OREGON
What
WILDLIFE
SEPTEMBER 1979
Volume 34, No. 9
OREGON FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION
Herbert Lundy, Chairman ......... Lake Oswego
Jack Steiwer, Vice Chairman ............. Fossil
John Boyer ..................... Beilfountain
Mrs. Allen Bateman ............ Kiamath Falls
Allan Kell .........................Portland
Walter Lofgreri ..................... Portland
JOHN R. DONALDSON, Director
Is
There To Say?
It's the time of year when we should have an editorial concerning hunterlandowner relationships. For nigh on to a quarter of a century we have been
talking and writing about this subject. We've been involved in such things
as RED HAT DAYS when sportsmen were urged to sign a pledge. The pledge
was and is valid because it is to: Be careful with fire and firearms, respect
the rights and property of others and obey the game laws.
But each year we hear tales of unhappy landowners and stories of how
"hunters" cut fences, shot livestock, tore up fields, etc., etc., etc. We put the
word hunters in quotes, because at least one survey found that in several
cases, neighbors with a grudge used the hunting season to get even with their
feuding next-door Mends by committing acts of vandalism.
And while speaking of vandalism, every shot up sign and errant bullet hole
is usually attributed to hunters despite the fact that many such holes appear
when no seasons are under way. Again pure and simple vandalism is the culprit.
But all of this is not to say hunters are pure as the driven snow and noble
creatures who practice good sportsmanship at all times. Hunters do cause
problems with the landowners. .sometimes accidentally and sometimes on
purpose. Some folks seem to have little consideration for the other fellow
no matter what they are doing. Often this seems to manifest itself in even
worse forms when the individual is participating in a sport where he may
feel he is "out in the wilds and free from social restraints!"
Many of the people who indicate they are against hunting, when quizzed
further reveal they are really more against hunters than they are against
hunting. The image of the hunter is not good in the eyes of many people.
Every time an incident of vandalism or carelessness occurs during the hunting
season, the hunter image drops a bit further in the eyes of many. Therefore,
it is important that every hunter not only walk the straight and narrow line
of good sportsmanship, but also that he not tolerate improper actions by any
of those in the hunting party. It takes a person of stature to abide by the
unwritten rules of good conduct when alone. It takes a person of even more
stature to tell a hunting partner that the partnership is off if the companion
doesn't shape up.
We started these comments wondering what there was to say. We still wonder
what there is that can be said to start a nagging thought that may prevent
a careless or thoughtless act that will alienate another landowner this year.
If you have any ideas as to what can be said, let us know, or better yet
pass the word along to everyone you meet while out hunting!D
R.E.S.
.
Oregon Wildlife (ISSN 0094-7113) is published
monthly by the Oregon State Department of Fish
and Wildlife, Portland, Oregon. Volumes i through
28 were entitled Oregon Game Commission Bulletin.
Oregon Wildlife is circulated free of charge with
second class postage paid at Portland, Oregon. Material may be reprinted, credit would be appreciated.
Address changes and correspondence should be sent
to:
Oregon Wildlife
P.O. Box 3503
Portland, OR 97208
When sending address changes, be sure to send in
both old and new address complete with zip codes.
Ron E. Shay, Editor
Ken Durbin, Managing Editor
-
This striking photo of a cock
ruffed grouse was captured by Corvallis
Cover
wildlife photographer, Robert Burr
Smith. The bird cooperated by selecting
a log in Smith's back yard as its drumming site.
HUNTER EDUCATION
PROGRAM
INSTRUCTORS APPROVED
16
Month of July
1,609
Total Active
STUDENTS TRAINED
Month of July
254
264,354
Total to Date
HUNTING CASUALTIES
REPORTED IN 1979
.............
.............
............
.........
Fatal ....................
Nonfatal
.................
Page 2
i
6
COMMISSION MEETINGS
at Fish and Wildlife Department
The Columbia River Compact will meet
Headquarters, 506 SW Mill Street in Portland on September 14 at 10
to consider adjustments in the Treaty Indian fall gillnet season.
On September 21, the Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet at 9
at the same location
a.m.
a.m.
to consider public use regulations on Department ownec
and controlled lands and other business. The following day, at 9 a.m. the
Commission will again convene to hear staffrecommendations for 1980 angling
regulations.D
SEPTEMBER 1979
The
Forest
Drummer
A Look At The Ruffed Grouse In Oregon
by Ken
Brushy creeks near woodland,
clearcuts in early stages of regrowth,
edges where meadow meets forest
these places and others are home in
Oregon to one of the most widely
distributed game birds of North
America. Over much of its range the
ruffed grouse is "number one" in the
eyes of most hunters. But here, and
in many other western states, it is
largely overshadowed.
Mention forest grouse to most Oregon hunters and your listener will
probably think first of blue grouse,
the big slate gray bird of the ridgetops
and timbered slopes. This is the bird
with which most grouse hunters are
familiar. It is bigger, less secretive and
generally easier to approach in the
more open country which it usually
inhabits. According to Department
planning figures, it is also the most
abundant of the forest grouse species.
But the ruffed grouse runs a close
second. Field biologists estimate there
OREGON WILDLIFE
-
'
Durbin
are more than 12.6 million acres of
ruffed grouse habitat in Oregon. And
these areas are distributed through
most of the forested regions of the
state.
The ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus, is more widely distributed than
any other nonmigratory North
American game bird, extending from
coast to coast across Canada and into
Alaska, as well as south in the mountains to central Utah and northern
Georgia. Within this range are 12 or
more recognized subspecies. Three
are found in Oregon. They are the
Columbian, B.u. aflinis, found
throughout eastern Oregon; the Pacific, B.u. sabini, seen throughout
western Oregon except along the
coast; and B.u. castanea, the Olympic
ruffed grouse, confined to the coastal
area.
Except to the scientist, differences
are minor, and for all practical purposes they are the same bird. The
accompanying range map shows their
distribution in Oregon.
A Closer Look
At a glance, or seen from a distance,
the grouse appears a drab and colorless bird. In the hand, however, it is
a blend of subtle markings and rich
hues; no gaudy colors here. The
ruffed grouse differs in appearance
from, say the pheasant, as an English
country gentleman contrasts with a
Hollywood car salesman.
