Lander Region Angler News 2013 Edition
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Lander Region Angler Wyoming Game & Fish News - 2013 Edition Department Conserving Wildlife—Serving People Lander Region Angler News 2013 Edition Inside this issue: Habitat Funding – How WGFD puts your money to use Habitat Funding 1 sources used to further build Snow capped mountains, vast Tayo Creek 3 the Trust Fund corpus. Today vistas, abundant fish and Drainage the Trust Fund corpus is wildlife, and large swaths of roughly $25 million and Forever Wild 4 public access are a few of the continues to accrue money For every Workshops qualities I’ve come to love from conservation stamps and about Wyoming since moving conservation stamp Fish Lake 6 monetary donations. The here in 2005 to work for the interest from the corpus has purchased at Wyoming Game and Fish Torrey Lake 6 been annually used to fund Department (WGFD) as a habitat projects around the $12.50…, the Jensen & Long 7 habitat biologist. Over these state such as prescribed burns, WGFD will turn Creek Reservoirs past eight years of work I’ve noxious weed treatments, learned habitat is a difficult wetland developments, Wind River 7 that into concept to thoroughly explain education materials, and fish and connect to fish and wildlife Watercraft Inspections 8 passage projects to name a few. a minimum of populations. However, I’ll bet at Borders The corpus remains untouched $47.00 of habitat that many of us will agree to ensure money is available to What are Aquatic 9 habitat is the most important fund future habitat projects. work... Invasive Species? factor contributing to the This fund drives many of the abundance and diversity of The X-Stream 10 duties habitat biologists perform Angler wildlife in Wyoming. The for residents of Wyoming. WGF commission believed Major aspects of our job include that same statement back in collection and assessment of April 1986 when the WGFD habitat data and Trust Fund was established for using it to the purpose of protecting and develop projects enhancing wildlife habitat that improve throughout Wyoming. habitat while also Lander Region Fisheries Staff: collaborating Fisheries Management The WGFD Trust Fund was with federal Kevin Johnson Regional Fisheries Supervisor created by transferring $2.2 agencies, Joe Deromedi Fisheries Biologist million from the general fund Paul Gerrity Fisheries Biologist nonprofits, and of the Game and Fish, which is landowners with Aquatic Habitat generated from license sales. similar goals. Dennis Oberlie Aquatic Habitat Supervisor Additional monies from We also evaluate Nick Scribner Aquatic Habitat Biologist conservation stamps, projects after Dubois Hatchery publication sales, donations, completion, Photo by Jill Randall, WGFD. Prescribed burns are used to improve vege- tation communities that will benefit many species of wildlife. Guy Campbell Hatchery Superintendent and interest accrued on license assist with Bill Yaracz Senior Fish Culturist applications are the only Peter Star Fish Culturist (Continued on page 2) Page 2 Lander Region Angler News 2013 Edition Habitat Funding continued a 50% reduction, or approximately $16.50 from other sources $500,000, in Trust Fund dollars available of funding that include for habitat projects. As described Federal and State agencies, earlier, if we take into account the private landowners, and matching money from our various nonprofit organizations partners we have secured for every such as Trout Unlimited, Trust Fund dollar the past 5 fiscal years Rocky Mountain Elk this cut represents nearly $2 million this Foundation, and Ducks year and potentially much more. Unlimited. Together, these sources have Periodically, I hear questions and contributed from $4 complaints of why a conservation stamp Photo by Nick Scribner, WGFD. Data collection provides important details for million to over $18 million is needed when you purchase a license. habitat project planning and assessment of completed projects to improve future towards habitat There is another way to think about it treatments. conservation each of the the next time you buy a conservation past five years. A majority stamp: for every stamp purchased at (Continued from page 1) of this money comes directly back to $12.50, the WGFD will turn that into a research, and develop partnerships local economies of WY when we use minimum of $47 dollars of habitat work with a multitude of people and local contractors to complete many of on the ground to benefit fish and organizations. Lastly, we spend a these projects. For example, during wildlife. It may even provide work for considerable portion of our time 2012 over 25 different contractors you, your family, or friends. We writing grants, securing matching funds, were used in the Lander Region alone appreciate your support and hope this and working with project cooperators to complete projects that included sheds some light on how WGFD