Photo by Embere Hall

2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Joint Meeting

Wyoming Chapter of The Wildlife Society

& Wyoming Wildlife Federation

Historic Sheridan Inn | November 19-21

Silver Sponsorship ($500+)

Bronze Sponsorship ($250+)

We are extremely appreciative of the support provided by these outstanding sponsors.

Financial support by these sponsors has gone to pay for travel scholarships, offset costs

associated with refreshments during breaks, and gatherings such as the Poster Session/

Social, Panel Discussion, Mentor Lunch, Presidents and Members Lunch, and Quiz Bowl.

In addition, WEST Inc. has provided the financial award to the best

student poster and oral presentation, based on member judges.

As we gather to promote awareness of and continued improvement

in Wyoming’s wildlife management, please take a moment to thank

these generous supporters.

Welcome to Sheridan!

Hi Everyone, Here we are in the middle of November, almost time for the opening act at another WY-TWS conference. Some 80 years ago was the opening act for The Wildlife Society and the National Wildlife Federation. Established by professionals and conservationists, these groups forged a unique partnership: TWS advancing wildlife management and science through training and education, and NWF using wildlife science to maintain a strong voice for policy and advocacy. Keeping wildlife management moving forward is often a function of adaptation, resourcefulness, and collaboration. This conference, like WY-TWS and co-host Wyoming Wildlife Federation, is the collaborative result of many individuals who bring a variety of those skills to the table. Our workshops and panel discussions couldn’t happen without commitment of specialists and experts taking time to help us learn or meet someone new. Colorful presentations we anxiously await to see and hear would be nothing more than the ideas, funding, permission, data, and all resulting publications and policy provided by technicians, researchers, landowners, administrators, and conservationists. Even the food, drinks, and venue would not be available without excellent catering, hosts, and sponsorship. The most important gathering of the wildlife community in the state couldn’t be realized without the dedication of all WY-TWS and WWF members like you. Thank you to all who help bring wildlife science, management, outreach, advocacy, and this conference to life. To all who attend, may you find at least one new idea or connection to take home with you. And of course, have fun. Welcome to the 2019 WY-TWS and WWF Conference.

Eric Maichak | President-Elect, WY-TWS

Dwayne Meadows | Executive Director, WWF

Program Contents

Photos (left to right): Ian Abernethy, Daly Edmunds, Anna Chalfoun, Gabriel Barrile, and Mark Gocke

I. Workshop Descriptions — pages 1 to 2

II. Presentation Session Descriptions — page 3

III. Agenda Overview — pages 4 to 5

IV. Detailed Agenda — pages 6 to 12

V. Oral Presentation Abstracts — pages 13 to 44

a. Wednesday presentations: pages 13 to 33

b. Thursday presentations: pages 33 to 44

VI. Poster Abstracts — pages 45 to 56

a. Student poster abstracts: pages 45 to 52

b. Professional poster abstracts: pages 53 to 56

VII. About Wyoming Chapter of The Wildlife Society — page 57

VIII. About Wyoming Wildlife Federation — page 58

I. Workshop Descriptions Photo: Brian Zinke

1

INTRODUCTION TO COLLABORATION AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

Facilitators: Daryl Lutz (Wyoming Game and Fish Department; WGFD) and Jessica Western (Haub School of Natural Resources)

This one-day training is an introduction to the principles and practice of engaging with the public collaboratively. Basic concepts will be provided, Wyoming-specific wildlife-related case histories will be discussed, and hands-on exercises will be employed to convey this introduction to collaboration. Upon completion, participants will have an understanding of when and when not to use collaboration as a tool, how to use it, and why it is an effective tool. Participants will also gain an understanding of the psychology underlying collaboration, as well as public outrage, and tools that can help address public emotions. Facilitation tips will also be provided. Each section allows for a full discussion of the subjects participants are experiencing, for increased professional applicability.

CAMERA TRAPPING 1.0: AN INTRODUCTION TO WILDLIFE RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT, AND OUTREACH FROM BEHIND THE LENS

Facilitators: Patrick Rogers (University of Wyoming), Dana Nelson (WGFD), Justin Clapp (WGFD), Gregory Nickerson (Wyoming Migration Initiative – University of Wyoming), Tony Mong (WGFD), and Eric Maichak (WGFD)

Wondering how the pros get great pics of wildlife without being around? Not sure which camera or study design is right for your needs? Got insight to some of the problems and solutions of camera trapping? Then this is the workshop for you.

CAMERA TRAPPING 1.0 (continued)

Facilitated by professionals in the field of wildlife management, research, and outreach, we welcome individuals with all levels of experience and interest in camera trapping. Facilitators will provide personal overviews of case studies, including challenges overcome and ultimate use of results. Focus will then shift to fundamentals of camera traps, such as questions to be answered, data types and management, study designs, and all manner of camera makes and models.

After a break, attendees will form breakout groups and be invited to propose or receive questions to be answered, develop solutions, and then reconvene to explain solutions to the class. Facilitators and the attendees will then review the potential future of camera trapping to see where all this is going. Lastly, attendees will have the opportunity to deploy camera traps and test their ability to capture their best images.

DEMYSTIFYING POLICY: THE BASICS OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS

Facilitators: Kristen Gunther (Wyoming Outdoor Council), Andrea Barbknecht (Wyoming Wildlife Federation), and Rhiannon Jakopak (University of Wyoming)

One of the pillars of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation states that wildlife shall be managed using the best available science. Accomplishing this goal hinges on scientists understanding and participating in the political and legislative process, though scientists are often reluctant to do so. This reluctance partially stems scientists’ lack of understanding about the complexities in the government at the state and federal level.

In this workshop, we will provide participants with: 1) a brief introduction to the structure and function of the Wyoming and federal government; 2) how to learn about and track a bill at the state and federal level, with particular attention to the Wyoming legislature; 3) how scientists and citizens can provide effective input; and 4) wildlife-related topics for the upcoming legislative session. More specifically, this workshop will cover information such as how to find state and federal representatives, which committees to watch and how to stay up to date on their activities, the process through which a bill becomes a law, and how to talk to a legislator. After attending this workshop, participants will have a basic understanding of how they can engage in policy at the state and federal level; we hope this understanding will empower scientists to provide input necessary to ensure that wildlife law and policy is firmly grounded in science.

Photo: Embere Hall

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Photo by Mark Thohoff

New Tricks: Methods, Models, and More – Novel tools, monitoring approaches and

modeling techniques for wildlife and habitat. Includes technological breakthroughs and

capabilities that advance our understanding of temporal and/or spatial trends.

Costs of Creature Comforts: Impacts of Humans on Wildlife – Interactions between

development (e.g., oil, wind, exurban housing) and wildlife species.

Conservation and Research of Sensitive Species – Exploration of assessments and

conservation efforts for species of concern and their habitats. Presentations have been

divided into the following three sections: Butterflies, Bats, and Birds;

Amphibians and Skunks; Habitat Relationships.

Movement and Migration of Wildlife – Tools to track movement and habitat use;

advances in movement/migration science, strategies, and conservation efforts.

II. Presentation Session Descriptions

Photo: Tom Koerner, USFWS

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4

III. Agenda Overview

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 19

7:00 – 8:00 Registration open

8:00 – 5:00 Workshop: Collaborative Learning Strategies

Sheridan Inn’s Ballroom

8:00 – 12:00 Workshop: Camera Trapping (Sheridan Inn - Conference Room)

1:00 – 4:00 Workshop: Demystifying Policy (Sheridan Inn - Conference Rm)

1:00 – 5:00 Golden Eagle Working Group (WGFD Sheridan Office)

1:00 – 5:00 Wyoming Bat Working Group (USFS Sheridan Office)

5:00 – 7:00 Registration open

6:00 – 10:00 Poster Session and Social (Sheridan Inn - Wyoming Room) (cash bar and light finger foods)

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20

7:00 – 12:00 Registration open

8:30 – 8:45 Welcome and opening remarks

8:45 – 10:00 Talks: “Movement and Migration of Wildlife”

10:00 – 10:15 Break – sponsored by Maven Optics

10:15 – 11:30 Talks: “Movement and Migration of Wildlife” (cont.)

11:30 – 11:45 WY-TWS Volunteer and Leadership Recognition

11:45 – 1:15 Mentor Lunch (free; registration required) or lunch on own

Photo: Jennifer Strickland, USFWS

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1:15 – 2:45 Concurrent Talks: “Conservation and Research of Sensitive Species” (Sage and Sharp-tailed Grouse)

1:15 – 2:50 Concurrent Talks: “New Tricks: Methods, Models, and More”

2:50 – 3:15 Break – sponsored by Advanced Telemetry Systems

3:15 – 4:30 Concurrent Talks: “Conservation and Research of Sensitive Species” (Butterflies, Bats, and Birds)

3:15 – 4:30 Concurrent Talks: “Conservation and Research of Sensitive Species” (Amphibians and Skunks)

4:30 – 4:45 Closing announcements

6:00 – 7:00 Panel Discussion: How do we value wildlife? (hosted by Wyoming Wildlife Federation and Greater Yellowstone Coalition) @ Luminous Brewhouse

7:30 – 9:00 Quiz Bowl @ Luminous Brewhouse (‘Bonafide’ Food Truck)

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21

7:00 – 8:15 WY-TWS Board and Member Meeting

8:30 – 8:45 Opening remarks and announcements

8:45 – 9:45 Invited Talk: “There and Back Again – One Person’s Life Journey” Terry Kreeger, retired wildlife veterinarian (WGFD)

9:45 – 10:00 Break – sponsored by Maven Optics

10:00 – 10:30 WY-TWS Committee Updates

10:30 – 11:55 Talks: “Movement and Migration of Wildlife” (cont.)