Ruffed grouse come in two basic
colors, gray and red. Both phases can
be found in the same area irrespective
of age and sex, and apparently even
in the same brood of chicks. This color
difference is most apparent on the
plumage of back and tail. Generally,
those grouse found in the forests of
western Oregon will tend to be darker
than the ones found in the eastern
part of the state, a trait the grouse
shares with many other Oregon wildlife species including deer, elk and
Page 3
site, bracing itself with its fan-spread
tail. The wings are brought forward
and upward in increasingly rapid
strokes, causing a dull, hollow thud
ding. The drumming begins slowly
and gains speed, ending in an almost
continuous roll. It sounds like a balky
gasoline engine which starts with a
"whup . whup . . whup . . whup
. . . whup-whup-whup
." only to die
again shortly.
The drumming sound carries some
distance through the woods, although
it may not be easy to locate a drumming site. One moment the sound will
seem to come from one direction and
the next from another.
Although a young male grouse instinctively knows how to drum, it
apparently takes some practice to
learn to do it effectively. At first
attempts, the young bird makes only
a swishing sound.
Upon attracting a hen, the male
grouse struts and parades with tail
spread, wings drooping, and ruff and
crest raised in all the splendor it can
muster. Eventually mating ensues.
The nest is a simple depression
scratched out on the forest floor
usually at the base of a large tree -..
log or stump. It is lined with sud
dried leaves and grass as are handy,
and sometimes feathers from the hen.
Nine to fourteen white to cinnamoncolored eggs are laid and incubation
takes 23 or 24 days. If a hen's first
nest is destroyed early in incubation,
she will commonly renest although
there will likely be fewer eggs laid.
The chicks are active little fellows
from the first and are immediately
able to scurry about and begin feeding. They follow the hen constantly
and respond to her soft clucks and
signals. At night they are totally
dependent on her for warmth. At this
stage they are vulnerable to a thousand dangers, but one of the worst
is cold and rain. Up to half the brood
may be lost during the first days and
weeks of life if the weather turns
inclement. Availability of grouse in
the fall may relate more to weather
during this period than any other
factor.
By early fall the surviving chicks
will still be with the hen and a hunter
who says he flushed a covey will hay '
encountered one of these family
groups. Grouse do not form flocks of
several families as chukars and quail
SEPTEMBER 1979
.
.
.
.
.
RUFFED GROUSE DISTRIBUTION
OLYMPIC
PACIFIC
bobcats.
The bird is similar in size to the
chukar or banty hen. It takes a large
bird to weigh a pound and a half, and
cocks run generally larger than hens.
Both sexes are similar in appearance
although there are minor differences
which will be discussed in more detail
later.
Both sexes have a feathered crest
which can be raised when the bird is
excited or agitated. Dark, iridescent
clusters of feathers are located on
either side of the neck which can be
raised and spread in a collar or rufT,
and which give the ruffed grouse its
name. The breast is a white to buff
color broken up with darker horizontal bars or speckled areas. The back
is a rich rust or gray and feathers are
characterized by small lance-shaped
markings pointing toward the tail.
The fan-shaped tail is a rich rust
or gray, depending on the color phase
of the bird. It is marked with a series
of narrow black bars and one wide
black bar near the end. The legs are
almost fully feathered and have no
spurs.
Wings are short and blunt, designed for quick bursts of speed rather
Page 4
COLLJMBIAN
than extended flight. The ruffed
grouse's getaway is fast and noisy and
guaranteed to startle. Many a deer
hunter whose heart has been set to
pounding by an unexpected grouse
flush can testify to that!
The Drummer
A ruffed grouse's annual cycle
begins in the spring. This is the time
when the male of the species sets the
woods to ringing with muffled drum
rolls. The cock selects a drumming
site, usually a log, rock, stump or
other prominence as his stage. Each
day, beginning usually sometime in
March and extending into early June,
the male mounts his platform to give
his performance. This begins before
dawn and continues every few mmutes until after sunup. Then it slacks
off, perhaps to be repeated occasionally throughout the day, and picking
up tempo again in the evening.
Drumming serves to attract a mate
and to warn other male birds away,
and it is most common in the spring
although it may be heard periodically
throughout the year.
In drumming, the male grouse
stands almost upright on its selected
.
do. Later in the fall the broods will
break up and the birds will seek their
.-olitary fortunes.
By late fall grouse numbers will
have declined substantially. As we've
said, many losses occur shortly after
broods are hatched. Predation occurs
throughout a grouse's year. And
hunting pressure will remove some
birds in the fall. Those birds which
have survived to winter still have a
rough road ahead. While other birds
fly south, the grouse is one which remains to face winter's chill.
Winter Adaptation
Fortunately, the grouse is well
equipped to live in his chosen climate.
An unusual feature of the grouse is
the "snowshoes" it grows. Beginning
nl mid-September the grouse begins
to develop a series of horny platelets
along both sides of each toe. These
plates greatly expand the area on the
bottom of each foot and help a grouse
to stay afloat in soft, deep snow. They
are shed in the spring.
The grouse makes good use of fir,
spruce and hemlock thickets during
winter to protect not only from snow,
rain and wind, but also from wing'borne predators such as owls. The
grouse may typically roost on a limb,
close up against a fir trunk where it
is both well camouflaged and protected by a thick canopy of needled
branches.
During bitter cold the grouse will
often use snow to keep warm. Snow
provides excellent insulation and the
temperature difference within the
snow and outside of it may vary as
much as 60 degrees. The ruffed grouse
has been known to dive headlong into
deep snow from full' flight or from an
overhead tree limb. In doing so it has
also been known to strike hidden
objects and kill itself. In snow that
is less deep it may simply wriggle
itself into a drift, or in falling snow
may simply squat and allow itself to
be covered. During severe storms a
ruffed grouse may remain snug beneath the snow for several days at
a time.
The ruffed grouse has a diet perhaps more varied than that of any
other game bird. Early in life, the
chicks depend heavily (as do all birds)
on insects for the protein needed in
growth. As they grow older they continue to eat the odd bug, but the diet
switches to one which is largely vege-
OREGON WILDLIFE
Cock ruffed grouse use fast wing motions to create a series of concussions in the
air called 'drumming" as part of their spring mating ritual. Early naturalists thought
the sound was made by wings slapping against the log. High speed photography
solved the mystery. Photo by Robert Burr Smith.
