Klamath Basin NWRC 2020 Spring Hunt Meeting - Virtual Online - US Fish and Wildlife Service
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Klamath Basin NWRC
2020 Spring Hunt Meeting - Virtual Online
The following information is being presented to you through our web site in leu of the in-person meeting due
to COVID-19 restrictions. We understand this is not our typical nor preferred style of communication and real
time discussion is not available. We ask that you read through all the slides presented below in order to
obtain a complete picture of what is happening on your refuges.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions and current drought conditions there may be additional changes made to the
program as we go through the summer; these changes will be posted on the hunter web page. Please
remember Refuge staff are doing their best to provide our hunters with quality hunting opportunities under
very difficult conditions.
Feel free to contact us via email at any time with questions or comments, keep in mind the offices and Visitor
Center are still closed and staff continue to work from home. Our contact information is listed on the last
slide.
Water and Habitat Conditions
Lower Klamath NWR and Tule Lake NWR
2019/2020 Season
First A Huge Thanks • KBNWRC Field Crew – For all the work they do to support wetlands and waterfowl • Everyone that called or emailed to get information • Feedback and questions we received for this report • CWA for continued support with banding, disease management, and advocacy as well as completing the Fry’s Island wetland improvement project and the Panhandle Walking Wetland • Ducks Unlimited for continued advocacy and support with infrastructure upgrades • BirdAllyX for support with botulism rehabilitation efforts • CalOre for their continued advocacy for the refuges and their support during the botulism clean up
Setting the Stage for this Discussion
• Our refuges continue to face the greatest threats they have experienced since the 1920’s and we are seeing the lowest waterbird
populations in both refuges history
• Our goal is to increase the staging population of migrating waterfowl on LKNWR and TLNWR
• We want to increase the value of these refuges throughout the year but specifically see increasing populations during the breeding and
fall migration periods
• We are doing this by trying within the limitations we are dealing with to bring habitat online equitably (Sanctuary/Hunt)
– Provide birds habitat options
– Provide hunter opportunity
Simply Put Water is Everything • Recent publications by Intermountain West Joint Venture indicate the biggest limiting factor for fall migrating waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway is the availability of water on Public Managed Lands. (https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.2758 and • https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.15010)) • The current biological opinion has effectively modelled LKNWR out of the fall migration picture and reduced water deliveries to a level that proper waterfowl and wetland management is impossible • Even in the best of the recent water years delivery of water has been 50% or less of the volume needed to properly manage the LKNWR for waterbirds • Water deliveries continue to come to late to effectively match habitat with migration chronology • Without appropriate water deliveries waterfowl populations are going to continue to struggle and this directly impacts hunting opportunities • Everyone has their issues with refuge management but if the water issue is not fixed nothing else matters
Importantly
• Habitat and water management are based on waterbird needs first
• When compatible with refuge purpose we try provide recreational opportunities to multiple user groups
– Consumptive Users (waterfowl and pheasant hunters)
– Non-Consumptive Users (bird watchers, photographers, etc.)
• We understand that not every decision is going to be supported, hunters need to understand we cannot implement every idea we receive
• We hope that meetings like this help alleviate some of the anxiety and frustration and help you better understand what we are doing
Your Input Matters and We Implement Your Ideas
and Address Concerns When and Where We Can
• We fixed access and boat launch for 8B
• We have installed new structures to help with
flooding on TLNWR lease lands
• We have implemented a new coop and lease
land program at TLNWR to promote more
flooding flexibility
• We have adjusted Coop agreements to
address leave concerns
• Road grading has increased
• Frey's Island restoration was completed
• Invasive species control has expanded and we
are making headway on several issues
• We have developed new grazing agreements
to help with pheasant nesting and fall cover
• We have increased access and opportunities
for pheasant hunting
• We have opened new early goose
opportunities at Upper Klamath NWR
Are These Making a difference?