12:00 – 1:30 WY-TWS Presidents and Members Lunch (free; registration required) or lunch on your own

1:30 – 2:45 Talks: “Conservation and Research of Sensitive Species” (Habitat Relationships)

2:45 – 3:00 Break – sponsored by Advanced Telemetry Systems

3:00 – 4:20 Talks: “Costs of Creature Comforts: Impacts of Humans on Wildlife”

4:20 – 4:30 Closing announcements

6:00 – 10:00 Banquet Dinner; WY-TWS Awards; Keynote Speaker: Samantha Dwinnell; Silent Auction

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* denotes Student Presenter

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19

7:00 – 8:00 Registration open

8:00 – 5:00 Workshop: Collaborative Learning Strategies @ Sheridan Inn Ballroom

8:00 – 12:00 Workshop: Camera Trapping @ Sheridan Inn’s Conference Room

1:00 – 4:00 Workshop: Demystifying Policy @ Sheridan Inn’s Conference Room

1:00 – 5:00 Golden Eagle Working Group @ WGFD Sheridan Office, 700 Valley View Dr.

1:00 – 5:00 Wyoming Bat Working Group @ USFS Sheridan Office, 2013 Eastside 2nd St.

5:00 – 7:00 Registration open

6:00 – 10:00 POSTER SESSION AND SOCIAL @ Sheridan Inn’s Wyoming Room (cash bar and light finger foods)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20

7:00 – 12:00 Registration open

8:30 – 8:45 Welcome and opening remarks by WY-TWS and Wyoming Wildlife Federation

MOVEMENT AND MIGRATION OF WILDLIFE

Moderator: Dave Edmunds and Aly Courtemanch

8:45 – 9:00

MIGRATION DISTANCE AND MATERNAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION SHAPE THE TIMING OF REPRODUCTION IN A LARGE HERBIVORE

Ellen O. Aikens *, Samantha P.H. Dwinnell, Tayler N. LaSharr, Rhiannon P. Jakopak, Gary L. Fralick, Jill Randall, Rusty Kaiser, Mark Thonhoff, Matthew J. Kauffman, Kevin L. Monteith

9:00 – 9:15

SURFING THE GREEN WAVE: DOES DISTANCE MATTER?

Anna Ortega *, Hall Sawyer, Ellen Aikens, Jerod Merkle, Kevin Monteith, Matthew Kauffman

IV. Detailed Agenda

Photo: Tom Koerner, USFWS

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9:15 – 9:30

SURFING SNOW-OFF: NORTHERN MIGRATORY UNGULATES TRACK SNOW MELT TO ARRIVE ON CALVING GROUNDS DURING OPTIMAL FORAGE CONDITIONS

Michel P. Laforge *, Maegwin Bonar, Eric Vander Wal

9:30 – 9:45

WEATHER AND SEX INFLUENCE MIGRATORY BEHAVIORS AND HABITAT SELECTION IN A TEMPERATE UNGULATE

Patrick Rodgers *, Hall Sawyer, Tony W. Mong, Sam Stephens, Matthew J. Kauffman

9:45 – 10:00

TRANSCONTINENTAL TRAVEL: MIGRATION OF WESTERN BURROWING OWLS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA

Andrea C. Orabona, Courtney J. Conway, Troy I. Wellicome, Carl G. Lundblad

Break (15 minutes) sponsored by Maven Optics

10:15 – 10:30

THE MECHANISMS OF MULE DEER NAVIGATION

Holly Copeland, Kevin Monteith, Kristi Gebhart, Tayler LaSharr, Katey Huggler, Gary Fralick, Jerod Merkle

10:30 – 10:45

NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST: NAVIGATION AND MEMORY IN MULE DEER

Rhiannon P. Jakopak *, Tayler N. LaSharr, Samantha P. H. Dwinnell, Gary L. Fralick, Kevin L. Monteith

10:45 – 11:00

PREDICTING MIGRATION CORRIDORS: USING MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD TO FIT CORRIDOR MODELS TO MOVEMENT DATA

Tristan Nuñez, Mark Hurley, Julien Fattebert, Jerod Merkle, Matthew Kauffman

11:00 – 11:15

BEYOND BORDERS: BIRD MIGRATIONS TO, FROM, AND THROUGH THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM

Bryan Bedrosian

11:15 – 11:30

TIMING, DURATION, AND PATHWAYS OF HARLEQUIN DUCK MIGRATION TO PACIFIC MOLTING AND WINTERING AREAS

Lucas Savoy, Susan Patla, John Stephenson, Sarah Hegg, Doug Smith, Sean Boyd, Beth MacCallum, Malcolm McAdie, Lisa Bate, Chris Hammond, Joseph Evenson, Andrea Orabona

11:30 – 11:45 WY-TWS Volunteer and Leadership Recognition

11:45 – 1:15 MENTOR LUNCH (free; registration required) or lunch on your own

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Concurrent Sessions

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF SENSITIVE SPECIES

(Sage and Sharp-tailed Grouse)

NEW TRICKS: METHODS, MODELS, & MORE

Moderator: Nyssa Whitford Moderator: Ben Wise

1:15 – 1:30

MICROHABITAT SELECTION BETWEEN BROOD-REARING AND BROODLESS GREATER SAGE-GROUSE Erin L. Gelling *, Aaron C. Pratt, Jeffrey L. Beck

A NEW METHOD FOR MAPPING IMPORTANT HABITATS FOR PRONGHORN Hall Sawyer, Jerod A. Merkle, Matthew J. Kauffman

1:30 – 1:45

COMPARISON OF AVIAN AND MAMMALIAN PREDATORS IN SAGE-GROUSE CORE AND NON-CORE AREAS Claire L. Revekant *, Jonathan B. Dinkins

CHANGING UNGULATE FORAGE IN THE WEST: A LENS ON MIGRATION AND HABITAT USE Tabitha Graves, Ethan Berman, Nate Mikle, Jerod Merkle

1:45 – 2:00

A RANGE-WIDE HIERARCHICAL NESTED POPULATION MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR GREATER SAGE-GROUSE Michael S. O’Donnell, David R. Edmunds, Cameron L. Aldridge, Julie A. Heinrichs, Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Steve E. Hanser

INCORPORATING MORE (AND BETTER) SNOW SCIENCE IN WILDLIFE RESEARCH Adele K. Reinking, Glen E. Liston, Kelly Elder, Stine H. Pedersen, Jennifer A. Feltner, Kristin J. Barker

2:00 – 2:15

DELINEATING AND DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAGE-GROUSE WINTER CONCENTRATION AREAS IN WYOMING Kurt Smith, Aaron Pratt, Jonathan Dinkins, Jeffrey Beck

CAMERA DETECTIONS AND CAPTURE SUCCESS OF SPOTTED SKUNKS IN WYOMING Robert J. Riotto *, Zachariah H. Bell, and Merav Ben-David

2:15 – 2:30

SAGEBRUSH ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION STRATEGY - OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOLISTIC LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION Pat Deibert, Tom Remington, Steve Hanser

EVALUATING THE BEST MONITORING PROTOCOLS FOR BEES: VANE TRAPS, BEE CUPS, AND NETTING ARE NOT EQUAL Christine Bell *, Lusha Tronstad, Michael Dillon

2:30 – 2:45

UNDERSTANDING SHARP-TAILED GROUSE SUBSPECIES STATUS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL WYOMING Jonathan D. Lautenbach *, Jeffry L. Beck, Aaron C. Pratt, Andrew J. Gregory

HOW BLOOM DENSITY ALTERS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLLINATOR TRAPS Madison Crawford, Christy Bell, Lusha Tronstad

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2:45 – 2:50 (Lightning

Talk)

WHAT DOES THE FROG SAY?: DEVELOPING TOOLS TO MONITOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF AMPHIBIANS USING ACOUSTIC RECORDING EQUIPMENT AND AUTOMATED DETECTION SOFTWARE Ken Honeycutt, Wendy Estes-Zumpf, Asila Bergman

Break (25 minutes) sponsored by Advanced Telemetry Systems

Concurrent Sessions

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF SENSITIVE SPECIES

(Butterflies, Bats, and Birds)

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF SENSITIVE SPECIES (Amphibians and Skunks)

Moderator: Daly Edmunds Moderator: Embere Hall

3:15 – 3:30

INSIGHTS GAINED FROM LONG-TERM MONITORING OF GOLDEN EAGLES (AQUILA CHRYSAETOS) IN WYOMING’S BIGHORN BASIN Corey Anco, Nathan S. Horton, Charles R. Preston

FACTORS AFFECTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AMPHIBIANS IN WESTERN WYOMING Zach Wallace, Lusha Tronstad

3:30 – 3:45

PRIORITIZING LANDSCAPES FOR BIRD-FRIENDLY RANCHING Adrian Monroe, David Edmunds, Alison Holloran, Cameron Aldridge, Matthew Holloran

DOES HABITAT DISTURBANCE REDUCE BREEDING SITE FIDELITY OF BOREAL TOADS IN WESTERN WYOMING? Gabriel Maturani Barrile *, Anna D. Chalfoun, Annika Walters