Grouse build simple and well-hidden nests by scratching a shallow depression on
the ground. The nest is lined with what materials are close at hand. There is a
chick in the nest which shows their excellent camouflage.
Page 5
tarjan. During the summer and fall
ruffed grouse eat a huge array of plant
matter ranging from leaves, grasses,
and forbes, to berries and buds in
great variety. A bird may be somewhat selective on a given day, and the
crop of one grouse will contain mostly
snowberries, while another from the
same area has mostly currants or
elderberries, while still a third may
have a mixed green salad.
During the winter when all this
lush fruit and vegetable matter is
gone, the grouse switches to other
fare. In the east wintering grouse are
heavily dependent on aspen and birch
for buds and catkins to sustain them
through the winter. Here, aspen is
apparently also important in eastern
Oregon, but alder buds and catkins
probably provide the main winter
food. Many times while floating westem
Oregon rivers in winter we have
seen ruffed grouse in the bare alders
feeding on buds.
Ruffed grouse are vulnerable to a
whole host of predators including
coyotes, bobcats, foxes, weasels,
skunks and others. Among the feathered predators the goshawk and great
horned owl may be among the most
important. In hunting ruffed grouse
along eastern Oregon stream bottoms, we have commonly found the
feathered remains marking the spot
of a predator kill and/or feast.
Cock Or Hen?
As we've said, ruffed grouse cocks
and hens appear pretty much alike.
There are several methods however,
which used in combination with one
another will enable you to determine
the sex of a bird in the hand.
The mature male ruffed grouse is
generally quite a bit larger than the
female. This difference also applies to
the tail. If the plucked central tailfeathers are over 15 centimeters
(about 53/4 inches) the bird is probably
a male and if under this length the
bird is probably a female.
The dark band near the end of the
tail fan also tells part of the story.
If the band is solid colored all the way
across the bird is probably male. If
it is broken by a lighter color in the
two central tail feathers it is probably
a female. Like all sexing techniques,
however, this one isn't completely
reliable, either. While all hens apparently have broken tail-bands, so
do some cocks.
Page 6
Black tail band is only faintly broken in the center, but single light-colored spots
on each rump feather (near thumbs) in conjunction with broken tail band indicates
a female. Internal examination confirmed the sex. No one sexing
method is i 00
percent reliable.
A third method involves examination of the rump feathers immediately above the tail. Each has one or
more light-colored "windows" which
form the pointed spots on a grouse's
back. If most feathers have one or
more of these spots the bird is most
likely a cock. If they have only one
spot the bird is probably a hen.
Using several of these methods together will usually enable you to tell
the sex of a grouse you have in hand
quite reliably. Early in the fall during
years when late broods are common,
young of the year may not have fully
grown tail feathers which makes use
of the feather length method impractical. But even very young birds show
the spots on the tail coverts.
Young
which they retain through the first
winter. These older outer two wing
feathers on an immature bird are
usually worn and pointed on the tips.
On a mature bird which has replaced
all its wing feathers they are rounded.
Pull the outer three feathers and look
at the bases. On a mature bird they
will all appear the same. On a young
of-the-year bird the bases of the outer
two will be hard and yellowed while
the third feather in has a base that
is soft and white. There may also still
be a papery sheath around this newly
grown feather.
or Old?
Young of the year may often be
easy to tell. They may be smaller
than adults and have tail feathers
that are obviously still growing. If the
young birds are well-grown, however,
telling them from old ones takes a
little more doing. Feathers wear out
and all birds replace them regularly
during their lifetimes according to
predictable schedules.
In all grouse species young of the
year renew all their wing feathers
once before fall except the outer two
Pointed and worn outermost wing
feathers on wing at teft indicate a juvenile bird. Rounded feathers on righthand wing suggest older bird.
SEPTEMBER 1979
'
Hunting Ruffed Grouse
/-'
,-
Why the ruffed grouse is considered
the premier upland game bird in the
eastern and northern midwestern
states, and is largely overlooked here
is something of a mystery to me. It's
the same bird in all areas, subspecies
differences acknowledged.
On a continental level, the ruffed
grouse is hunted in 33 states and 10
provinces which makes it second
only to the bobwhite quail in popularity. The estimated average harvest
in the U.S. and Canada is 3.7 miffion
birds which is nearly twice that of all
other grouse species put together.
Most grouse hunters in Oregon
pursue the larger blue grouse. True,
it is a larger bird and can usually be
found in somewhat easier country to
negotiate on foot. It can also be an
extremely challenging bird to hit
when it flushes unexpectedly in heavy
cover or drops in a surprising downhill
swoop from a tree.
But the ruffed grouse far surpasses
the blue on the table. In my opinion
the ruffed grouse is equalled for eating only by young chukars among all
Oregon's game birds and hunters who
can consistently take ruffed grouse on
the wing won't have much trouble
with blues.
In September, when most ruffed
grouse hunting takes place in Oregon,
ruffs are generally pretty close to
water. This means creek bottoms and
brushy swamps. Like most wildlife,
ruffed grouse also like edges; edges of
meadows, edges of clearcuts, and
edges where brushy growth meets
timber. They also like variety in their
food and a dense thicket nearby for
escape.
In eastern Oregon we look along
creek bottoms which are heavily
grown with dogwood and alder. Aspen
groves are always worth investigating. There should be a good assortment of berries like currant, gooseberry, snowberry, elderberry, etc.
There should also be fir trees adjacent
to the creek bottoms. As we get lower
on the stream and the fir gives way
to pine, we see far fewer grouse.
In western Oregon it is harder to
locate good areas because there is so
much good habitat. Generally,
though, streams are worth investigating as are edges of clearcuts at lower
elevations and other places that just
look "birdy". Like gold, ruffed grouse
OREGON WILDLIFE
The ruffed grouse is a bird of wild
and semi-domesticated lands, much
of which are in public ownership
where access is not a great problem.
In a time when loss of habitat is a
serious threat to other upland bird
species like the pheasant, the grouse
offers a budding opportunity for the
bird hunter if he is willing to take
the time and effort to locate good
hunting, and if he is not afraid of hard
foot-slogging through thick and often
wet brush.
