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State Funded Wildlife Damage Programs: The Wisconsin Experience, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Scott R. Craven

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Wisconsin has a long tradition of involvement with wildlife damage and wildlife damage programs. It is one of less than a dozen states that presently has a program for wildlife damage. From 1931 to 1980, Wisconsin paid landowners for damage to crops caused by wildlife,. Now the focus of Wisconsin's wildlife damage program is on damage control and prevention through appropriate abatement techniques and wildlife population control. This paper will detail Wisconsin's experience with these approaches and will offer insight into improving state funded wildlife damage programs.

Future Of Wildlife Damage Control And The Cooperative Extension Service, Peter T. Bromley

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

The driving forces which determine the role of the Cooperative Extension Service in wildlife damage control are (1) the demand for information by the public, (2) the degree of support for programs at the national level, and (3) the level of professionalism exhibited by Cooperative Extension Agents and subject matter Specialists. Analysis of several trends suggests that the Cooperative Extension Service role in Wildlife Damage Control will increase in coming years. The movement of urban people into rural settings will create greater demands for wildlife damage control information. Likewise, the expansion of wildlife population into urban and suburban environments due …

Role And Responsibilities Of State Cooperative Extension Services For Wildlife Damage Control, James L. Byford

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

The Cooperative Extension Service was established by the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. It was designed to improve the lives of people, through education in: agriculture, natural resources, home economics and community development. Its audiences include both adult and youth. 4-H is the primary youth audience. The Cooperative Extension Service is an "extension" of the Land Grant university in each state. Its employees include university faculty (specialists) and professional agents in every county, in every state in the country. Extension's primary mission is to conduct an educational program, using research-based information. Research results are condensed into a form that the average …

Usda Forest Service Role In Wildlife Damage Control, Hugh C. Black

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Wildlife damage control is an important objective of resource management on the 191 million acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands administered by the USDA Forest Service. Policy on wildlife damage control is based on the USDA Policy on Fish and Wildlife (Secretary's Memorandum 9500-3, July 1983). The objective of wildlife damage control is to reduce damage and loss by wildlife on all NFS lands to levels consistent with management objectives. Control measures are only undertaken when and where necessary to realize wildlife management objectives and to prevent serious damage to public or private property and natural resources. Because of …

Landowner Tolerance Of Beavers: Implications For Damage Management And Control, Ken G. Purdy, Daniel J. Decker, Richard A. Malecki, John C. Proud

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Management of beaver (Castor canadensis) populations can be an effective way to create wetlands while at the same time producing a valued recreational and furbearer resource. Optimizing beaver populations for such a dual objective, however, requires careful integration of biological and sociological considerations in management planning. Knowledge of beaver population dynamics by itself is insufficient for sound management; human tolerance data also must be included in management decisions to reduce the potential of encountering problems that could impede the attainment of beaver-wetlands management objectives. Expansion of beaver into new areas often may be constrained by managers' perceptions of …

Computer Assisted Extension Program On Ground Squirrel Control, Terrell P. Salmon, Donald L. Lancaster, Leanne Lasarow

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Computers have become common place in virtually all phases of agriculture. Most individuals have access to microcomputers and the once apparent intimidation about using them is rapidly disappearing. Because of increased availability and public acceptance, it's no surprise that many Extension programs are using computers as an important component of their educational package. Recently, several computer models have been developed to assist Extension personnel and others in demonstrating proper wildlife damage control decision-making. We have developed such a model which is used to: 1) present ground squirrel control information to the grower, 2) take user (grower) input on production, yields, …

What You Wanted To Know About All You Ever Heard Concerning Snake Repellents, Gary J. San Julian

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Have you ever heard about a way to keep snakes away from your house? Many people in North Carolina have been told by their elders of various ways to repel snakes. When we first started working on this problem in North Carolina, we were amazed at the number of "home remedies" that people believed would protect their property from snakes; and we began to keep a record of these remedies. In 1981, a grant from the Pesticide Impact Assessment Program allowed us to begin to test some of these remedies to determine their value.

