Digital Commons Network^™

Wading Bird Management And Research On North American Aquaculture Facilities, Brian Dorr, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Aquaculture in North America varies geographically with respect to species cultured, annual production, size, complexity, and spatial arrangement of facilities. Species assemblages of predacious birds using aquaculture facilities also vary with many of these industry characteristics. Wading birds are highly adaptable, relatively ubiquitous throughout the aquaculture industry, and often associated with fish depredation problems at aquaculture facilities. Suitability of information regarding the impacts of wading birds to aquaculture varies dramatically by depredating species and industry sector. Great blue herons (Ardea herodias) cause considerable depredation losses on trout aquaculture in the Northeast, and current research suggests that little blue herons (Egretta …

Effectiveness Of A Perceived Solid Barrier As An Exclusion Fence To Prevent White-Tailed Deer Damage, George R. Gallagher, Heidi A. Keen, Robert H. Prince

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

We hypothesized that a visually solid barrier of cloth would provide an effective exclusion fence for free ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Three plots consisting of 2, 10 m x 10 m squares were established in pastures. Data were collected daily for consumption of com provided (2.27 kg) and events recorded by infrared game monitors. Following construction of the burlap fence at 1.7 m height, corn consumption decreased (0.07 ± 0.01 kg/day, P < .001). The number of Infrared monitor events recorded also decreased within the enclosures (2.13 ± 0.04 events/day, P < .001) compared to controls (46.0 ± 2.2 events/day). During the second stage of the experiment, two of the three plots were reestablished 45 days later. Fence heights began at 65 cm and were raised 15 cm each 5 days, until reaching 1.7 m. At 1.7 m, corn consumption decreased by 30% (1.56 ± 0.23 kg/day, P < .01). The number of infrared monitor-recorded events was also lower at fence heights >65 cm (P < .03). Results indicate that a visually solid barrier has potential to be an effective exclusion fence.

The Potential Of Texture As A Deer Deterrent: The Slime Effect, Heidi A. Keen, George R. Gallagher, Robert H. Prince, Ted H. Touchstone

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

We examined the potential of altering the surface texture of plant material as a potential deterrent to consumption by white-tailed deer. Two u-shaped garden plots were divided into 16, uniform plots (2.2mx4.3m) each containing approximately 50 chrysanthemums (C. morifolium). The plots were randomly assigned to one of the treatments or as a control. Immediately after planting, ten plants were randomly selected and marked within each plot. Plants were misted and treatments applied by hand broadcast. Treatments consisted of methyl cellulose (38.2g) and two-levels of a proprietary polymer (9. lg and 45.5g). Upon contact with water, methyl cellulose became a viscous …

Wildlife Damage Management Class And Curriculum At The University Of Georgia, Michael T. Mengak, Douglas I. Hall

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Warnell School of Forest Resources at the University of Georgia offers a course in wildlife damage management. The 3-credit hour course is taught at the undergraduate/graduate level. Enrollment is restricted to 10 students. The course is offered in spring semester every year and co-taught by a wildlife faculty member and the State Director of USDA - Wildlife Services (WS), who holds adjunct faculty status. The course consists of 2 hours of classroom lecture and a minimum of 3 hours laboratory time each week. Lectures cover basic principles of wildlife damage control. Lab time is devoted to field exercises related …

Oral Rabies Vaccination: Reducing Economic Uncertainty Via Response Surface Analysis, Ray T. Sterner, Matthew M. Kling, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Dennis Slate

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Economic uncertainty surrounds the distribution of Raboral V-RG7 as an oral rabies vaccine (ORV) bait for the containment or elimination of raccoon-variant rabies in the United States. This paper describes a costs-savings model of ORV. lt also describes Excel XP7 code that was prepared to compute potential net savings (NS) and benefit-cost ratios (BCRs) associated with Raboral V-RG7 bait distributions. Currently, baits and bait distributions are relatively expensive; individual baits are produced at a cost of $1.27 for federal use and typically dispensed at >75 baits/km2. Distribution is estimated at $8.62/km2, $15.80/km2, and $33.30/km2 for fixed-winged (FW), ground (Gnd), and …

Chronic Wasting Disease Of Cervids: Implications For Wildlife Management, Michael W. Miller, Elizabeth S. Williams

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has recently emerged in North America as an important prion disease of captured and free-ranging cervids. This wildlife disease, endemic to southern Wyoming and northern Colorado, is the only recognized transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting free-ranging wildlife. We provide an overview of the research that has occurred on CWD over the past five years. The implications of CWD are not entirely clear at this time.

