Page 2
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
November 26, 2014
Reservation wildlife survey coming up in December
(Andrea Karoglanian, wild-
life biologist with the Confeder-
ated Tribes, shared this infor-
mation recently about the wild-
life populations on the reserva-
tion.)
Conducting wildlife sur-
veys can be difficult, time
consuming and expensive,
depending on what you are
surveying and the method
you use to survey.
Deer and elk surveys are
conducted by helicopter, and
are done at a time when the
animals are most concen-
trated. This is during winter
or spring green up.
The entire reservation is
not flown, due to time and
cost constraints.
Deer and elk winter range,
the lower elevation area pri-
marily on the east half of the
reservation, is broken down
into 94 units. Each of those
units are ranked as a high or
low unit.
Units are ranked before
each survey, based on habi-
tat information, weather and
tribal member input. We ask
tribal hunters, and people
who spend a lot of time on
the ground, where they are
seeing a lot of deer and elk.
We also look at some of
the hunting results to see
where people are harvesting
deer and elk, which indicates
where there may be a decent
population of animals.
We then look at what the
weather is doing, or has done
the weeks prior to the surveys.
The snow and cold event that
just happened will be very
helpful for us conducting our
surveys in mid December.
The snow and cold will help
push the animals down into
the lower elevation habitat,
where they will be more con-
centrated and more easily vis-
ible.
Once the units are ranked,
we can determine what units
we will fly. We will fly all of
the high ranked units, and
then the low ranked units will
be randomly selected.
We will fly a total of 35 to
40 units. When we fly the
units there are two or three
observers and the pilot.
We fly the entire unit in a
grid pattern to ensure we
cover the entire area and
don’t miss animals or double
count animals.
We use a GPS to track our
flight and to record the ani-
mals seen. When we see an
animal we record the location,
the number of animals seen,
the sex of the animals,
whether they are an adult or
juvenile; and, if it is male, the
number of points.
Once the surveys are com-
pleted, we compile all the data
and run it through a model.
This can give an estimate of
the population for the entire
reservation. This is an esti-
mate, so there is some error
that is accounted for.
If we do not rank the
units properly as high or low
units before the survey it can
skew the estimate, so it takes
good knowledge of the ani-
mals and the area being sur-
veyed to get an accurate esti-
mate.
A wildlife population is
dependent on the amount
of recruitment, or the
number of young pro-
duced each year, to sus-
tain or increase it’s popu-
lation size.
The sustainable thresh-
old is the ratio of fawns
to does that the popula-
tion needs just to main-
tain it’s population, not
increase.
Population models in-
dicate that when fawn to
doe ratios drop below 50-
60 fawns per 100 does,
mule deer populations can-
not sustain themselves and
decline.
Fawn recruitment has
been low for more than a
decade, and is cause for con-
cern.
There has not been a
study on the reservation to
determine the cause of the
low fawn ratios.
This type of study would
be very time intensive and
expensive. However, there
have been many mule deer
studies conducted that try
to determine the cause of
low fawn ratios, and many
have found that often fawn
ratios are correlated with the
doe’s body condition.
And a doe’s body condi-
tion is strongly related to
habitat conditions. Deer and
elk particularly need a certain
amount of body fat accumu-
lated by fall to survive the
winter months.
If the does don’t accumu-
late enough fat a number of
things could happen: the doe
may not impregnate, they
may miscarry during the win-
ter, the doe may not produce
enough milk for the fawn,
or the fawn may not find
enough food once weaned
to survive.
The many variables in-
fluencing deer survival
have the greatest impact
on fawns.
Fawns accumulate less
fat reserves than adults
during summer and fall,
making them more sus-
ceptible to weather sever-
ity, poor quality habitat,
predators, harassment and
disease.
Wildlife Department request
hunter harvest information to
be returned after hunting sea-
son?
The answer is that it helps
us with our deer and elk
population estimates, as well
as determining our buck ra-
tios. It helps us determine
the impact that the hunting
activities are having on the
populations.
It also helps us focus our
wildlife habitat restoration
efforts.
All the information hunt-
ers provide helps us to better
manage the long-ter m
sustainability of the wildlife
populations on and off the
reservation.
One of the main duties of
my job is to provide the tech-
nical guidance to ensure that
wildlife populations are re-
sponsibly managed not only
for the current generations,
but also the children, grand-
children and great grandchil-
dren of these generations.
