Wildlife Tracks

WILDLIFE TRACKS

The Quarterly Newsletter of the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society

December, 2018

Chapter Officers President: Pat Magee President’s Column Past President:

Tony Gurzick Dear Members and Colleagues, President Elect: I believe this will be my last column as Pres- Jesse McCarty ident of CCTWS. I wanted to share with Treasurer: you my deep affection for you all and my appreciation for the opportunity to serve as Nate Seward President for the last two years. Under my Secretary: term, the newsletters got a lot longer, we tidied up the bylaws, we supported several partnerships to benefit Colorado’s wildlife, we completed a position statement in support of our treasured pub- Chase Taylor lic lands, and we have become more financially secure now and in the future. Our current fund raising campaign will have an enduring impact on the organization for years to come. I appreciate the visionary donors who have contributed to this effort – many thanks to you all. I am also grateful to the CCTWS members who have served on the board. Many of these members have In This Issue: served for many years and they provide consistency, competency, and dedicated sacrifice of time Presidents Column, pages1-3 and energy to serve our society. What a truly remarkable group of people. I want to say thanks to Treasure’s Report, page 4 you delicious souls for your attention to detail, great ideas, and continued effort to make our society a vibrant source of professional development for all members. Thanks also to those who have Jim Olterman Scholarship, pages stepped up to serve in the next year. See the bios of all the candidates later in this newsletter and 5-6 please participate in our electronic elections in January. Annual Meeting, pages 7-12

The early bird registration deadline for the Call for Abstracts, pages 13-14 CCTWS annual meeting is December 15! Abstract Submission Form, pgs 15-16 2019 Annual Conference in Pueblo Photography Contest, page 17 While my term as President is coming to an end, there is still a lot to do and much to look forward Call for Awards, pages 18-22 to as we close in on the 2019 annual conference. This year we are heading to beautiful downtown Pueblo where the riverwalk graces the banks of the mighty Arkansas River. Events occur at the Small Grants Program, pg 23 Pueblo Convention Center from 29 January to 1 February 2019. This year we have an early bird registration option that will save you $30. The deadline is December 15! Please also Travel Grant News pgs 24-25 reserve your hotel room at the Courtyard Pueblo Downtown (immediately across the street from the Pueblo Convention Center) before January 7 when the $94 room rate expires. Board Candidates, Pages 26-30 For annual conference details including registration and hotel reservations, check out the CCTWS CCTWS Sponsorship, Page 31 web page: http://wildlife.org/colorado/meetings/annual-meeting/ Student Chapter Updates, pgs 32-35 Our conference theme, Fostering Sustainable Behaviors, is immensely relevant to most of the key challenges of 21st Century wildlife management. How do wildlife biologists effectively com- Board Members, page 36 municate our science and work with diverse stakeholders to prompt change. And this challenge is before us as society’s reverence for science seems to be waning. Fortunately innovative ap- Committees and Chairs, page 37 proaches such as community-based social marketing have been designed to get at the heart of change. At the conference this year we invited Doug McKenzie-Mohr, a 30-year veteran in the Membership Application, pg. 38 field of human behavioral change, to lead a full day workshop on Tuesday January 29.

Membership Updagte, page 39 Continued next page…..

PresidentTreasure’s Column,’s Report Cont.

The focus is on the five steps of community-based social marketing. Doug will also be our keynote speaker at the plenary session. Inspiration may be another route toward change and our second keynote address comes from the highly respected Rick Knight, Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Conservation. Our plenary session is full of excellent talks and case studies on effective communication, science advocacy, and insights regarding fostering behavioral changes.

Our annual meeting features two other workshops and a symposium on Wednesday January 30. Our full-day camera trapping workshop has already filled but we have unlimited access to the Great Plains Wildlife Man- agement Symposium on Wednesday morning, with an afternoon field trip for the first 25 that register. In the afternoon, we have an innovative communications workshop hosted by Dr. John Hausdoerffer, Dean of the School of Environment and Sustainability at Western Colorado University and Dr. Gavin Van Horn, Director of Cultures of Conservation at the Center for Humans and Nature. Both are accomplished authors and bring a unique perspective on developing a compelling message and telling a potent story.

On Wednesday night, we kick-off the conference with our annual networking social co-sponsored by Back- country Hunters and Anglers, an organization that has advocated tirelessly for public lands. This event will celebrate public lands and will feature a presentation by none other than Teddy Roosevelt. We’ll have appe- tizers and our good friends at the Brues Alehouse are providing beer for the event!

Following Thursday’s plenary session, we’ll enjoy a series of 5-minute IGNITE talks (be sure to submit an abstract to share your innovative idea), a poster session and reception, and we’ll wrap up the night with our annual banquet. With three dishes to choose from and more Brues Alehouse beverages, we’ll have a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. We’ll have a silent auction (let us know if you have items you’d like to donate) and our awards ceremony (please take time to nominate a colleague for a well- deserved award). The conference wraps up with contributed talks on Friday morning. Please submit an abstract and share your latest work. Deadline for abstract submission is December 15!

See the agenda later in this newsletter and find all the details for the annual conference at our website. http://wildlife.org/colorado/meetings/annual-meeting/

I gratefully recognize our current annual meeting sponsors and thank them for their support: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Brues Alehouse.

Grants for you! Please see the details provided in this newsletter for our small grants program. We offer one $1,000 grant for research or management, and a second $1,000 grant for an education project. We can also assist you with your travel. Small grant and travel grant applications are due on February 1, 2019. Also see details on our website: http://wildlife.org/colorado/small-grants/

Nominate a colleague Please see the call for award nominations later in this newsletter and find more details on our webpage (http:// wildlife.org/colorado/awards/). One of the wonderful things our society does is honor our members for their hard work, service, contributions, and excellence. Who do you know that deserves to be recognized. Please take time to submit a nomination.

Member Survey Thanks to our board member Andrew Don Carlos, who works with the Humans Dimensions group at CSU, you will have the opportunity to respond to a member survey very shortly. The feedback we get from this survey will be useful in how the CCTWS can better serve you through beneficial professional development opportunities. Please take the few minutes needed to respond to the survey – I thank you for your time and attention.

PresidentTreasure’s Column,’s Report Cont.

Our financial future My final paragraph focuses on the funding campaign we started in July of this year. I am grateful for the lead- ership of Rick Kahn and Dr. Clait Braun who both helped to launch our campaign and reached out to many colleagues and friends asking for support. I also thank Robin Olterman for her generous support and cooperation. The intention of this fund raising event is two-fold, first we hope to immediately endow the Jim Olter- man Scholarship to support the next generation of wildlife professionals. Jim Olterman was one of the most beloved wildlife biologists in Colorado and his legacy as a mentor, innovator, collaborator, and leader mixed with his down to earth personality and natural ability to make friends highlights why we are excited to honor him and his legacy through a permanent endowment. In addition to the scholarship, we are matching all Jim Olterman funds raised through our campaign with a generous donation from Candace J. Taylor and will collec- tively invest these resources in the Candace J. Taylor Colorado Wildlife Fund. This fund will grow over time and provide additional resources to benefit wildlife biologists in Colorado for years to come. Would you consider making a donation and being part of this historic opportunity to benefit future wildlife professionals? We’ve made great progress toward our fund raising goal of $24,000 but we still need to raise $14,000. Have you been intending to donate but haven’t done so yet? Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution that will change lives by empowering individuals to follow in the footsteps of Jim Olterman. You can find numerous ways to give later in this newsletter!

