Goose Permit Workshop. Assisted personnel with Okmulgee fur sale tagged 320 bobcat and 30 otters. Met with landowner E. of Arcadia on Lincoln Co. line concerning several hundred duck depredating wheat. Responded to public correspondence concerning nuisance Canada geese. Met with NWCO to complete certification for nuisance Canada goose management. Completed quarterly safety training. Filled in at main office. Responded to numerous waterfowl nesting complaints in Tulsa and surrounding area. Picked up fencing materials and delivered to the Teal Ridge Urban wetland project in Stillwater. Assisted personnel with annual Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator- Special Canada Goose Permit Workshop. Met with landowner E. of Arcadia on Lincoln Co. line concerning several hundred duck depredating wheat. Met with NWCO to complete certification for nuisance Canada goose management. Completed quarterly safety training. Filled in at main office.

6