So that’s why I try to col-
lect and provide as much wild-
life information as possible,
to help the tribes make man-
agement decisions that are in
their best interest. That be-
ing said, as the wildlife biolo-
gist, my main focus, of
course, is going to be geared
toward responsible wildlife
management.
copter.
They are easier to survey,
and we usually count all the
animals because they are
found in a distinct small area.
The mountain goat sur-
veys are also conducted by he-
licopter for obvious reasons:
They are found in very steep
rugged terrain that would be
extremely difficult to access
from the ground.
We coordinate with the
Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife to conduct the
sur veys because the state
agency pays for and organizes
the surveys. Warm Springs
Natural Resources are in-
cluded in the surveys. All
habitat for the goats is sur-
veyed, because they are also
found within a limited area.
Eagles, spotted owls
We also monitor Bald and
Golden eagle populations on
the reservation. Those are
conducted on the ground
during the nesting season.
Mainly we monitor repro-
ductive success to determine
whether the population is go-
ing up or down. Those sur-
veys are not very time inten-
sive.
Northern spotted owls are
monitored annually during
the nesting season.
Spotted owls are a
Threatened species and are
protected under the Endan-
gered Species Act, so the
monitoring is due to an agree-
ment with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
Sheep, goats
Big horn sheep are sur-
veyed at the same time as the
deer and elk from the heli-
See WILDLIFE on page 8
See SURVEY on page 8
Question: W hy does the
Shop local on Small Business Saturday
Saturday, Nov. 29, will be
Small Business Saturday, a
national day to encourage
people to shop at small busi-
ness.
As you go about your holi-
day shopping, remember to
support your local small busi-
Fawn-to-doe ratio a concern on reservation
nesses and consider purchases
close to home.
It not only helps grow the
local economy but also saves
you travel money, and less-
ens the environmental impact
of your holiday shopping.
39th Annual
Christmas Bazaar
Saturday, Dec. 13 ~ 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
at the Community Center Gym and Social Hall
Find those perfect Christmas gifts for the whole
family, while enjoying homemade goods. For
more information contact us at
541-553-3243 or -3244.
The Miss Warm Springs
Pageant is coming up on
December 26.
Miss Warm Springs 2014
Charmaine Billey will present
the 2015 crown to the new
Miss Warm Springs at the
pageant, held at the Agency
Longhouse.
Applicants are between 18
and 24 years, must be a Warm
Springs member, drug- and
alcohol free, and a role
model. She must reside on
the reservation, though there
are exceptions for off-reser-
vation students.
The contestants receive
prizes for taking part in the
pageant. The new Miss
Warm Springs will receive a
full beaded crown and ban-
ner.
During the year, Miss
Miss Warm Springs 2014
Charmaine Billey
Warm Springs travels to tribal
events around the region —
the Gathering of Nations,
and conferences of the Af-
filiated Tribes of Northwest
Indians, and the National In-
dian Education Association,
among others.
Miss Warm Springs par-
ticipates in parades in Warm
Springs, Redmond, Prineville,
Madras, etc. The tribes pro-
vide some travel expenses for
Miss Warm Springs.
The Tribal Council staff
organize the Miss War m
Springs Pageant.
Applications can be picked
up and returned at the Tribal
Council office. If you have
any questions, call Minnie
Yahtin or Emily Yazzie at
541-553-3257.
At the pageant the contes-
tants are judged on their
knowledge of the Confeder-
ated Tribes and the reserva-
Cash & Release
Firewood
Western Juniper
Old growth Douglas Fir
Lodge pole pine
Old growth Ponderosa pine
Tamarack
Miss Warm Springs pageant on Dec. 26
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$190
$250
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tion; and knowledge of tra-
ditional foods, ceremonies,
clothing, crafts and social ac-
tivities.
The judges also look for
poise, personality and beauty,
speaking ability and appear-
ance.
Contestants are asked to
perform two tribal dances.
They are asked to type essays
on “Why I want to be Miss
Warm Springs,” and “What
will be my civic project for
the community during my
reign?”
A table will be available at
the pageant to showcase per-
sonal talents, academic and
sports achievements, as well
as traditional.
Applications are due at the
Tribal Council office by 5
p.m. on Dec. 22.
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‘We would like to thank all our
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ph. 541-325-6046
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Wester juniper BTU rating per cord - 26.4
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We are now open Saturdays for your convenience, starting Nov. 1.
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ph. 541-
475-3157
All your items are bonded and insured while in our care.