3:45 – 4:00

IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL BAT MONITORING SCHEME IN WYOMING Laura Beard, Alexander Lewis, Nichole Bjornlie

STATUS OF A CRYPTIC ENDEMIC AMPHIBIAN (GREAT PLAINS TOAD, ANAXYRUS COGNATUS) IN NORTHEAST WYOMING Andrew Gygli, Wendy Estes-Zumpf

4:00 – 4:15

WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME SURVEILLANCE IN WYOMING Ian Abernethy, Laura Beard, Nichole Bjornlie

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS: GENOMICS OF SPOTTED SKUNKS Zachariah Bell *, Robert J. Riotto, Vikram Chatre, Merav Ben-David

4:15 – 4:30

THE STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF REGAL FRITILLARY BUTTERFLIES IN WYOMING Lusha Tronstad, Madison Crawford

THE EXTENT AND POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF A DAMAGING NON-NATIVE AMPHIBIAN (AMERICAN BULLFROG, LITHOBATES CATESBEIANUS) OUTBREAK IN NORTHEAST WYOMING Andrew Gygli, Wendy Estes-Zumpf

4:30 – 4:45 Closing announcements

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6:00 – 7:00

PANEL DISCUSSION: HOW DO WE VALUE WILDLIFE? @ Luminous Brewhouse Hosted by Wyoming Wildlife Federation and Greater Yellowstone Coalition

Moderator: Jessica Western, Ruckelshaus Institute, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming

7:30 – 9:00 QUIZ BOWL @ Luminous Brewhouse (‘Bonafide’ Food Truck)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21

7:00 – 8:15 WY-TWS Board & Members Meeting

8:30 – 8:45 Opening remarks and announcements from WY-TWS and WWF

8:45 – 9:45 INVITED TALK: There and Back Again – One Person’s Life Journey Terry Kreeger (retired WY Game and Fish Department wildlife veterinarian)

Break (15 minutes) sponsored by Maven Optics

10:00 – 10:30 WY-TWS Committee Updates

MOVEMENT AND MIGRATION OF WILDLIFE (continued)

Moderator: Holly Copeland

10:30 – 10:45

SURVIVING A HARSH WINTER: DO MOVEMENT STRATEGY, LIFE HISTORY, AND NUTRITION INTERACT TO INFLUENCE SURVIVAL? Tayler N. LaSharr *, Samantha P. H. Dwinnell, Gary L. Fralick, Rusty C. Kaiser, Mark Thonhoff, Jill Randall, Kevin L. Monteith

10:45 – 11:00 BEHAVIORAL PLASTICITY OF LARGE MAMMALS TO EXTREME HEAT IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS Rebecca Thomas-Kuzilik *, Jerod Merkle, collaborators

11:00 – 11:15

THERMAL SHELTERS: EFFECTS OF HABITAT AND MICROCLIMATE ON BED SITE SELECTION OF A HEAT-SENSITIVE UNGULATE Tana Verzuh *, Teal Cufaude, Corey Class, Will Schultz, Lee Knox, Mary Wood, Kevin Monteith

11:15 – 11:30

RISKY BUSINESS: MINIMIZING THE MAXIMUM DETRIMENT IN A SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY VARIABLE ENVIRONMENT

Katey Huggler *, Matthew M. Hayes, Patrick Burke, Daniel Thompson, Justin Clapp, Joseph D. Holbrook, Patrick Lionberger, Miguel Valdez, Kevin L. Monteith

11:30 – 11:45

ASSESSING COUGAR HABITAT AND KILL SITE SELECTION AS WOLF AND GRIZZLY BEAR POPULATIONS INCREASED IN THE SOUTHERN GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM (SGYE)

Jennifer Feltner *, Mark Elbroch, Howard Quigley, Peter Alexander, L. Scott Mills

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11:45 – 11:50 (Lightning Talk)

UPDATE ON GYE GRIZZLY BEAR DISTRIBUTION, 1990-2018

Dan Bjornlie, Mark Haroldson

11:50 – 11:55 (Lighting Talk)

BLACK BEAR POPULATION MONITORING IN WYOMING USING CLUSTERED DESIGN AND SPATIALLY EXPLICIT CAPTURE-RECAPTURE MODELS

Ryan Kindermann, Dan Bjornlie, Kole Stewart, Sean Ryder, Sterling Spilinik

12:00 – 1:30 WY-TWS PRESIDENTS AND MEMBERS LUNCH (free; registration required) or lunch on your own

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF SENSITIVE SPECIES (Habitat Relationships)

Moderator: Tim Thomas

1:30 – 1:45

DESIGN MATTERS: CAN VARIATION IN HOME ARCHITECTURE MEDIATE RISK FOR SEDENTARY PREY

Embere Hall, Jason Carlisle, Lindsey Sanders, Trent McDonald, Anna Chalfoun

1:45 – 2:00

GREAT GRAY OWL HABITAT SELECTION AND HOME RANGE CHARACTERISTICS DURING THE BREEDING SEASON

Katherine Gura *, Bryan Bedrosian, Susan Patla, Anna Chalfoun

2:00 – 2:15

HABITAT-FITNESS RELATIONSHIPS OF CANADA LYNX: WHY LYNX ARE NOT A NEW SPOTTED OWL

Joseph D. Holbrook, John R. Squires, Lucretia E. Olson

2:15 – 2:30

DETERMINING THE LONG-TERM RESPONSES OF SAGEBRUSH SONGBIRDS TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

Max Carlin *, Anna D. Chalfoun

2:30 – 2:45

INVESTIGATING ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF WIND TURBINES ON NATIVE BEE COMMUNITIES IN WYOMING, USA

Delina E. Dority *, Christy Bell, Lusha M. Tronstad, Michael E. Dillon

Break (15 minutes) sponsored by Advanced Telemetry Systems

COSTS OF CREATURE COMFORTS: IMPACTS OF HUMANS ON WILDLIFE

Moderator: Anika Mahoney

3:00 – 3:15

OUR PLAYGROUND, THEIR HOME: CHALLENGES IN BALANCING OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Courtney L. Larson, Sarah E. Reed, and Kevin R. Crooks

3:15 – 3:30

REDUCED SPEED LIMIT: AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE WILDLIFE-VEHICLE COLLISIONS?

Corinna Riginos, Elizabeth Fairbank, Erica Hansen, Jaron Kolek, Marcel Huijser

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3:30 – 3:45

PRONGHORN AND THE GHOSTS OF CORRIDORS PAST: USING GPS-TELEMETRY TO DETERMINE WHERE MIGRATION CORRIDORS ONCE OCCURRED ALONG THE I-80 BARRIER

Benjamin S. Robb *, Jerod A. Merkle, Hall Sawyer, Jeffrey L. Beck, Matthew J. Kauffman

3:45 – 4:00

THE IMPACT OF TOWNS ON MULE DEER MIGRATION IN THE AMERICAN WEST

Julien Fattebert, Jerod Merkle, Hall Sawyer, Holly Copeland, Tristan Nuñez, Jodi Berg, Scott Bergen, Mark Hurley, Greg Anderson, Gary Fralick, Cody Schroeder, Daniel Olson, Kent Hersey, Anna Ortega, Samantha Dwinnell, Tayler LaSharr, Rhiannon Jakopak, Kevin Monteith, Matthew Kauffman

4:00 – 4:15

DEVELOPMENT IN UNGULATE MIGRATION ROUTES: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

Mallory Sandoval Lambert *, Hall Sawyer, Jerod Merkle

4:15 – 4:20 (Lightning

Talk)

QUANTIFYING BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES OF UNGULATE TO FENCES IN RANGELANDS

Wenjing Xu *, Nandintsetseg Dejid, Benjamin Robb, Hall Sawyer, Arthur Middleton

4:20 – 4:30 Closing announcements

6:00 – 10:00 BANQUET AT THE SHERIDAN INN

Keynote Speaker: Samantha Dwinnell, “Breaking Down the Walls of the Ivory Tower: Engaging New Audiences with Stories of Science”

WY-TWS Awards: See below plus Best Student poster and oral presentations

Silent Auction

WY-TWS AWARD DESCRIPTIONS:

Professional of the Year | Recognizes a wildlife professional who best exemplifies values consistent with The Wildlife Society code of ethics and makes outstanding contributions to the wildlife profession in WY, in the given year. Contributions include excellence in research, management, public relations, and/or policy.

Citizen of the Year | Recognizes an individual who does not have a 'wildlife' job but whose efforts directly benefit wildlife and/or associated habitats. Previous recipients range from science teachers to Governors.

Roger Wilson Lifetime Achievement | Recognizes an outstanding wildlife professional that has tirelessly dedicated themselves throughout their career to promoting wildlife values, conservation, education, and advancing the science of wildlife management.