We've taken only a brief look at
the ruffed grouse. There has been a
great deal written about this bird and
about hunting them for those who
care to pursue it further. The hunting
seasons for ruffed grouse occur at a
glorious time of year, and in western
Oregon this year the season has been
extended into November. The outlook for hunting this sporty bird may
be even better in the future. The
Commission recently asked Department staff to investigate the possibility of a season later in the year in
western Oregon which would provide
hunting after the leaves have dropped
and after most other upland bird
hunting opportunities have ended.D
are where you find them, and avid
grouse hunters are like fishermen and
morel mushroom pickers not likely
to tell you their favorite spots.
Typically ruffed grouse shooting is
close in and fast. Sometimes birds are
spooky and will flush at great distances, but more often they go up
from under your feet and you have
maybe two seconds to get off a shot
before they disappear through or
around the most convenient screen of
brush. A gun with very little choke
is appropriate, and a double with one
open barrel and one a bit tighter is
probably ideal under most conditions.
Small shot like 7½ or 8 is adequate
at usual ruffed grouse ranges.
A dog that works close will be a
big help in finding birds and in locating downed birds in the dense brush
typical of ruffed grouse country. A
bell on the dog's collar is a great help
in keeping tabs on Rover and does
not seem to spook the birds.
A ruffed grouse's crop will usually
be stuffed with an assortment of
greenery and, like any bird which
feeds heavily on green vegetation,
should be cleaned soon after killing
to aid in cooling and prevent souring.
-
Few birds are more richly marked than
are better eating.
a
mature ruffed grouse. On the table, none
Page
7
p
.4
1979 Big
Game Hunting Outlook
by Paul Ebert
Staff Big Game Biologist
Oregon's big game hunters will experience both changes in the number
of available animals and in hunting
regulations during the coming geileral seasons. While drought conditions
in 1977 set the stage for reduced production and survival, the past severe
winter further compounded these
problems. Elk hunter concern over
the constantly increasing number of
hunters prompted adoption of two
general elk hunt periods to disperse
hunting pressure.
The drought of 1977 and the past
severe winter had a prominent impact on mule deer herds and as a resuit December fawn ratios in 1977
and 1978 were below desirable levels.
Last winter's survival rates range
from 16 percent in the Pine Creek
Unit to 96 percent in the Fossil Unit.
As a result the availability of forked
horn bucks will be down considerably
in many areas. Fortunately the
carry-over of bucks from the past
hunting season was above average
which will help take up some of the
Page 8
slack.
A 12-day hunting season starting
September 29 for bucks with forked
antlers or larger was authorized in
most of eastern Oregon. Because of
low buck carry-over and fawn survival in 11 units only a seven-day season
was authorized in those areas. Most
of these 11 units are different from
those which had a short season in
1978. The area previously under the
four-point regulation was reduced to
include only the Steens Mountain
Unit and the southwestern quarter of
the Whitehorse Unit with entry hmited by a permit quota. These quotas
have already been filled.
Best hunting prospects exist in
those units along the western edge of
the Blue Mountains from the Fossil
Unit northeast to the Walla Wahla
Unit. The areas hardest hit by winter
conditions last year are those units
in Grant, Union and Baker counties.
Herds in the Fort Rock and Silver
Lake area and most of Lake County
came through in fair condition and
should be good producers this coming
hunting season. Elsewhere below
average hunting is expected but
again prospects will vary greatly by
area.
Big game animals in western Oregon usually suffer less impact on survivai and population trends from unusual climatic conditions. This was
true last winter for the black-tailed
deer. While black-tailed herds
showed minor declines in December
fawn ratios and spring herd trends,
the buck carry-over remained above
average insuring a good huntable
population of bucks for the coming
season.
A long season is again scheduled in
western Oregon starting on September 29 and running through November 4 for bucks with forked
antlers or larger. Experience during
the 1978 season affirmed the need for
a long season to insure wet stormy
weather which provides the needed
conditions to hunt black-tailed deer.
The northern half of western Oregon
SEPTEMBER 1979
will again have a general either sex
season during the last 5 days of the
--buck season for hunters with an unblack-tailed deer tag. Antlerless
hunting in the southern half of westem
Oregon will be controlled by permit quotas by units.
Best prospects for deer hunting in
western Oregon are along the east
slope of the Coast Range from Salem
south to the California border and
the lower half of the west slope of
the Cascade Range from Estacada
south to the California border.
Although Rocky Mountain elk
have always been able to withstand
severe climatic conditions better
than mule deer, conditions during
the past two years have had some impact on the herds. Calf survival is
down and for the first time in many
years the herds show a slight decline.
The result will be 15 percent fewer
available bulls for the hunter this
season compared to last year.
Heavy hunting pressure on the
opening weekend in the more popular
units continued to be a problem last
year. Elk tag sales remained high at
levels comparable to the previous
-'year's record- sales. This prompted
consideration of regulations which
would reduce the opening weekend
pressure and provide better dispersal
of hunters. The most severe measures
considered would have reduced the
total number of hunters by requiring
some hunters to lay out for a year.
Instead a less restrictive measure was
adopted which provided two general
hunt periods with the hunter permitted to select the period he wants
when the tag is purchased. The two
periods run from October 27 through
31 and November 3 through 11. Two
areas have limited entry, the Chesnimnus and Snake River units, and
permits have been taken except for
a few left on the second period of the
Snake River hunt. The Snake River
Unit is the only area under the threepoint regulation in eastern Oregon.
Hunting should be comparable to
last year's season but will depend
much on climatic conditions. The severe winter had the greatest influence on calf survival in the Starkey
._Unit and that portion of the Wenaha
Unit north of the Wenaha River and
reduced hunting success is expected
in these areas. Best hunting will
again be in northeastern Oregon from
OREGON WILDLIFE
Ased
Heppner Unit on to the east and
northeast.
Last year's calf production in the
Roosevelt elk herds of western Oregon continued to show the everyother-year lower production syndrome. As a result the percentage of
yearling bulls in the harvest will be
down slightly but a better carry-over
of other bulls will provide good prospects for the comhg season. Herd
levels remained fairly stable in major
producing units of northwestern and
southwestern Oregon. Many new
herds in other areas of western Oregon that started from transplanting
efforts are now coming on strong and
are providing more hunting each
year.
