Life Sciences Commons^™

Landowner Attitudes Regarding Pennsylvania's Extended Antlerless Deer Season On Deer-Damaged Farms, Robert C. Boyd, William L. Palmer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Pennsylvania Game Commission authorized an extension of the 1990-91 antlerless white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) season to reduce deer abundance on farms having excessive crop damage. A mail survey of the 574 participating landowners was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the program. After 2 mailings 93% (n = 531) responded, and 444 returns had complete information for numbers of hunters, hectares, and harvested deer. Based on landowner responses, an estimated 2,674 deer were harvested by 35,181 hunters on 58,525 ha. An average of 4.6 deer were harvested/km² of huntable land, which compared to a statewide …

Perspectives On Wildlife Nuisance Control: Results Of A Wildlife Damage Control Firm's Customer Survey, Lynn A. Braband, Kevin D. Clark

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Customers of Critter Control, Inc. offices were surveyed in 1990 and 1991 to examine their views and experiences with nuisance wildlife. Most of the survey respondents were having problems with raccoons (Procyon lotor), squirrels (Sciurus spp.), skunks (Mephitis mephitis), woodchucks (Marmata monax), and moles (Talpidae). Approximately 25% of the respondents attempted to control the nuisance situation themselves before contacting Critter Control. Most customers approved of the lethal control of rats/mice (Muridae), moles, snakes, bats (Chiroptera), pigeons (Columba livia), and skunks. Most disapproved of the lethal control of deer (Odocoileus spp.), …

Public Involvement In Wildlife Damage Management: The Situation In Wisconsin, Scott R. Craven

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Wisconsin currently supports record populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Canada geese (Branta canadensis), and wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). These species are real or perceived causes of substantial wildlife damage, and many sectors of the public (i.e., farmers, motorists, suburbanites, etc.) are impacted. Thus public interest, both in a broad sense and in the form of special interest groups, is intense.

Pen Tests Of Methyl Anthranilate As A Bird Repellent In Water, Richard A. Dolbeer, Larry Clark, Paul P. Woronecki, Thomas W. Seamans

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Two commercial (ReJeX-iT^® brand) formulations of methyl anthranilate (MA), at concentrations of 0.10-0.50% (0.06-0.32% active ingredient [a.i.]), were highly effective in repelling mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) from pools of water in pen tests. For mallards, pool entries and bill contacts with water in MA-treated pools were 1.4 and 4.0% of the levels in untreated pools during a 2-choice test, and 4.2 and 8.8% of the levels in untreated pools during a 1-choice test. For gulls, the repellency levels were even higher, with activity levels in treated pools being < 1% of levels in untreated pools during 1-and 2-choice tests. We recommend further pen tests to determine minimum effective concentration levels and a field test to determine responses of free-ranging birds.

Modification Of Raccoon Food Resources In Parks To Reduce Rabies Risks To Humans, Stephen C. Frantz

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In May 1990, the mid-Atlantic raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies epizootic crossed New York State's southern border. By the end of the year, 84 rabid raccoons had been identified from a 400-km "front" in the State's southern tier of counties. By about mid-February 1991, the number of confirmed rabid raccoons increased to 134. Major metropolitan areas are threatened and predictions for the future indicate a pressing need for information and services by various government agencies. High-risk areas currently are park camp grounds, but will be extended as the outbreak progresses to include urban parks and those residential communities having …

A Cost-Effective Method For Applying And Removing Bird-Exclusion Netting In Commercial Vineyards, Lawrence D. Fuller-Perrine, Mark E. Tobin

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Bird-exclusion netting can be highly effective for reducing bird damage to agricultural crops, but the high cost of materials and perceived difficulty of applying and removing it has discouraged many growers from using this technique. The expectation of extensive damage to a high-value crop may warrant the implementation of costly protection measures such as bird-exclusion netting. During 1987, we evaluated a method for applying and removing bird-exclusion netting in 4 commercial vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island, New York. The method involved altering a hydraulically-operated, front-end bucket-loader to accommodate loading and applying 5.2-m-wide nets directly over rows of …

Effects Of Chronological Deer Damage On Corn Yields, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Jan R. Hygnstrom, Kurt R. Vercauteren, Nancy S. Foster, Susan B. Lembezeder, Dale J. Hafer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

To examine the relationship between the timing of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage and subsequent yields of field corn, we conducted 2 studies in 2 cornfields in eastern Nebraska during 1989 and 1991.