I hope to see all of you in Pueblo at the end of January! Have a wonderful holiday season!

Patrick Magee! (970-641-3959) President, Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society

Jim Olterman with Canada Lynx

Treasure’s Report

Please note that the CCTWS Board meeting minutes will no longer be published in the newsletter but will be posted on the CCTWS webpage. ------Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society Financial Update

The CCTWS is fiscally healthy and we maintain our required reserve funds. Based on bylaws, the chapter is required to keep approximately $35,135 in reserve throughout the 2018/19 fiscal year. Of the $39, 523.54 in our combined checking and savings accounts, this reserve represents 89% of our disposable in- come ($4,388.54). Of this at least $3500 is allocated but has not yet been spent. The money market account is poised to be invested in a longer term investment strategy after our fund raising campaign.

The organization remains healthy but our operating budget is tight. The numbers below might, on the surface, tell another story. Currently we have less than $1,000 of spendable funds.

Our current balances include:

Checking Account: $19,516.23 Savings Account: $20,007.31 Money Market Account (this is the Candace J. Taylor donation + new revenue from the Jim Olterman fund raising campaign): $48,801.40

Total assets: $88,321.94

Recent expenditures: $1400 for President’s travel to Cleveland, OH for TWS conference and $3,000 deposit for the Pueblo Convention Center

Recent revenues: $295 in membership credit from TWS and $30 new memberships.

4 Jim Olterman Scholarship Update

February 7, 2019 $24,000

$22,000

$20,000

$18,000

$16,000

$14,000 “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much” $12,000 Helen Keller

$10,000 $10,135 (42%) Dec 4, 2018 Would you consider making a gift? $8,000 $7,765 (32%) Nov 6, 2018 $6,840 (28%) Sep 28, 2018 $6,000 $10,135 (42% of fund raising goal) Sep 1, 2018 $4,000 37 donors $2,900 (12%) Aug 4, 2018 average donation = $281

$2,000 Jim Olterman Scholarship Fund Raising Goal FundRaising Scholarship JimOlterman $1,500 (6%) July 5, 2018 Thank you to all those who July 1, 2018 have made a contribution!

5 Jim Olterman Scholarship Update

Jim Olterman Scholarship: the path of a new wildlife biologist

Every penny counts. When you are in college, you have to think this way. Any part-time work you can find or scholarship application you can write. When I was a wildlife undergraduate at Western Colorado University and I first heard of the Jim Olterman Schol- arship, I was thinking dollar bills and not much else. The money would be helpful reducing my tution bur- den and mabybe free up some time to go hunting and fishing. I did not really think I would receive it, but it was worth a try.

Then I got the news, I was going to receive the award and scholarship, and the reality set it in. What did I win? Who is Jim Olterman? I began doing some research and talked to a few people that knew him. It became clear, Jim was a guy that loved wildlife and expressed that love through a life devoted to protecting and helping wildlife. A strong feeling set in. This scholarship was not just some dollar bills and a plaque, it was a responsibil- ity. I knew whereever my life took me I owed Jim and the wildlife of Colorado my utmost respect and advocacy.

As an undergraduate I was highly involed with our Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society and served as El Presidente. I also organized two trips to Willdife Conclaves in Texas and Califor- nia. I made the best of the opportunities that were available through The Wildlife Society. As I start my young career with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, I hope some day I can look back at my career and say that I helped leave wildlife in a better place than when I started, like Jim. Please join me in donating to the Jim Olterman Scholarship fund to continue Jim’s legacy and the legacy of Colorado’s wildlife.

Thanks,

Clayton BonDurant Saguache District Wildlife Manager

Annual Meeting

DRAFT AGENDA Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Conference Pueblo Convention Center Pueblo, Colorado 29 January to 1 February, 2019

Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Pre-Conference Workshop Community-based Social Marketing, a five step approach to motivating human behavioral change Presented by Doug MacKenzie-Mohr McKenzie-Mohr and Associates

The one-day introductory workshop provides an introduction to community- based social marketing and how it is being applied to foster sustainable behavior in wildlife conservation. Participants learn the five steps of community- based social marketing.

Cost: $100 for members, $175 non-members

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 Workshop Camera Trapping Workshop Workshop Organizers: Nathan Seward and Chris Mettenbrink 9:00-12:00 Wildlife non-invasive sampling with camera traps in the field Nathan Seward, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Kevin Blecha, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

12:00-1:00 Lunch provided at Pueblo Convention Center

1:00 – 5:00 Managing photographs and analyzing camera trap data Jake Ivan, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Eric Odell, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Eric Newkirk, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Cost: free with meeting registration (workshop limited to 25 people, must preregister)

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 Symposium Great Plains Wildlife Management Symposium organizers: John Hughes and April Estep 8:30 Welcome and Introductions

8:40 An Update on Lesser Prairie-chicken reintroduction efforts in Colorado Jonathan Reitz, Colorado Parks and Wildlife 9:00 Development of pollinator habitat in eastern Colorado Gerry Ohr, Double O Farms

Annual Meeting, Cont.

9:20 Use of fladry to deter coyote predation on black-footed ferrets Rebecca Much, Colorado State University

9:40 An update on sylvatic plague research and management in Colorado Dan Tripp, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

10:00 Break

10:20 Swift fox occupancy surveys in eastern Colorado Marty Stratman, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

10:40 An overview of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program in Colorado Dominic Barrett, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

11:00 Cooperative CPW/NRCS/PF Landowner Assistance Programs in Colorado Marina Osier, Natural Resources Conservation Service

11:20 Bird Conservancy of the Rockies conservation efforts in the Great Plains Adam Beh, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

11:40 Questions and discussion

12:00 Lunch provided at Pueblo Convention Center

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 Field Trip Great Plains Wildlife Management

1:00-5:00 pm Depart for field trip to Chico Basin Ranch (limited to 25 people, must preregister)

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 Workshop Writing into the Wild Dr. John Hausdoerffer, School of Environment and Sustainability, Western Colorado University, Dr. Gavin Van Horn, Director, Cultures of Conservation, The Center for Humans and Nature

Workshop is free and open to all. Registration for this workshop is not necessary. This workshop will engage participants in a sensory conversation with the wild worlds that flow around and through us. Gavin Van Horn and John Hausdoerffer, walking guides and co-editors of Wildness: Re- lations of People and Place, will lead the group through a series of invitations and writing prompts focused on slowing down, quieting overactive analytic minds, and deepening bodily attention to the wild landscape and other-than-human beings. The purpose of this workshop is to explore the relationship between inner and outer wilds, hone basic tools for attending to our senses, and make use of practical writing exercises that can awaken us to how our own stories are connected to place.