Roosevelt elk hunting is also divided into two hunt periods which are
from November 10 through 13 and
November 17 through 23. Four units,
the Chetco, Dixon, Saddle Mountain
and Tioga, remain under the threepoint bull regulation. Permits are required to hunt the Saddle Mountain
and Tioga units which restrict the
1979
Open Season
Mountain Quail
Turkey
Mourning Dove
Band-tailed Pigeon
Duck
Coot
Merganser
Goose
Brant
Common Snipe
*
number of permits to be issued.
The Saddle Mountain, Tioga and
Wilson units will produce the highest
harvest and are the most popular.
But the Trask, Indigo, McKenzie and
Powers units are improving steadily
and producing more harvest each
year. A number of other units in
western Oregon with new herds will
also provide additional hunting opportunities.
Since deer hunting success in eastem Oregon will vary considerably by
area with fewer total buflks available,
hunters are again urged to hunt the
black-tailed deer of western Oregon
where a very long and liberal season
is available. Elk hunters who wish to
get away from the crowds will have
good opportunities during the second
period hunt in both eastern and westem
Oregon. If hunters take the time
to study the current regulations and
hunt accordingly they should enjoy
a good hunting season.D
GAME BIRD SEASONS
Blue & Ruffed Grouse Sept. 1-27
Sept. 1-Nov. 4
Chukar & Hungarian
Sept. 29-Jan. 13
Partridge
Oct. 13-Nov. 18
Oct. 13-Nov. 18
Cock Pheasant
Valley Quail
hunter to that area and one time
period but there is no limit on the
Oct. 13-Dec. 31
Oct. 13-Nov. 18
No Open Season
Sept. 1-Nov. 4
No Fall Season
Sept. 1-30
Sept. l-30
Oct. 13-Jan. 13
Oct. 13-Jan. 20
Oct. 13-Jan. 13
Oct. 13-Jan. 13
Oct. 13-Jan. 13
Oct. 13-Jan. 13
Oct. 13-Dec. 23
Oct. 13-Jan. 20
Oct. 13-Oct. 26
Oct. 27-Jan. 13
Nov. 17-Feb. 17
Oct. 13-Jan. 13
Open Area
Eastern Oregon
Western Oregon
Daily
Bag
3
3
8
Eastern Oregon
4
Western Oregon
3
Eastern Oregon
2
Western Oregon
10
Eastern Oregon
10
Western Oregon
Eastern Oregon
10
Western Oregon
Controlled Gobbler Season April 12-20
10
Entire State
5
Entire State
7
Entire State
7
Columbia Basin Counties
25
Entire State
5
Entire State
2
Western Oregon
3+3*
Eastern Oregon
2
Baker & Malheur Counties
Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
3+3*
Morrow & Umatilla Co's.
I +1
Lake & Klamath Counties
3+3
Entire State
Entire State
4
8
Possession
Limit
6
6
16
8
9
8
20
20
20
20
5
14
14
25
lO
2
3
2
6
6
6
8
16
Daily bag limit may be increased to six provided not more than three are dark geese nor more than
three are white geese. White geese are snow geese and Ross's geese. All other geese are dark geese.
Page 9
A Fine
A dark river pooi holds its secrets
well. Unless the fish are actively
showing at the surface there may be
nothing more than the occasional
newt to indicate any life exists below
its surface.
This was the case when a crew from
the Department carried its nets, plastic pails and wetsuit paraphernalia to
the river's edge late last month. We
were on the Nehalem near head of
tide and the job was to capture sea-
run cutthroat trout. These trout
were to join others taken in the previous two years at Cedar Creek
Hatchery on Three Rivers, a tributary of the Nestucca. There they are
being retained as brood fish to pro-
vide offspring for supplementing wild
runs in the Nehalem River system.
The Nehalem River has a fish disease known as Cera tomyxa which has
so far been discovered in no other
north coastal rivers. The native cutthroat in this system are resistant to
the disease.
All hatchery cutthroat used in
Page 10
Kettle
Cutthroat
stocking other streams on the north
coast have come from brood cutthroat from the Alsea system which
are kept at Alsea Hatchery. These
fish have contributed over many
years to a successful cutthroat stocking program in many north coastal
rivers. But when these same fish are
placed in the Nehalem system, most
of them die.
Fishery biologist Walt Weber with
help from North Fork and Cedar
Creek Hatchery crews, on this day,
swam one end of a long beach seine
across the river. From there it was
swept downstream past the mouth of
a feeder creek whose colder water we
hoped would have attracted cutthroat to this pool. The end of the
net was then brought back across the
river to form a large belly which was
carefully brought to shore, care being
taken to keep the lead-weighted
lower edge on the river's bottom.
Success! The first sweep of the net
yielded 45 fine sea-bright cutthroat.
Two more sweeps brought in another
eleven. All fish were transferred
quickly to a waiting tanker truck and
all but one made the journey safely
to Cedar Creek Hatchery.
The first offspring from the Nehalem cutthroat taken during the last
two years will be ready for release in
the Nehalem system next spring.
Eventually this strain may also be
used in other north coast rivers instead of or in addition to the Alsea
stock cutthroat now in use.
A program of stocking yearling
cutthroat early in the spring, timed
to go out to sea and return in the
fall as 12 to 14-inch sea-run cutthroat
has proved very successful on a number of coastal rivers. The Siuslaw is
one of the most notable. In addition
to the hatchery fish, all coastal rivers
have a run of wild-spawning cutthroat which return in late summer
and fall to await the winter rains which will enable them to ascend to
the tiny tributary creeks where they
spawn.D
Ken Durbin
SEPTEMBER 1979
Net is carefully brought to shore.
-z
I
Fish are transferred to pails, then to waiting truck
:if'
¼
Fishery biologist Walt Weber
OREGON WILDLIFE
Prime sea-run cutthroat.
Page 11
How Many
by
Regularly, there are discussions
about the number of nonresident
hunters and anglers in Oregon. To
begin with, we should point out that
it has never been the policy of the
Department to solicit hunters and
anglers from out of state. Some of the
Rocky Mountain states at one time
had aggressive programs urging
nonresidents to visit to hunt and fish.
Much of their budgets depended on
this outside source of revenue.
