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DRAFT McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge Turkey, Dove, Deer, and Elk Hunt Plan June 2019 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge Mid-Columbia River NWR Complex 64 Maple Street Burbank, WA 99323 Submitted By: Project Leader ______________________________________________ ____________ Signature Date Concurrence: Refuge Supervisor ______________________________________________ ____________ Signature Date Approved: Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System ______________________________________________ ____________ Signature Date Table of Contents I. Introduction……………………………...…………………………………………4 II. Statement of Objectives…………………..………………………………………..6 III. Description of Hunting Program……………………………………………….....7 A. Areas to be Opened to Hunting…………………………………...7 B. Species to be Taken, Hunting Periods, Hunting Access………….9 C. Hunter Permit Requirements (if applicable)……………………..10 D. Consultation and Coordination with the State…………………...10 E. Law Enforcement………………………………………………...11 F. Funding and Staffing Requirements …………………………….11 IV. Conduct of the Hunt Program….…………………………………………………11 A. Hunter Permit Application, Selection, and/or Registration Procedures (if applicable).………………………………………...11 B. Refuge-Specific Regulations ……………………………………..12 C. Relevant State Regulations ……………………………………….13 D. Other Rules and Regulations for Hunters…………………………14 V. Public Engagement A. Outreach Plan for Announcing and Publicizing the Hunt………...15 B. Anticipated Public Reaction to the Hunting Program ……………15 C. How the Public Will be Informed of Relevant Rules and Draft McKay Creek NWR Turkey, Dove, Deer and Elk Hunt Plan Page 2 Regulations……………………….………………………………15 VI. Compatibility Determination……………………………………………………..16 References ……………………………………………………………………….16 Appendix A, McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Umatilla County, Oregon. Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Elk, Deer, Turkey, and Dove Hunts...…………………………………………………………………….17 Appendix B, Draft Compatibility Determination for Turkey, Dove, Deer, and Elk Hunting...…………………………………………………………………….47 List of Figures Map A. McKay Creek NWR Hunt Map. …………………………………………………………………………………….8 Draft McKay Creek NWR Turkey, Dove, Deer and Elk Hunt Plan Page 3 MCKAY CREEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE DRAFT TURKEY, DOVE, DEER, and ELK HUNT PLAN I. Introduction National Wildlife Refuges are guided by the mission and goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS, Refuge), the purposes of an individual refuge, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (hereafter referred to as the Service or USFWS, interchangeable) policy, and laws and international treaties. Relevant guidance includes the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Refuge Recreation Act of 1962, and selected portions of the Code of Federal Regulations and the Service’s Manual. This refuge was established as the McKay Creek Bird Refuge on June 7, 1927, through Executive Order 4662. This executive order of President Calvin Coolidge reserved the McKay Creek Bird Refuge as a refuge and breeding ground for birds to be managed by the Department of Agriculture. The Public Land Order 1366, issued November 27, 1956 by the Secretary of the Interior withdrew additional public lands to enlarge the McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge (MCNWR) by 23.5 acres. On August 25, 1955, the Service and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) signed an agreement whereby the Service took over primary management of fish and wildlife resources. The agreement has been renewed over the intervening years and is still in effect. MCNWR is currently part of the Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex (MCRNWRC). The primary purpose of the refuge is to provide a “…refuge and breeding place for birds.” At establishment (1927), it provided critical open water wintering areas in an arid landscape dominated by free-flowing rivers and streams. The damming of the Columbia River and the conversion of upland sage-steppe and grassland to dryland and irrigated agriculture led to a boom of wintering waterfowl in the Mid-Columbia River region, particularly in the Oregon portion near the towns of Umatilla, Irrigon, and Boardman. The 1,837-acre refuge overlays McKay Creek Reservoir, a BOR storage facility, serving the irrigation needs of the Umatilla River Basin. Since establishment there has been no active management of the reservoir to attract wintering waterfowl, and use is largely limited to loafing on the open reservoir and some feeding on wetland plants that grow on its shoreline. A small seasonal wetland area where McKay Creek empties into the reservoir receives some waterfowl and other water bird use, but the refuge lacks any capability to actively manage the wetland habitat. The refuge features 379 acres of healthy shrub and tree riparian habitat that forms a contiguous linkage along McKay Creek from the headwaters in the Blue Mountains to the confluence with the Umatilla River. This area provides habitat for migratory land birds and other riparian- Draft McKay Creek NWR Turkey, Dove, Deer and Elk Hunt Plan Page 4 dependent species. This riparian forest is considered a high priority habitat for the refuge due to the limited presence of riparian habitats in the local landscape and the habitat linkages it provides. The mission of the NWRS, as outlined by the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (NWRSAA), as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), is to: “...administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.” The NWRSAA mandates the Secretary of the Interior in administering the System to (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(4): ● Provide for the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants, and their habitats within the NWRS; ● Ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the NWRS are maintained for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans; ● Ensure that the mission of the NWRS described at 16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2) and the purposes of each refuge are carried out; ● Ensure effective coordination, interaction, and cooperation with owners of land adjoining refuges and the fish and wildlife agency of the States in which the units of the NWRS are located; ● Assist in the maintenance of adequate water quantity and water quality to fulfill the mission of the NWRS and the purposes of each refuge; ● Recognize compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses as the priority general public uses of the NWRS through which the American public can develop an appreciation for fish and wildlife; ● Ensure that opportunities are provided within the NWRS for compatible wildlife- dependent recreational uses; and ● Monitor the status and trends of fish, wildlife, and plants in each refuge. Therefore, it is a priority of the Service to provide for wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities, including hunting and fishing, when those opportunities are compatible with the purposes for which the refuge was established and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System. On March 2, 2017, Secretary Zinke signed Secretarial Order 3347, Conservation Stewardship and Outdoor Recreation. Part of the stated purpose of Secretarial Order 3347 is to increase outdoor recreation and improve the management of game species and their habitat. Secretarial Order 3347 directs the Department of the Interior to identify specific actions to (1) expand access significantly for recreational hunting and fishing on public lands; and (2) improve recreational hunting and fishing cooperation, consultation, and communication with state wildlife managers. Draft McKay Creek NWR Turkey, Dove, Deer and Elk Hunt Plan Page 5 On September 15, 2017, Secretary Zinke signed Secretarial Order 3356, Hunting, Fishing, Recreational Shooting, and Wildlife Conservation Opportunities and Coordination with States, Tribes, and Territories. Part of the stated purpose of Secretarial Order 3356 is to increase outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans in greater collaboration with state partners, including opportunities to hunt. Waterfowl and upland bird hunting are currently permitted on MCNWR within the designated hunt area, on designated days and in accordance with Oregon State regulations. Upland bird hunting is favored; a lottery to manage hunter numbers for the opening weekend of the season is required and has been very popular. Upland bird hunters primarily hunt California quail and ring-necked pheasant. Fishing is probably the most popular wildlife-oriented activity on the refuge. In early spring, anglers fish for trout at the mouth of McKay Creek. By summer, anglers primarily target warm- water fish, mainly crappie, bass, perch and catfish. This hunt plan will provide visitors with additional recreational opportunities in an area where there are limited opportunities to hunt on public lands. II. Statement of Objectives The objectives of a turkey hunting program on McKay Creek NWR are to provide: ● The public with an opportunity to experience wildlife on more refuge lands and increase opportunities for hunters, especially for youth and families; ● An ideal species to offer additional hunting opportunities and greater alignment with the State as mandated by Secretarial Orders Number 3347 and 3356;

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