General Complaints We Have Heard This Year
• WATER –
– TLNWR fields not staying flooded and we are not bringing enough grain
online
– We are flooding to much of TLNWR. It is ruining goose hunting and
impacting dry feeding by mallards and pintails
– Flooding grain is changing bird behavior, especially roosting areas
• Grain Leave Program
– We are not following policy
– Off refuge agreements are ruining hunting
• Afternoon hunt days
– We should get rid of PM hunt days
– We don’t have enough PM hunt days
• We are mowing wetlands wrong
• Winter Cereals
• Row Crops Especially Onions
I will try and address all of
these in this report
In General 2019/2020
• Despite worries of poor water supply LKNWR saw decent water delivery
• Despite good water delivery and abundant food, TLNWR again experienced low waterfowl numbers
• The 2019/2020 hunt season could be defined by fair bird numbers, poor hunting, and frustrated hunters
Similar to 2018/2019 we were dealing with a limited amount of habitat coming on line each week. Restricted flood capacity
limits bird feeding options and hunter options. The result is birds experienced heavy pressure and quickly shifted to nocturnal
feeding patterns
Concentrated food + Concentrated water + heavy hunting pressure
=
Nocturnal feeding behavior
Lower Klamath NWR • Water Report • Fall Waterfowl Population • 2020/2021 Outlook
Lower Klamath NWR
Fall 2019 Water Delivery
• For the first time LKNWR was able to exercise its full use of the UKNWR (Barnes and
Agency) transferred water right and as a result produced a lot birds in Unit 2 and 6A
• Despite dire predictions in September LKNWR experienced a decent fall delivery of water
• D-Plant ran from September 19 to November 27 and the ADY ran from September through
November.
• D-Plant deliveries were ~ 14,000 AF (36% increase from fall 2018)
• ADY deliveries were ~ 43,000 AF (71% increase from fall 2018)
• Acres Flooded - ~19,500 acres (74% increase from fall 2018)LKNWR LKNWR Water Coverage 10/2/19 Water Coverage 10/21/19
LKNWR LKNWR Water Coverage 10/31/19 Water Coverage 11/13/19
LKNWR Water Coverage 12/17/19
Fall Population
• 6 aerial surveys were flown this past fall
• Peak fall duck population was 374,196 on Nov 13, 2019 (57% higher than 2018).
• Average duck pop’n over the hunt season was 176,680.
• Peak fall goose population was 28,123 on Nov 13, 2019 (54% lower than 2018)
• LKNWR is still far below the long term average and population goals established in
the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
*Population estimates only reflect survey days.Spring Peak Spring Peak
Fall Peak
Fall Peak
Spring Peak
Spring Peak
Fall Peak
Fall Peak* Population represents ducks counted during flight, actual population estimate is 2X observed number
* Population represents ducks counted during flight, actual population estimate is 2X observed number
* Population represents ducks counted during flight, actual population estimate is 2X observed number
* Population represents ducks counted during flight, actual population estimate is 2X observed number
* Population represents ducks counted during flight, actual population estimate is 2X observed number
LKNWR Summary • Water is the single biggest issue impacting waterfowl populations at LKNWR. • We can be frustrated about other issues observed at the refuge but until water deliveries improve things are not going to change • If we want to see waterfowl populations recover we need adequate and reliable summer deliveries to increase the amount of permanent wetlands on the refuge – Increases local production – Increases the visible attraction for migrating waterfowl – Provides better sanctuary areas for birds to avoid pressure – Increases flexibility in water to manage food resources more appropriately • If water deliveries do not improve waterfowl populations are not going to recover and the opportunity and quality of waterfowl hunting will continue decline
Outlook for 2020/2021 Season
• Summer 2020 is shaping up to be similar to 2001 and 2010. At this time there is a lot of uncertainty
regarding fall deliveries to LKNWR
• Delivery of the refuges transferred water right is uncertain at this time. If deliveries occur this should
maintain Unit 2 all summer and hopefully maintain Unit 3 through nesting and early brood rearing. Refuge
staff anticipate good waterfowl production in those units as long as the refuges water is delivered.