Integration Of Wildlife Damage Management Into The College Curriculum, S. Nicole Frey, Michael Conover

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The addition of wildlife damage management (WDM) to the university curriculum creates a well-rounded, more prepared graduate. WDM is the arena in which "pure science" is put to the test. Through the application of hypotheses derived from our traditional curricula, wildlife damage management students utilize the scientific method to try and solve problems pertinent to our modem world. The need for professionals well versed in WDM grows annually. Therefore, it is the responsibility of universities to train their students such that they will have the skills to compete in the expanding field of wildlife damage management. Once students have learned …

Challenges Of Implementing The Double-Crested Cormorant Environmental Impact Statement, Kristina Casscles Godwin, Tommy King, Peter Butchko, Richard Chipman

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Double-crested cormorant populations have increased over the last 20 years within the continental United States. Problems associated with this increase include impacts to commercial aquaculture, damage to property, vegetation, recreational fisheries, and natural resources, as well as concerns over inter-specific competition. Implementation of the forthcoming Environmental Impact Statement for the management of double-crested cormorants will be a monumental task. Several state and federal agencies, along with private citizens and various interest groups will have parts to play. USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services is expected to have a large part in the implementation of the plan. We discuss the proposed actions to be taken …

Oral Rabies Vaccination: Unresolved Issues And Data Gaps, Dennis Slate, Thomas Decker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) represents a potential wildlife management tool that may be applied to contain and perhaps eliminate specific rabies virus variants that persist in several terrestrial carnivore species in the U.S. Increasingly greater use of ORV in the U.S. since 1997 has sparked discussion within the wildlife profession regarding need, cost and effectiveness, as well as the potential for wildlife management and ecological impacts. We identify and present ORV-related issues and data gaps of concern to wildlife managers that should be addressed through research, rabies surveillance and population monitoring.

Beaver Population Size Estimation In Mississippi, Seth R. Swafford, Dale L. Nolte, Kris Godwin, Charles A. Sloan, Jeanne Jones

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Methods to better quantify beaver (Castor canadensis) population size need to be developed to assist in the direct control methods being implemented by Wildlife Services. Many state game and fish departments rely on lodge counts, cache counts, or fur harvest reports to estimate a statewide or regional population of beaver. However, Wildlife Services is concerned with estimating population size on a per site basis to assist in estimating project costs and to minimize the number of non-target captures. Six sites in Mississippi were selected to test various methods of population estimation. Various methods included indexing population size based on the …

Characteristics Of Spring And Fall Blackbird Roosts In The Northern Great Plains, George M. Linz, Richard S. Sawin, Mark W. Lutman, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, William J. Bleier

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

To successfully reduce blackbird (Icteridae) damage to sunflower crops in the northern Great Plains, wildlife damage managers must be able to identify sites where large roosts could form in spring and fall. In 1998 and 1999, we measured several habitat and land-use characteristics of spring and fall blackbird roosts. Our objective was to quantify the relationship between roost formation and wetland habitat and land-use. We used data from 7 spring roosts and 12 fall blackbird roosts to set search guidelines that might increase the efficacy of locating potential roost sites in the Prairie Pothole Region of the northern Great Plains. …

Charismatic Mega-Fauna Or Vermin Vertebrate - Where Are You?, Gary J. San Julian

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Wildlife populations throughout much of the United States were decimated by the end of the 1800s. Many states established game agencies to protect wildlife and generate revenue through the sale of hunting licenses. These efforts were successful, populations grew, and citizens enjoyed seeing the large herbivores and camivores--the charismatic mega-fauna. In the past, most citizens and students had some tie with the farming community. Today's students often lack that link to the land and hunting. Wildlife agencies and universities are looking at ways to improve young professionals' understanding of the role hunting plays in management. Citizens that once left their …