Annual Meeting, Cont.

Wednesday January 30, 2019 Opening Networking Event Celebration of Public Lands Co-Sponsored by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers

Featured Speaker: President Theodore Roosevelt – Conservation of wildlife and habitat on public lands (Presented by Joe Wiegand)

Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society Public lands Position Statement and Public lands testimonials

Birds of Prey

Food and adult beverages* *Sponsored by Brues Alehouse, Pueb- lo, CO

Thursday January 31, 2019 Plenary Session Graceful Transitions: Understanding Factors that Motivate Human Behavioral Change to Benefit Wildlife Conservation and communicating science to diverse stakeholders

Organizers: Patrick Magee, Tony Gurzick, and Andrew Don Carlos

8:15 am Welcome (Patrick Magee, President CCTWS)

8:30-9:30 Keynote Address Fostering sustainable behaviors using community-based social marketing (CBSM) Doug McKenzie-Mohr, McKenzie-Mohr and Associates

9:30-10:00 Keynote Address Can wildlife science inform conservation in an era of science skepticism? Dr. Rick Knight, Colorado State University, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Conservation

10:00-10:30 Strategic communication Lauren Truit, Human Dimensions Department, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

10:30-11:00 Break

11:00-11:30 Communicating wildlife science to diverse external audiences and the media Michelle Roche, SPIN

11:30-12:00 Communicating wildlife science to wildlife managers: Lessons learned from the National Wildlife Refuge System approach Natalie Sexton, Human Dimensions Branch Chief, USFWS

Annual Meeting, Cont.

12:00-1:30 Lunch and Business Meeting

1:30 Reconvene for afternoon session

1:40-2:00 Case Study 1: “Make it last” campaign Renny McKay, Communications Director, Wyoming Game and Fish

2:00-2:20 Case Study 2: America’s wildlife values – the social context of wildlife management Andrew Don Carlos, Research Associate, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University

2:20-2:40 Case Study 3: Is it easier to change human behavior or bear behavior? Stacy Lischka, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University

2:40-3:00 Case study 4: Storyshed for wildness and biodiversity John Hausdoerffer, Dean of School of Environment and Sustainability, Western Colorado University and Gavin Van Horn, Cultures of Conservation, The Center for Humans and Nature

3:00-3:25 Break

3:25-4:15 Panel: Graceful Transitions Moderator: Andrew Don Carlos Panel Committee – Andrew Don Carlos and Tony Gurzick Panelists: Doug McKenzie-Mohr, McKenzie-Mohr and Associates Rick Knight, Colorado State University, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Conservation Michelle Roche, SPIN Renny McKay, Wyoming Game and Fish Lauren Truit, Human Dimensions Department, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Natalie Sexton, Human Dimensions Branch Chief, USFWS Gavin Van Horn, Cultures of Conservation, The Center for Humans and Nature

Thursday January 31, 2019 IGNITE Session

4:15-5:15 IGNITE session

Thursday January 31, 2019 Poster Session, Reception, Banquet, Auction, Awards

5:30-6:30 Reception and Poster Session

Annual Meeting, Cont.

6:30-10:00 Banquet, awards and auction

Friday February 1, 2019 Contributed Papers Session

8:30 -12:00 Contributed papers

11:50 Student poster and paper awards

12:00 Conference concludes

12:30 CCTWS Board Meeting, Brues Alehouse

Thanks to our sponsors

Annual Meeting Sponsors

The Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society thanks its 2019 annual meeting sponsors

Would you also like to sponsor the meeting? Please contact: Patrick Magee!, 970-641-3959 [email protected]

Call for Abstracts

Call for Abstracts Presentations, Posters, and IGNITE The Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting: January 30 to February 2, 2019 Pueblo, Colorado

We invite you to present an oral presentation (traditional format) or poster on the topics of wildlife research, ecology, management, conservation, education, or policy at the 2019 annual meeting of the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society. All topics are welcome, and we strongly encourage students to present. All student presentations will be considered for the “best presentation” and “best poster” awards, which include a gift certificate and recognition at the end of the conference. Traditional oral presentations: 20 minutes allotted for each presentation (15-18 minutes for presentations followed by 2-5 minutes for questions and answers). Oral presentations are limited to Microsoft PowerPoint or Adobe PDFs. No other formats will be accepted. Presentations must be uploaded at the beginning of the session in which you will present. Poster presentations: maximum dimensions are 4 feet by 4 feet in size. Easels will be provided. At this year’s conference, we will schedule a formal poster session before the banquet, allowing presenters more time to discuss their work with conference participants. Attendance at the poster session is required for presenters. IGNITE presentations: These “To the Point” sessions have been an exciting new staple in recent conferences, and provide a great plat-form for members to quickly share updates and information that don’t require a full 20-minute presentation. Ignite-style talks include automated slide progression condensing the talk to 5 minute! Talks can be funny, inspirational, or informative, but should all strive to be engaging and entertaining. Please see additional formatting information below if you are interested in an IGNITE presentation.

Abstract submission deadline: Saturday, December 15, 2018 Options for submitting abstract: Submit abstracts as Microsoft Word attachment to Marcella Fremgen at Marcel- [email protected]. Provide all the required information in one Word document, or use fillable PDF. Provide the presentation title, author name(s), author affiliation(s), presenter address, and presenter e-mail. Be sure to indicate which author is presenting at the meeting, and indicate if the presenter is a student. Download, complete, and submit the fillable Abstract Submission PDF available at the CCTWS meeting website.

Call for Abstracts

IGNITE-STYLE SESSION:

Format and Additional Details

The Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting: January 30 to February 2, 2019 Pueb- lo, Colorado

Are you currently involved in creative new research? Do you have an interesting case study to share? Do you have a passion for a new perspective or methodology in wildlife management or conservation?

Ignite-Style Presentations: These “To the Point” sessions have been an exciting new staple in recent conferences, and provide a great plat-form for members to quickly share updates and information that don’t require a full 20-minute presentation. Ignite-style talks include automated slide progression condensing the talk to 5 minute! Talks can be funny, inspirational, or informative, but should all strive to be engaging and entertaining. Please see additional formatting information below if you are interested in an IGNITE presentation.

Presentation Guidelines: 20 slides – no more, no less 5 minutes – each slide displays for 15 sec. (15 sec. x 20 slides = 5 min)

Submission Information: To be considered for an Ignite-Style Talk slot, please submit the standard abstract submission form to Marcella Tarantino at [email protected] by December 15, 2018.