• Under the 2019 Biological Opinion LKNWR is modelled out of all river water deliveries until December
– December deliveries can be curtailed if the Central Tendency on Upper Klamath Lake elevations is not positive towards the lake
filling
– USBOR considers remaining project supply as “Discretionary Water” whether it is or is not used to support refuge water needs is
completely up to them
– As a result there is know way to predict if and how much water the refuge will receive through the ADY this fall but at the time of
this report there is a strong likelihood LKNWR will receive no water for the fall migration
• There is a good chance there will be no D-Plant water available for LKNWR due to the refilling of Sump 1B.
• We will try to fill White Lake with well water but at the time of this report the wells are not functional
• We do not know how much if any of the refuge we will have flooded for waterfowl season – or what that
could mean for access and opportunity.
• There will be a lot of grain, at this time it will likely not flood for the hunting seasonTule Lake NWR • Water Report • Waterfowl Population • 2020/2021 Outlook
Background Context • 1964 Kuchel dictates how much lease ground can be in specific crops – 1/3 can be in row crops (the crop and location of those crops is determined by producers) • Water on Lease Lands is controlled by TID and BOR, and the FWS collaborates with both parties on timing and delivery of water • Availability of coop lands for row crop production supports more flooding on the lease lands so it’s a balancing act • Currently distribution of row crops dictates when and where flooding can occur – The issue of subbing row crops is at this time the biggest factor influencing fall flooding on Tule Lake NWR • Similar to the 2018 drought conditions have again forced many producers into preventative planting and drought relief programs. The 2020 grain leave and fall flooding will be dictated by compensation payments derived from drought relief programs.
TLNWR TLNWR Water Coverage 10/2/19 Water Coverage 10/21/19
TLNWR TLNWR Water Coverage 10/31/19 Water Coverage 11/13/19
TLNWR Water Coverage 12/17/19
Fall Population
• Six aerial surveys were flown this past fall
• Peak fall duck population was 122,572 on December 17, 2019 (8% lower
than 2018)
• Average duck population during the hunt season was 64,572
• Peak Goose Population was 21,783 on November 13, 2019 (24% higher than
2018)
*Population estimates only reflect survey days.Fall Peak Fall Peak
Spring Peak
Spring Peak
Spring Peak
Spring Peak
Fall Peak Fall PeakBased on recent and proposed changes to the Refuges farming (consolidated leases, flood fallow, grain flooding) and hunting program (sanctuary and hunt area reconfigurations, afternoon hunting) refuge staff have been collecting bird distribution and habitat use data to determine the effectiveness or impacts of these efforts. All surveys are conducted in the afternoon to avoid disturbance bias (December afternoon hunt days are avoided). Data collected include: • Bird distribution over lease and coop land • Habitat use by type and species • Bird use by dry grain versus flooded grain • Bird use by access/use programs
TLNWR 2019/2020 Summary • Bird use was well distributed throughout the refuge • Duck use of the coop and lease lands was driven by flooded ground • Goose use of the coop and lease lands was not as heavily tied to flooding • New hunt/sanctuary configurations worked in providing birds an opportunity but did not seem to limit bird use of the rest of the refuge. However we need time to see if bird patterns and traditions shift • Tule Lake NWR waterfowl populations continue to be poor. The lack of habitat diversity and habitat quality are the biggest factors contributing to the long term decline in waterfowl populations
Outlook for 2020/2021 Season • Based on water availability and producer enrollment into drought programs there is a lot of uncertainty about what things will look like going into the fall • Sump 1B is currently being dewatered and should produce abundant seasonal plants, when and how fast it refills is unknown • Sump 1A will have water in the early season but it may be low • There will be many lots put into preventative plant grain programs (a lot of standing grain) • There will be a different configuration of where leave grain is located, it will not all be on A Dike • How much, if any water will be available to move through D-Plant to LKNWR is uncertain at this time • How much water will be available to flood grain especially early in the fall is uncertain
The Most Common Issues Brought to Our
Attention
• Flooding Grain
• Leave Strips
• Off Refuge Grain Leave and Flooding
• Wetland Mowing
• Afternoon HuntsThe Flooded Grain Issue Should the Refuges Flood Less Grain?
