Proposed Releases Mountain Quail
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NNevadaevada DDepartmentepartment ooff WWildlifeildlife UUplandpland GameGame ReleaseRelease PlanPlan FForor SStatetate FFiscaliscal YYearsears 20142014 aandnd 22015015 JJuneune 20132013 SSTTAATTEE OOFF NNEEVVAADDAA Brian Sandoval, Governor DDEEPPAARRTTMMEENNTT OOFF WWIILLDDLLIIFFEE Tony Wasley, Director GAME DIVISION Larry Gilbertson, Chief Staff Shawn Espinosa, Upland Game Staff Biologist Western Region Southern Region Eastern Region Regional Supervisors Mike Dobel Steve Kimble Ken Gray Game Division Field Biologists Chris Hampson Pat Cummings Curt Baughman Carl Lackey Tom Donham Kari Huebner Kyle Neill Mike Scott Matt Jeffress Ed Partee Angelique Curtis Jeremy Lutz Jason Salisbury Caleb McAdoo Mike Podborny Scott Roberts Cover photos by: Shawn Espinosa This publication will be made available in an alternative format upon request. The Nevada Department of Wildlife receives funding through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish and/or Wildlife Restoration. Federal Laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex [in educational programs]. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against in any NDOW program, activity, or facility, please write to the following: US Fish and Wildlife Service or Director Division of Federal Assistance Nevada Department of Wildlife 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mailstop: MBSP-4020 1100 Valley Road Arlington, VA 22203 Reno, NV 89512 Individuals with hearing impairments may contact the Department via telecommunications device at our Headquarters at 775-688-1500, or teletype to following State Relay number at 1-800-326-6868. Nevada Upland Game Biennial Release Plan Page 2 of 43 Table of Contents Section Page Summary of Proposed Projects for Fiscal Years 2014 & 2015………...… 4 Summary of Accomplishments for Fiscal Years 2012 & 2013……...……. 5 Summary of Accomplishments Table for FY 2012 & 2013 ………………. 11 Species Summaries California quail……………………………………………………………… 12 Statewide………………………………………………………. 13 Mountain Quail………………………………………………………………. 14 Clover Mountains – Cottonwood Canyon…………………... 15 Delamar Mountains – Boulder Spring ……………………… 16 Delamar Mountains – Jump Up Canyon……………………. 17 Rainbow Canyon……………………………………………… 18 Fish Creek Range…………………………………………….. 19 Virginia Range – Bullion Ravine…………………………….. 20 Buck Mountain – White Pine County………………………... 21 Vya Rim – Little Coleman Canyon………………………….. 23 Rio Grande Turkey………………………………………………………….. 24 Deer Lodge Canyon ......……………………………………... 25 Doc’s Pass……………………………………………………... 26 Fairview Spring………………………………………………... 27 Oak Well Hollow……………………………………………..... 28 Iowa Canyon and Boone Cr. – Toiyabe Range (private)…. 29 XJ Ranch – Unit 103 (private)……………………………….. 31 Merriam’s Turkey……………………………………………………………. 32 Chukar Partridge……………………………………………………………. 33 Southern Region………………………………………………. 34 Ruffed Grouse……………………………………………………………….. 35 Snake Mountains – East Fork Deer/Middle Fork Jakes…... 36 Pine Forest Range – Boyd Basin/Knott Creek (private)...… 37 Toiyabe Mountains – San Juan Creek………..…………….. 38 North Tuscarora Range - Toe Jam Creek………………….. 40 Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse…………………………………………... 41 Bull Run Range – Columbia Basin ………………………… 42 Nevada Upland Game Biennial Release Plan Page 3 of 43 Nevada Department of Wildlife UUppllaanndd GGaammee RReelleeaassee PPllaann For Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014 SUMMARY OF PROPOSED PROJECTS # Proposed # Proposed Species Introductions Augmentations California quail TBD TBD Mountain Quail 5 3 Rio Grande Turkey 5 1 Chukar Partridge TBD TBD Ruffed Grouse 1 3 Sharp‐tailed Grouse ‐ 1 Total: 11 8 Nevada Upland Game Biennial Release Plan Page 4 of 43 NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE Upland Game Release Plan For Fiscal Years 2014 & 2015 The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is pleased to present the agency’s Upland Game Release Plan for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015 (July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015). Every two years, NDOW develops an Upland Game Release Plan for review and approval by the County Advisory Boards to Manage Wildlife and the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners. In addition, releases that are identified within this document must be approved by the appropriate federal land management agency prior to being implemented if the release occurs on federally managed lands. Some releases occur on private lands in coordination with landowners and where habitat is deemed appropriate for a given species. The following narrative summarizes NDOW’s accomplishments recommended in the FY12-13 Upland Game Release Plan (July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013). SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) continues to capture and release wild upland game bird species