Deer Damage And Damage Control In Ohio's Nurseries, Orchards And Christmas Tree Plantings: The Grower's View, Joel D. Scott, Thomas W. Townsend

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

A survey of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage was conducted among growers (N = 2,236) of fruit, Christmas tree and nursery crops in Ohio; over 81% responded. Damage was reported by 43.1% of Christmas tree growers, 4l.3% of orchardists and 32.5% of nurserymen. Most commonly reported by orchardists as damaged were apples (Malus spp.)s by Christmas tree growers were white pines (Pinus strobus), and by nurserymen were maples (Acer spp.)o Young plants (x̅ = 7.5 years) were more commonly damaged than older plants of all species. Seasonal damage was most common in spring …

Preventive Control Of Pest Rodents, Walter E. Howard

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

With "preventive control" of pest rodents, by using rodent bait boxes (stations) on a permanent basis, there is no longer any biological, ecological, or economic reason for rodent pests or health problems to occur in villages, cities, and intensively cultivated agricultural areas, but not pastures or forests. Such pest rodents can usually be eliminated without endangering non-target species, quite inexpensively, simply, and in a more environmentally desirable manner than most current practices, where the pest rodents are not controlled until populations have built up, which requires large amounts of rodenticides. With preventive control, once the pest rodents have been controlled …

Participants

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

List of participants

The Effects Of Canada Goose Grazing On Winter Wheat: An Experimental Approach, Hubert A. Allen Jr., David Sammons, Russell Brinsfield

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

The effects of grazing winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) by Canada geese (Branta canadensis) was assessed in 3 fields during 2 years of experimentation at the Wye Research and Education Center, Queenstown, Maryland. Randomly placed wire enclosures prevented goose grazing on 11.1 m sq. control plots. Grazed plots were marked in each field soon after the geese migrated in March. Grazed plots had consistently lower yields than un-grazed plots with mean differences ranging from 0-13%. The differences were related to the intensity of grazing. Other parameters, including mean weight per seed, mean number of seeds per spike, …

Comparisons Of Strychnine And Zinc Phosphide In Prairie Dog Control, H. Todd Holbrook, Robert M. Timm

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Efficacy and safety are primary considerations in registration and use of toxicants for vertebrate pest control. Strychnine (0.5%) and zinc phosphide (2%) are currently registered by EPA for prairie dog control, but continued registration is uncertain. Two percent zinc phosphide bait has been suspected of producing lower and more erratic results than strychnine bait. In our study in western Nebraska in fall 1984, indices based on changes in burrow activity showed no difference in efficacy (P=0.66) or variability (P=0.7) of control for strychnine and zinc phosphide, however neither toxicant consistently gave effective control of blackballed prairie dogs. Costs for proper …

The Whooping Crane Cross-Fostering Experiment: The Role Of Animal Damage Control, Roderick C. Drewien, Stephen H. Bouffard, Desmond D. Call, Richard A. Wonacott

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Predator losses of endangered species in reintroduction programs are unacceptable because of the scarcity of the species and the major commitment of staff time and funds. When the whooping crane (Grus americana) cross-fostering experiment (experiment) at Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Grays Lake), Idaho was proposed in 1972, animal damage control (ADC) was considered unnecessary. Sandhill crane (G. canadensis tabida) nest success was high and coyotes (Canis latrans) and red foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) were uncommon. Canids increased by the mid-1970's destroying whooping crane eggs and chicks. An ADC program initiated in 1976 …

Dispersing Blackbird-Starling Roosts With Helium-Filled Balloons, Donald F. Mott

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

Large (120 cm diameter) helium-filled balloons (2-10 per ha of roost) tethered about 8 m above the vegetation were effective in dispersing blackbirds and starlings from roosting sites. Bird population estimates before, during, and after balloon exposure showed that the balloons frightened the birds and caused most of them to abandon the roost. Roosting bird numbers at each of 5 test roost sites (0.3 to 1.7 ha) were reduced an average of 82% (min-max 47-100%) during 3 to 4 evenings of balloon exposure. Winds >16 km/h during the study made it difficult to keep the balloons aloft and not entangled …

Apparent Efficacy Of Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Programs At Four Naval Air Stations, Thomas C. Walker, C. Willard Bennett

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

The Department of the Navy implemented its present mandatory bird-aircraft strike reporting system in 1981. Reported bird-aircraft strikes have increased each year, presumably due to increased awareness and compliance with regulations. Four Naval air stations implementing bird-aircraft strike hazard reduction programs in 1984 reported 57-78% fewer strikes in 1984 than in 1983.

