Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Jackson Region
May 2015 Newsletter
WY Range Mule Deer Fawn Study Begins
Game and Fish Wildlife Division personnel joined researchers from the
Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of
Wyoming and numerous other stakeholders and volunteers to start
Phase II of the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Study. The study involves cap-
turing newborn mule deer fawns to fit them with tracking collars allow-
ing intensive monitoring to as-
sess survival and identify causes
of mortality. Fawns are being
captured and monitored primar-
ily within the Greys River area of the Bridger-Teton National Forest in the Wyoming and
Salt River Ranges. Fawns are most vulnerable to malnutrition, predation and other
causes of mortality during their first few weeks of life. Therefore, fawns are being moni-
tored for 4-6 weeks directly following birth during the summer months of June, July and
August.
In March 2013, the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Pro-
ject began with the overall goal to address research
and management needs identified in the Wyoming
Range Mule Deer Initiative. Habitat and predation
were key topics identified during the public input
process of the initiative and understanding their
relationship to fawn survival and overall recruit-
ment will aid managers in developing strategies to
encourage population growth.
The project would not be possible without the fi-
nancial and logistical contributions of key research partners, including: Wyoming Wildlife
and Natural Resource Trust, Animal Damage Management Board, Muley Fanatic Founda-
tion, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Knobloch Family Foundation, Bowhunters of
Wyoming, and onXmaps. (Left) South Jackson Wildlife Biologist Gary Fralick weighs a new-
born mule deer fawn in the Salt Range east of Afton. (Right) Wyo-
ming Coop Unit Researcher Melinda Nelson prepares to leave a mule
deer fawn after fitting it with an expandable GPS collar.
Jackson Region Monthly Newsletter
May 2015
Call of the Curlew
Jackson Nongame Biologist Susan Patla teamed up with Dr. Jay
Carlisle from the Boise, Idaho-based Intermountain Bird Observa-
tory to capture and mark seven long-billed curlews in northwest
Wyoming. The birds are being fitted with GPS transmitters that
will allow biologists to monitor reproductive success and track
their travels over the next couple years. This year, birds were cap-
tured and marked in Grand Teton National Park, the National Elk
Refuge, the Cody
area and private
lands near Daniel.
In 2014, a nesting fe-
male curlew was fitted
with a GPS transmitter on the National Elk Refuge near Jackson. Interest-
ingly, this bird, dubbed “AJ” based on her leg-band letters, ended up
spending the winter approximately 100 miles south of Mazatlan on the
west coast of Mexico. AJ spent the winter within a 10-mile radius until
late March when she started her trek back north. Taking a different route
through New Mexico, she did end up back on the elk refuge again to estab-
lish another nest in May 2015.
This year, researchers were able to capture and mark her mate and are
anxious to learn if his travels mimic those of AJ. Mated pairs of curlews
share the duty of egg incubation with females generally sitting on the
nest during the day and males taking the night shift.
The seven birds marked in Wyoming are part of a larger effort by the
Intermountain Bird Observatory to study the intermountain population
that includes 15 additional curlews they have tagged in Idaho and Mon-
tana.
Those interested can
learn more about the
research being con-
ducted on long-billed curlews as well as other birds at their website:
http://ibo.boisestate.edu/home/ .
Researchers unfurl a mist net in preparation of dropping it on a
nesting long-billed curlew at the Natl Elk Refuge near Jackson.
Measurements are taken on a male long-billed curlew.
A GPS transmitter is fitted on the back of a long-billed
curlew.
Jackson Nongame Biologist Susan Patla releases
a newly marked long-billed curlew.
Jackson Region Monthly Newsletter
May 2015
Auburn Hatchery Field Days
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department operates 10 Fish hatcheries across the state, all of which are open to visitors. As the weather warms, visitation picks up and they are especially popular with students at the end of the school year.
The Auburn Hatchery is located Star Valley approxi-mately 10 miles west of Grover, WY. Surprisingly, it is actually located in Idaho, but the only access is through Wyoming. The crew at Auburn welcomed several hundred students to the hatchery this spring. On this day, the hatchery staff provided a tour to ele-mentary students from Cokeville and they were joined by Regional I&E Specialist Mark Gocke who also taught them about Wyoming furbearers.