Here in Oregon it has been the
feeling that we have enough residents
to fully use the resource without encouraging outside users. Inquiries
about hunting and angling are answered, but we do not travel to the
various sportsmen's shows around the
country and we do not place advertisements promoting the fish and
wildlife resource. it is also a general
policy to discourage outdoor writers
who insist on pinpointing "hot spots"
and thus focus undue pressure on
them.
Despite this, many individuals
think we have too many nonresidents
using the resource. Just how many
is too many is largely dependent on
the individual. However, we can give
you the figures so you can see what
they are and judge for yourself.
The Business Section of the Fish
and Widlife Department has just released the final license sales figures
for 1978. Getting the actual final
number takes considerable time because the sales data come in from the
over 1,000 license agents throughout
the state.
In looking at the figures it should
be remembered
Ron Shay
Following are the final sales figures
for 1978.
Resident Combination
Resident Combination w/
bow
Combination Licenses
Subtotal
-
Resident Hunter
Resident Hunter w/bow
Juvenile Hunter
Separate Bow Hunter
Special Bow Hunter
Nonresident Hunter
Pioneer Hunter
DAV Hunter
Senior Citizen Hunter
HuntiAg Licenses -
Subtotal
Resident Angler
Juvenile Angler
Nonresident Angler
10-Day Angler
1-Day Angler - Inland
1-Day Angler - Ocean
1-Day Angler - Trout
2-Day Angler - Inland
2-Day Angler - Ocean
2-Day Angler - Trout
3-Day Angler - Inland
3-Day Angler - Ocean
3-Day Angler - Trout
Pioneer Angler
DAY Angler
Senior Citizen Angler
Blind Angler
Inmate Angler
Angling Licenses Subtotal
145,496
16,072
161,568
193,380
9,574
5,244
3,499
248
6,545
4,845
6,441
2,162
231,938
312,620
53,443
8,876
36,513
22,285
61,484
68,957
5,388
4,145
20,902
4,965
2,211
14,448
6,960
7,474
2,162
391
231
633,455
that daily angling
licenses are issued to both residents
and nonresidents. Many residents
who go salmon fishing only once or
twice a year will purchase the daily
license. Also, inland anglers who take
a once a year fishing vacation often
opt for this type of license. A recent
analysis indicated that about 30 percent of the 1, 2 and 3 day license
buyers are residents and about 70
percent n onresidents.
Page 12
Nonresidents?
Provisions of one of the bills that
passed the legislature this session increased a number of the nonresident
license fees. Many individuals feel the
fees should be higher yet. There is a
risk in this route.
Recently another state was challenged in court concerning the fee
structure it had for the higher nonresident rates. The court ruled higher
fees for nonresidents were legal, but
that a ratio with resident
fees of
between five and seven to one was
appropriate. The suggestion was
that if the differential became much
higher, the nonresident fees might be
considered illegal.
Another factor that must be considered when setting nonresident fees
is the land ownership in Oregon and
many of the other western states.
About half of Oregon is in federal
ownership and many of the folks in
the eastern U.S. feel they have just
as much right to hunt and angle on
these lands as do the residents of the
state.
Here again, the courts have indicated that even though the land is
federally owned, the fish and wildlife
management responsibilities belong
to the state and consequently the
state fees for hunting and angling are
proper.D
Oversuccessful Salmon
Angler Nabbed
While many salmon anglers are
happy to get two fish, a Eugene man
fishing out of Winchester Bay managed to take 15 fish. However, his boat
broke down and he was towed in by
the Coast Guard, after which he was
cited by a Douglas County Sheriff's
Deputy.
Justice of the Peace Duart Story
of Reedsport considered and meted
out the following penalties:
The fish were confiscated and
given to a charitable agency,
The fisherman was fined $525,
which was suspended;
He was sentenced to 30 days in
jail, which was also suspended;
His huntitigand fishing privileges
were suspended for 18 months;
He was put on probation to the
court for 18 months;
and his 19 foot inboard boat was
confiscated and turned over to
the Department of Fish and
-
Wildlife.
Our tip of the sportsmen's hat to
Justice Story.D
SEPTEMBER 1979
-
THIS AND THAT
1980-81 Duck Stamp Contest Now
O pen
The annual "Duck Stamp" contest
compiled by Ken Durbin
A
Rare Bird
Harry Waite, a carver of duck
decoys from West Chester, Pa., has
devised the ultimate coffin.
You guessed it, Waite is carving a
canvasback decoy with a hollow
body, into which his ashes will be deposited after his death and cremation.
Inscribed in its base are the words,
"In this decoy lies the carver, H. J.
Waite, 1939 -"
After the funeral, it will be set
afloat on Chesapeake Bay and Waite
said his second-greatest wish is for
the decoy to be picked up and used
by a duck hunter.
His greatest wisl Waite told reporters, "is to see '9ie look on the
guy's face when he pks up the block
and reads the inscription."
Bill Monroe-Corvallis
Gazette-Times
Whooper Numbers increasing
Twenty years ago fewer than 50
whooping cranes remained alive, and
the prospect for survival of this largest of all North American birds was
bleak.
Today, 108 of the birds are alive
and exist in three major separate
flocks. Most famous are the 74 wild
birds that migrate each year between
Canada and the U.S. In addition, nine
youngsters are now part of a flock of
sandhull crane foster parents at a
wildlife refuge in Idaho. Twenty-two
others are part of a growing flock at
the Patuxent wildlife research station
near Laurel, Maryland.
The Idaho and Patuxent flocks are
developing steadily through an egg
production program instituted some
years ago as a last hope method of
saving the whooper. When eggs are
taken from the birds' nests for laboratory incubation, the hens will replace them with new eggs.
Wildlife specialists are now cautiously hopeful that the whooper may
be headed back toward greater numbers and long-range survival.
Michigan Natural Resources
Magazine
OREGON WILDLIFE
for waterfowl art to adorn the 1980-81
Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp opened July 1.
Revenues derived from the sale of
this stamp are the major source of
funding for acquisition of critically
needed habitat for the Nation's waterfowl populations.
The annual competition is the only
art contest regularly sponsored by
the Federal Government. The colorful stamps whose designs are selected
through the contest constitute the
longest running, annually issued
series of stamps in revenue or postage
stamp history.
Artists interested in submitting an
entry should write to the Office of
Audio Visual, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Department of the Interior,
Washington, D.C. 20240, for copies of
the contest rules and an entry form.
