Wildlife officials discuss projects

County commissioners met with area wildlife experts last week to discuss local projects during the quarterly wildlife update meeting.

Zack Farley, Wildlife Biologist with FWP, shared an update on the Pilgrim Creek Elk Project. Earlier this year, FWP captured and gathered data on 71 elk in Hunting District 121, on the west end of Sanders County. The elk were also fitted with GPS collars.

Farley stated that the project is going well, data being collected every two hours. FWP has recorded more than 72,000 elk GPS locations thus far in the project, and there has been one collar malfunction and one elk mortality, which was a calf that died of natural causes. They are currently monitoring 53 females, seven males and nine calves. The data gathered last winter showed 87.5% of females were pregnant, which Farley said is in line with the state average.

As the study continues, FWP will work to capture newborn calves this spring, with a goal of collaring 50 calves. “Things are moving along nicely for this project,” Farley stated.

FWP recently completed spring surveys of wildlife in the area, and Farley said the area has good recruitment for elk, deer and sheep. The recruitment index measures how many newborns make it through the winter. He added that whitetail deer numbers are up across the area, and elk and sheep numbers remain stable.

FWP will hold a season setting public meeting to discuss proposals. The meeting is set for Tuesday, June 27, at Thompson Falls High School.

Travis Reum, a fish biologist with FWP, gave an update on fish species in the area. “Northern pike and walleye populations have been growing pretty steadily the last 10 years. There are lots of predators in the Noxon Reservoir right now.” He added that the number of walleye in the reservoir has particularly exploded in the last five years. FWP conducted night-shocking operations in April to tag fish.

Bass fishing and the quality of fish is still good, Reum noted, and anglers are happy. “We’re seeing as big of fish as ever in the last 20 years in the local tournament.” This is the second year of a genetic study evaluating fish reproducing in Montana, Reum said.

Derrick Olinger with the U.S. Forest Service said work continues in the Wilkes-Cherry Creek area. He noted that the Cherry Creek Fuels project will include treatment and wildfire prevention efforts on units of Forest Service land that borders private land in the Cherry Creek area. The Forest Service is also in the pre-planning stages for fuels reduction projects, including a project that will be coordinated with the tribes to reduce fuel loads in the Little Thompson area.

FWP bear specialist Kim Annis updated the commissioners on local bear populations. There was one conflict involving a grizzly bear last year in Lincoln County and no conflicts in Sanders County. Annis said the spring has been relatively quiet in Sanders County so far, partly due to the unusual spring weather. FWP does have one trap in Thompson Falls, and Annis noted that at any given time last year, there were 10 different bears active in Thompson Falls. “Last year was the busiest year ever for bears,” in her 16 years dealing with bears, Annis said.

This year, black bears will be captured as part of a predator-prey study. FWP will work to collar bears from Heron to Thompson Falls on the south side of Thompson Falls, as well as Blue Slide. Another study will track bears in the Thompson River area.