Buffalo County Natural Resources Internship

2017 Final Report

Riley Hall

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The Buffalo County Natural Resources Internship Program offers a college student

the opportunity to receive hands-on experience in a wide variety of natural resource

related fields. It is a position for an upper level college student pursuing a degree in a

natural resource related field, such as conservation or biology. The internship begins in

mid-May and concludes at the end of August. The student works 40 hours per week. The

intern is awarded a $5000 scholarship established through generous contributions from

conservation groups while working with county, state, and federal agencies (Buffalo

County Land Conservation Department, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,

University of Wisconsin-Extension, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service).

This year, I was fortunate enough to be selected for the internship. I grew up in

Luxemburg, Wisconsin and attended Luxemburg-Casco High School. I enjoy spending my

free time outside backpacking, camping, canoeing, fishing, and competing in half marathons

and trail races. A special biology teacher in high school turned me from a future in large

animal veterinary science to conservation, and I have never looked back. I am currently

attending the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point pursing degrees in Wildlife Ecology

Research and Management and Biology with an emphasis in zoology while minoring in GIS

and Spatial Analysis. After graduation, I plan to attend graduate school and study either

bird or mesocarnivore habitat selection.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife and Ecology

Waterfowl management in Wisconsin is important.

Managing waterfowl, and specially Canada geese, includes

their capture and banding mid-summer. I was fortunate to

be part of this banding effort near Winona, and it was one

of my favorite internship experiences. I have had

experience in the past banding saw-whet owls,

woodpeckers, and small songbirds but not any waterfowl.

That morning, I worked with Gary Wolf (Wildlife

Technician) and another volunteer to scout where the

geese were on the river. During late spring, the adult geese

molt their flight feathers and the young are still unable to

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fly. This flightless time period provided us an opportunity to capture, sex, and band

individuals. With the teamwork of multiple agencies from around the area, we used boats

to herd the geese into a large group and drove them to land where a corral was set to hold

the flock. Once in the corral, geese were picked up one by one and delivered to a handler

who sexed them and attached a band to its leg. To ensure the goose remained calm, the

head was tucked under its wing. The handler held them like a football but not too tight.

Sexing the goose was a new and challenging experience for me. All bird species I have

worked with have been sexually dimorphic so it was easy to differentiate between males

and females. Canada geese do not express sexual dimorphism so males and females look

identical. In order to sex the goose, the handler must hold it between his or her legs, bend

the tail back, and use their fingers to pry open the cloaca to look for the presence or

absence of a penis. It took me quite a few tries, but after a while I could easily confirm the

sex of the individual. This multi agency banding effort was a great experience as it allowed

me to work with waterfowl while also networking with other professionals from around

the area.

Wisconsin is home to a large and thriving black bear population. In order to

effectively manage this species, bear bait surveys are used to monitor local populations. I

was able to participate with a bear bait survey in Jackson County. The particular route we

drove has been used

for decades and is one

of the oldest bear bait

surveys in the state.

With Gary W., a

biologist from Black

River Falls, and

another volunteer, we

spent the morning

setting up the survey.

Bags of meat and fat

were hung every half-mile on a predetermined route. We hung these baits in paper birch,

red maple, or some other soft wooded trees. Using this tree type helped us detect scratch

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marks and differentiate between bait taken by a bear and bait taken by some other animal

such as a fisher or raccoon. We waited one week and checked the baits. Signs that the bait

was “hit” by a bear included missing bait, a snapped wire, deep claw marks on the tree, the

bark being torn off, or the tree being broken down. Overall, we only had 9 baits out of 50

get “hit” by a bear. This was the lowest they have ever had and less than half of a typical

year. Weather may have played a role in below average “hits”; it was very hot during our

survey and may have resulted in bear activity being diminished. Another explanation could

be the already abundant food sources in the area. At multiple bait sites, there were plenty

of blueberries growing. Lastly, the survey was later than in past years. This later survey

date happened to coincide with bear hunters beginning to train their dogs in the area.

Managing endangered species is important but can be difficult to accomplish. This

summer I assisted with an eastern massasauga rattlesnake survey in the Tiffany Wildlife

Area. The eastern massasauga is Wisconsin’s most endangered snake species and is only

found in this small portion of the state. Joe Krumrie (Conservation Biologist) was the

survey leader. This species of rattlesnake lives in densely vegetated swamps, which made

them difficult to find. We walked through the vegetation

as a group and tapped on downed, woody debris in an

attempt to get the snakes to rattle. I noticed this species

of snake was less aggressive than most and did not rattle

very much. We had to keep stopping and standing in one

place for a few moments in order to get them to rattle. If

we found a snake, it was carefully put in a plastic tub

where it was measured and marked. To mark the snakes,

we used a green sharpie on the rattle. This method was

useful because the sharpie would stay on long enough to

differentiate between new and recaptured individuals.