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Listed in order of presentation (grouped by session), with presenting author in bold

* denotes student

MOVEMENT AND MIGRATION OF WILDLIFE (Wednesday)

MIGRATION DISTANCE AND MATERNAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION SHAPE THE TIMING OF REPRODUCTION IN A LARGE HERBIVORE

Ellen O. Aikens* (1,2), Samantha P.H. Dwinnell (3), Tayler N. LaSharr (3), Rhiannon P. Jakopak (3), Gary L. Fralick (5), Jill Randall (5), Rusty Kaiser (6), Mark Thonhoff (7), Matthew J. Kauffman (8), and Kevin L. Monteith (1,3)

(1) Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: ellen.aikens@gmail.com (2) Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (3) Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (4) Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (5) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Pinedale, WY (6) US Forest Service, Big Piney, WY (7) US Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale, WY (8) US Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Optimal timing of birth is a key life-history characteristic that can affect fitness and population performance. For migratory animals, the timing of reproduction that occurs on one seasonal range may be constrained by events occurring during other parts of the seasonal or migratory cycle. Herein, we investigated: 1) what influences the timing of birth (i.e., parturition) and its plasticity, and 2) how migration influences reproductive phenology of female mule deer in western Wyoming, USA, over a

V. Oral Presentation Abstracts

Photo: Tom Koerner, USFWS

a. Wednesday Presentations

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four-year period (2015–2018; n = 59). Variation in parturition date was explained largely (~60%) by fetal development (i.e., fetal eye diameter) in March, however, there was ±12 days of plasticity in expected parturition date. Exposure to spring green-up (β=-13.87, p=0.001) and maternal condition (β=-0.52, p=0.09) advanced expected timing of parturition based on fetal development (adjusted R2=0.13). Parturition timing had no influence on birth mass. Furthermore, females in good nutritional condition in December (β=2.55, p

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SURFING SNOW-OFF: NORTHERN MIGRATORY UNGULATES TRACK SNOW MELT TO ARRIVE ON CALVING GROUNDS DURING OPTIMAL FORAGE CONDITIONS

Michel P. Laforge* (1), Maegwin Bonar (1), and Eric Vander Wal (1,2)

(1) Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada; Email: m.laforge@mun.ca (2) Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada

Spring is energetically costly for female herbivores, as they face heightened energy demands from migration, gestation, and lactation. Spring in northern climates is a time of rapid environmental change: melting snow facilitates foraging and travel, and newly-emergent vegetation provides a valuable nutritional resource. These processes are spatio-temporally variable; thus, habitat selection for herbivores in spring is a process that requires individuals to be plastic in response to environmental change. Individuals must optimize the timing of important life-history events such as migration and parturition and adopt habitat selection strategies that maximise use of profitable resources. We used remotely-sensed data to examine the timing of female caribou (Rangifer tarandus) migration and parturition as a function of two measures of environmental change—snow-melt and vegetation green-up. We generated resource selection functions to test whether caribou selected for areas associated with these environmental changes during migration and parturition. Our results show that caribou migration typically occurs shortly after snow melt, with parturition and the subsequent energetic costs associated with lactation occurring during the peak of green-up. Our results have implications for understanding how herbivores adjust their migratory behaviour in the face of climate change to ensure access to resources when energetic needs are highest.

WEATHER AND SEX INFLUENCE MIGRATORY BEHAVIORS AND HABITAT SELECTION IN A TEMPERATE UNGULATE

Patrick Rodgers*(1), Hall Sawyer (2), Tony W. Mong (3), Sam Stephens (3), and Matthew J. Kauffman (4)

(1) Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email:prodgers@uwyo.edu (2) Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc., Laramie, WY (3) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, WY (4) US Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Seasonal migrations along elevational and latitudinal gradients allow a diversity of wildlife species to persist in the face of dramatic seasonal shifts in habitat quality. Recent work to better understand ungulate migration has produced a suite of analytical tools for identifying the mechanisms behind migration and quantifying associated behaviors. While environmental variables like weather and plant phenology are thought to be the main drivers of migration, emergent evidence suggests that anthropogenic disturbances, such as hunting, as well as intrinsic factors like age and sex can also influence migratory patterns. However, critical gaps in understanding of the influence of both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence migratory behaviors remain common. We used three years (2016 – 2018) of GPS-collar data for a herd of migratory mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in south-central Wyoming to compare key migratory behaviors between sexes, identify factors that influence the timing of migration, and evaluate habitat selection in and around the autumn hunting season. Overall, migratory behaviors were sex specific. Males migrated 30% farther on average, spent 14% more time on stopover sites, and took 44% longer to complete migration. Males also “surfed” waves of spring green-up as well or better than females. Additionally, we found that precipitation (i.e.; snowfall), and

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migratory distance had the greatest effect on migration probability in autumn of males, while precipitation was strongly associated with migration onset in females. The two-week period of autumn hunting season (Oct 1–14) also increased the propensity to migrate in females, but not males. Lastly, during hunting season, males selected for habitats with increased canopy cover and distance to roads, while females selected more rugged areas with higher canopy cover. Overall, our findings contribute to a broader understanding of migration ecology and the factors that influence migration and habitat selection of wild ungulates in western landscapes.

TRANSCONTINENTAL TRAVEL: MIGRATION OF WESTERN BURROWING OWLS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA

Andrea C. Orabona (1), Courtney J. Conway (2), Troy I. Wellicome (3,4), and Carl G. Lundblad (5)

(1) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Nongame Program, Lander, WY; Email: andrea.orabona@wyo.gov (2) U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID (3) Canadian Wildlife Service, Edmonton, AB, Canada (4) University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada (5) Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID

Identifying causes of declines in long-distance migrants is often hampered because we know little about migratory routes, wintering locations, and annual dispersal. Western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) are a species of national conservation concern in the U.S., federally endangered in Canada, and a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Wyoming. One knowledge gap for Burrowing Owls is limited information regarding their migratory patterns. To address this, we have deployed solar-powered satellite transmitters (PTTs) on >90 adult owls in 11 U.S. states and 3 Canadian provinces from 2013-2019. In Wyoming, we collaborated with 15 partners and 7 organizations to deploy 12 transmitters at 11 nest sites in 6 locations during 2019. For all states and provinces combined, we obtained data for 34 complete southward migrations, linking breeding sites in the northern portions of North America to wintering sites in the southern portions of North America. Most Burrowing Owls that bred in the interior states and provinces wintered in mainland Mexico, but most owls that bred west of the continental divide wintered in California and Baja California. Owls varied greatly in the time spent migrating: 6-57 days on fall southbound migration (mean 22.9 days) and 6-51 days on spring northbound migration (mean 21.6 days). Most owls that bred on the Great Plains remained east of the Rocky Mountains and funneled through western Texas when migrating southward. Over 90% of the owls that nested in (and migrated from) Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska took a multi-day break from migration in northwestern Texas (with most of these stopovers near Lubbock, Texas). Owls had stronger site fidelity to their wintering locations than to their breeding sites. Mexico and California are important wintering areas for Western Burrowing Owls, and our results identify important stopover and wintering locations where conservation efforts might be focused.

THE MECHANISMS OF MULE DEER NAVIGATION

Holly Copeland (1), Kevin Monteith (2), Kristi Gebhart (3), Tayler LaSharr (2), Katey Huggler (2), Gary Fralick (4), and Jerod Merkle (1)

(1) Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: hcopelan@uwyo.edu (2) Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (3) National Park Service at the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University,

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Fort Collins, CO (4) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Jackson, WY

Ungulates can migrate hundreds of kilometers to the same seasonal ranges and along the same migratory routes year after year – a feat most humans would find difficult without a map or GPS unit. Although it is becoming clear that some type of learning and spatial memory underlie long-distance migration, the mechanisms by which ungulates navigate are unclear. Animals, including birds and bats, can navigate using a number of cues including olfactory, visual, and magnetic. Navigational mechanisms can be tested by examining the factors that influence ‘true navigation’, which is the ability to navigate from an unfamiliar location to a familiar location. We evaluated the hypothesis that mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) possess the ability for true navigation, and evaluated whether they use olfactory or visual cues to navigate, and if they can improve navigation through learning. We used displacement experiments where we transported GPS-collared deer from their winter range to an unfamiliar location (

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PREDICTING MIGRATION CORRIDORS: USING MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD TO FIT CORRIDOR MODELS TO MOVEMENT DATA

Tristan Nuñez (1,2), Mark Hurley (2), Julien Fattebert (1), Jerod Merkle (3), and Matthew Kauffman (1)

(1) Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Laramie, WY; Email: tristan.nunez@uwyo.edu (2) Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise, ID (3) Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Conserving migratory populations requires knowing the location of migratory corridors. GPS collars have greatly advanced knowledge of ungulate migration corridors by allowing direct observation of migratory movements. However, due to logistics and limited funding, many ungulate populations cannot be collared, making it difficult to identify their migration corridors. We developed a novel approach to predicting migration corridors that uses maximum likelihood to fit cost distance movement models to GPS telemetry data. Fitted models can then be used to predict the corridors used by populations with limited collar data. In a first step to evaluate our approach, we demonstrated that maximum likelihood estimation can recover the known resistance parameters used to simulate movements across simulated landscapes. Next, we used data from multiple mule deer migrations in Idaho and Wyoming to fit cost distance models with the following covariates: date of peak green-up, primary productivity, stopover habitat, hydrologic networks, human footprint, elevation, and topography. We found that multiple environmental variables influence the movements of migrating mule deer, and that their relative importance varies spatially. Our fitted cost distance models predicted paths that more closely matched empirical tracks than paths generated from the traditional approach of parameterizing cost distance models from step selection or resource selection functions. In addition to the practical benefit of mapping corridors, this approach can address conceptual ideas in migration ecology that center around navigation, seasonal range decisions, fidelity, and movement constraints. Models of predictive corridors can also be used to assess the potential for climate or land use change to influence future movements of migrating animals.