Dabbling Duck Species Composition and so the Importance of Flooded Grain is Different Between LKNWR and TLNWR
Looking at it More Closely Based on Species Abundance
and Feeding Preference Across the Hunting Season
Species Composition at LKNWR fall/winter 2019/2020
Ranking of Species during each survey at LKNWR fall/winter
9/24/2019 10/2/2019 10/21/2019 10/31/2019 11/13/2019 12/17/2019 2/21/2020 3/10/2020 2019/2020
AGWT 6.49% 6.46% 13.46% 14.33% 14.16% 0.64% 0.88% 8.69%
Late Sept Early Oct Mid-Oct Late Oct Mid-Nov Mid-Dec
AMWI 6.05% 22.40% 10.94% 13.47% 19.47% 64.13% 20.75% 8.66%
1 MALL AMWI NOPI NOPI NOPI AMWI
BWTE 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
2 NOPI MALL AGWT MALL AMWI MALL
CITE 0.08% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
3 GADW NSHO GADW AGWT AGWT NSHO
GADW 20.37% 16.92% 11.59% 1.24% 6.51% 0.00% 2.01% 3.42%
4 AGWT GADW AMWI AMWI MALL AGWT
MALL 34.32% 20.89% 9.16% 18.01% 6.61% 33.28% 5.31% 3.59%
5 AMWI NOPI MALL GADW GADW
NOPI 29.92% 13.07% 52.08% 52.85% 49.40% 0.00% 59.77% 47.20%
6 NSHO AGWT NSHO NSHO NSHO
NSHO 2.77% 20.26% 2.77% 0.10% 3.85% 1.96% 11.27% 28.44%
UDAB 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
2 of the top 3 species in the mid to late season may dry feed
Species Composition at TLNWR fall/winter 2019/2020
9/24/2019 10/2/2019 10/21/2019 10/31/2019 11/13/2019 12/17/2019 2/21/2020 3/10/2020
Ranking of Species during each survey at TLNWR fall/winter
AGWT 8.49% 4.71% 17.49% 3.93% 6.89% 0.00% 1.39% 7.73% 2019/2020
AMWI 5.56% 4.96% 30.94% 11.88% 26.66% 93.24% 27.99% 7.65% Late Sept Early Oct Mid-Oct Late Oct Mid-Nov Mid-Dec
BWTE 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1 MALL NSHO AMWI NSHO NSHO AMWI
CITE 0.43% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 2 NSHO GADW NSHO GADW AMWI MALL
GADW 12.91% 26.03% 12.84% 23.37% 14.79% 0.06% 10.39% 16.24% 3 NOPI MALL AGWT AMWI GADW NSHO
MALL 26.39% 19.47% 2.35% 7.20% 5.41% 6.20% 18.62% 10.49% 4 GADW NOPI NOPI MALL AGWT GADW
NOPI 19.06% 16.81% 6.13% 6.32% 4.79% 0.00% 10.47% 1.51% 5 AGWT AMWI MALL NOPI MALL
NSHO 26.35% 28.02% 30.24% 47.30% 41.47% 0.50% 31.15% 56.37% 6 AMWI AGWT GADW AGWT NOPI
UDAB 0.79% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Top 3 species in the mid to late season not as likely to dry to feed and
more attracted to flooded areas.Should We Change Grain Flooding Program? • Based on species composition at TLNWR reducing flooded grain or pushing grain flooding later into the year might impact hunter opportunity for ducks • Based on species composition at LKNWR there may be justification to push fall flooding of grain later into the year. However, in recent years the availability of dry grain has not been limiting. Despite availability of dry grain we are not observing dry feeding by ducks. • With changes in hunt area locations flooding does not seem to be limiting dry field (goose and/or duck) hunting opportunities as much as it did in past years • At LKNWR grain flooding could be pushed back until later in the winter. Due to the limited volume of water (11,000 AF Dec-Feb) and the uncertainty of additional water there is a risk that pre-irrigation would not occur if the refuge bypasses grain fields. This would limit grain production the following year. • Seasonal wetland habitat is limited at LKNWR, the refuge has to flood alternative food resources to support migrating populations
Leave Strips
• Fall 2019 saw poor leave areas on LKNWR
• There were extenuating circumstances that caused this but the issue at
LKNWR is being fixed
• TLNWR is different based on changes we are making to coop and lease
land programs
– Grain leave can move around. Farmers can trade lots and leave strips can be in