During our day long survey, we totaled 13 snakes, while just three of them were previous

captures. I have not had much opportunity to work with reptiles in Wisconsin so this was a

great experience for me.

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Most people understand the need to protect endangered species. Most people,

however, are unaware of the need to protect endangered ecosystems. A bluff prairie is an

ecosystem that is extremely endangered and only found in this portion of Wisconsin. A

large portion of internship was working on managing

and restoring these endangered ecosystems. I

primarily worked with Dead Edlin’s (Conservation

Biologist) crew applying herbicides to remove

unwanted invasive species. These species included

crown vetch, sumac, red oak, cottonwood, and leafy

spurge. A different mix and ratio of chemicals was

used for each invasive plant. We used three-gallon

backpack sprayers and refilled as needed. Some days

we would each apply five packs of herbicides with

ease. Other days when we were on the bluffs, we

would apply only two packs because of the

challenging terrain. Whenever we were spraying, we

took necessary precautions to avoid drift and

overcasting. For some aspen clones that were

encroaching on the prairie and too large to combat

effectively with herbicides, we used a different

method. We took tools and girdled the tree. We did

this in early spring when most of the tree’s resources

and energy are in the leaves. Girdling the tree

prevents resources from moving up and down the

tree. This method kills the tree slowly and is very useful for preventing clones from

resprouting.

At the beginning of the summer, I attended an ATV safety class and a chainsaw

safety class. Both courses were helpful and necessary for some fieldwork I had over the

summer. I have had plenty of experience driving UTVs around but did not have much

experience with ATVs. It was useful gaining that experience since ATVs are a major way to

get around when working in natural resources. Although I have taken other chainsaw

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safety courses, this course did provide a different learning

opportunity. Half way through the class, a large storm

downed trees on roadways within the state park. We went

as a class and removed the roadway obstructions. All of

my past chainsaw experiences was normal felling of trees.

Blow downs, trees that had their top broke off, added

complexity that could not be replicated in the classroom.

Both safety courses were very advantageous for my

summer internship and will likely be needed in future

work.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Fisheries

Fisheries biologists need adequate information to make sound management

decisions. Decisions are often made after fish surveys are conducted. However, fish can be

more challenging to study than most wildlife species. This is because they leave no tracks

or trails, and are typically unseen as they live in

their completely different element. However,

there are multiple survey methods to gather

the necessary information on fish populations.

The survey method I used, one that was a large

component of my internship, was conducting

electroshocking surveys with Brian Brecka

(Fisheries Biologist). Electroshocking is a safe

way for biologists to catch, measure, and

release fish. When done correctly, electroshocking does do not harm the fish. The boat we

used for electroshocking works like a giant battery. There is an anode (positive end) and

cathode (negative end) that causes an electrical gradient. The fish, affected by this gradient,

involuntarily swims toward the anode where it becomes stunned.

In order to electroshock, two people are required. One is the driver and operates the

anode. The other person stands on the front of the boat netting the fish and putting them

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into a holding tank. There are many safety precautions that must be adhered to. One

precaution for the person netting the fish is pressure pads. The netter stands on one of two

pads on the boat’s front deck. As long as the netter provides

pressure by standing on the pad, the electricity flows through

the water. If the person steps or falls of the pad, the electricity

stops immediately. I never fell into the water, but I did see how

the safety features worked. I would, on occasion, accidently step

off the pad attempting to catch a fish. As soon as I stepped off

the pad, most fish almost immediately swim away because they

were no longer being affected by the electrical gradient.

We would shock in bouts of about 10 minutes. After we stopped, we identified the

species, measured their length to the nearest millimeter, and released them back into the

river. The handling and measuring of fish was quite variable among species, and one

species in particular, the bowfin, always provided fight and was more difficult to measure

regardless of size. The bowfin is a strange, ancient looking fish that is long and powerful.

Even individuals less than a foot were a struggle to measure. Bowfin have a very long

dorsal fin that almost connects to their caudal fin. This leaves no place on the posterior end

of the fish to hold onto when measuring. Never the less, we still managed to measure them.

Over the summer, we traveled to several different locations along the Mississippi

River. I netted over 2,700 individual fish that comprised 38 species (Table 1). The most

prominent species we caught was bluegill, followed by yellow perch, largemouth bass, and

spotted sucker (Table 1). As I gained more experience, I learned species react differently to

getting shocked. Crappies had a better sense of electrical current and were able to avoid us

more than other species. Some species, like northern pike and gars, are very agile and

strong so even after getting shocked, most were still able to swim away.