Complete regulations governing
the contest are published in Title 50
of the Code of Federal Regulations
Part 91.
Entries will be accepted from July
1 until midnight, October 15, 1979.
-
Bears Turn Green, But It's Not
Envy
Polar bears at the San Diego Zoo
have an unusual live-in guest green
algae. These tiny spherical plants, a
common freshwater variety, are not
just clinging to the fur, but are actually growing inside the hollow hair
shafts. Since polar bear hairs contain
no pigment to block sunlight, the
algae are able to continue photosynthesis, at the same time being protected from algae-eating organisms.
Zoo veterinarian Phillip Robinson
thinks that algae from the bears' pooi
entered through breaks in the tips of
the hair or by canals connecting the
hollows to the surface. Although the
algae doesn't cause the bears any discomfort, he is brewing a salt solution
to kill the plants and make the bears
white again.
Conservation News
-
Tribes Declare Hunting Moratorium
Tribal councils on three Dakota
Indian reservations have declared
hunting moratoria on big game, furbearers, predators, and game birds. A
voluntary twç year halt on the Pine
Ridge and Rosebud, and a one year
on the Standing Rock Reservation
were called to "preserse and protect
our game in such a manner as to
insure future generations of sufficient
game". An aerial survey by the
Bureau of Indian Affairs had shown
that game populations within reservation boundaries, where year-round
hunting is practiced and state hunting codes do not apply, were markedly
lower than in surrounding areas.
Conservation News
Lemmings
-
Do They Really Commit Suicide?
It's probably too late to persuade
the cartoonists and politicians that
no ostrich yet hatched has ever
buried its head in the sand. But we
ought to do something about the unfortunate lemmings. The popular notion that these little rodents commit
mass suicide by plunging off the arctic shore and swimming out to chilly
sea is deeply ingrained folklore. It is
repeated in such respectable reference works as the Encyclopaedia
Britannica: None returns, and the
onward march of survivors never
ceases until they reach the sea into
which they plunge and are drowned.
Like most folklore, this is pure
nonsense. No credible observer has
ever recorded the mass suicide of lemmings. The most that can be said is
that on their periodic emigrations to
escape from overcrowding, lemmings
cross rivers and lakes tumultuously,
like migrating ants and many are
drowned. Yet the false idea that lemmings have a death wish conforms to
some evident need in rhetoric. It is
all bunk. Lemmings just don't do
what they're supposed to do. The
only animal that regularly commits
suicide is Homo Sapiens. But evidently we have a need for some vivid
metaphor from nature to illustrate
the human propensity to self-de-
struction. The poor bleeding lemming has been adopted as a cliche to
fit the description.
Phillip Howard
Columnist for the London Times
Page 13
Louis Ponds
Be Dedicated
St.
D,,,n,1-tniIaA
R.,I,.,_*IIilD,l
To
You won't have to go to Missouri
to take part in the St. Louis ponds
dedication on September 23 at
10:00 a.m. Just take the J-5 freeway
to the Woodburn exit.
The St. Louis ponds are the result
of a joint project of the Fish and
Wildlife Department, the State
Highway Department and the
Marion County Parks Department.
The site contains 260 acres and currently seven of the planned 13 ponds
have been completed. The ponds were
dug according to Fish and Wildlife
specifications as the Highway Department was getting gravel for use on
the roads. Marion county is to develop the area around the ponds into
a park.
The ponds have been stocked with
warm-water fish and will be opened
to public fishing next year.
In addition to the pond dedication
there will be the unveiling of a memo-
rial plaque remembering Clark
Walsh, former assistant director of
the Game Commission. Clark was one
of the moving forces behind the development of the pond cothplex. He
was assistant game director for 17
years prior to his death in 1969.
To get to the location, proceed
west after leaving I-5 at the Woodburn exit. You will be on Highway
214. Go for about two miles until you
reach the St. Louis junction. Turn
left (south) and proceed to the town
of St. Louis. Take another left and
go east a short distance until you
cross over the railroad tracks. Just
east of the tracks a gravel road goes
south. This is the road that leads into
the pond area.D
Ponds were built to Department specifications with emphasis on lots of bankfishing area. Area will open to fishing
in 1980.
Page 14
Wood Rat
Oregon's four species of wood rats share little with the house rat other
than similar appearance and nocturnal habits. House rats have small hairless
ears and bare and scaly tails. Wood rats have larger fur-covered ears and
furry tails. One species, the bushy-tailed wood rat, resembles a ground squirrel
as much as a rat. Wood rats come in a variety of colors. The underbelly
is usually light colored or white.
Wood rats can be found just about anywhere but the city. Their large stick
nests are common in the valleys, woodlands and deserts of Oregon.
Wood rats have earned a reputation as thieves. In a constant search to
find decorative items for their nest mounds, these rodents sometimes take
man's favorite possessions. Watches, rings, coins and other shiny materials
like broken glass or pieces of metal are all temptations for these compulsive
collectors.
The tendency to collect the belongings of others brought this rodent the
common name "pack rat". The name "trader rat" is also used since the wood
rat sometimes leaves sticks, rocks and other objects to replace the stolen item.
Wood rats are not so much traders as opportunists, dropping the piece it
was carrying to pick up the more interesting collectable.
The bushy-tailed wood rat mentioned above is the most widely distributed
species in Oregon. The dusky-footed and the white-throated wood rats may
be found along the Willamette Valley and into southern Oregon. The desert
wood rat builds its nests in southeastern Oregon. The last three species are
collectively called the round-tailed wood rats setting them apart from the
more recognizable bushy-tailed variety.
Nest structures for all species are complex. Some mounds may be over six
feet high. Wood rats are not good diggers so they often use the hollowed
area around tree roots to serve as support and den for their nest. Some wood
rats even build in trees. Oaks are the favorites.
Although the nest structures are often large, the wood rats usually live
alone deep within the interior. The only socializing among the animals is during
the breeding period. Even then the relationship is sometimes stormy. The
Oregon species usually average two to three young per litter. The female will
usally give birth to one litter each year.