BEYOND BORDERS: BIRD MIGRATIONS TO, FROM, AND THROUGH THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM

Bryan Bedrosian (1)

(1) Teton Raptor Center, Jackson, WY; Email: bryan@tetonraptorcenter.org

Hundreds of bird species migrate to, from, and through Wyoming twice a year. Transcontinental movements and spatially distinct seasonal habitats create a significant challenge to manage local populations. Due to lack of data, the global scale of movements, and difficulties of coordinated international conservation efforts, the importance of avian migration is often understated and overlooked. Understanding seasonal habitats, key migration corridors, and stopover sites is a critical step in conservation of long-distance migrant birds. However, technological limitations to tracking precludes gathering this information for most avifauna, with the exception of our largest birds. I summarize all known migration tracking data on bird species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including raptors, waterfowl, and shorebirds, and the importance of these data to avian conservation. Key components to avian migration work are large collaborative data collection efforts and a global-scale of thinking. There is a significant need to better understand avian migrations and how to manage sensitive species that rely on Wyoming for only a portion of their life cycle.

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TIMING, DURATION, AND PATHWAYS OF HARLEQUIN DUCK MIGRATION TO PACIFIC MOLTING AND WINTERING AREAS

Lucas Savoy (1), Susan Patla (2), John Stephenson (3), Sarah Hegg (3), Doug Smith (4), Sean Boyd (5), Beth MacCallum (6), Malcolm McAdie (7), Lisa Bate (8), Chris Hammond (9), Joseph Evenson (10), and Andrea Orabona (11)

(1) Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, ME (2) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Jackson, WY (retired) (3) National Park Service, Grand Teton National Park, Moose, WY (4) National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Mammoth, WY (5) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada (6) Bighorn Wildlife Technologies, Hinton, AB, Canada (7) Wildlife Veterinarian (DVM), Nanaimo, BC, Canada (8) National Park Service, Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT (9) Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Kalispell, MT (10) Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bellingham, WA (11) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Nongame Program, Lander, WY; Email: andrea.orabona@wyo.gov

The core breeding range for Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) in western North America extends from Alaska, south through the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and British Columbia. Smaller breeding populations exist in southwestern Alberta and the northwestern U.S. and include areas of Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. Each state and province has identified the Harlequin Duck as a species of conservation priority, given their small and isolated populations and specific nesting requirements for pristine mountain-streams. Conservation objectives for these areas have all identified the importance of mapping migration routes that connect breeding sites to Pacific coast molting and wintering locations, as well as determining migration timing, duration, habitat use, and stopover sites. In Wyoming during 2016-2019, we tracked the seasonal movements of nine male Harlequin Ducks captured and marked with satellite transmitters on breeding streams or spring staging locations within Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. All nine harlequins successfully initiated molt migration toward the Pacific coast. During spring 2016-2018, we captured Harlequin Duck pairs on breeding streams and surgically implanted satellite transmitters in the males. Male harlequins departed their breeding areas during the early portions of June through early July (June 3 – July 8). The duration of molt migration from breeding sites to their Pacific coast molting areas ranged from ≤4 to 38 days. Male harlequins tended to utilize rivers as stopover locations during migration. Harlequins migrated through a wide variety of habitats, with a preference for temperate conifer forests. We identified the molting locations of seven male harlequins, which included the western coastline of Vancouver Island (n = 5), the Salish Sea/Puget Sound (n = 1), and coastal Oregon (n = 1). Male harlequins generally remained at or near their molting sites during the winter season. Project collaborators have also mapped the movements of male harlequins originating from other breeding sites in the northwest.

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CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF SENSITIVE SPECIES Sage and Sharp-Tailed Grouse

MICROHABITAT SELECTION BETWEEN BROOD-REARING AND BROODLESS GREATER SAGE-GROUSE

Erin L. Gelling* (1), Aaron C. Pratt (1), and Jeffrey L. Beck (1)

(1) Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: ebirtwis@uwyo.edu

Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter ‘sage-grouse’) are the focus of much research and conservation efforts owing to their obligate relationship with sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) and dramatic population declines over the last 50 years. Research suggests female survival and chick survival are two of the most important demographic parameters for sage-grouse; therefore, focus should be on bolstering these vital rates to sustain sage-grouse populations. In addition, recent research has shown habitat partitioning occurs between broodless (i.e., females without a brood) and brood-rearing females and that broodless females have lower mortality risk than females with chicks. Thus, habitat used by both brood-rearing and broodless females must be considered in management and conservation plans. Our study was initiated in spring 2018 in Carbon County, Montana to identify seasonal habitat use and compare landscape and microhabitat characteristics between brood-rearing and broodless females. We captured adult and yearling female sage-grouse during spring and summer 2018 and 2019. We monitored 39 and 43 females captured at 7 leks in 2018 and 2019, respectively, with the use of solar-powered, rump-mounted transmitters. We monitored 17 broods in 2018 and 21 broods in 2019 until 5 weeks post-hatch. We incorporated movement by examining 5-minute locations for both brood-rearing and broodless females, such that, vegetation surveys focused on locations used while a female was actively moving, day roosting, and night roosting. We measured vegetation characteristics (e.g., shrub, grass, forb, and ground cover) at 66 early brood-rearing (0–2 weeks post-hatch), 72 late brood-rearing (3–5 weeks post-hatch), 75 broodless locations, and 123 random locations. Understanding female sage-grouse habitat use during both reproductive states will better inform wildlife managers to manage, conserve, or restore sage-grouse habitat so as to conserve populations and increase population growth.

COMPARISON OF AVIAN AND MAMMALIAN PREDATORS IN SAGE-GROUSE CORE AND NON-CORE AREAS

Claire L. Revekant* (1) and Jonathan B. Dinkins (1)

(1) Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; Email: claire.revekant@oregonstate.edu

Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus: hereafter sage-grouse) abundance and distribution in North America has declined over the last century. Many factors have contributed to this decline, including habitat loss and fragmentation from human development with an associated potential for increased predation rates from avian and/or mammalian predators. While human development influences sage-grouse demographic rates and habitat selection, it provides an increased number of perch and nesting structures used by avian predators. Development has also been attributed to increases in mammalian generalist predators because they thrive in human-influenced environments. Wyoming’s Sage-Grouse Core Areas were developed to add protections to important sage-grouse habitat by reducing development within Core Areas. Core Areas have maintained higher sage-grouse

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trends compared to Non-Core Areas, which could be explained by reduced predation rates. However, we lack a study comparing predator abundance within and outside Core Areas. In total, we performed 2,293 avian point counts along 400 8.05-km transects throughout the Wyoming Basin during the 2017 and 2018 summer. Human structures were noted at each location, which will be added to human disturbance data previously calculated. In 2018, we deployed 117 trail cameras on scent stations and performed 176 500-m scat and badger burrow transects to survey for mammalian predators. Scent stations and all transects were stratified between Core and Non-Core Areas. Preliminary results will be presented assessing (1) what habitat or structural factors are associated with higher predator and songbird abundance and (2) if avian and mammalian predator abundance differs between Core and Non-Core Areas.

A RANGE-WIDE HIERARCHICAL NESTED POPULATION MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR GREATER SAGE-GROUSE

Michael S. O’Donnell (1), David R. Edmunds (1), Cameron L. Aldridge (2), Julie A. Heinrichs (1), Peter S. Coates (3), Brian G. Prochazka (3), and Steve E. Hanser (4)

(1) Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO; Email: Dave.Edmunds@rams.colostate.edu (2) Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, in cooperation with U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO (3) U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon, CA (4) U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO

Population monitoring is vital to conservation and management of wildlife; yet, population survey data commonly are limited to single geographic extents and rarely account for processes occurring across spatial and temporal scales. To support a statistically repeatable and multi-scaled framework for long-term monitoring, we first constructed hierarchically nested groupings of similar habitats represented as spatial boundaries of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) population structures (leks) in Nevada and Wyoming (i.e., sage-grouse clusters; O’Donnell et al. 2019). Second, in collaboration with state wildlife agency partners, we applied this approach to sage-grouse lek locations across the species’ extant range in 11 western states. Our approach relied on a clustering algorithm (Spatial “K”luster Analysis by Tree Edge Removal, or SKATER) where we explicitly included habitat selection at multiple scales, and we modified the process to include constraint-based rules of connectivity (e.g., maximum inter-lek movement distances) between habitats. This method provided a biologically-informed means of clustering breeding populations at multiple nested scales, which is an important consideration for species with broad distributions. With the resulting standardized, national lek location/count database and the subsequent hierarchical population monitoring framework, we can better leverage the population monitoring survey data. We will discuss how these products can: identify populations for management at the appropriate spatial scale, support range-wide population trend analyses, support analyses of population trends and density-dependence growth rates (Edmunds et al. In Review), support a spatially balanced monitoring framework (e.g., GRTS), and support the evaluation of conservation efforts with respect to benefits on sage-grouse populations using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s and U.S. Geological Survey’s Conservation Efforts Database (CED). Although untested, we believe this methodology could be applied to other wildlife species that have high site fidelity (e.g., den sites or migration stopover locations).