After the surveys were complete, I entered the data into an excel spreadsheet. For

each location I had a list of species caught, the total number of individuals for each species,

the range in size of each species, and the average length of each species. I calculated catch

per unit effort (CPUE) at each location for bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass,

freshwater drum, black crappie, and northern pike (Table 2). I did this by taking the total

fish for each species and dividing it by the total time electroshocking. I converted this into

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fish caught per hour instead of fish caught per minute. Bluegill had the highest CPUE with

72.81 fish/hour followed by yellow perch with 42.70 fish/hour, and largemouth bass with

23.67 fish/hour (Table 2). There was a steep decline in CPUE when it came to freshwater

drum, black crappie, and northern pike but this could be due to species variation in

electroshocking as mentioned before.

In addition to CPUE, I created a histogram showing the frequency of different size

classes for bluegill, yellow perch, and largemouth bass (Figure 1). Both bluegill and yellow

perch have normal distributions while largemouth bass’ distribution is larger and not

normal shaped (Figure 1). We focused on these three species because they are popular

game fish, and we caught enough of them to compare between locations. We found that

some locations were lacking quality habitat for bluegill. We know this because their CPUE

was lower and the fish were smaller. One location, referred to as Tank Pond, had a CPUE for

yellow perch at 11 fish/hour. This site lacked good habitat for yellow perch and thus had a

much lower CPUE. Spring Lake that had abundant habitat cover for yellow perch and a

much higher CPUE at 95 fish/hour.

While the electrofishing surveys described above are important components to

managing Wisconsin’s fisheries, fisheries management has other job duties. One such duty

is to help pass on Wisconsin’s fishing tradition to the next generation of anglers. I had

opportunities relating to angler recruitment this summer. Every Wednesday night, the

Great Alma Fishing Float allowed younger children the opportunity to learn to fish. Gary

W., Brian B., and I supplied the equipment for those who needed it and helped take fish off

of the hook for those who could not. Most nights were themed nights such as Bass Pro

Night. On those nights, whoever caught the biggest bass earned the Champion’s medal and

anyone who caught a bass would get a prize. It was fun helping the kids with fishing

because it is something they can do for the rest of their lives and teaches them how to

properly use their natural resources.

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Table 1: Number of fish caught and the average size for species collected electroshocking during the summer of 2017 at various locations on the Mississippi River.

Species Number Caught Average Size (inches)

Bluegill 972 5.04

Yellow Perch 570 6.77

Largemouth Bass 316 9.21

Spotted Sucker 197 13.68

Gizzard Shad 88 4.75

Silver Redhorse 84 16.97

Freshwater Drum 81 14.23

Bowfin 73 23.46

Black Crappie 54 7.65

Common Carp 48 21.33

Northern Pike 43 19.42

Rock Bass 38 5.16

Shorthead Redhorse 26 16.48

Smallmouth Bass 18 12.29

Golden Shiner 17 3.89

Walleye 16 16.67

Largemouth Buffalo 16 16.26

Emerald Shiner 12 2.68

Pumpkinseed 10 5.08

Quillback 8 15.21

Yellow Bullhead 8 8.33

Green Sunfish 7 4.96

White Bass 6 10.36

Shortnose Gar 5 22.14

Spottailed Shiner 5 3.49

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Table 1 Continued.

Species Number Caught Average Size (Inches)

Sauger 4 12.11

Golden Redhorse 4 18.36

Longnose Gar 4 8.03

River Carpsucker 3 20.56

White Sucker 3 14.44

White Crappie 3 11.47

Flathead Catfish 2 18.66

Highfin Carpsucker 2 18.41

Brown Bullhead 2 10.69

Log Perch 2 3.66

Brook Silverside 2 3.29

Channel Catfish 1 25.08

Smallmouth Buffalo 1 17.09

Table 2: Catch per unit effort of game fish species collected electroshocking during the summer of 2017 at various locations on the Mississippi River.

Species Catch per Unit Effort

Bluegill 72.81 Fish/hour

Yellow Perch 42.70 Fish/hour

Largemouth Bass 23.67 Fish/hour

Freshwater Drum 6.07 Fish/hour

Black Crappie 4.05 Fish/hour

Northern Pike 3.22 Fish/hour

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Buffalo County Land Conservation Department

The Land Conservation Department is a county agency that implements and

administers soil and water conservation programs. They offer assistance to the public with

these plans and offer technical support to landowners to prevent soil erosion and manure

runoff.

Monitoring stream quality is an important aspect of managing any water resource.