Wood rats are vegetarians, eating a large variety of herbs, grasses and other
plants. The rats, in turn, are eaten by just about every predator from snakes
and coyotes to hawks and owls. Because wood rats are such desired morsels,
the little rodent is forced to build a very good house. While the nest may
look like a pile of sticks it is usually well packed with mud and animal manure
Rain will seldom penetrate the cover and only the more determined predators
can gain access. In desert country the exterior is often decorated with cactus
making entrance not only difficult, but painful.D
Jim Gladson
SEPTEMBER 1979
-'
IC
Oregon's
WILDLIFE
WINDOW
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Observing wildlife, whether it's out
your window, or out in the woods,
can be frustrating at times. Most species of wildlife are rather secretive by
nature. They generally adapt to
blend in with their surroundings to
be as inconspicuoús as possible.
Many species are "nocturnal", meaning they only come out at night.
Looking for evidences of wildlife, or
-_-heir "sign", is one method of deter"-J mining what types of critters are
around. Signs, such as burrows, nests,
droppings or food litter can be identifled; but the easiest signs to interpret
are animal tracks.
Animal tracks can be the basis for
several types of investigations. Identifying the tracks you find will help
fill in a species list of those animals
found in your area. Wildlife population estimates can be made from observing the number of tracks found
during a specified length of time.
Habitat requirements of individuals
can be determined by finding their
tracks in certain areas and not finding them in others.
Track hunting is really very easy.
Just find a spot of level ground with
fairly soft fine textured soil, smooth
it over and come back later to see
what has been there! Obvious places
for your smooth spot would be near
water or on well worn trails. Larger
animals will use the more open areas,
while a small spot the size of your
,_-hand cleared under some bushes will
many different little
L. :eward you withshrews
and reptiles.
tracks of mice,
Tracks can be preserved and colOREGON WILDLIFE
lected by making plaster casts of
them. This simple procedure will
allow you to "collect" tracks and add
them to other evidences like bones,
nests or scats that you may have already collected. An information
sheet on making plaster casts of ani-.
mal tracks is available free from the
Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife, P.O. Box 3503, Portland,
OR 97208.
Once these tracks have been observed or preserved, a lot of information about the animal that made
them can be discovered. All mammals have basically the same foot
structure, they just use the parts in
different ways. If we look at an animal's foot in relation to the human
hand we find that some animals walk
on their hands like raccoons and
bears. Others walk or run on their
toes like cats and coyotes while some
walk on their "toenails" or hooves
like deer and elk.
By looking at a track, we can make
some determinations about how that
animal lives by noticing what part of
the foot it walks on, whether claws
are present or how many steps are
taken in a measured distance. Your
library may have a copy of a guide
to animal tracks that will help you
identify the animal that left those
tracks for you to study. If you can't
observe the critter in the flesh, its
track is the next best thing for
study.E
THIS MONTH'S
WINDOW
TRACKS
Make
a
plaster cast collection of all the animal tracks you
can find.
F
Observe a ' 'smooth spot' ' for several consecutive days and
record the number of tracks you find. Repeat the observation
this winter and compare results.
44*
-
:
-i-t
DEER MOUSE
Page 15
Audubon Film Series
The popular AUDUBON WIL[
LIFE FILMS series of five films ac
companied by the lecturing-photographers who made the films will
be sponsored by Audubon Society of
Portland. The first film will be presented on September 25, 1979 at
8 P.M. in Benson High Auditorium,
546 N.E. 12th Avenue, Portland.
Greg and Linda McMillan will show
and tell of their 8,000 mile trek "Into
Australia's Red Centre", or Austra1jan Outback in the wettest year of
the century since weather records
Donald
L.
Barth
Kenneth S. Klarquist
Two New Commissioners Named
Donald L. Barth, Newport, and
Kenneth S. Klarquist, Portland, have
been appointed to the Oregon Fish &
Wildlife Commission by Goy. Vic
Atiyeh.
Going off the Commission after
serving since 1975 is Walter H. Lofgren of Portland. Frank Pozzi also of
Portland resigned from the Commission earlier this year.
The two new appointments are for
four-year terms on the seven-member
Commission . The appointments are
subject to Oregon Senate confirmation.
Barth is the president and chief
executive officer for the Bank of Newport. He has been with that firm since
1976. Earlier he was vice-president for
the Oregon Mutual Savings Bank,
Portland and assistant vice-president
for U.S. National Bank of Oregon,
Portland.
Klarquist is a partner in the law
firm of Klarquist, Sparkman, Campbell, Leigh, Hall and Whinston. He
has been with that firm and predecessor firm since 1951. A member of the
Portland City Club, he was president
OREGON
Fish & Wildlife
506 SW. MILL STREET
P.O. BOX 3503
PORTLAND. OREGON 97208
that organization in 1971-72.
The Fish & Wildlife Commission
formulates state policy regarding the
management of fish and wildlife resources including the establishment
of seasons and bag limits for both
recreational and commercial interof
ests.
One member of the Commission
must be appointed from each of the
state's congressional districts. In addition, one member must come from
the eastern half of the state, one from
the western half and one member at
large. No member of the Commission
may hold any office in any sports
fishing organization or commercial
fishing organization or have a direct
financial interest in a commercial
fishing processing business.
Klarquist filled the third congressional district position. Barth will
serve as a member at large.
Remaining members of the Commission include Louisa B. Bateman,
Kiamath Falls; John K Boyer, Bellfountain; Allan L. Kelly, Portland;
Jack P. Steiwer, Fossil; and Herbert
F. Lundy, Lake Oswego.D
have been kept.
The other films of the 1979-80
series of programs are:
November 14, 1979 "Superior
Land of the Woodland Drummer" by
Thomas A. Sterling.
December 4, 1979 "Gifts of an
Eagle" by Kent Durden
February 12, 1980 "Return to the
Tetons" by Charles T. Hotchkiss
March 25, 1980 "Galapagos" by
John Wilson
-
Season tickets provide a strip of
tickets of five admissions, $7.50
adults, $3.75 for students, a 25% sayings over the individual admission
prices of $2 and $1 respectively. Season tickets are available at the Audubon Society's Pittock Bird Sanctuary, 5151 N.W. Cornell Road, or by
mail order accompanied by a check
payable to Audubon Society of Portland, do John T. King, 3320 S.W.
100th Ave., Portland, Oregon 97225.
fc\
National
Htiiiti.ig
'_
3,-..