(Below left & right) Auburn
Fish Culturist Travis Parrill
talks to a group of elementary
students from Cokeville.
Jackson Region Monthly Newsletter
May 2015
Spring Black Bear Season
The spring black bear hunting season runs May 1-June 15 in the
Jackson Region, unless the allotted female mortality quota is
reached before season’s end. Regional game wardens spend
considerable time visiting bait sites before, during and after the
hunt season to make sure all hunters are following the rules.
Then, as some hunters are successful, regional personnel col-
lect harvest information as bears
are brought in for their mandatory
check-in. At press time (June 15),
seven of the allotted 13 female
bears taken in the combined hunt
areas 18, 20, 21, 22, 24 and 29 in the
Jackson area. In the Wyoming
Range hunt areas 14, 15, 16, 17 and
30, a total of 24 of the allotted 30
female bears had been taken in the
Wyoming Range hunt areas .
Awwww….
The Jackson Game and Fish office received a call from a concerned citizen about a wayward family of
mallard ducks in downtown Jackson (Broadway
& Willow Streets) that was in danger of getting
struck in traffic. Jackson Game Wardens Kyle
Lash and Jon Stephens to the rescue! The two
were able to gathered up the hen and her newly
hatched brood of ducklings and transport them
safely to one of the ponds at the National Elk Ref-
uge.
South Jackson Wildlife Biologist Gary Fralick
(left) and North Jackson Game warden Jon
Stephens check in hunter harvested black bears.
Jackson Game warden Kyle Lash re-
leases a family of ducks at the na-
tional Elk Refuge near Jackson.
Jackson Region Monthly Newsletter
May 2015
Alpine Antler Rendezvous
Afton Game Warden Todd Graham again coordinated an
enforcement effort to keep antler buyers and sellers le-
gal at the annual Alpine Antler Rendezvous held from
May 8th to May 15th. The annual event was well attended
this year and several large big game heads were brought
in including many more moose racks this year. Game
Wardens Jackie Otto and James Olson assisted with the
task force and Jackson Office Manager Barb Long once
again spent two days at the event tagging heads. Com-
pliance was very good with no citations and one written
warning issued.
ElkFest 2015
Several hundred people attended fish
and wildlife educational exhibits that
were again set up at the annual elk
antler auction and ElkFest celebration
on the Jackson town square. Jackson
fisheries technicians Chance Roberts
and John Heckel taught fishing skills
and Bear Biologist Sam Stephens
talked bear safety while Jackson Of-
fice Manager Julie Jaeger and Pine-
dale BFH Biologist Eric Maichak ad-
ministered the fish & wildlife quiz.
Jackson Region Monthly Newsletter
May 2015
Don’t Forget!
Don’t forget The deadline to apply for your
Super Tag raffle tickets is July 1. It’s all online
at the Game and Fish Website:
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/home.aspx
Good Luck!
Climbing for Data
South Jackson Widllife Biologist Gary Fralick spent several hours hiking to retrieve a dropped GPS tracking collar that had been carried by a mountain goat from the Palisades goat herd for the past two years. The recovered data will be analyzed by the Greater Yellowstone Area Mountain Ungulate Project at Montana State University.
Moving Water, Making Forage
The Jackson Habitat & Access crew spent time in May working on the irrigation system at the Horse Creek Wild-life Habitat Management Area south of Jackson. New wa-ter control structures and a new irrigation diversion box was installed (left) to facilitate growing forage for winter-ing elk. A new water line also was installed to bring water to a new horse corral for the feedground horses.
Old Fish for New Park
The Jackson Fish crew helped stock a new pond at the recently completed Ren-
dezvous Park near Wilson. The initial stocking consisted of retired brood stock
from the Jackson National Fish Hatchery, but all future stocking will be from the
Game and Fish’s Auburn Hatchery. The event resulted in great local press.
Jackson Fish Biologist Diana Miller struggles to handle
a lively Snake River cutthroat trout.
Photo by Price Chambers, Jackson Hole News & Guide