Efficacy Of Zinc Phosphide For Controlling Norway Rats, Roof Rats, House Mice, Peromyscus Spp., Prairie Dogs And Ground Squirrels: A Literature Review (1942-2000), John D. Eisemann, Brett E. Petersen, Kathleen A. Fagerstone

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Zinc phosphide has been used as a control agent for commensal rodents for over 60 years. Studies utilizing zinc phosphide as a population control agent were gathered and summarized to determine its efficacy when baiting the Norway rat, roof rat, house mouse, Peromyscus spp., prairie dog and ground squirrel. Efficacy information was abundant for rats, squirrels, and prairie dogs. However, efficacy data for baiting mice with zinc phosphide was limited. Overall the data show that in both laboratory and field testing, control levels of greater than 70% can be achieved for commensal rodent pests. Bait acceptance appeared to be the …

Urban Deer Control - Applicable Technologies, Earl L. Hodnett

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have grown to unprecedented levels in suburban areas throughout the eastern United States. Deer have adapted to the fragmented habitats of suburbia and have brought with them a variety of problems. Control of white-tailed deer in suburban and urban areas brings its own set of problems and unique challenges. Fairfax County, Virginia is a suburb of Washington, D.C. and is home to over one million residents. The deer herd in Fairfax county reached its peak in 1998 when nearly 5,000 deer/automobile collisions occurred. Since 1998, snipers from the Fairfax County Police Department Tactical Team have …

The Role Of Wildlife In Human And Animal Disease, John R. Fischer, Richard W. Gerhold

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Strategies to assess and reduce risk associated with disease agents in wild animals must be based upon thorough knowledge of the epidemiology of the disease agent, specific local information, and other factors. Risk evaluation and management efforts will involve organizations with differing expertise and cooperation will be essential between wildlife management, public health, and domestic animal health agencies. Risk reduction strategies may be based upon manipulation of the disease agent, the host, the environment, and/or human activities. Management of human activity, particularly the promotion of biosecurity, may be the most efficient strategy because other measures are more difficult and expensive. …

Development And Field Evaluation Of An Elevated Bait Station For Control Of Deer Mice In Almonds, W. Paul Gorenzel, Terrell P. Salmon

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Deer mice (Peromyscus spp.) have been identified as a serious pest in almonds in portions of the San Joaquin Valley of California. Broadcast anticoagulant bait is normally used to control deer mice, but is prohibited in areas where the endangered giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens) occurs, leaving growers with no practical means of control. The objectives of this study were to design and test in the laboratory a disposable, spill-resistant, bait station for deer mice, and to field test the bait station in almond orchards.

We obtained 20 captive-bred deer mice and observed them interact with prototype bait stations in …

Mycobacterial Diseases In Wildlife, Gary Witmer, Thomas Deliberto, Kurt Vercauteren, Peter Butchko

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Mycobacterium infections occur in numerous wildlife species worldwide and this bacterial genus can also cause disease in humans and livestock. Two Mycobacterium species and one subspecies that infect wildlife are important from a wildlife damage management perspective. Mycobacterium avium, avian tuberculosis, is a ubiquitous and cosmopolitan disease of wild and domestic birds. Wild and domestic ruminants are host to M. avium paratuberculosis, also known as Johne's disease. Finally, Mycobaterium bovis, bovine tuberculosis, is primarily associated with domestic and wild bovines and ungulates, but also infects many other species of mammals. Eradicating these diseases from wildlife populations is very difficult if …

The Ecology Of New World Rodent Borne Hemorrhagic Fevers, Darin S. Carroll, Emily Jentes, James N. Mills