Commercial Wildlife Pest Control Permits—An Alternative Approach—, Gerard W. Wendt

Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference: 2nd (1985)

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has, throughout our existence, tried many new approaches to solve our wildlife/ human conflicts. In recent years, the District Game Protector has been plagued with calls requesting help with nuisance wildlife, especially in the high population urban areas. While the law provides for methods of dealing with deer and bear which cause damage to crops and related materials, little is included to simplify the situation created by small mammal wildlife pests. With limited manpower available, which has been further complicated as a result of the Supreme Court ruling regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act and overtime …

Landowner Tolerance Of Beavers: Implications For Damage Management And Control, Ken G. Purdy, Daniel J. Decker, Richard A. Malecki, John C. Proud

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Management of beaver (Castor canadensis) populations can be an effective way to create wetlands while at the same time producing a valued recreational and furbearer resource. Optimizing beaver populations for such a dual objective, however, requires careful integration of biological and sociological considerations in management planning. Knowledge of beaver population dynamics by itself is insufficient for sound management; human tolerance data also must be included in management decisions to reduce the potential of encountering problems that could impede the attainment of beaver-wetlands management objectives. Expansion of beaver into new areas often may be constrained by managers' perceptions of …

Current Status Of Deer Fencing In The Northeast, Mark R. Ellingwood, Jay B. Mcaninch, Michael J. Fargione

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The recent development of high tensile electric fencing for controlling deer damage has led to the installation of these fence designs throughout the Northeast. In May 1984, 55 surveys were sent to individuals in 10 states who were known to have recently constructed deer fences. Sixty-seven percent of the surveys were returned and a variety of fence-related data were generated. These include information on deer damage, a general description of fence designs being utilized, information concerning fence voltage, data on fence maintenance and several questions on fence performance, owner satisfaction and the cost/benefits of deer damage control. The majority of …

Dispersal Of A Heron-Egret Rookery, Douglas I. Hall

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

A rookery composed of an estimated 10,000 herons and egrets (family: Ardeidae) located in Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas was successfully dispersed in the Spring of 1983. A diversified scaring program was planned and initiated prior to the onset of courtship display and nest building. The roost relocation was subsequently followed by habitat alteration procedures to make the 5-acre stand of primarily Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) unattractive as a future roosting site. Although no nesting occurred at the site in 1983, the lack of an early scaring program in the Spring of 1984 resulted in the uncleared …

Wildlife Damage Control And The Wildlife Society, Thomas M. Franklin

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Wildlife damage control is recognized by The Wildlife Society as an essential and responsible segment of the wildlife profession. At least since 1959, Society committees have addressed elements of wildlife damage control (although wildlife damage control was not always the specific term used).

The Wildlife Society Council first approved an "Animal Damage Control" position statement in 1968. In March 1985, Council updated and renamed it "Wildlife Damage Control" to emphasize our positive approach to this important segment of wildlife management. The official position statement was published in The Wildlifer (May-June 1985) and is reprinted below.

The Effects Of Canada Goose Grazing On Winter Wheat: An Experimental Approach, Hubert A. Allen Jr., David Sammons, Russell Brinsfield, Roland Limpert

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The effects of grazing winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) by Canada geese (Branta canadensis) was assessed in 3 fields during 2 years of experimentation at the Wye Research and Education Center, Queenstown, Maryland. Randomly placed wire enclosures prevented goose grazing on 11.1 m sq. control plots. Grazed plots were marked in each field soon after the geese migrated in March. Grazed plots had consistently lower yields than ungrazed plots with mean differences ranging from 0-13%. The differences were related to the intensity of grazing. Other parameters, including mean weight per seed, mean number of seeds per spike, …

Apparent Efficacy Of Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Programs At Four Naval Air Stations, Thomas C. Walker, C. Willard Bennett

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Department of the Navy implemented its present mandatory bird-aircraft strike reporting system in 1981. Reported bird-aircraft strikes have increased each year presumably due to increased awareness and compliance with regulations. Four Naval air stations implementing bird-aircraft strike hazard reduction programs in 1984 reported 57-78% fewer strikes in 1984 than in 1983.

