2013 West Virginia Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook

The 2013 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook is available on the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources website and will be available soon at DNR offices across the state, according to Curtis I. Taylor, chief for the DNR Wildlife Resources Section.

Since 1971, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section, in cooperation with volunteers from numerous other agencies, has conducted a fall mast survey to determine the abundance of mast produced by 18 species of trees and shrubs.

"The availability of fall foods has a significant impact on wildlife populations and harvests,” said Taylor. “Our biologists have used the mast survey data to demonstrate the strong correlation between mast conditions and deer, bear and turkey harvests. In addition to the impact on harvests, the amount of food available each year can affect the reproductive success of numerous species which will affect population sizes in the following years."

Beechnut and hickory were above their long-term average. Soft mast, including apple, crabapple and hawthorn were also well above average.

Production of acorns is well below average and will have noticeable effects on the 2013–2014 hunting seasons because oak makes up the majority of the hard mast biomass.

According to Taylor, hunters can find a wealth of facts in the Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook. Copies of the 2013 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook may be found on the DNR website at:

http://wvdnr.gov/hunting/PDFFiles/2013WestVirginiaMastSurvey.pdf

source:  West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

West Virginia Winter Waterfowl Survey

Wildlife biologists counted 5,044 ducks and 6,147 Canada geese during the annual mid-winter waterfowl survey in early January, according to Steve Wilson, Waterfowl Biologist for the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

The 10-year average has been artificially high since the record numbers in 2001. Now that the 2001 numbers are no longer included in the average, the percent above average figures for 2011 are more significant. The increase was not unexpected due to the amount of snow and cold weather that occurred in December.

Canada geese, mallards and black ducks were the most commonly observed species in the 2011 survey.  Other waterfowl observed included canvasback, scaup, ring-necked duck, redhead, bufflehead, wood duck, mergansers and snow geese. Thirteen bald eagles, two golden eagles and eleven unidentified eagles were also observed.

The survey was conducted on January 5, 6, and 7, 2011, and included portions of the Kanawha, Ohio, Shenandoah and New rivers as well as Tygart and Bluestone lakes.

source: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources