West Region February 2025

Chris Kern, Region Manager

Fisher research in southern Oregon

Fisher are a Species of Greatest Conservaion Need in Oregon's State Wildlife Action Plan, and ODFW is actively conducting research to understand fisher occupancy and distribution east of I-5, as well as that of their competitors and predators.

Wildlife Research staff maintained 30 baited camera traps in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and Southern Cascades. The cameras were deployed in mid-September on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands in areas with proposed habitat management efforts. The goal is to evaluate how these land alterations influence changes in mesocarnivore occupancy, distribution, and space use.

Fishers were detected at seven of these sites, and a hair snare box was deployed at each in attempts to obtain an opportunistic genetic sample.

If successful, DNA from the hairs will be analyzed to determine the evolutionary lineage of fishers in that area. With a reintroduced fisher population (founding animals originated from Canadian and Northern Minnesota) to the north and a native fisher population to the west, ODFW is interested to see if there is genetic mixing occurring in this area. This information can help to explain how fishers are dispersing and expanding across their historic range.

Wildlife Research staff also began fisher and gray fox trapping and continued radio-collaring efforts. With this effort, ODFW aims to better understand how these species might overlap and partition/compete-for resources on the landcsape.

To capture fishers and gray foxes, ODFW has deployed and maintains about 15 live traps in the Applegate. So far, ODFW has successfully radio-marked 10 gray fox and eight fisher, five of which were collar replacements for animals marked in 2024. Current trapping efforts will continue until March.

Crew members monitor individuals for survival, remote data downloads, and den site selection. Understanding the space use of fisher in an area where they persist will help guide land and habitat management recommendations as well as inform potential future translocation efforts to connect metapopulations of fisher in the future.

Proactive measures will help reduce wolf conflict at Butte Falls ranch

In response to an increase in the Grouse Ridge wolf pack presence on a ranch near Butte Falls and the start of calving on the ranch, the owner agreed to set up non-lethal fladry around his calving pasture. Working in collaboration with APHIS Wildlife Services, an installation plan was devised and put into motion Jan. 14, 2025. Non-lethal fladry materials that were purchased by the Jackson County wolf compensation committee were used as well as fox deterrent lights around the approximately one-mile perimeter of the pasture.

Fiberglass rods and tee posts were placed three feet from the existing field fence while brush trees were cleared so the fladry could be strung without coming into contact with foreign objects and risk being shorted out. The ranch owner and Wildlife Services will maintain the fladry until calving is complete and the calves become less vulnerable.

This fence will help reduce conflict issues with the Grouse Ridge Pack that was involved with confirmed depredation events in this area in 2024.

Coquille River flooding tests tidal restoration projects

Early January rainfall elevated Coquille River waters to flood stage. While this is a common event every few winters, flooding tested several new tidal restoration projects where tide gates have been installed in the past two years.

Charleston staff worked in coordination with the local watershed councils and the Soil and Water Conservation District to review both the performance and resilience of the construction actions to heavy outflow and overflow. ODFW staff have been closely following floodwater impacts to a yet unvegetated, earthen berm at the Coaledo Tidegate, which may need some minor repairs.

The floodwaters allowed for over 100 acres of floodplain swales to water up in the North Fork and East Fork Coquille River subbasins. ODFW staff worked with Coquille Watershed Association staff to seine and tag juvenile coho in one location near the East Fork Coquille River. Based on recapture of marked fish, it was estimated that about 500+ juvenile coho were rearing in a one-and-a-half-acre floodplain pasture location.

Little North Fork of the Nehalem River Large Wood Restoration Project

A restoration project on the Little North Fork of the Nehalem River successfully improved critical habitat for coho. A section of stream that lacked instream habitat complexity received a boost this summer thanks to the Nehalem Bay Watershed Council, Weyerhaeuser timber company, and guidance of ODFW's Fish Habitat Restoration Biologist in Tillamook. This section of stream is crucial for coho during certain times of the year ("Anchor Habitat").

Project partners installed nine large woody debris (LWD) structures with an excavator and conducted tree felling at an additional nine locations over nearly one mile of stream to increase channel complexity, streambed scour and pool development, gravel sorting, and floodplain connectivity. This project was funded by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) with in-kind match funding provided by Weyerhaeuser and ODFW and additional funds supplied by Wild Salmon Center.

A site visit was conducted by the Tillamook Fish Habitat Restoration Biologist (Western Oregon Stream Restoration Program) this winter after several high flow events to evaluate the LWD project and observations showed substantial progress in meeting project goals. All structures remained stable and increases in streambed scour, pool development, and evidence of high water extending onto the floodplain were noted at numerous structure locations. Additionally, evidence of coho spawning was observed in gravel accumulations near several structures. The highlight of the site visit was the observation of a beaver dam that was built on a felled red alder tree in the upper portion of the project. The beaver pond associated with the dam extended nearly 100 ft upstream and was providing substantial low-velocity habitat, a critical need for high survival of coho juveniles during the winter.