for population augmentation and establishment in accordance with the Nevada Upland Game Species Management Plan and pertinent Biennial Upland Game Release Plans. In State Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013 the following species were translocated and released per the prior biennium’s release plan: CALIFORNIA QUAIL (N=473) MOUNTAIN QUAIL (N=97) RUFFED GROUSE (N=138) COLUMBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE (N=50) In addition to these releases, portions of the total number of released birds were radio-marked to follow-up on habitat use and success of these translocations. The Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse re-establishment project in the Bull Run and Independence Mountains is a five year project that was initiated in the spring of 2013. A field crew and graduate student will be monitoring this project over the next several years to determine success or failure. Nevada Upland Game Biennial Release Plan Page 5 of 43 WESTERN REGION California quail Releases of California quail remain an opportunistic luxury with the presence of thriving populations of residential and suburban settings within or near the greater Reno/Sparks, Carson City and Winnemucca areas. This circumstance has provided NDOW with a unique opportunity to obtain source stock to establish or augment populations of California quail in rural, wildland areas with suitable habitat. Capture efforts conducted during December and January of 2012 yielded a total of 473 California quail. Birds were captured from the Winnemucca and Reno areas and were released at three different release sites in the Western Region and one release site in the Eastern Region (see Eastern Region section below) during January of 2012. Two release sites were augmented with California quail in the East Range located in Pershing County. A total of 172 birds were released between these two locations. In addition, several releases of California quail were made at the Lower Clover Ranch located near the Humboldt/Elko County border. A total of 218 quail were released the Lower Clover Ranch. Habitat composition at these release sites is expected to promote long-term sustainability of California quail and subsequent sportsmen opportunity given productive environmental factors. Ruffed Grouse Currently, only one well established population of ruffed grouse exists in the Western Region located in the Santa Rosa Range in Humboldt County. In an effort to establish a new population, ruffed grouse were introduced on high elevation private parcels in the Pine Forest Range (also located in Humboldt County) in the fall of 2012. These private parcels are relatively small, but contain suitable habitat and are adjacent to larger expanses of habitat that would allow for greater occupations of habitat. A total of 45 ruffed grouse were released in two areas within the Pine Forest Range with one located on the northeastern portion of the range and the other located in the southwestern portion of the range. Some follow-up monitoring will be conducted in the form of point counts throughout the release locations to document drumming during the late spring and early summer months of 2013. It is likely that an augmentation will be necessary, likely in 2014, to firmly establish this population. Nevada Upland Game Biennial Release Plan Page 6 of 43 EASTERN REGION California quail As discussed in the Western Region summary for California quail, 473 quail were caught during the winter of 2011/2012 within multiple urban settings in western Nevada. Of these, 83 were translocated to the Cowboy’s Rest Ranch on the west side of the southern Ruby Mountains in Elko County. Even though the release was conducted on private lands, the proximity of suitable habitats will likely allow for population expansion. A key factor in this portion of Nevada is over-winter survival. In years where valley snows accumulate and temperatures decline below zero, over-winter mortality can have a significant impact on population size. Mountain Quail In December of 2012, a release of 97 mountain quail was conducted in the southern extension of the Ruby Mountains. More specifically, the west side of Buck Mountain was chosen based on similarities of habitat features of successful and existing mountain quail populations in Nevada, particularly in the central portion of the state. Generally speaking, the site has relatively mild winters, a large pinyon and Utah juniper overstorey with Wyoming and mountain big sagebrush in the understorey with adjacent riparian areas and springs scattered throughout the uplands. The terrain is gradual on the benches and the alluvial fans, however steep and precipitous terrain exists in the upper portions of the range. A strong seed and berry component can be found in the riparian areas, with willow, woods rose, aspen, chokecherry, elderberry, currant, Great Basin wild rye, and various other grasses as the dominant vegetative components.