For Additional information about Ignite-Style Talks: • http://www.slideshare.net/IgnitePhoenix/ignite-presentation-tips-1524584 Why give an Ignite talk? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGENcskRGRk#t=88 Want to see some example Ignite presentations? Go here: http://igniteshow.com/ Ignite Slideshow Tips • Keep it simple: use relevant images/photos and a few key words to capture the idea you’re trying to convey. • Bullets and text: avoid using lots of text. If necessary, use brief 1‐3 word statements. • Timing: slides advance every 15 seconds, so avoid cramming too many topics or ideas into one slide. Instead, give yourself breathing room by spacing ideas and topics across multiple slides. You have 20 slides, so don’t be afraid to use them. • Final suggestion slide: we highly recommend that your last slide be a “Next Steps” or Call to Action slide.

Abstract Submission

Photography Contest

Photography Contest The Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting: January 30 to February 2, 2019 Pueblo, Colorado

We invite you to submit a photograph at the 2019 annual meeting of the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society, to be judged by popular vote. Photographs can be from work or recreation, and cat- egories include Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish; Birds; Invertebrates; Mammals; Game Camera; Hu- man Dimensions; Landscapes and Still Life (including flora); and Creative/Comedic. Each conference attendee may submit up to three photographs. Winners will receive a prize. To submit a photograph, please print your photograph in an 8 x 10” format and drop it off at the registration table when you check in for the conference, and bring a submission form. Label the back of the photograph with the following information: category, photograph title, entrant’s name, phone number, and e-mail. Photographs cannot be framed or displayed on a mat board. Please also send a digital copy to Marcella Fremgen at [email protected] and provide the following information with your submission.

Photographer

Photographer’s con- E-mail address: tact information Phone number: Physical address: Photograph Infor- Title: mation Genus/Species: Description:

Is photo edited?: Category Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish Birds Invertebrates Mammals Game Camera Human Dimensions Landscapes and Still Life (including flora) Creative/Comedic Other information Is subject a captive animal or cultivated plant? ð Yes ð No Does photograph adhere to ethical field practices?* ð Yes ð No See ethical field practices of photography from the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) standards (http://www.nanpa.org/advocacy/ethics/).

Call for Awards

Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society Call for Awards Take some time today to nominate someone who is deserving of one of the many CCTWS awards!

Awards to be presented in 2019 include: Douglas L. Gilbert Award for Outstanding Achievements in Wildlife Sciences Professional Achievement in Wildlife Administration Professional Achievement in Wildlife Research Professional Achievement in Wildlife Habitat Management Honorary Chapter Membership Allen E. Anderson Award for Outstanding Wildlife Undergraduate Student Chapter Service Award Meritorious Service Award

Blown Blunderbuss Award

Chase Taylor receiving the 2018 Blown Blunderbuss Award and Scott Wait accepting the 2018 Douglas L. Gilbert Award for Outstanding Achievements in Wildlife Sciences.

For details, visit our website (http://wildlife.org/colorado/awards/)

Nominations due to Michelle Cowardin ([email protected]) by December 21, 2018.

Call for Awards

Student Awards – Call for nominations and applications!!

STUDENTS Will you have completed at least 2/3rds of the credits required for graduation and a member of TWS? If so, you could be one of the few to receive the Jim Olterman Award! That’s an awesome honor, an additional $500, and a plaque to go along with the recognition at the 2019 CCTWS annual meeting. Please see the Jim Olterman Award link on the CCTWS Webpage http://wildlife.org/colorado/ awards/ Send your resume, current transcript, and a short essay to Jesse McCarty @ jes- [email protected] or call 719-655-6110 for more details.

PROFESSIONALS Do you know of an outstanding undergraduate wildlife student that desires some recognition?? Please nominate them! If awarded they receive the prestige of a personalized plaque, name on the traveling plaque, and a special book selected by the CCTWS. This kinda thing can spring a fledg- ling biologist into the career field as a resume builder. All we need are current transcripts, resume, and two letters of recommendation. Students can assist in the process. Please see the Alan Anderson Award link on the CCTWS Webpage http://wildlife.org/colorado/ awards/ Send the necessary info to Jesse McCarty @ [email protected] or call 719-655-6110 for more details.

Call for Awards

ALLEN ANDERSON OUTSTANDING WILDLIFE STUDENT AWARD REQUEST FOR NOMINATIONS

The Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society (CCTWS) is seeking nominations for the Allen Anderson Outstanding Wildlife Student of the Year award, which recognizes an outstanding undergraduate student at a Colorado college or university. Any undergraduate student is eligible to receive the award; preference will be given to students in wildlife and wildlife related programs. Any professional may nominate students. The student’s transcripts and resume are required as part of the submission materials, which may necessitate involvement of the student in the nomination process. Nominations will be evaluated with respect to academic excellence, applied wildlife-related experience, and extracurricular activities.

The award will consist of a personalized award plaque, inclusion of the student’s name and year of award on a traveling perpetual plaque (which will be displayed at the student’s educational institu- tion for one year), and a wildlife-related book that CCTWS will select. The awardee will be recognized at the 2019 CCTWS Annual meeting. APPLICATION PROCEDURE Nominators/students must submit the following materials for evaluation: 1. A current transcript of all completed coursework. 2. A resume describing the student’s extracurricular wildlife-related activities, including employment, volunteer work, participation and service in wildlife-related organizations, or self-directed activities. The resume should include an email address, mailing address, and telephone number.

3. Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the student’s wildlife activities.

Incomplete applications will be rejected.

All materials must be submitted to the email or address below by January 4th, 2019.

SEND APPLICATION MATERIALS TO: Jesse McCarty Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society 46525 US Highway 114 Saguache, CO 81149 [email protected] (electronic submissions preferred)

If you have questions about the application process, please contact Jesse McCarty at 719-655-6110 or via email [email protected]

Call for Awards

2019 Jim Olterman Scholarship Award – Request for Applications

The Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society (CCTWS), in cooperation with Robin Olterman, are requesting applications for the 2019 Jim Olterman Scholarship Award, to honor Jim and his contributions to Colorado’s wildlife legacy.

The Jim Olterman Scholarship Award is offered annually to encourage and support an upper- level Colorado college student in the pursuit of a career in wildlife biology and management. The recipient will receive $750 and a plaque, and will be recognized at the 2019 CCTWS Annual meeting.