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DELINEATING AND DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAGE-GROUSE WINTER CONCENTRATION AREAS IN WYOMING

Kurt Smith (1), Aaron Pratt (1), Jonathan Dinkins (2), and Jeffrey Beck (1)

(1) University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: ksmith94@uwyo.edu (2) Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

Priority Areas of Conservation (PACs) have been delineated as protected areas based on known breeding habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) throughout their range. These PACs include Core Areas designated in the Wyoming Sage-Grouse Executive Order; however, this order also indicates the need to identify Winter Concentration Areas (WCAs; flocks ≥ 50 individuals) based on habitat features using validated resource selection functions (RSFs). We used aerial infrared videography to identify locations of wintering sage-grouse in south-central and southwest Wyoming, USA, to evaluate winter sage-grouse habitat selection with individual-based RSFs, RSFs based on WCAs, and relative flock size. We located 4,859 individuals, comprising 132 flocks across our study area. Flocks occurred in Core Areas more than expected, but a biologically meaningful number of sage-grouse flocks were located outside of Core Areas. Individual‐based RSFs contained useful predictors that were consistent with previous sage‐grouse winter habitat selection studies, suggesting that identifying important winter habitats with individual‐based RSF modeling is useful for locating potential WCAs when information on flock sizes is not available. Our survey technique provides a potential framework for identifying sage‐grouse WCAs. Currently, however, identified WCAs are not afforded the same level of protection as designated Core Areas, provided they are discontiguous. We discuss our current research that utilizes currently-available data from sage-grouse equipped with GPS transmitters throughout Wyoming to: 1) identify the timing of sage-grouse presence on winter range, 2) identify the effects of snow depth on winter habitat selection, and 3) identify potential anthropogenic disturbance thresholds that may lead to avoidance of important winter habitats. These results will form the basis from which management approaches can be developed to improve PAC protection of all seasonal habitats for sage‐grouse conservation.

SAGEBRUSH ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION STRATEGY - OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOLISTIC LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION

Pat Deibert (1), Tom Remington (2), and Steve Hanser (3)

(1) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cheyenne, WY; Email: pat_deibert@fws.gov (2) Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Fort Collins, CO (3) U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO

Most conservation efforts within the sagebrush ecosystem have typically focused on single species (e.g., sage-grouse, mule deer), a conservation focus that is often prudent to avert potential listings or respond to litigation or constituents. A single species approach likely will not provide for the needs of the more than 350 species of conservation concern associated with sagebrush, nor meet human needs for ecosystem services from the sagebrush biome. Acknowledging this need, the Sagebrush Science Initiative was formed in 2016 as a collaboration between USFWS and WAFWA to identify and resolve key gaps in our understanding of the sagebrush ecosystem and inform more holistic conservation efforts. WAFWA is building upon that effort by coordinating (with USFWS, USGS, BLM, NRCS, State Wildlife Agencies, Universities, and NGOs) the development of a Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation Strategy. Part A of this effort is complete and provides an overview of the conservation challenges facing the sagebrush biome, and the needs of wildlife that depend on it and of the humans that inhabit it. Part B is in development, and will explore development of achievable goals for sagebrush ecosystem

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conservation, and strategies to attain them with a diverse group of stakeholders, acknowledging that humans are also a sagebrush-associated species. This presentation will outline the accomplishments to date, review the next steps, and identify opportunities for your input in developing a persistent and effective conservation strategy for this iconic landscape.

UNDERSTANDING SHARP-TAILED GROUSE SUBSPECIES STATUS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL WYOMING

Jonathan D. Lautenbach* (1), Jeffrey L. Beck (1), Aaron C. Pratt (1,2), and Andrew J. Gregory (3)

(1) Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: jlauten1@uwyo.edu (2) George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center, Bartlesville, OK (3) School of Earth, Environment and Society, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus; hereafter STGR) is a species of prairie-grouse found across most of northern North America, including portions of the Intermountain West. Throughout their range, there are 6 extant subspecies including the Columbian (T. p. columbianus) and plains (T. p. jamesii), both of which are found in Wyoming. Columbian STGR have been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act and are listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Wyoming. Within Wyoming, Columbian STGR can be found in Grand Teton National Park, and a second population in south-central Wyoming that was originally thought to be Columbian STGR. Recent evidence contradicts this. Our study seeks to determine if south-central Wyoming STGR are Columbian, plains, or a different STGR subspecies. To understand this, we have collected genetic samples from south-central Wyoming (430 samples), eastern Wyoming (known plains STGR; 75 samples), and eastern Idaho (known Columbian STGR; 108 samples). We analyzed the genetic distance among sample groups via maximum parsimony trees based on a combination of mitochondrial sequences, microsatellite genotypes, and morphometric data. These results will help determine which STGR subspecies is found in south-central Wyoming. Additional vegetation, survival, and location data collected on this population will be useful for determining management goals for this population and other populations that belong to the same subspecies.

NEW TRICKS: METHODS, MODELS, AND MORE

A NEW METHOD FOR MAPPING IMPORTANT HABITATS FOR PRONGHORN

Hall Sawyer (1), Jerod A. Merkle (2), and Matthew J. Kauffman (3)

(1) Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc., Laramie, WY (2) Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: jmerkle@uwyo.edu (3) US Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Big game management relies on identifying and conserving critical seasonal ranges and the corridors that connect them. For most species, like deer and elk, it is relatively easy to delineate critical winter ranges, migration routes, and summer ranges because they predictably use the same areas year after year. In contrast, the seasonal and annual movements of pronghorn are much less predictable. Sometimes they migrate, sometimes they do not. Sometimes they use the same winter range, sometimes they do not. Further, within a single population, individuals can be nomadic, resident, or

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migratory. How do we identify critical habitats for a species with such unpredictable movements, particularly when faced with widespread land-use change? Our long-term goal with this project is to develop a standard method for identifying the critical seasonal ranges for pronghorn that accounts for their diverse and unpredictable movements. We discussed pronghorn movements with biologists from multiple western states and plotted hundreds of annual trajectories from GPS collared pronghorn. Based on this information, we have taken an ‘entire year’ approach to delineating critical habitats. Our approach entails identifying two types of critical habitats. First, we identify core areas using similar methods for identifying stopovers, but instead of analyzing migratory trajectories, we analyze trajectories from an entire year. Second, we identify important ‘movement routes’ between core areas by isolating up to six trajectories where individuals move from one seasonal range to another within a given year. We include movement routes occurring any time of the year. We then use these routes to determine the most important movement corridors between core areas using the same methods for delineating migration corridors. We are testing our framework with pronghorn data collected in western Wyoming and other western states. We anticipate our framework can be used to delineate critical seasonal ranges for pronghorn and for other populations of big game with unpredictable movements.

CHANGING UNGULATE FORAGE IN THE WEST: A LENS ON MIGRATION AND HABITAT USE

Tabitha Graves (1), Ethan Berman (1), Nate Mikle (1), and Jerod Merkle (2)

(1) U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, West Glacier, MT; Email: tgraves@usgs.gov (2) University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Forage quality, quantity, and phenology play a large role in regulating the habitat use and population dynamics of wildlife populations. Assessing how forage has changed over time can help inform management decisions. Using several freely available remotely sensed and climate-based datasets, we evaluated which datasets best match on the ground estimates of forage timing. We also calculated forage-related metrics such as the timing and duration of spring greenup on a pixel-by-pixel basis across the western United States. We conducted trend analysis from 2000-2014, identifying areas of consistent change and summarizing trends. We also assessed variability and consistency of estimates within and across datasets. Ecoregion, landcover type, and elevation influence the patterns of changes, but substantial variation is unexplained and likely relates to finer scale influences on forage. In many places the start of spring and end of spring are changing substantially, highlighting the importance of understanding the changes for conservation of migratory ungulates which rely on greenscape gradients to optimize nutritional gain.

INCORPORATING MORE (AND BETTER) SNOW SCIENCE IN WILDLIFE RESEARCH

Adele K. Reinking (1), Glen E. Liston (1), Kelly Elder (2), Stine H. Pedersen (1,3), Jennifer A. Feltner (4), and Kristin J. Barker (5)

(1) Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; Email: adele.reinking@colostate.edu (2) Rocky Mountain Research Station, United States Forest Service, Fort Collins, CO (3) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK (4) Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT (5)Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California – Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

The spatial and temporal distribution of snow, as well as physical properties such as depth and strength, can drive animal movement, physiology, and behavior. Such influences can affect individual fitness and

mailto:adele.reinking@colostate.edumailto:adele.reinking@colostate.edu

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population-level performance, and may alter interspecies dynamics within wildlife communities that experience snow. Therefore, snowscape conditions are an important consideration for wildlife researchers working with species utilizing winter systems. While we expect that quality snow information is crucial to accurately evaluate snow-wildlife interactions, the perception exists that answering snow-wildlife questions is largely unattainable because the required snow products do not exist. Previously available snow information often covered the wrong location, was of inadequate spatial or temporal resolution, and consisted of irrelevant variables. Fortunately, the latest generation of snow datasets fills this void, and more and better snow information is available to wildlife researchers. In addition, for the study of species or systems where snow likely plays an influential role, it is imperative that field collection of climate and snow-related data receive stronger prioritization. Implementing such a field component can be simple, fast, and inexpensive, but without background knowledge in snow science, many biologists are uncertain of how to achieve this. Moreover, when field observations are coupled with advanced snow modeling tools that accurately simulate the physical relationships between meteorological conditions and the landscapes over which they operate, realistic snow information can be generated. Using SnowModel, a climate and snow evolution modeling tool designed for applications in all landscapes and climates where snow occurs, wildlife-relevant variables such as snow depth or density can be modeled over specific areas at appropriate spatial and temporal scales. SnowModel can also assimilate ground observations to more accurately reflect real-world conditions. We advocate for increased communication between snow and wildlife scientists, and provide guidance on using high-quality snow science to better evaluate snow-wildlife interactions.