Minimum Effective Level Of Methiocarb For Protecting Sprouting Rice In Louisiana From Blackbird Damage, N. R. Holler, P. W. Lefebvre, A. Wilson, R. E. Matteson, G. R. Gutknecht

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Blackbirds cause locally serious losses to rice. The Denver Wildlife Research Center, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Rice Research Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center have been cooperating in tests to determine the efficacy of methiocarb seed treatments for protecting sprouting rice in Louisiana from blackbird damage. Results from four field tests (1980, 1982, 1983, and 1984) have shown that methiocarb provides good protection when applied to rice seed at the rate of 2.4 g and 1.25 g active ingredient (a.i.)/kg of rice seed (0.25 and 0.125%). Seed treated at 0.6 g a.i ./kg appeared to be …

Future Of Wildlife Damage Control And The Cooperative Extension Service, Peter T. Bromley

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The driving forces which determine the role of the Cooperative Extension Service in wildlife damage control are (1) the demand for information by the public, (2) the degree of support for programs at the national level, and (3) the level of professionalism exhibited by Cooperative Extension Agents and subject matter Specialists. Analysis of several trends suggests that the Cooperative Extension Service role in Wildlife Damage Control will increase in coming years. The movement of urban people into rural settings will create greater demands for wildlife damage control information. Likewise, the expansion of wildlife population into urban and suburban environments due …

Animal Damage Control And The Endangered Species Act, Warren T. Parker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The premise of the Endangered Species Act is that all wildlife are valuable natural resources and the extinction of species in the name of progress must be halted. To achieve this end, Congress requires all Federal agencies to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service when any of their programs or projects affect a listed endangered or threatened species. Problems of special interest to this conference are those that project an endangered or threatened species in direct conflict with man.

What You Wanted To Know About All You Ever Heard Concerning Snake Repellents, Gary J. San Julian, David K. Woodward

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Have you ever heard about a way to keep snakes away from your house? Many people in North Carolina have been told by their elders of various ways to repel snakes. When we first started working on this problem in North Carolina, we were amazed at the number of "home remedies" that people believed would protect their property from snakes; and we began to keep a record of these remedies. In 1981, a grant from the Pesticide Impact Assessment Program allowed us to begin to test some of these remedies to determine their value.

An Investigation Of Techniques Used To Discourage Rebuilding Of Beaver Dams Demolished By Explosives, James M. Dyer, Charles E. Rowell

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

One hundred seventeen beaver dams were partially or wholly demolished with explosives from April through August between 1982 and 1984. These dams were of two types; shallow water dams found in areas of flat terrain, and deep water dams found in major creek channels or in areas of hilly terrain. Following demolition, various treatments were applied to the dam sites to try to retard rebuilding. Our conclusions are that deep water dams can be removed more effectively than shallow water dams and that late summer removals were rebuilt less frequently than early and midsummer removals. Also, certain types of repellents …

Utilizing A Computerized Fish And Wildlife Information System To Solve Animal Damage Control Problems, Jefferson L. Waldon, Charles T. Cushwa, Peter T. Bromley

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Animal damage control professionals are faced with the monumental task of absorbing an enormous amount of literature about animal species. For example, one person cannot become an expert on all facets of dozens of species, much less the 1000 or more fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds that fall under the wildlifer's jurisdiction. An important new aid to the wildlife damage control specialist is the computerized fish and wildlife information system (CFWIS). A CFWIS is a tool for systematically compiling and managing information about animal species which reside in a state. Cushwa and Kopf (1984) summarized the development of state …

Computer Assisted Extension Program On Ground Squirrel Control, Terrell P. Salmon, Donald L. Lancaster, Leanne Lasarow

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Computers have become common place in virtually all phases of agriculture. Most individuals have access to micro-computers and the once apparent intimidation about using them is rapidly disappearing. Because of increased availability and public acceptance, it's no surprise that many Extension programs are using computers as an important component of their educational package. Recently, several computer models have been developed to assist Extension personnel and others in demonstrating proper wildlife damage control decision-making. We have developed such a model which is used to: 1) present ground squirrel control information to the grower, 2) take user (grower) input on production, yields, …

Birds In Hangars- A Messy Problem, Albert E. Bivings Iv

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Pest birds in hangars and similar man-made structures pose specific health hazards as well as nuisance and corrosion problems. While lethal control or a scaring program may be the best technique for some locations, neither address the long-term problem of the basic attractiveness of these structures to birds. The best long-term solution usually is to exclude the birds with permanently installed plastic or nylon netting. Several methods to accomplish this are discussed.