Jim Olterman, a Colorado Division of Wildlife Senior Terrestrial Biologist and pilot, died in a plane crash on September 4, 2002, while conducting aerial fish stocking operations in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southeastern Colorado. During the crash, Jim’s actions saved the life of a CDOW hatchery technician flying with him. Jim was born and raised in Kingsport, Tennessee where he gained a deep appreciation for the outdoors in general and wildlife in particular while hunting, fishing and exploring the backwoods of his aunt’s farm. In 1964, Jim headed west to enroll at Colorado State University where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Biolo- gy. In 1968, he joined the U.S. Army and later left the service as a decorated Vietnam Veteran. During his early years in the army, Jim learned to fly and flying quickly became one of the great passions of his life. After his time in the service, Jim received a Master’s in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University. Jim led a spectacular career of 30 years in the CDOW. Starting our as a District Wildlife Manager in 1972 he successively assumed the positions of Wildlife Biologist in Montrose, Senior Terrestrial Biologist in the Southwest Region, and finally Senior Terrestrial Biologist for the western slope. He was also a fully commissioned peace officer and a Division pilot frequently flying survey, radio tracking, stocking, transport and law enforcement operations for the agency. Jim played an integral role in bringing desert bighorn sheep into Col- orado, and moose, lynx and game birds into the southwestern part of the state. He was also an active supporter of the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society and the parent organization, The Wildlife Society. He served on the CCTWS Executive Board in 1979 and 1980 and encouraged his colleagues and employees to be active members of this and other professional organizations.

Jim’s main passions in life were the wildlife resources, fishing, flying and above all, his family: daughters Lara and Sally, son Tandy and his wife Robin. Robin claims that no one “new” rode in Jim’s plane without hearing of his family. Shortly after his death, Sally gave birth to a daughter: Abigail James.

Rick Kahn, CDOW Wildlife Management Supervisor, a colleague and close friend of Jim’s, once stated so well: “Jim was proud to live in Colorado, proud to be a wildlife biologist in this great state and proud to be part of the wildlife family. He was an inspiration to many who knew him. He was passionate about the resource and the people who appreciate it. Jim Olterman epit- omized the professional wildlife biologist; he lost his life while doing the job he truly loved.”

Continued Next page….

Call for Awards

Jim Olterman Scholarship Award , APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

You must meet the following criteria to be considered for the Jim Olterman Scholarship Award:

You must be a member of either The Wildlife Society or the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Socie- ty. (You may submit a membership form with payment to the Colorado Chapter of TWS when submitting your scholarship application if you are not currently a member. Please see attached membership application.)

By December 2018, you must have completed two-thirds of the credits required for graduation with a Bachelors Degree in Wildlife Biology or Management or a related natural resource field.

The application consists of the following materials:

1.A current resumé. 2.A current transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) indicating your current number of credits and grade point average. 3.Two letters of reference. One reference shall be from a professor familiar with your academic ca- pabilities and accomplishments. The second reference shall be from a supervisor whom you worked for in a natural resources-related position (volunteer work is acceptable). A short essay (1-2 pages in length) describing (1) your interests in the biological field, (2) your career goals and how they relate to wildlife management, and (3) how you would use the award to further your professional development.

Please direct questions to Jesse McCarty: 719-655-6110, [email protected] Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications must be submitted to the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society electronically no later than January 4th, 2019. Please submit applications to:

Jesse McCarty [email protected] (subject line must include Jim Olterman Memorial Scholarship)

Small Grant Program

The Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society is pleased to announce its Small Grant Program for 2019. The purpose of the program is to encourage and support those projects that have a direct impact on the management and conservation of wildlife and promote wildlife education. For 2019, the chapter is offering two grants for projects that focus on research and management or projects that focus on wildlife education. One grant will be awarded to a research and management project and one grant will be awarded to an education project. The chapter is accepting applications from both members and student members of the chapter. For more details regarding application re- quirements, please visit our website at

http://wildlife.org/colorado/small-grants/

We encourage the winners of these grants to present their projects at the winter meetings.

The deadline for applications is February 1st, 2019. These grants will be awarded by March 1, 2019. Applications can be emailed to [email protected] or can be submitted by mailed to: Chris Mettenbrink 5222 Longs Peak St. Brighton, CO 80601

Travel Grant Announcement

CCTWS Travel Grant Announcment

The Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society is now accepting applications for its Spring Travel Grant Program. The purpose of the CCTWS Travel Grants Program is to assist with travel costs for CCTWS members attending meetings or workshops that further their professional knowledge and benefit management and conservation of wildlife in Colorado. CCTWS will award two travel grants in the amount of $500 each. The applications guidelines are as follows: • Identify the training opportunity, meeting, or conference that would be helpful for your occupation or education as a wildlife professional or student CCTWS member.

• Type up a ½ to 1-page description of the meeting, telling the CCTWS Board the goals of the conference or training and describing how you would like to use this experience for your occupation or education. Be sure to explain how this meeting would be a valuable contribution to your employment or education as a Wildlife Professional.

• Include your name and contact information (phone number and email).

• Only current members of the Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society are eligible for these grants.

• Applications for Spring Travel grants are due by February 1st, 2019. Winners will be notified by March 1st, 2019.

Please email applications to Awards Coordinator Chris Mettenbrink as a Word or PDF document to [email protected]. Or mail them to: Chris Mettenbrink Colorado Parks and Wildlife 4207 W. CR16E Love- land, CO 80537

Travel Grant Report

CCTWS Travel Grant Report – TWS Conference in Cleveland, OH November 7-11, 2018

I’m excited to share my experience from the annual TWS conference in Cleveland, OH. This was my first TWS conference, and I tried to take in as many opportunities available as possible. The hardest part about the week was trying to decide which talks and events to attend; it seemed like at any given moment there were at least 3 events I wanted to participate in!

I focused on attending research and poster presentations to help inform my graduate project on northern leopard frog populations in the Gunnison Basin region. One of the highlights of the conference was the research presentation by Adam Duarte, a PhD student at OSU, who was analyzing Oregon spotted frog data I had collected as a seasonal field technician from 2013-15 while working for the USGS in Oregon. The opportunity to see the analysis and results of field work I had performed was extremely gratifying and informative.

Another great experience was staffing the Western Colorado University booth to promote Western and the MEM program. It was fun to spend time at the booth to share my experiences and answer questions about life as a graduate student at Western, and to hear what other people are looking for in their continuing education. This opportunity to focus on continuing education in wildlife research facilitated genuine connections with other students and professionals.

In addition to the research and poster presentations, the night with “another kind of wild life” at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was a great experience that I would love to revisit. I also enjoyed the Student Chapter Leaders Lunch sponsored by the Boone and Crockett Club, the student-professional networking event, Wini Kessler’s Aldo Leopold Keynote Address, and the Women of Wildlife Reception. The support of the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society Fall Travel Grant is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing and expanding my membership with TWS into the future!

Picture captions: Master in Environmental Management students working the Western Colorado University sponsorship booth between sessions.

Clarinda Wilson feeling the love at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame TWS networking event.

Clarinda Wilson Master in Environmental Management Integrative and Public Land Management Track Western Colorado University

Board Candidates

Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society 2019 Board Member Candidates

The Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society members are encouraged to vote in the upcoming election. Electronic voting will open in mid-January for 10 days. Please see our board candidates for 11 elected seats below. If you are interested in serving on the board please contact a current board member.