puts to make each dollar stretch as far as survey and design work for stream your money to use supporting habitat possible. restoration on the Middle Popo Agie conservation efforts throughout River, habitat treatments along the Wyoming. Over the past five years the WGFD Lander front for mule deer, fish passage Trust Fund has awarded on average $1 and irrigation improvements near million per year for a myriad of Dubois, noxious weed treatments projects. Furthermore, every dollar of region wide, and several other projects. Trust Fund has been matched with a Expand those numbers statewide to the minimum of $2.80 to a maximum of other seven regions and you’re talking a lot of business for numerous contractors. Over the past year you have likely heard and read many things about Photo by Nick Scribner, WGFD. Education workshops teach youth and adults about habitat conservation that usually the current and future financial status includes hands-on activities. of the WGFD. As many of you know, our department sought additional funding through a license fee increase during the 2013 Every dollar...has been legislative session that ultimately did matched with a minimum of not pass. As a result, several cuts were made to our FY14 budget that $2.80 to a maximum of runs from July 1, 2013 to June 30, Photo by Nick Scribner, WGFD. Fish passage projects improve the fishery and benefit landowners by reducing maintenance 2014. One of the significant cuts was $16.50 from other sources... and updating irrigation infrastructure. Lander Region Angler News 2013 Edition Page 3 Tayo Creek Drainage The high number of fish in Coon Lake should ensure that most anglers will be satisfied with their trip... Every year the WGFD samples different groups of lakes in the Wind River Mountains with gill nets to evaluate fish populations. Because there are so many lakes to survey, most lakes are only sampled once every decade. Lakes within the Tayo Photo by Paul Gerrity, WGFD. Coon Lake is one of the best golden trout fisheries in the Wind River Mountains. Creek drainage were the focus of the Lander Fisheries Management Crew in 11 and 12 inches, the high number of fish Reports of an occasional golden trout 2012. Tayo Creek is located within in Coon Lake should ensure that most being caught from these lakes are the Popo Agie Wilderness of the anglers will be satisfied with their trip received; however, no fish were Shoshone National Forest, and is a into the lake. Squirrel Lake, which captured in 2012 gill nets. tributary to the Middle Fork Popo Agie contains arctic grayling, is another fishery River. Lakes within the Tayo drainage that offers an opportunity to catch a Although most of the lakes within the can be accessed by either the unique fish species in the Tayo Creek Tayo Creek drainage currently have Worthen Meadows Trailhead on the drainage. 2012 netting surveys found naturally-reproducing fish Loop Road or the Sweetwater Gap good catch rates for grayling up to populations, the fish originally got Trail in the Bridger-Teton National almost 14 inches. Anglers wanting to there through WGFD stocking. Forest. catch rainbow trout can visit Hank’s Some of the lakes were stocked as Lake, which is only a ½-mile hike off of early as the 1930s. Squirrel Lake is Gill netting in 2012 found that the the main hiking trail. Hank’s Lake gill the only lake within the Tayo Tayo drainage supports a variety of netting catch rates were not as high as drainage that still receives periodic fisheries. Coon Lake is probably the some other lakes within the drainage; stocking because adequate spawning most popular lake among anglers however, rainbow trout measuring habitat does not exist in the lake or within the Tayo drainage because it is almost 14 inches were captured. Good the inlet and outlet streams. To one of the best golden trout fisheries brook trout fisheries also exist in the maintain the Squirrel Lake fishery, in the Wind River Mountains. Coon Tayo drainage in Poison and Mountain grayling are stocked by helicopter Lake’s reputation as a good golden Sheep lakes. Catch rates in both of these every four years. trout fishery was supported by high gill fisheries were high; however, brook net catch rates of golden trout and trout greater than 10 inches were rarely For more information on the Tayo golden trout/cutthroat trout hybrids. observed. Some anglers also attempt to Creek drainage, please contact Although most of the golden trout and fish Tayo and Upper Tayo lakes, which fisheries biologists out of the Lander hybrids captured were only between are just south of Wind River Peak. regional office. Page 4 Lander Region Angler News 2013 Edition Forever Wild Workshops–A Family Affair participants from five families have participated in workshops. The first workshop, held at Worthen Meadows Reservoir, was primarily focused on fishing, but also included recreating safely in bear country, packing for a day-hike, and basic first aid.