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Few, if any, human settlements are free of peridomestic rodent populations. The threat of rodent borne zoonotic diseases has been widely recognized since the bubonic plague outbreaks of the Middle Ages. In the last decades, outbreaks of human disease caused by the rodent borne hemorrhagic fever viruses, the arenaviruses (family Arenaviridae), and the hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus) have again generated interest in the general public and scientific community regarding the biology of these types of diseases. Recent studies have identified more than 30 new members of these two groups of viruses. Most are associated with rodents in the family …

The Wildlife Society And Wildlife Damage Management Professionals, Robert J. Warren

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Wildlife Society (TWS) recognizes wildlife-human interactions as both a challenge and an opportunity whereby we can serve the wildlife profession and human society. TWS first officially supported wildlife damage management professionals in 1959 when it created the TWS Committee on Economic Losses Caused by Vertebrates. In 1994, this committee ultimately became the TWS Wildlife Damage Management Working Group (WDMWG), whose goal is to better understand and manage the biological, ecological, social, political, legal, and economic aspects of wildlife-human interactions. The WDMWG has sponsored numerous symposia, workshops, publications, etc., all of which are designed to serve TWS, wildlife damage management …

Devices For Vertebrate Pest Control: Are They Of Value?, Robert M. Timm

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Electromagnetic, sonic, and ultrasonic devices claiming effectiveness in controlling rodents and other pests have seen resurgence in the marketplace. Laboratory and field tests of such devices have generally failed to show they are effective, despite advertising claims. Rodent burrow exploders have been marketed for use against pocket gophers, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other burrowing rodents since the 1980s. Field tests indicate these exploders are expensive to use and typically provide unacceptably low efficacy. Vehicle-mounted devices to scare deer off roadways, with many claiming to generate ultrasonic sound, have been widely sold. Studies reveal that deer are unable to hear …

Some Techniques And Considerations In Developing Web-Based Education Modules In Wildlife Damage Management, Dallas R. Virchow, Scott E. Hygnstrom

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Internet presents a unique opportunity to present and promote the principles, methods, and techniques of wildlife damage management to the viewing public or to select audiences, such as elementary to secondary students. This paper describes how different software programs (Macromedia Flash™ and Director™,) and different techniques (Java Applets, scripts, and animated Gif images) are used to create an interactive and visual experience on the Internet. This paper suggests elements in web design that are attractive to youth audiences and describes the general limitations of web-based education.

Stakeholder Values Related To Black Bear Damage In Alabama, William V. Underwood, James B. Armstrong

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Members of several stakeholder groups in Alabama were surveyed regarding their experience with bear damage and their potential tolerance for bear damage assuming black bear numbers were to increase. Very little bear related damage was reported. Regression analysis revealed that support for reintroduction, group affiliation, educational status, and knowledge of bears were important in explaining variation in the level of tolerance for potential bear related damage. Members of commodity related groups (i.e. beekeepers, cattlemen) were less likely to be tolerant of bear damage. Educational programs should be implemented before augmentation of the bear population in Alabama is attempted.

Municipal By-Laws Against Hunting In Quebec: An Obstacle To Wildlife Management And Damage Control, Gaétan Roy, Gaétan Hamel

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

A study performed in 2000-2001, showed that a large number of Quebec's municipalities have adopted by-laws to control or forbid the discharge of firearms within their territorial limits. Among the aforementioned municipalities, 9% actually forbid or control hunting itself, while 62% forbid or control the use of firearms. Unfortunately, these by-laws are being implemented at a time when territories around cities are facing a substantial increase in wildlife management problems. The issue is compounded by the fact that the majority of these by-laws occur in areas where the incidence of wildlife-related damage to agriculture and vehicles are the highest. These …

Management Of Rodent Populations At Airports, Gary W. Witmer, Jessica W. Fantinato

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Birds pose serious hazards at U.S. airports because of the potential for collisions with aircraft. Raptors, in particular, are hazardous to aircraft safety due to their size, hunting behavior, and hovering /soaring habits. Reduction of rodent populations at an airport may decrease raptor populations in the area and therefore, reduce the risk that raptors pose to aircraft. Rodent populations can be reduced by population management (i.e., use of rodenticides) or by habitat management (i.e., vegetation management, barriers, and land uses) that reduces the area's carrying capacity for rodents. We discuss potential approaches to reduce rodent populations at airports within the …