Special thanks to Steph Durno and Krysten Zummo-Strong who served as board members in 2018. Both moved and resigned their positions on the board. We greatly appreciate their service. Also long-time board member, Chris Mettenbrink, will be stepping down at the end of the fiscal year. Chris has managed registration for the annual meeting and coordinated the small grants and travel grants programs. Tony Gurzick served as President for a two years and Past President for two more years. We greatly appreciate the service of our dedicated board members!

In November 2018, the CCTWS Board appointed a new President-elect to fill the shoes of our former President-elect who moved out of state. The new President-elect will assume the role of President beginning during the 2019 annual meeting.

PRESIDENT-ELECT (2018): Jesse McCarty Jesse is a native of Colorado and a Veteran. This patriot was born in Montrose, but left the state for Washing- ton after serving in the US Navy. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Resource Management with an emphasis on Wildlife Conservation from the University of Washington in 2010. Jesse has worked for the US Forest Service since 2008 and currently serves as a District Wildlife Biologist on the Saguache Ranger District of the Rio Grande National For- est. Jesse was an active member in the UW student chapter of TWS and the Washington State Chapter. He was selected to serve as the President-Elect for the WA State Chapter in 2016, but transferred to CO later that same year to be closer to family. He has volunteered as the Student Awards Committee Chair since 2017 for CCTWS. The years as a FS Bio has broadened Jesse’s perspective on species management and conservation from focusing on predator ecology early on to snail and earth- worm management to night work with bats and owls; though his heart still reminisces on wolverines. Here pictured is Mallory, named for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest former Chelan District Biologist Mallory Lenz who passed in 2013 from her third round of cancer. She was just as tough as this young wolverine. Jesse lives on his mountain in Del Norte with his wife (also a US Navy vet) and two boys (Brayden 17 and JR 10), plays the fiddle just a little bit and brews beer to share.

Board Candidates, Cont.

NORTHWEST REPRESENTATIVE: Dr. Kathleen Griffin (candidate)

I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the Board as the NW Representative. For the past 7 years, I have been the Grouse Conservation Program Coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife working with greater sage- grouse, Gunnison sage-grouse, and Columbian sharp- tailed grouse. My experiences include working with a diversity of species (from turtles to fishers, red- cockaded woodpeckers, and spotted owls) in a wide variety of ecosystems. I received my PhD from University of Montana, a M.S. from Washington State University, and a B.S. from Humboldt State University in California. Most of my experience is focused on species management/conservation and making conservation work on-the-ground. As a Peace Corp Volunteer (Honduras 1991-1993), I certainly gained an understanding of the importance of involving the local stakeholders in order for conservation efforts to be sustainable for the long-term. Within this group, it’s probably fairly trite to say I enjoy the outdoors/ nature but it truly is the core of my being. I grew up exploring the SW deserts, rock hounding, and investigating every bit of nature with my father. In my endeavors closer to home, I find joy in growing and eating my own vegetables, and all types of biking – mountain biking, cyclocross racing, and road biking.

PRESIDENT-ELECT (2019): Nathan Galloway, PhD (candidate)

I am a wildlife biologist for the National Park Service, stationed in Fort Collins where I focus on the applied ecology of wildlife diseases. I completed my PhD at Colorado State University with a project on the genetics of a Colorado mule deer population with endemic chronic wasting disease. I grew up in Wyoming and spent several years working in microbiology labs on the east coast, but I am thrilled to be back in the West, and to be working on actual wildlife. When I'm not thinking about wildlife or serving as the resident handyman at home, I'm riding bikes, hiking, camping, or hunting, or some combination of these.

Board Candidates, Cont.

NORTHEAST REPRESENTATIVE: Kendra Cross (returning) Kendra has been an animal damage management biologist for 17 years working with various human- wildlife conflict projects on airports and within urban/suburban areas. She graduated in 1999 with a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources from West Virginia University. Entered the work force for the Maryland USDA APHIS Wildlife Services program in 1999 as a Biological Science Technician. In 2001, became the first airport wildlife biologist at Baltimore Washington International Airport working to protect aircraft and the flying community from damage as a result of wildlife strikes. Moved to Denver in 2005 to work at Denver International Airport (DIA) managing wildlife hazards. In 2009, Kendra started working as the state airport wildlife biologist with CDOT – Division of Aer- onautics to provide wildlife damage management services including training, technical assistance and direct control to the 76 general use airports in Colorado. Kendra currently oversees seven airport biologists that effectively manage wildlife and habitat for aviation safety. Currently, Kendra is serving as District Supervisor in Northeastern Colorado with USDA APHIS Wildlife Services and lives in Golden, CO.

SOUTHWEST REPRESENTATIVE: Aran Johnson (returning) My name is Aran Johnson and I work as a wildlife biologist for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. I grew up near Winona, MN along the Mississippi River. I’ve been a hunter and fisherman since I can remember, helped along by my grandfather, father and brother. I started my college career at the University of Wisconsin and transferred to the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay after one year to pursue a cross country skiing scholarship and subsequently graduated from UWGB in 1995 with a BS in Biology. In 1999 I was accepted to the University of Wyoming in the Coop Unit to study the response of riparian bird communities to logging practices in the Snowy Range near Laramie. I graduated with an MS in 2001. I stayed on with the Coop Unit for two more years as a research assistant having the chance to work on a variety of projects including investigating blood lead levels in young golden eagles and ferruginous hawks whose nests were near actively shot prairie dog towns in the Powder River Basin. In 2003 I accepted my current position with the Tribe. As a wildlife biologist with the Tribe I spend most of my time focusing on big game management, including designing and implementing habitat improvement and water development projects, flying annual classification flights and conducting research to better understand deer and elk migration patterns on and off of the reservation. I also assist with hunt management for tribal members for both on-reservation and off- reservation treaty area hunting. In my free time I enjoy skiing, cycling and of course hunting and fishing. My wife and I are having a great time showing our six year old daughter the joys of the outdoors!

AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER: John Hughes (returning) John Hughes is a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Wellington, Colorado. John has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wild- life Service for 15 years, and his professional interests include conservation and management of endangered species, rangeland ecology, and conservation of wildlife on private lands. John has a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology from the University of Montana, and a master’s degree in biology from Kansas State University. John is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and member of The Wildlife Society and is a lifelong hunter, birder, and hiker.

Board Candidates, Cont.

SOUTHEAST REPRESENTATIVE: April Estep (returning) I am excited for this opportunity to serve as the southeastern representative for CCTWS. I was born and grew up in northeastern Oklahoma learning about the outdoors in the crosstimbers and creeks. I attended Oklahoma State University, where I received my B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology and my M.S. in Natural Resources Ecology and Management. While at OSU, I spent a lot of time with the student chapter of The Wildlife Society and served as Secretary, Treasurer, and President. I moved to Colorado in 2007 and am a Terrestrial Biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife in the southeast region. I spend my days and nights in the field monitoring sensitive and threatened and endangered species. I enjoy spending time at home with my husband, Chris, and our two children, Emily and Nathan. When I’m not spending time with my family, I enjoy teaching tap and jazz dance at the local dance studio.

AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER: Marcella Tarantino (returning) I am a private lands range ecologist for Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, based in Gunnison, CO. My work focuses on enhancing Gunnison Sage-grouse habitat. I previously worked for Colorado Parks and Wildlife as a sage-grouse technician (some work with bighorn sheep and mule deer), several seasons with U.S. Forest Service, and a summer in Canada working on wolf-elk-aspen ecology. I volunteered with Intermountain Bird Observatory and U.S. Geological Survey on bird and botany research. I received my M.S. from Boise State University in 2015, where I studied winter habitat use and foraging ecology of Greater Sage-grouse in Idaho and Wyoming. My B.A. is in biology from Western State College of Colorado (2011), where I served on the board of the TWS student chapter when it first formed in 2010. At Boise State, I formed and led a brand new student TWS chapter. I am looking forward to continued involvement with TWS and to work with the state chapter. Outside of work, I enjoy fishing, backpacking, hiking, skiing, gardening, and spending time with family and friends now that I am back in my home state.

AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER: Andrew W. Don Carlos (returning) I’ve been a CCTWS member since 2011 and started serving as an at-large member of the board in 2015. I look forward to working with all of the dedicated people who have made CCTWS such a great organization for Colorado wildlife. I’m currently a Research Associate in the Human Dimen- sions of Natural Resources Department at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. My research, teaching, and outreach work is focused on the application of the social sciences to inform natural resource management, with an emphasis on understanding human interactions with wildlife. I’m currently the project manager for the America’s Wildlife Values project, a CSU led research initia- tive designed to assess public values toward wildlife in all 50 states. I also serve as the co-leader of a program developed with the Wildlife Institute of India to provide in-service training for Indian forest and wildlife managers. Prior to my current position at CSU, I’ve worked on applied social science research for a variety of local, state, and federal wildlife conservation agencies. I received a B.S. in Geography and Natural Resources from the University of Minnesota and an M.S. in Hu- man Dimensions of Natural Resources from CSU, where I’m currently pursuing a Ph.D. When I can get away from work I love to hunt, fish, hike, and camp. I also enjoy music (understatement), travel, sports, and trying to learn wildlife photography.

Board Candidates, Cont.

TREASURER: Nate Seward (returning) First of all, I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to serve the members of the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society. I grew up mainly in Ohio but lived for several years in Colorado Springs while my father taught at the Air Force Academy. I quickly earned a deep appreciation for natural resources while hiking around the foothills. After my family was transferred back to Ohio to Wright-Patterson Air Force base, I attended The Ohio State University earning a B.S. in wildlife management in 2000 and an M.S. in conservation biology from the University of Kentucky in 2003 – after school I high- tailed it back to Colorado! I worked for the USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services – National Wildlife Re- search Center (NWRC) in Ft. Collins for approximately 5 years studying chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis transmission among ungulates. Currently I work in Gunnison, Colorado, as a Ter- restrial Biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Most of my work focuses on Gunnison sage- grouse and working with private landowners to protect and enhance wildlife habitat. When I’m not writing conservation agreements, answering emails, or returning phone calls, I enjoy hunting, fly- fishing, and spending time with my wife, Kathleen, and three kids, Reilly, Rowan, and Drayden.

SECRETARY: Chase Taylor (returning) I’m happy to serve on the Colorado Chapter of The Wildlife Society Board and would like to thank you for the opportunity. I grew up in the dry semi-arid region of southeastern New Mexico chasing Horned-lizards around in the local caliche pits with my brothers. It was there I gained a great deal of exposure and appreciation for the outdoors and wildlife through fishing, hunting, and camping with my family. I first attended New Mexico State University where I worked on a B.Sci. in Rangeland Management and furthered my studies by attaining an M.Sci. in Ecology from Texas Tech Universi- ty. I studied the interactions of mule deer dam-fawn relationships and causes of death to accompany survival estimates in New Mexico. Prior to that, I worked as a rangeland specialist for the Natural Re- sources Conservation Service in Texas, while also working as an active prescribed burn contractor. I have spent time as an ecologist studying mule deer, elk, feral hogs, meso-carnivores and endangered plants. Over the last three years I moved into the private consulting sector and have performed biological work across much of the western, midwestern, and southern United States. I currently work as a Staff Ecologist with Pinyon Environmental Engineering Inc. in Lakewood, CO. My focus is per- forming biological and ecological assessments, T&E species clearances, wetland delineations, and writing technical and permitting documents for a variety of clients in the transportation, wind, oil & gas, and land management industries. Time will often find me hunting, hiking, fishing and getting away from the crowds, with my wife and our furry kids.

AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER: Vacant

Sponsorship Opportunities

PARTNERSHIP

In nautical usage, the term partner refers to securing and strengthening the framework

The CCTWS is actively cultivating partnerships and seeking sponsors to help further the great work we’re doing to benefit wildlife and wildlife professionals in Colorado. New partnerships help connect wildlife professionals with the agencies, institutions, companies and non-profits and the products and services they deliver. These connections also facilitate our partners’ great work for wildlife in Colorado. We have opportunities for partners to advertise in our newsletter and on our webpage or Facebook page as well as have a presence at our annual meeting. We’d like to explore a mutually beneficial relationship with your organization to further wildlife conservation in Colorado.

If you’re interested in participating in a new partnership opportunity or if you have ideas about potential partnerships, contact Patrick Magee! at 970-641-3959 or [email protected]; or Kendra Cross at 303- 328-9048 or [email protected]

Student Chapter Update

CSU Student Chapter Update The Wildlife Society at CSU had a busy semester! One of the goals of the 2018 CSU TWS executive board was to increase retention of members and we have definitely succeeded. Our work days have also had incredible attendance. We took a group of 27 students to Rocky Mountain National Park to view the elk rut in late Septem- ber and another group of 15 members helped on a research project in Badlands National Park in South Dakota in November. A group of 20+ students will be joining us for a bighorn sheep count in December. It is exciting to see such an interest in the club this year! Our bi-weekly meetings have been fun filled. We had a presentation from the W.O.L.F sanctuary, where we learned about the difference between wolves and wolf-dogs. We were able to have a wolf ambassador present at that meeting. We also had Find-it Detection Dogs with Greg Davidson talk on the use of conservation dogs for wildlife management. Mark Viera, a CPW big game manager, gave a presentation on managing bears and mountain lions in Colorado. A presentation from Dr. Larissa Bailey about herpetology gave us a look at the reptile and amphibian side of wildlife research. Officers led hands-on meetings where students learned radio telemetry skills and Microsoft Access skills. Fifteen members traveled to South Dakota and gained experience in field work, learned some camera trap knowledge, and many even checked Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore off their bucket lists. We were able to assist a CSU graduate student in taking down 3 of her fladry plots and one control plot. The fladry was placed around areas of high black-footed ferret populations, as a way to non-lethally deter coyotes from the site; camera traps were also present in all of these plots. Many of the experiences we had with the club this semester are invaluable and it was amazing to have such a great turn out at all of our events and meetings!