lease lots as a result of these trades. Producers have flexibility to harvest grain
or rotate row crops through coop fields depending on their agreement
– This increases flooding flexibility, distributes birds throughout the refuge, and
provides producers more flexibility on crop rotationsOff Refuge Trade Program • This is not new. Off refuge trade began in the early 2000’s as the walking wetland program developed • Off refuge trade does not influence off refuge flooding. KDD and the Keno area have a fall/winter water right. These lands have always flooded in the fall and winter and they will continue do so regardless of refuge involvement through the cooperative farming program. • Off Refuge trade has increased the acres of flooded habitat in the summer available for nesting birds • Off refuge flooding compliments the refuge especially in dry years and helps attract and maintain migrating populations that would otherwise bypass the refuges. • The off refuge program can increases the amount of seasonal and permanent wetland habitat available in the KDD and Keno area as a result of farmers putting ag land through an organic flood fallow. • The off refuge program can result in standing grain off refuge but it does not effect leave on refuge. Producers are still required to leave 25% minimum grain, off refuge leave is additive to the required refuge leave based on the competition for refuge land. • Refuge staff do not direct or manage the off refuge grain flooding, the program simply requires producers to flood off refuge trade ground during the fall / winter.
Does The Off Refuge Program Effect Refuge Bird
Use?
• Most likely yes. In recent years the amount of flooded land off refuge is greater
than the refuge flooded area due to poor refuge water deliveries.
• Many see this a negative but the reality is until the refuge receives adequate water
deliveries the off refuge ground is providing 50% or more of the fall migration
habitat.
• Without this flooded ground birds would have little reason to stay on or around
LKNWR
• At this time partnerships with off refuge producers provide the greatest opportunity
to benefit fall migrating waterfowlWetland Mowing • Mowing is done to address plant community issues and help with plant succession in seasonal and permanent wetlands • Mowing helps create openings for birds to access the wetlands when they start to flood and stimulates invertebrate populations • Mowing tries to compliment the hunting program but is not done for the sole purpose of creating hunter openings • Mowing of seasonal wetlands is a new addition to the LKNWR management program and we are working to make it better each year but we have limited time and equipment to accomplish it all.
Afternoon Hunts
PROS CONS
• Provides a limited opportunity to hunt birds in • Increases pressure on a limited number of birds
the afternoon • Opens afternoon sanctuary to disturbance which
• A tradition of afternoon hunting has developed reduces opportunity for birds to access the entire
• Afternoon hunts can better match weather refuge during afternoon feeding periods
events that increase bird movement • Reinforces nocturnal feeding behavior
• Maybe a good recruitment tool due to • Impacts hunter opportunity the following days
opportunity and success during those
opportunities
The question we need to ask about afternoon hunts is, do we want to increase the quality of
hunting opportunities or the quantity of hunting opportunities?Changes Coming
• Opening day of waterfowl season will be different for Oregon and California. Opening day in Oregon
will be October 10 and California will be October 3.