United Conservation Alliance, Laurence R. Jahn

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

We gather here and reflect on successes in wildlife conservation, restoration, and management; and make plans for more beneficial actions. Significant achievements have been made in public education and wildlife management, as shown by increases in some wildlife populations. But a continuing pressing challenge involves responding to some wildlife population declines, as well as wildlife damage and nuisance situations, as the human population increases and dominates the landscape.

Ecological Considerations In The Management Of Wildlife Damage, Robert K. Swihart

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Strategies for managing wildlife damage may be divided into 3 broad categories: direct manipulation of populations, manipulation of behavioral or ecological traits of pest species, and manipulation of environmental features. For each of these categories, I review the importance of ecological considerations in determining the effectiveness of management strategies. Proper incorporation of ecological information is important to the success of management strategies in all 3 categories. I predict that future demands will increase for ecologically-based strategies that require minimal intervention, and for integration of management strategies that simultaneously address problems posed by both vertebrate and invertebrate pests. Several recent ecologically-based …

Management Of Human-Raccoon Interaction In The Midst Of A Raccoon Rabies Outbreak, Charles V. Trimarchi, John G. Debbie

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The rabies epizootic that had affected raccoon (Procyon lotor) populations in the southeastern United States since the mid-1950s jumped to West Virginia in 1977, the apparent result of importation of raccoons from Florida. During the following 14 years, the disease spread through raccoon populations in the mid-Atlantic states, so that by early 1991 infected raccoons had been identified in areas of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Although raccoons have remained the primary vector of the disease throughout the affected areas, spillover has occurred into other wildlife, including skunks …

Use Of Livestock Protection Collars To Protect Sheep And Goats, Murray T. Walton

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The sodium monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080) Livestock Protection Collar is selective for individual predators attacking the throat of sheep or goats and is especially useful in talcing coyotes (Canis latrans). However, fears of secondary and nontarget poisonings have resulted in restrictions on their use. They are registered for use in the United States only to kill coyotes. To satisfy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements, the Texas Department of Agriculture provides training and testing for certifying collar applicators, and has monitored collar use from 1988 through 1990. During this period, 59 licensed applicators, 6 collar pools, and the Texas Animal …

Animal Damage Management: Responsibilities Of Various Agencies And The Needs For Coordination And Support, Jack H. Berryman

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

It is a pleasure and privilege to again have a part in the Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference and to return to Ithaca and Cornell. The opportunity is much appreciated. I commend the sponsors of the conference and their selection of the theme, "Human and Wildlife Interactions: Public Perceptions and Management Realities"–an increasingly important and compelling topic.

Extension Wildlife Damage Management In Alabama, James B. Armstrong

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

I present a compilation of wildlife damage data collected via a mail survey distributed to 146 county agents of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. A 55% response rate was obtained with 2 mailings. Snakes and rodents were the cause of most wildlife damage complaints. Regional differences in the number of complaints were observed for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus). Information collected was used to: (1) determine the status of wildlife damage in Alabama from the perspective of the county extension agents; (2) target educational programs; and (3) …

Reducing Nuisance Canada Goose Problems Through Habitat Manipulation, Michael R. Conover

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Urban populations of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) cause considerable problems when large numbers congregate in parks, playing fields, or backyards. In most cases, geese are drawn to these sites to feed on lawns. I tested whether geese have feeding preferences for different species of grass. Captive Canada geese preferred Kentucky bluegrass and disliked tall fescue more than colonial bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and red fescue. They did not eat other ground covers such as pachysandra and English ivy. These results suggest that goose numbers at problem sites could be reduced by changing the ground cover. I also compared the …

Citizen Task Force On Deer Management, Mike Hall

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In spring 1990, as part of an intensified effort to involve the public in wildlife management decisions, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) implemented a new public input program. Citizen task forces were organized in 15 deer (Odocoileus virginianus) management units (DMUs) across the state. The task force purpose was to choose a desired deer population level for their particular DMU.