Student Chapter Update

Western Colorado University Student Chapter Update – Fall 2018

This fall semester the Western Colorado University Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society invited numerous presentations from guest speakers, engaged in volunteering opportunities, and has some fun social events. Kevin Blecha, the CPW big game biologist for the Gunnison district presented on mountain lion predation. He talked to us about his life as a graduate student monitoring mountain lions on the Front Range. His presentation was full of real life biology skills such as setting up game cameras, GIS skills, educating the public, and tracking skills. District Wildlife Manager Brandon Dia- mond presented on history of hunting and fishing in Colorado and his time tracking down poachers. A local graduate student and TWS chapter member Clarinda Wilson spoke on her experiences working for private and state wildlife agencies and important topics such as starting a retirement account, fi- delity to returning to a previous job, and learning as much as possible about the job you are working for. Jeff Ewert, a local falconer, brought in his peregrine falcon (Lichen). Theresa Childers from the National Park Service at Currecanti educated our chapter on acoustic bat monitoring from the practical set up of recording bat sounds to analyzing the data through software. Russ Japuntich conducted a USA Jobs workshop to help prepare members for achieving jobs with federal government. Matt Vasquez, wildlife biologist with the USFS, will discuss Canada Lynx and an on-going internship opportunity for students to track lynx in the Gunnison National Forest.

Members went to a local headwaters conference hosted by Western and attended a tracking workshop where they tracked wildlife tracks on the first day and did an inner personal tracking through meditation on the last day with the guidance of George Leoniak from Vermont. We were invited by Western’s Backcountry Hunters and Angler’s chapter to participate in a weekend workshop called Hunting for Sustainability. On the weekend retreat, members learned about the history of hunting, sustainability, how hunters factor in the births, deaths, and compensatory model of hunting, and how hunters contribute to millions of dollars to help protect and provide for wildlife and we participated in a mule deer hunt. We attended the annual BLM Public Lands Day and planted sagebrush seedlings and grass seeds on a recently burned site that was vulnerable to cheatgrass invasion. This project also benefitted habitat of the threatened Gunnison Sage-grouse.

We also helped out with plant-propagation with our sister-club Tri Beta from our university’s green- house. We were a part of Western’s homecoming parade and piled into the back of pickup truck dressed as wildlife biologists and enthusiasts. For social events, we had monthly trivia nights at our university’s Overlook Cafe/ICE lab.

Student Chapter Update

CSU-Pueblo Student Chapter Update

This fall we started a new Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society at CSU-Pueblo, so we were mainly es- tablishing ourselves on campus. Our advisor is Dr. Claire Ramos and April Estep is our CCTWS liaison. We helped with other Biology clubs in the annual haunted house that is done in our Life Science Building. We created a haunted forest scene and had a blast scaring people for two days. We also had a petting zoo at the haunted house with mammals, reptiles and amphibians as well as two of our members on horseback attracting people to come. We created a display for the winter wonderland on campus, our display was a caribou out on the tundra with a snowy owl in a tree with our clubs’ name. We did this to help get our name out on campus and recruit students from other disciplines. We are currently coordinating with CPW to help clean up the Valco Ponds on Pueblo Reservoir this spring. We had four of our members and advisor go to Cleveland for the annual TWS conference, where we all had a blast and made a variety of connections and ideas of how to run our student chapter. The students presented posters and Dr. Ramos did a presentation as well. We also started up a bug zoo with native Colorado bugs to use for an educational outreach program.

CSU-Pueblo Student Chapter at TWS in Cleveland, OH

Winter wonderland light board -- Wildlife Society is here at CSU-Pueblo!

Bug Zoo educational project

Board Members

CCTWS Board – September 2018

Officers E-mail Contact President: Patrick Magee! [email protected]

Past-President: Tony Gurzick [email protected] or [email protected]

President-Elect: Jesse McCarty [email protected]

Treasurer: Nathan Seward [email protected]

Secretary: Chase Taylor [email protected]

Executive Board: Regional NE Representative: Kendra Cross [email protected]

NW Representative: Vacant

SE Representative: April Estep [email protected]

SW Representative: Aran Johnson [email protected]

Executive Board: At-Large Andrew Don Carlos [email protected]

John Hughes [email protected]

Chris Mettenbrink [email protected]

Marcella Fremgen [email protected]

36 Committees and Chairs, Dec. 2018

Committee Chair Chair Contact Standing Committees Conservation and Land Use Review Randy Ghormley [email protected] Information and Education Vacant Annual Meeting Program CCTWS Board [email protected] Finance and Fund Raising (Auction) Rachel Brubaker [email protected] Audit Vacant Legislative Review Vacant Wildlife Management Vacant Newsletter Aran Johnson [email protected] Greg Davidson [email protected] Nomination/elections Vacant Policy/Resolutions Vacant Professional Awards Michelle Cowardin [email protected] Student Awards Jesse McCarty [email protected] Membership Mindy Rice [email protected] Ad Hoc Committees Certification Rob Schorr [email protected] Historian Dangoule Bockus [email protected] Photographer Max Canestorp [email protected] Small Grants and Travel Grants Chris Mettenbrink [email protected] Web Page, Social Media (Marketing) Aleshia Rummel [email protected] Professional Development Programs Vacant Student Affairs and Mentoring Vacant Representatives CSU Student Chapter Charlee Manguso [email protected] Liaison: Andrew Don Carlos [email protected] Advisor: Larissa Bailey [email protected] Western Student Chapter James Antley [email protected] Liaison: Nathan Seward Advisor: Pat Magee! [email protected]

[email protected] CMPS President Andrea Orabona [email protected] CMPS Representative to TWS Bob Lanka [email protected] CCTWS Representative to CMPS Pat Magee! [email protected] Are you interested in being more involved with the society? We currently have openings for 8 committee chairs

Please contact Patrick Magee! ([email protected]; 970-641-3959) or any current board member if you have interest in serving as a committee chair. 37 Membership Application

Membership Update

A friendly reminder to update your membership contact information!!

As some of our members go into retirement, change jobs, or go from being a student to their first job, our emails also tend to change. CCTWS does not have a fancy computer program for our membership database unless you want to count me as fancy, so please remember to send me an email with any updated information, but especially your email address! We value our members and no matter what stage of your career, we want to make sure that you continue to be in- formed about all CCTWS happenings. You can email updates to Mindy Rice at [email protected]. Thanks, Your friendly membership chair, Mindy Rice