– This will change the dates for the pre-season youth hunts. Please consult State regulation
booklets for actual dates.
– We will conduct the opening weekend draw for the Straits, see more below.
• Upper Klamath Lake NWR has been opened for the Oregon September Canada goose hunt. Dates to
be posted.
– Oregon Straits will not be open for this hunt due to unpredictable crop harvest.
– Klamath Marsh NWR will not be open for this hunt due to lack of appropriate habitat.
• Pre-season youth waterfowl hunt – we received several requests to change the number of days or
the hunt hours for this hunt. At this time we will not be making any changes to the youth hunt.
– As a side note, we recommend that adults bringing youth view the habitat maps prior to the hunt, we
anticipate habitat to be very limited this fall.Changes Continued. . . • Post-season federal veteran/active military waterfowl hunt days have been implemented by the states. These hunt days will be open for veterans and active military only, hunters are required to show proof of eligibility in the field. Please refer to the state regulation booklets for specific dates. • New ADA waterfowl blind – we are in the process of building a new ADA hunting blind on Lower Klamath NWR in unit 6A. The blind will be wheelchair accessible, have close parking, and will accommodate up to 4 hunters. All existing registration and reservation rules will apply. • Late season afternoon hunts will be removed from the waterfowl program. In the previous slides we have shown the impacts lack of habitat has on birds using our refuges, this in turn affects the quality of hunting. We have observed an increase in nocturnal feeding during the late season attributed to limited sanctuary in the afternoon; we have also observed a significant decline in the harvest success on regular hunt days. As wildlife managers we must look at the impact to the birds as well as to the quality of your hunting opportunities and it is our job to adjust where we can. I assure you this decision was not made lightly and we understand it will not be a popular one, however, we feel it is necessary at this time. If resources increase and habitats change in the future we can revisit the afternoon hunts.
Changes Continued. . .
• Daily draws may change for this season. We expect to have field blinds arranged similar to previous
years to provide those opportunities and the same 10 party limit for Sump 1B. Unfortunately, there is
a lot of unknown at this time related to COVID-19 restrictions and how the State and the Service will
handle recreation opportunities requiring groups gathering for draws. The management team has
discussed several options but it is too soon to make a final decision. Please stay tuned, we will have
more information as the time gets closer.
• Opening Weekend Draw
– We anticipate conducting opening weekend draws this year, including the Oregon Straits even though
opening weekend dates are different from California.
– We may be postponing the application start date until August 15th. This will allow us to assess possible
habitat issues that will affect draws specifically for Lower Klamath Marsh units and Sump 1B.
– At a minimum, the number of parties drawn this season will be greatly reduced. We will not know the
actual number of parties to be drawn for each area until September when we have a better idea of available
habitat.Changes Continued. . .
• Pheasant hunting field entry time – over the years, pheasant hunters have self-regulated and not
entered hunt units until shoot time (8:00 a.m.). In recent years more and more hunters are entering
fields to stage prior to shoot time, we understand hunters wanting to space out especially in the
early part of the season, however, this has caused some issues. After much discussion with law
enforcement, management has decided to enforce the original rule of no entry prior to 8:00 a.m..
As stated above due to changing habitat conditions as well as COVID-19 restrictions there may be more
changes coming. Please watch the hunter information web page as well as the Hunter Hotline for
information throughout the summer. If you have questions or would like to comment on anything in
this presentation please feel free to contact us.Hunt Map Tule Lake NWR
Hunt Map Lower Klamath NWR
Please Contact Us with Any Questions
Habitat Questions Hunting Questions
john_vradenburg@fws.gov stacy_freitas@fws.gov
530-667-8305 - Office 530-667-8308 - Office
575-517-7733 - Cell 541-891-5208- CellYou can also read