An Avian/Airport Study For Standiford Airport, Louisville, Kentucky: Results And Management Implications, Bernice U. Constantin, John K. Floyd

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

An avian/airport study was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control (ADC) from 9 February 1989-18 March 1990 to evaluate near-term bird control needs at Standiford Field Airport (SDF), Louisville, Kentucky. Field surveys were performed on SDF and the Outer Loop Landfill (OLL) to gather data on both daily and seasonal trends in bird activity and effectiveness of management efforts employed by the OLL operator to control bird activity. Data for high-interest species groups were sorted according to site, time of day, weather, and month. Raptors were present at the airport …

Wildlife Damage Management: Policy And Professional Considerations, Harry E. Hodgdon

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

I am honored by the opportunity to be part of this conference and to participate with such a distinguished panel this morning.

Today I have been asked to address policy and professional considerations as they relate to wildlife damage management. As an advocate of professional wildlife management, I will share with you some of the problems and issues that confront, frustrate, and confound us; some sense of the problems that lie ahead; and some thoughts on what we need to do to ensure the wildlife profession remains relevant in the future.

The Effectiveness Of Soap In Preventing Deer Browsing, Michael J. Fargione, Milo E. Richmond

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

A series of bioassays was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of soap and soap components as deer (Odocoileus virginianus) repellents. Sweet-corn plots protected with tallow-based soap bars, nontallow bars, and those sprayed with the commercial repellent Hinder^®, experienced significantly reduced browsing compared with untreated plots. Damage to plots protected with tallow-based soap was less than damage to nontallow soap plots, while Hinder^®-treated plots had intermediate damage. In a second bioassay, 2 spray applications of soap were found to be as effective as soap bars in preventing browsing to native vegetation over a 126-day period. …

Incorporating Wildlife Damage Control Into A University Wildlife Management Curriculum, William G. Minser, Alex B. Coley

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Most university wildlife programs that do not include wildlife damage control course offerings probably lack those courses for 2 main reasons: (1) most professors in those wildlife programs likely did not have formal training in wildlife damage control in their own degree programs and therefore may not have developed the skills nor the interest to teach this subject; and (2) universities may lack funding to hire new personnel to teach wildlife damage control.

Training Tomorrow's Specialists In Wildlife Damage Management, Robert H. Scmidt, Michael R. Conover, Raymond D. Dueser, Frederick F. Knowlton, Terry A. Messmer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In 1990, Utah State University (USU) established a U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control (ADC)-funded center dedicated to research, education, and extension in wildlife damage management. USU's Program in Wildlife Damage Management is designed to increase appreciation for wildlife damage management among wildlife professionals, provide superior training for future practitioners of wildlife damage management through education and innovative research, and create better public understanding of the role of wildlife damage management in today's society.

Effectiveness Of Drc-1339 Baiting For Reducing Blackbird Damage To Sprouting Rice, James F. Glahn, E. Allen Wilson

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Under a Special Local Needs (Section 24[c]) registration, the effectiveness of a 2% DRC-1339-treated brown rice baiting program to reduce bird damage to sprouting rice was evaluated during 1989 and 1990 at the Millers Lake blackbird roost, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana. After prebaiting with untreated rice, treated bait diluted with untreated rice at a ratio of 1:50 or 1:25 in 1989, and 1:10 in 1990, was applied at a rate of 112 kg/ha at sites strategically located under blackbird flightlines. Total treated bait mixtures applied to these sites were 3,487 kg in 1989 and 3,071 kg in 1990, of which an …

Perceptions About Crop Yields And Losses To White-Tailed Deer On Farms Surrounding Gettysburg National Military Park, Gary M. Vecellio, Gerald L. Storm, Richard H. Yahner

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

A questionnaire was developed and mailed to 340 farm operators within 8 km of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site, southcentral Pennsylvania. Names and addresses were derived from a list of farm operators and large-parcel landowners provided by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service of Adams County. A cover letter and accompanying questionnaire were mailed on 11 November 1987. After 3 weeks, nonrespondents were mailed a postcard reminding them of the survey. Those still not responding were mailed another questionnaire on 17 December. Our objectives were to determine the perceptions of farm operators concerning crop yields, and …

Minimizing Deer Damage To Forest Vegetation Through Aggressive Deer Population Management, Raymond J. Winchcombe

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Controlled hunts were used annually between 1976-90 on the Mary Flagler Cary Arboretum in southeastern New York to control deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population expansion and prevent over-browsing of forested and landscaped areas. The primary objective of the hunts was to remove sufficient numbers of adult female deer each year to stabilize herd growth and minimize browsing pressure. Hunters had to register early, attend a preseason meeting, pass a shooting proficiency test, apply for a deer management permit, and pay a fee. Spring browse-use surveys, using several tree species as an index to browsing pressure, showed low use through …