Eradication Of A Bovine Tuberculosis-Positive Captive Cervid Herd In Northeast Michigan, Peter H. Butchko, Anthony G. Duffiney, Jr., Andrew J. Montoney

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In December 1997, bovine tuberculosis was detected in a white-tailed deer taken at a commercial deer hunting ranch in Presque Isle County, Michigan. Since captive cervidae are considered agricultural livestock in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) ordered the depopulation of the herd. In 1998, USDA, Wildlife Services (WS) entered into a cooperative agreement with MDA to depopulate the herd from the ranch. The facility covered approximately 1500 ac of natural vegetation, including 400 ac of dense cedar swamp. The captive herd was thought to contain approximately 600 animals, most of which were white-tailed deer. This project presented two …

Attitudes Of University Students About Wildlife Damage Management: Effects Of Gender, Residence, And Classroom Experience, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Robert M. Timm

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

We evaluated the pre-and post-class responses of 142 university students enrolled in a 3-credit course on wildlife damage management during 1989-1996. Their knowledge of the status, distribution, and behavior of coyotes (Canis latrans) was remarkably high in the pre-and post-class surveys, yet males and urban students demonstrated an increase in knowledge after taking the course. "Specificity" was the most important factor that would influence the selection of a management technique, across gender and residence groups. Females, however, had a higher affinity for "humaneness," and "cost" was more important among males. Lethal methods of control were more acceptable to students after …

Feral Swine---Are They A Disease Threat To Livestock In The United States?, Gary W. Witmer, Robert B. Sanders, Arnold C. Taft

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Feral swine populations provide both benefits and liabilities to citizens of the United States. Their expanding range and increasing densities, however, have raised concern over the adverse environmental and agricultural effects and the increased risk of disease transmission between feral swine and livestock. We discuss the role of feral swine in the transmission of wildlife diseases and, in particular, in diseases of national significance to the livestock industry. We also discuss available management tools and strategies for reducing feral swine populations, minimizing damage or disease occurrences and eradicating populations when deemed appropriate. Finally, we note areas of research that may …

Double-Crested Cormorant Impacts To Commercial And Natural Resources, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Brian S. Dorr

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The North American population of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) has increased at an annual rate of 6.8% since 1966, with regional growth exceeding 20%/year since 1990 in Ontario and states bordering the Great Lakes. Population numbers, though operating under biological carrying capacity, have exceeded acceptance capacity with several wildlife stakeholder groups throughout Canada and the United States. Stakeholder concerns predominantly focus around social, ecological, and economic values associated with habitat destruction, changes in recreational fisheries, and loss of production at aquaculture facilities. We describe perceptible impacts to these commercial and natural resources, and discuss current research and management efforts focused …

Fencing Methods To Reduce Deer Damage, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The white-tailed deer (Odocoifeus virginianus) may cause more damage than any other wildlife species. Deer damage occurs in various forms including crop production, automobile accidents, aviation collisions on runways, disease transmission, degradation of natural ecosystems, and destruction of ornamental plantings. One practical method of controlling deer damage is through the use of exclusionary fencing. White-tailed deer are challenging to exclude as they are able to jump 3.0-m fences or fit through spaces > 20 cm wide. Some deer problems (disease outbreaks, aircraft runways, and busy highways in deer migration corridors) may necessitate the installation of effective fencing no matter what the …

The Emergence Of Major Avian Diseases In North America: West Nile Virus And More, Robert G. Mclean

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Some major diseases of wild birds have emerged dramatically in North America recently due in part to the rapid global movement of animals and pathogens and major changes in the size, quality, and continuity of natural habitats. These diseases include invasive pathogens, emergence of new disease agents or syndromes, and reemergence of some established diseases. A prominent example is West Nile virus that invaded North America, became easily established, and has expanded throughout the continent within 4 years. A number of factors have influenced the frequency of occurrence, the variety of species affected, and the geographical extent of these emergent …