CAMERA DETECTIONS AND CAPTURE SUCCESS OF SPOTTED SKUNKS IN WYOMING

Robert J. Riotto* (1), Zachariah H. Bell (1), and Merav Ben-David (1)

(1) University of Wyoming Department of Zoology and Physiology, Laramie, WY; Email: rriotto@uwyo.edu

The plains subspecies of the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius interrupta) is one of many species petitioned for listing under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). Eastern and western spotted skunks (S. putorius and S. gracilis) co-occur in Wyoming leading to the possibility of sympatry and hybridization, influencing the validity of the taxon petitioned for ESA protection. We used 85 known locations of spotted skunks derived from camera traps (WGFD, n = 18 and the UWYO, n = 9) and verified historic and new public records (n = 58) to inform our survey design. From June 2017 – November 2018 we surveyed 466 sites across Wyoming. At each site, 3 cameras were deployed for 2 weeks (1,398 camera trap locations). We detected spotted skunks at 56 sites and successfully live-captured 52 individuals at 32 of those. Spotted skunks were detected more often during the second week of the survey. At sites where spotted skunks visited all 3 cameras, at least one individual was captured. In contrast, we successfully captured skunks at only 58% of sites where 2/3 cameras were visited and just a 21% when a detection occurred at 1 camera. Spotted skunks were more than twice as likely to be captured within the first 3 nights following a camera detection. These results suggest that when designing a survey for rare meso-carnivores, researchers should use multiple cameras per site, check cameras often and deploy live traps as soon as the animal is detected. The initial survey design will benefit from developing probability of detection surfaces from prior information such as public records and citizen science. These steps will lead to optimization of survey effort and reduce the need for intensive spatial and temporal sampling.

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EVALUATING THE BEST MONITORING PROTOCOLS FOR BEES: VANE TRAPS, BEE CUPS, AND NETTING ARE NOT EQUAL

Christine Bell* (1), Lusha Tronstad (2), and Michael Dillon (3)

(1) Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: cbell@uwyo.edu (2) Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (3) Zoology and Physiology Department, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Bees are prolific and vital pollinators in both agricultural and natural settings, but some populations are declining, including the western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis). Monitoring declining species is crucial to understand their status and conservation needs; however, a lack of standardized sampling methods can make range-wide monitoring difficult. Monitoring bees is usually done by three common sampling methods: blue vane traps, bee cups, and aerial netting. Here we examine the difference in abundance and assemblages of bees sampled with these methods in Wyoming, USA, with a particular focus on bumble bees (genus Bombus). We sampled in Wyoming across five Level III Ecoregions. At each site we deployed the three most common methods as described above. We compared catch rate (insects/hour) and richness for all bee genera and for species of Bombus. We collected both a greater abundance and assemblage of bees in vane traps than bee cups, with the exception of smaller sweat bees. The abundance of Bombus species collected did not vary between the vane traps and aerial netting; however, the assemblages detected were different between these two sampling methods. Our analysis suggests that sampling methods can affect both the abundance and assemblage of bees, and that sampling protocols should be tailored to the taxa of interest.

HOW BLOOM DENSITY ALTERS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLLINATOR TRAPS

Madison Crawford (1), Christy Bell (2), and Lusha Tronstad (1)

(1) Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: mcrawf10@uwyo.edu (2) Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Wild bees are key pollinators in most regions of the world and perform ecosystem services for many habitat types. The abundance and diversity of floral resources vary among ecosystems and may influence pollinator presence. Other studies investigated how floral resources are related to the presence of bees, but few studies measured how the catch in passive traps (vane traps and pan traps) is altered by floral resources. Pollinator traps specifically target Hymenoptera through color (blue, yellow, and white) only. Our study investigated the degree to which pollinating insects were attracted to vane traps and bee cups (similar to pan traps) placed in locations with low, medium, and high bloom densities. We collected specimens in eastern Wyoming and discovered that the most variance in bee abundance was related to floral resources at a site rather than at individual trap locations. We captured more bees in traps placed in areas with a low density of flowers and the likelihood of catching pollinators in areas with high bloom densities decreased with increasing flower density. By measuring how floral resources affect the abundance of Hymenoptera collected in pollinator traps, we can place traps in better locations to maximize effort and more efficiently monitor the presence of bees.

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WHAT DOES THE FROG SAY?: DEVELOPING TOOLS TO MONITOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF AMPHIBIANS USING ACOUSTIC RECORDING EQUIPMENT AND AUTOMATED DETECTION SOFTWARE

Ken Honeycutt (1), Wendy Estes-Zumpf (1), and Asila Bergman (1)

(1)Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Laramie, WY; Email: richard.honeycutt@wyo.gov

Monitoring the distribution of amphibians across broad regions is challenging for wildlife managers. To aid managers in this effort, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Bureau of Land Management are developing methods for monitoring amphibians using automated acoustic surveys. Though managers commonly monitor amphibians by having observers listen for vocalizations at target locations, this requires many person-hours and that surveyors visit all target sites during optimal conditions for amphibian breeding. These problems can be partially mitigated by automation inherent to the workflow of automated acoustic surveys. First, the acoustics at target locations are recorded using automated recording devices set to a repeating schedule, eliminating the need to visit sites on multiple occasions or at optimal times. Second, the recordings can be examined for vocalizations of target species using automated software (i.e., acoustic recognition programs), eliminating need to manually examine recordings. To develop techniques using automated acoustic surveys, we tested various strategies for deploying automated recorders, recorded high-quality vocalizations for each of 7 amphibians, tested 3 acoustic recognition programs for accuracy in detecting target vocalizations and user-friendliness, and began training software to recognize vocalizations (recognizers). From our initial deployments of recorders, we have determined optimal recording settings and configurations to achieve quality recordings and protect the recorders from the elements. Of the 3 software programs we tested, Arbimon II performed slightly better (average F-score across 3 species = 0.78) than both MonitoR (F-score = 0.68) and Kaleidoscope (F-score = 0.73) in correctly identifying vocalizations. Additionally, we observed Arbimon II – a web-based program – to be the most user-friendly of those we tested, especially in our case where collaborators from different agencies and backgrounds will share responsibility for monitoring efforts. Currently we are continuing to use Arbimon II to build recognizers for acoustically detecting amphibians in Wyoming.

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF SENSITIVE SPECIES Butterflies, Bats, and Birds

INSIGHTS GAINED FROM LONG-TERM MONITORING OF GOLDEN EAGLES (AQUILA CHRYSAETOS) IN WYOMING’S BIGHORN BASIN

Corey Anco (1), Nathan S. Horton (1), and Charles R. Preston (1)

(1) Draper Natural History Museum, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, WY; Email: coreya@centerofthewest.org

Long-term monitoring programs provide valuable information about population, community, and ecosystem dynamics unavailable from short-term studies. Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin (Basin) is dominated by open grass and shrublands characterizing sagebrush-steppe ecosystems. This region supports over 360 species of wildlife including Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos; eagle). Golden Eagles have emerged as a species of significant conservation concern as its habitats in western North America undergo dramatic changes from activities associated with residential expansion, energy development, off-road recreation, and other factors. Beginning in 2009, the Draper Natural History Museum (Draper) initiated a long-term study to monitor Golden Eagles in the Basin. Every year, Draper staff researchers, along with

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citizen-science volunteers, record data on nest locations, territory occupancy, nest behavior, number of nestlings, and number of fledglings. Most monitored nests exist on public lands under Bureau of Land Management jurisdiction, but also include adjacent private lands. We retrieved prey remains (bones, etc.) in and around nests to assess diet. These data are compared with hunter-harvest surveys and road transects to assess prey availability. Occupancy of nesting territories remained relatively stable throughout each year (>70%) despite variations in prey availability. Our data show that eagle reproductive rates fluctuate with prey abundance, specifically cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.), which were the primary prey (73%) of eagles in the Basin. Inferences from the first 10 years suggest cottontails follow ~6-8 year ‘peak-to-trough’ population cycles, imposing a direct impact on Golden Eagle reproductive rates. Our data reveal that, while Golden Eagles in the Basin have a large dietary breadth, no single alternate species exceeded representation of cottontails in any given eagle nest. While alternative prey species may supplement cottontails, there is no adequate substitute if cottontails are absent from the diet. These findings equip wildlife and land managers with resource needs of Golden Eagles and inform management decisions on multiple-use landscapes.

PRIORITIZING LANDSCAPES FOR BIRD-FRIENDLY RANCHING

Adrian Monroe (1), David Edmunds (1), Alison Holloran (2), Cameron Aldridge (3), and Matthew Holloran (4)

(1) Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; Email: adrian.monroe@colostate.edu (2) Audubon Rockies, Fort Collins, CO (3) Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (4) Operational Conservation LCC, Fort Collins, CO

Widespread declines of bird populations breeding in North American rangelands are well-documented and implementing approaches that sustain the livelihoods of ranchers while offering opportunities for wildlife has the potential to attenuate or reverse these trends. In the Powder River – Thunder Basin of Wyoming, National Audubon Society is working to establish their Conservation Ranching program, a market-based approach connecting conservation-conscious consumers to ranchers employing bird-friendly management practices. To increase efficiency of this effort, we developed a landscape prioritization framework that identifies areas for bird conservation and establishes a monitoring program to evaluate outcomes. Using bird surveys conducted with the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) protocol from 167 survey locations (2009−2018) across the Powder River – Thunder Basin, we built hierarchical models to estimate bird distribution and abundance for several species across multiple scales, while accounting for variation in detectability. We then created spatially-explicit predictions for each species over the study area. These maps identified areas with potential for high bird abundances, where the Conservation Ranching program could be prioritized. We also evaluated relationships with more fine-scale habitat components, which could inform pasture-level management for each species. Additionally, our framework establishes a baseline for continued monitoring as the Conservation Ranching program is implemented across the landscape, clarifying the link between consumers and on-the-ground conservation.

