As part of an ongoing three year research project in the Bighorn Mountains to evaluate moose population dynamics and seasonal habitat use, several cow moose

were captured in January using a immobilization dart gun. Biologists and game war-dens would spot a cow moose and carefully sneak within 20 to 30 yards to shoot the

immobilization dart into the animal. Once the moose was sedated, an external health examination was completed; including checking for parasites, collecting a DNA sam-

ple and a blood sample. A battery operated GPS collar was placed around the neck of the moose and a tag was affixed to an ear. The GPS collar will transmit a location

every two hours for about three years allowing biologists to better understand habitat use, seasonal movements, home range size, survival rates and overall moose distribu-tion in the Bighorns.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department

Sheridan Region

February 2018 Newsletter

Sheridan Region

Regional Wildlife Supervisor:

Craig Smith

Regional Fisheries Supervisor:

Paul Mavrakis

Office Managers:

Lori Roe

Kathy Boyles

Clerical Specialists:

Wendy Balkenbush Stephanie Bomar

Game Wardens:

Dayton: Dustin Shorma

Sheridan: Bruce Scigliano

Buffalo: Jim Seeman

Kaycee: Justin Dodd

N. Gillette: Kristin DaVanon

S. Gillette: Dustin Kirsch

Moorcroft: J.D. Davis

Sheridan: Derek White

Sheridan: Luke May

Investigator: Daniel Beach

Damage Tech: Vacant

Public Information Specialist:

Bud Stewart

Wildlife Biologists :

Wildlife Management Coordinator:

Dan Thiele

Sheridan: Tim Thomas

Buffalo: Cheyenne Stewart

Gillette: Erika Peckham

Terrestrial Habitat: Todd Caltrider

Access Yes Program :

Coordinator: Troy Tobiasson

Fish Biologists:

Bill Bradshaw Andrew Nikirk Aquatic Habitat: Travis Cundy

Aquatic Invasive Species:

Mike Locatelli

Habitat and Access Coordinator:

Seth Roseberry

Story Fish Hatchery:

Superintendent: Steve Diekema Senior Fish Culturist: Nick Eglseder Culturist: Jennifer Meineke

Sheridan Bird Farm:

Supervisor: Darrell Meineke Biologist: Nate Brown Bird Farm Tech: Reed Moore

Moose Collaring Continues

Buffalo Wildlife Biologist Chey-enne Stewart (on left), Buffalo Game Warden Jim Seeman (middle ) and Sheridan Region Wildlife Management Coordina-tor Dan Thiele (on right) pose with a captured cow moose west of Buffalo.

Incisors of a cow moose captured in January. Teeth in this condition indicate the moose is proba-bly 15 to 20 years old.

Buffalo Wildlife Biologist Cheyenne Stewart draws blood from a sedated cow moose.

Sheridan Region Monthly Newsletter February 2018

Annual Bald and Golden Eagle Survey

South Gillette Game Warden Dustin Kirsch seized an arctic fox from an individual who was ar-

rested by the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department (CCSD). The individual had illegally imported the

arctic fox into Wyoming without the paperwork re-quired by Wyoming Game and Fish Department

Chapter 10 Regulations. The individual arrested by the CCSD had allegedly used the arctic fox for illegal

activities which led to his arrest by the CCSD. The arctic fox was transferred to the Wild Animal Sanctu-ary in Keenesburg, Colorado.

Arctic Fox Seized in Campbell County

Arctic fox seized in Campbell County during an arrest by the Campbell County Sheriff's Department.

Several Sheridan Region Game and Fish employees teamed up with BLM employees and

other volunteers to participate in the annual mid-winter bald and golden eagle survey. This survey,

conducted on a Saturday in mid-January, involves traveling a route and counting the bald and golden

eagles as well as other raptors observed along that route. This year, 91 people from Johnson, Sheri-

dan and Campbell Counties traveled 63 routes to-taling 1,420 miles. A total of 350 bald eagles were counted including 206 adults, 139 immature and

five unknown age birds. The observers also counted 100 adult, 34 immature and 19 unknown

age golden eagles. There were an additional 25 eagles counted that could not be identified to spe-

cies. The total number of eagles counted was 528. The number of eagles counted in 2018 was higher

than the 2017 total of 350, but slightly lower than the 547 eagles counted in 2016.

Sheridan Region Monthly Newsletter

February 2018

Wintry Weather Increases Wildlife Damage to Stored Hay

The cold weather around Christmas time started another “season” for game wardens in the Sheridan Region—damage season. Increased snow depths and cold temperatures have caused elk and deer to seek out

stored hay crops for a food source. One rather new method game wardens are trying in an attempt to miti-gate damage to hay crops is using a device normally seen at a car dealership. The tube shaped “air dancer”

used by car dealerships to draw attention to their businesses is being used by Game and Fish to do just the opposite; scare wildlife away from an area. The “scary man”, as Game and Fish calls it, is placed close to

stored hay in an attempt to keep deer and elk away from the area.

Damage to stored hay in Sheridan County.

Sheridan Region Monthly Newsletter

February 2018

Story Fish Hatchery Fish Culturist Jennifer Meineke stocks brood cull brown trout into Black Hills Power and Light Reservoir near Osage.

Brown trout brood culls from Story Fish Hatchery were stocked through the ice in January in two Sheridan Region wa-

ters. Gillette Fishing Lake received 192 fish and Black Hills Power and Light Reservoir received 185. The brood culls were

four year old brown trout that were “retired” from producing eggs and being replaced with younger fish so were available for stock-

ing into public waters. The brown trout averaged 15 inches and nearly 1.5 pounds.

Brood Cull Brown Trout Stocked in Two Waters

Sheridan Region Fisheries Biologist Bill Brad-shaw dumps a net of brown trout into Gillette Fishing Lake in January.

Brood cull brown trout that averaged 15 inches long and weighed nearly 1.5 pounds were stocked into two waters in Janu-ary.

Sheridan Region Monthly Newsletter

February 2018

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