Additional coho anchor habitats exist in the Little North Fork of the Nehalem River downstream of the project area and discussions are planned to evaluate future restoration opportunities. To learn more about habitat restoration on the North Coast and in other areas of western Oregon, see the Western Oregon Stream Restoration (WOSRP) project website.

2024 coho runs strong in Clackamas and Willamette Rivers

Clackamas

Coho had another successful year in the Clackamas River. The early-run component of natural-origin coho wrapped up with a total of 12,481 fish back to Portland General Electric's (PGE) North Fork adult fish collection facility. This is the second highest return on record (2023 was the record) and 198% of the ten-year average. The late run coho return is also strong, with 1,864 fish back to the adult collection facility through December. The ten-year average return for wild late run coho is 1,347.

Downstream fish passage was impressive with over 410,000 juvenile salmon and steelhead passing through PGE's downstream bypass system in November. This was the third highest monthly total since counts began in 1958, only behind November and December 2023.

From 2000 to 2015, an average of 5,235 adult unmarked (presumed wild) salmon and steelhead passed PGE's adult fish collection facility on the Clackamas River annually. The 2024 total of 22,229 was slightly lower than the 2023 return, but still remarkable. It included the third-highest return of unmarked winter steelhead, the fourth-highest return of unmarked spring Chinook, and the second-highest return of unmarked coho since counts began in 1958.

Willamette

The Willamette coho run broke records in 2024 with more than 53,000 adults passing Willamette Falls through the end of December. The 2023 return of coho to the Upper Willamette, based on counts at Willamette Falls, set a record for adult (29,000) and jack (11,000) coho. The previous records were 25,000 adults in 2009 and 7,100 jacks in 1972. Given the high jack count in 2023, a large adult return was expected for 2024, but actual return far exceeded expectations. Of the more than 53,000 returning adults, only about 700 of these were fin-clipped hatchery fish, with the rest being naturally produced fish spawned in tributaries upstream of the falls.

Telemetry studies have shown that most Upper Willamette coho migrate to a few tributaries, primarily those entering on the west side of the Willamette Basin, with the Tualatin and Yamhill being the most common destinations. Good numbers of coho are also observed in the Santiam basin. In 2023, ODFW observed over 50 coho ascending the fish ladder at Leaburg Dam on the McKenzie River, the first time coho were documented at this location.

Given the predicted run size of coho at Willamette Falls in 2024, staff anticipated a larger number at Leaburg Dam in 2024, however, only one coho was observed. Although coho were not documented by ODFW at any other locations in the upper Willamette Basin, anglers reported catching a few in the lower McKenzie River and the Willamette River near Eugene.

The Oregon Fish Commission and later, ODFW, stocked hatchery coho in the Willamette River until the program ended in the 1990s. Returns from these stockings were variable, with an average of 3,400 fish from 1971 to 1990 and a high of 17,000 in 1971. Before 2009, no adult return exceeded 20,000 adults.

Since the cessation of the stocking program, several factors affecting coho survival have changed. A major factor is the large reduction in cumulative harvest rates on this stock because of actions to protect and recover ESA-listed coho stocks. ODFW staff also believe there is a large amount of suitable coho habitat in some of the west-side Willamette tributaries like the Tualatin and Yamhill. Additionally, the parent year that produced the 2024 adult return, which returned in 2021 at an abundance of 21,000 fish (the second highest observed at that time), may have led to high numbers of offspring produced. This, coupled with favorable ocean conditions, likely resulted in the very large 2024 return.

Harvest data for the 2024 Willamette coho season is not yet available, but early reports suggest that while some anglers reported difficulty catching these fish, overall harvest was significantly higher than in previous years. Emergency rules also expanded harvest opportunity areas in the fall of 2024.

ODFW hosts Willamette Valley Oak and Prairie Cooperative Summit

At the end of November 2024 ODFW hosted the Willamette Valley Oak and Prairie Cooperative Summit at Headquarters in Salem. The agenda included insightful panels, featured talks, and flash talks covering a wide range of topics such as oak habitat conservation, wildfire risk mitigation, and the impact of invasive species throughout the valley. Additionally, breakout group discussions provided a platform for collaborative dialogue on critical issues like climate adaptation, prescribed fire, and private landowner engagement. Approximately 130 in-person and ~20 virtual attendees representing various agencies, tribes, organizations, private landowners, and university researchers, including students and early professionals, participated in this free event.