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IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL BAT MONITORING SCHEME IN WYOMING

Laura Beard (1), Alexander Lewis (1), and Nichole Bjornlie (1)

(1) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Lander, WY; Email: Laura.Beard@wyo.gov

The North American Bat Monitoring Protocol (NABat) is a set of monitoring schemes designed to evaluate bat distribution and populations over time. During the summers of 2018-2019, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (Department) implemented the stationary acoustic monitoring portion of NABat. Using the local knowledge of regional personnel across several agencies, the Department’s Nongame Program personnel established 111 stationary acoustic monitoring locations within 40 randomly selected, spatially balanced monitoring cells across the state. In the future, local personnel will deploy acoustic detectors at predetermined locations within their regions. Nongame Program personnel will coordinate the effort, analyze the acoustic data, and fill in during deployment where needed. The data will become part of a national dataset managed by the USGS that will be used to detect trends in bat distributions and populations.

WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME SURVEILLANCE IN WYOMING

Ian Abernethy (1), Laura Beard (2), and Nichole Bjornlie (2)

(1) Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, WY; Email: fisher@uwyo.edu (2) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Nongame Program, Lander, WY

The predominant threat to bats in North America today is White-Nose Syndrome (WNS). The disease is caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoacus destructans (Pd) and has killed several million hibernating bats in North America. The disease was first noted in New York in 2006 and continues to spread across the central and western US. To date, WNS has been confirmed in 33 states and Pd has been documented in 5 additional states and was first documented in Wyoming in 2018. It is critical to track the distribution and effects to local bat populations as the range of the disease continues to expand across the country and within Wyoming. As such, surveillance for Pd and WNS is a central component of the National WNS Plan and a priority for bat biologists in Wyoming. Surveillance for WNS has occurred in Wyoming annually since 2014, and Pd has now been documented in two counties in eastern Wyoming. These findings are critical to resource managers in the state and region as the disease continues to spread geographically and affect bat species not previously exposed to Pd.

THE STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF REGAL FRITILLARY BUTTERFLIES IN WYOMING

Lusha Tronstad (1) and Madison Crawford (1)

(1) Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: tronstad@uwyo.edu

The Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) butterfly was once common from Wyoming east to the Atlantic Ocean; however, several populations are currently presumed extirpated in the central and eastern parts of their historic range (e.g., Kentucky, North Carolina, and Maine). As a result, Regal Fritillaries were petitioned for Endangered Species Act listing in 2013 and received a substantial finding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2015. Almost nothing is known about Regal Fritillaries in Wyoming; we have four historical observations in four counties (Crook, Platte, Goshen, and Laramie). The ranks for the butterfly in adjacent states range from critically imperiled (Colorado) to vulnerable (Nebraska and South Dakota). We surveyed eastern Wyoming for butterflies in summer 2019 to estimate the abundance and habitat preferences of these butterflies. We searched for butterflies using visual encounter surveys from mid-

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June to August. We observed seven Regal Fritillary butterflies during the summer and they ranged from northeastern to southeastern Wyoming. Only one Regal Fritillary was observed at most sites. We measured vegetation characteristics and we are currently analyzing their habitat preferences. In general, we observed Regal Fritillaries where flowers were more abundant. We will continue surveying for Regal Fritillary butterflies in Wyoming and expand our search area in future years to better understand their distribution and status in the state.

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF SENSITIVE SPECIES Amphibians and Skunks

FACTORS AFFECTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AMPHIBIANS IN WESTERN WYOMING

Zach Wallace (1) and Lusha Tronstad (1)

(1) Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: zwallac2@uwyo.edu

Effective conservation and management of amphibians requires an understanding of how environmental and anthropogenic factors affect their distributions. Previous inventories of amphibians in western Wyoming suggested the Wind River Range had low species diversity relative to the rest of the region, despite apparently suitable habitat. To understand why, we surveyed amphibians and chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; Bd) in montane wetlands of western Wyoming using a combination of visual and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, and tested hypotheses on factors influencing their occurrence and detectability using hierarchical models. Unique to this study was an interest in the potential influence of bedrock geology on amphibian occurrence through its effects on water quality. Our results suggested water quality, landscape context, and wetland characteristics had the strongest influences on amphibian occupancy. Relationships of occupancy with geology were not apparent for most amphibian species, but may have occurred indirectly through the influence of bedrock on wetland water chemistry. Boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) were more likely to occupy wetlands with higher calcium concentrations, which were associated with calcite sandstone bedrock; Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium) were more likely to occupy wetlands with warmer water temperatures and higher ion concentrations; Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) occupied lower elevation sites that received more precipitation; and Boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata) occupied sites without fish in areas with greater forest cover and topographic positions that were more flat or mid-slope relative to valleys. We found no evidence that amphibian occupancy was negatively influenced by atmospheric nitrogen deposition or presence of Bd, as measured by eDNA. Visual sampling significantly outperformed eDNA for detecting all amphibian species except boreal chorus frog. Our results highlight the diversity of factors influencing amphibian habitat suitability and the value of collecting water quality data during amphibian surveys.

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DOES HABITAT DISTURBANCE REDUCE BREEDING SITE FIDELITY OF BOREAL TOADS IN WESTERN WYOMING?

Gabriel Maturani Barrile* (1), Anna D. Chalfoun (2), and Annika Walters (2)

(1) Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY; Email: gbarrile@uwyo.edu (2) U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

Global disturbance regimes are changing rapidly, causing many organisms to experience environments with greater variability than the conditions under which they evolved. Spatiotemporal uncertainty in habitat quality presents a conflict for species that employ strong site fidelity; individuals can either remain site faithful despite unpredictable conditions or disperse to novel environments with potentially higher quality habitat. Understanding and predicting how disturbance influences these two behavioral strategies (i.e., site fidelity versus dispersal) will be critical for species conservation and wildlife management. Our goal in this study is to assess how the breaching of beaver dams (and subsequent draining of ponds) influences breeding site fidelity of boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) populations in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in western Wyoming. In this region, boreal toads breed predominantly in beaver ponds, and spawning individuals are thought to display strong philopatry to natal ponds. Several disturbances (e.g., flooding, beaver activity) can remove beaver dams, and the subsequent draining of ponds can alter the quality of breeding sites. When site quality changes, do individuals remain site faithful or disperse to alternate breeding ponds? Furthermore, if toads disperse, are movement decisions adaptive (i.e., increase reproductive success)? We addressed these questions by conducting capture-mark-recapture surveys of adult toads at several breeding ponds from 2015-2019. We assessed the movement of tagged individuals among breeding sites in relation to disturbance metrics (e.g., time since breaching of dam) and determined whether dispersers settled in ponds with high reproductive potential (e.g., successful metamorphosis). Quantifying movement dynamics and characterizing important breeding habitat will provide valuable information to several agencies working to improve management of boreal toad populations in Wyoming. More broadly, by developing a better understanding of behavioral responses to disturbance, our results will help inform global efforts to conserve biodiversity in the face of increased unpredictability in rapidly changing landscapes.

STATUS OF A CRYPTIC ENDEMIC AMPHIBIAN (GREAT PLAINS TOAD, ANAXYRUS COGNATUS) IN NORTHEAST WYOMING

Andrew Gygli (1) and Wendy Estes-Zumpf (1)

(1) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Laramie, WY; Email: andrew.gygli@wyo.gov

The Great Plains Toad (Anaxyrus cognatus) is a cryptic pulse breeding amphibian that occurs throughout the Midwest from northern Mexico to southern Canada. In Wyoming, it occurs between the Bighorn Mountains and South Dakota/Nebraska borders. Although thought to be common, the species is considered NSSU (data-deficient) by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department because of a lack of records for this nocturnal toad. Like most amphibians, Great Plains Toads are vulnerable to a continually changing climate and habitat loss, as well as the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and other aquatic diseases. More data are essential for effective management of the species. In 2019, we performed 32 aural and 19 visual amphibian surveys during the late spring breeding season. We discovered 10 novel Great Plains toad sites, confirmed 1 instance of breeding, and validated 5 of 25 historical sites within the Powder, Belle Fourche, and Cheyenne River drainages. We collected 19 Bd swabs from 31 adult toads at 6 locations. All handled individuals originated from ephemeral pools on

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private lands managed for livestock in the Belle Fourche and Powder River drainages. In addition, we detected 205 instances of boreal chorus frogs (Psuedacris maculata), 19 of northern leopard frogs, 49 of plains spadefoots (Spea bombifrons), and 42 of Rocky Mountain toads (Anaxyrus woodhousii). Our efforts represent the most complete inventory of prairie amphibians of eastern Wyoming since 2014, and male Great Plains toads appear to be prevalent across their range. However, the effects of oil and gas development, habitat loss, and changing precipitation regimes will likely continue to increase in the area.