The Need And Difficulty Of Bringing The Pennsylvania Deer Herd Under Control, Gary W. Witmer, David S. Decalesta

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Pennsylvania white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herd has increased dramatically in the last several decades, despite greatly increased harvests. The high statewide deer density (11 + deer/km²) causes serious losses to agricultural crop production, forest regeneration, and diversity of forest flora and fauna. High deer numbers are associated with an excessive number of vehicle-deer accidents, and is implicated in the rapid increase in the incidence of Lyme disease in humans. Current efforts to reduce deer densities locally and statewide (extended antlerless harvest seasons and special farm hunts) are not solving the damage problem. Other solutions should …

Efficacy And Methodology Of Urban Pigeon Control With Drc-1339, Keith M. Blanton, Bernice U. Constantin, Gerald L. Williams

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

During 1990 and 1991, feral pigeon (Columbia livia) baiting programs using compound DRC-1339 were conducted in 6 cities in Kentucky and Tennessee. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control (ADC) personnel evaluated each problem site, selected bait sites, supervised prebaiting, mixed, and applied toxic bait In most cases, local personnel conducted the prebaiting and disposed of dead birds. Seven pigeon flocks containing 95-735 birds were reduced by up to 100% with 1 or 2 baitings with 0.37% DRC-1339-treated bait Most birds died at their roosting areas or on rooftops where they …

Synopsis Of A Course On The Principles Of Wildlife Damage Management, Michael R. Conover

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Five courses were offered by Utah State University's Program in Wildlife Damage Management (WDM) in 1991: (1) Principles of WDM, (2) WDM Techniques, (3) Wildlife–Livestock Relationships, (4) WDM Policy, and (5) Urban Wildlife Management Principles of WDM was the introductory course in this series. It was an upper-division course; most students were in the Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In this paper, I provide a synopsis of this course hoping such information will be useful to other people designing a course on this topic.

Rather than using a textbook for Principles of WDM, students were required to read papers …

Survey Of Bird Damage To Blueberries In North America, Michael L. Avery, John W. Nelson, Marcia A. Cone

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In this survey of 15 states and British Columbia, 84% of the 49 respondents considered bird damage to blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) to be serious or moderately serious. As in a similar 1972 survey, the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), American robin (Turdus migratorius), and common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) were listed as the most serious pest species. Most of the people surveyed who formerly used Mesurol® to control bird depredations felt that the severity of bird damage increased in 1989 when the registration for Mesurol® use on fruit lapsed. Based on the responses to …

Sheep And Goat Losses To Predators In The United States, Guy Connolly

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

This paper analyzes and compares 3 recent estimates of the value of sheep, lambs, and goats killed by predators in the United States. The estimates, by Pearson (1986a,b), the General Accounting Office (GAO 1990), and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS 1991b), varied from $18 million to $59.7 million annually due to differences in scope, assumptions, data, and estimation methods of the 3 studies. Pearson's and NASS's estimates of the value of sheep and lambs lost to predators in 17 western states totaled $38.3 million and $18.3 million in 1984 and 1990, respectively. The difference between …

Perceived Risks Of Deer-Related Vehicle Accidents: Influence On Deer Population Preferences Of The Residents Of Tompkins County, New York, Richard C. Stedman, Rebecca J. Stout, Barbara A. Knuth, Daniel J. Decker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

High populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in much of the eastern United States have increased the probability of deer-related vehicle accidents (DRVAs). These accidents are very costly in terms of vehicle repair and have the potential for serious physical injury to motorists. DRVAs are increasing rapidly in suburban areas, where deer may also cause other types of damage (i.e., to gardens or ornamental shrubs). In these suburban areas, wildlife professionals have limited deer management options. We hypothesized that the peoples' perception of the potential risk posed by ORV As interacts with the perceived benefits provided by deer, …

Wildlife Damage Education At West Virginia University, Edwin D. Michael

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

West Virginia University has offered a formal wildlife damage course in each of the last 2 years (1990 and 1991). Prior to offering the formal course in 1990, the topic of wildlife damage was presented as one section of 2 different courses: Introduction to Wildlife Management (for non wildlife majors), and Principles of Wildlife Management (a senior-level course required for wildlife majors).