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4 ) K- Refuge Manager Date REVIEW AND APPROVALS YAZOO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX Hollandale, Mississippi ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1986 _ • 4 ) k- Refuge manager Date/ Regional Office Approval Date w INTRODUCTION 0 Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge is located in the heart of Mississippi's delta region about 30 miles south of Greenville, MS, and about five air miles east of the Mississippi River in Washington County . Land acquisition began under authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Migratory Hunting Stamp Act in 1936 with the initial purchase of 2,166 acres . In March, 1937, an additional 639 acres were purchased with plans to acquire about 20,000 acres . Problems with a local drainage district resulted in a delay of official activation and assignment of a Manager until late in 1956 . The Service was given permission to purchase additional land in 1960 under the provision of Section 5928 of the Mississippi Code of 1942, recompiled, by Governor Ross R . Barnett . Varied acreages were purchased from individuals and/or clubs until a total of 12,471 acres were acquired with the purchase of 138 .2 acres on July 30, 1969, from Mrs . Susie B . Law . In the early 1900's through the 1940's, the natural habitat supplimented by agricultural crops provided excellent waterfowl hunting in and around the refuge area . People came from as far away as New England 0 to partake of the sport . Permits indicate that the area abounded in ducks, geese, and swans throughout the wintering season . Initially, Yazoo was established as a link in the chain of refuges throughout the Mississippi flyway with special emphasis on wintering habitat for ducks and geese . Through the years that followed and as land acquisition progressed, emphasis was added to include similar benefits for other migratory species, reproduction of mourning doves, wood ducks, giant Canada geese and colonial birds along with the management of endangered and resident species . Turkey management began in 1970 with the introduction of a nucleus flock . Yazoo's 12,471 acres of undulating Delta soils range from heavy gumbo (clay) to silt loam and limited sand ridges (hot spots) . All of the open acreage is classed as prime agricultural land . Mean sea levels range from 9U feet in the main drainages to 113 feet in the agricultural 0 areas . Area temperatures range from 92°F . normal maximum to 40°F . normal minimum . Extremes for a 10 year period, 1961-1970, were a high 106°F . and a low -3°F . Average annual rainfall measures 52 .55 inches . s i 0 0 #1 Yazoo NWR Interior 6/86 TW 9 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 0 Page A . HIGHLIGHTS 1 B . CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 2 C . LAND ACQUISITION 1 . Fee Title Nothing to Report 2 . Easements Nothing to Report 3 . Other Nothing to Report D . PLANNING 1 . Master Plan Nothing to Report 0 2 . Management Plan 2 3 . Public Participation . Nothing to Report 4 . Compliance with Environmental Mandates . Nothing to Report 5 . Research and Investigations 2 E . ADMINISTRATION 1 . Personnel 6 2 . Youth Programs 9 3 . Other Manpower Programs 11 4 . Volunteer Programs 11 5 . Funding 11 6 . Safety 11 7 . Technical Assistance Nothing to Report 8 . Other Items 12 F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT 1 . General 12 2 . Wetlands 12 3 . Forests 14 4 . Croplands 1b 5 . Grasslands 17 6 . Other Habitats Nothing to Report 7 . Grazing Nothing to Report 8 . Haying 18 9 . Fire Management 19 10 . Pest Control 19 11 . Water Rights 19 12 . Wilderness and Special Areas Nothing to Report 13 . WPA Easement Monitoring iii Page G . WILDLIFE 1 . Wildlife Diversity 20 2 . Endangered and/or Threatened Species 20 3 . Waterfowl 20 4 . Marsh and Water Birds 25 5 . Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species 25 6 . Raptors 25 7 . Other Migratory Birds 26 8 . Game Mammals 26 9 . Marine Mammals Nothing to Report 10 . Other Resident Wildlife 31 11 . Fisheries Resources Nothing to Report 12 . Wildlife Propagation and Stocking Nothing to Report 13 . Surplus Animal Disposal Nothing to Report 14 . Scientific Collections 31 15 . Animal Control 32 • 16 . Marking and Banding 32 17 . Disease Prevention and Control Nothing to Report H . PUBLIC USE 1 . General 34 2 . Outdoor Classrooms - Students 34 3 . Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers Nothing to Report 4 . Interpretive Foot Trails Nothing to Report 5 . Interpretive Tour Routes Nothing to Report 6 . Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations Nothing to Report 7 . Other Interpretive Programs 36 8 . Hunting 36 9 . Fishing Nothing to Report 10 . Trapping Nothing t o Report 11 . Wildlife Observation 39 • 12 . Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to Report 13 . Camping Nothing to Report 14 . Picnicking Nothing to Report 15 . Off-Road Vehicling Nothing to Report 16 . Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation . Nothing to Report 17 . Law Enforcement 18 . Cooperating Associations Nothing to Report 19 . Concessions Nothing to Report I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 1 . New Construction 40 2 . Rehabilitation 41 3 . Major Maintenance 42 4 . Equipment Utilization and Replacement 44 5 . Communications Systems 46 6 . Energy Conservation Nothing to Report 7 . Other Nothing to Report iv Page 0 J . OTHER ITEMS 1 . Cooperative Programs 46 2 . Items of Interest 47 3 . Credits 48 K . FEEDBACK 49 L . INFORMATION PACK --- (inside back cover) v A . HIGHLIGHTS A total of 3,692 ducks were banded during post-season banding efforts (Section G-16) . Wilkins attended Advanced Refuge Managers' Academy (Section E-8) . Driest January since 1915 . There was brief relief from the drought in late May - early June, and then dry conditions continued through October (Section B) . CNN news arrived in May to film a special on wood ducks (Section J-2) . Special Achievement Awards were received for jobs well done (Section E-1) . A buck was taken during archery season that scored 159 6/B, Pope and Young, a new state record (Section G-B) . 7 State-aid road to the refuge office was finally completed on July 31 after almost two years (Section I-1) . #2 Agricultural fields, forestland, wetlands, and ecotone areas provide excellent wildlife habitat diversity . 6/86 TW -1- B . CLIMATIC CONDITIONS This years' weather recordings were atypical . January and February were the driest on record since 1915 with less than two inches of rain received . By April, refuge rainfall was over 15 inches below normal, an all-time record . All the shallow impoundments began the year completely dry . Consequently, waterfowl numbers were lower than normal during a large part of the year . The 4 1/2 month drought ended with May bringing 10 .34 inches of rainfall . Between May 24-28, 6 .35 inches of rainfall left water in many impoundments which previously were completely dry . Dry weather returned quickly and dominated climatic conditions during the remainder of the summer . To make matters even worse, the first week of August brought scorching temperatures . Temperatures ranged from 100 0 - 109°F . with a heat index reaching the 120°F . mark! For the second consecutive year, over nine inches of rainfall was recorded for October, usually a dry month . November turned out to be a wet month also . Over nine inches of rain were recorded with over 50% of the total falling between November 22-23 . The water left standing was the most seen on the refuge in three years . Table I presents a summary of weather data- for 1986 . D . PLANNING 2 . Management Plan Considerable effort was put forth during the year in writing, rewriting, and retyping various plans that detailed management activities of one kind or another . The Yazoo Hunt Plan and Environmental Accessment was revised as requested, then revised again later in the year to follow the new format developed by Washington . The Water Management Plan, the Moist Soil Management Plan, and the Remedial Action Plan for contaminants were completed for Yazoo . Also, an ATV Plan for Panther Swamp NWR was completed by Yazoo personnel and submitted to Region for approval . 5 . Research and Investigations MVP Canada Goose Study The refuge continued to cooperate in this long-term effort coordinated by the Co-op Unit at the University of Wisconsin . 1* 9 U .S . DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION MID-SOUTH AGRICULTURAL WEATHER SERVICE CENTER STONEVILLE, MISSISSIPPI (25 miles north of refuge) Table I . SUMMARY OF WEATHER OBSERVATIONS - 1986 JAN FEB " MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC' ANNUAL Air Temperature Average Maximum 56 60 68 77 83 90 94 91 89 75 62 50 74 .6 Average Minimum 29 39 42 54 63 71 74 68 66 53 46 37 53 .5 Departure of Mean 0 +3 .5 +1 .5 +1 .5 +1 .0 +1 .0 +2 .5 -1 .5 +2 .5 0 +1 .0 -2 .0 + .88 from Normal Highest 72 82 88 88 92 98 104 104 95 94 78 69 104 Lowest 29 19 22 38 50 65 68 52 54 41 26 28 19 Precipitation (inches) Yazoo NWR 1986 .45 1 .50 2 .82 2 .07 10 .34 5 .44 1 .02 2 .71 2 .37 7 .54 9 .63 5 .21 51 .10 Stoneville 1986 .74 1 .72 1 .97 1 .92 5 .47 3 .45 2 .06 .91 .72 5 .03 12 .98 4 .22 41 .19 Departure from 30 Year -4 .35 -3 .06 -3 .70 -3 .56 + .38 - .27 -1 .99 -1 .46 2 .82 +2 .57 +8 .16 - .74 -10 .84 Normal from Stoneville's records Last Spring Freeze - March 23 First Fall Freeze Nov . 13 Growing Season 235 Days, Norm . 225 Days No Snow Recorded This study has the following objectives : (1) To document the variation in numbers, movements, harvest, 0 and survival of neck collared Canada geese . (2) To relate variation in these demographic parameters to number and distribution of geese, habitat management practices, weather, and food supplies .
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