One project I helped with multiple times over the summer was the Water Action Volunteers

Stream Monitoring Program. This is a statewide program for citizens to learn about the

quality and health of streams and rivers in Wisconsin. I worked with Tim Wucherer

(Resource Management Specialist) with monitoring on three separate streams. At each

location, we took the following measurements: stream width, stream depth, velocity,

turbidity, and dissolved oxygen (DO). We also sampled for macroinvertebrates and

conducted a habitat assessment at each location. Stream width was measured with a tape

measure. Stream depth was calculated by taking 20 depth measurements evenly spaced

across the stream. We calculated velocity by floating a tennis ball down a 20-foot stretch.

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Fis

h

Size Class (mm)

Game Fish Sizes

Bluegill

Largemouth Bass

Yellow Perch

Figure 1: Size class distributions for bluegill, largemouth bass, and yellow perch from fish collected electroshocking during summer of 2017 at various locations on the Mississippi River.

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We did this four times to get an average. These three

stream measurements, width, depth, and velocity, were

used to calculate stream discharge. We used a turbidity

tube to measure turbidity. We filled the tube with water

and emptied the tube until we could see the Secchi disk at

the bottom. We used a HACH kit to calculate DO. This kit

used a couple different chemicals to calculate the DO.

Since this is measuring DO at one point in time and does

not show potential oxygen fluctuations, we also surveyed

the stream’s macroinvertebrates. Some

macroinvertebrates cannot tolerate dissolved oxygen

fluctuations and may be a better overall indicator of stream health. Overall, the streams we

surveyed were in fairly good health.

Monitoring soil erosion in an area with varying topography is important. The steep

bluffs and low valleys make Buffalo County more susceptible to soil erosion. This erosion

can damage fish habitat and degrade water quality and also reduce crop growth and yield.

Near the beginning of the summer, I helped Tim W. with the annual soil loss survey. For the

survey, we drove a predetermined route and examined fields on the right and left side of

the road at specific points. At each location, we identified what crop was planted, if the

owner had worked the soil (no till, spring disc chisel, etc.), and if any major erosion had

occurred or if the owner had implemented management practices. We entered the data into

SnapPlus. In

total, the

survey took

two and half

days to

complete.

During the

survey, I saw

examples of farmers who used good management practices and those who did not. For

those who did not, their fields had numerous rills or gullies and their crops were noticeably

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smaller. The landowners who had used good management practices had green crops and

dark fields because their soil was not eroded away. It was interesting to compare data

collected more recently to that collected previous years. For 2016 and 2017, even though

both years experienced heavy rains and flooding, erosion rates averaged near 1.5 tons/acre

(Figure 2). On the other hand, erosion rates during 2009 were nearly three times that level

at almost six tons per acre.

As previously mentioned, bluff prairies were a large component of my internship.

Over the summer, I called local landowners who had expressed interest in bluff prairie

restoration. I called and set up a site visit and would then accompany either Carrie Olson

(County Conservationist) or Mark Rasmussen (Wildlife Biologist). During the site visit, we

talked to the landowner about the next steps in the restoration process and cost sharing

opportunities. Most sites required the landowner to either pay a monetary amount or assist

with labor in order for cost sharing to occur. A majority of the time it required the

landowner to manually remove woody vegetation because it is something they can do

themselves without having to hire someone else to do it. Then we eventually helped with

the cost of putting prescribed fire on the prairie by supplying the funds to hire someone

with the technical knowledge to do it

Figure 2: Annual soil loss calculations for Buffalo County, WI.

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Over the summer, Buffalo County had a few larger storm events that resulted in

flooding. One storm dropped over eight inches of rain in one night in the southern part of

the county. This resulted in bridges and roads being washed out and crop damage. The day

after the storm, Tim W. and I assessed the Alma Mills and Rose Valley dams. I had seen

what these structures looked like after a two-inch rain, but I was astonished by the amount

of water and debris that was within the reservoir behind these dams. We drove around to

check the dams and noted which ones needed their trash rack cleaned. A trash rack is a

metal cage that prevents large debris from blocking the inlet and if not kept clean can block

water from flowing through the dam. Almost all the dams needed their trash rack cleaned.

We could only clean one trash rack by hand, and documented others that would need large

machinery to complete the work. After this major flooding event, I could once again see the

result of implementing good erosion reduction practices. Some fields were completely

decimated by the flooding, while others with grass waterways, for example, were still in

good shape. The waterway did not look the best, but the field still had its crops.

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

The NRCS is an agency that provides farmers and landowners technical support.

They offer assistance with managing soil, water, restoration practices, fish, and wildlife.

The Alma Service Center of the NRCS is located within the Buffalo County Courthouse. Staff

includes Chad DeWyre (Soil Conservation Technician). I will highlight below work

opportunities I received through the NRCS during the internship.

Buffalo County has taken great strides to restore trout steam habitat and is now

known for quality fish, habitat, and fishing opportunities. However, years of habitat

degradation and improper use of soils still have many

streams suffering impairments. Early in the summer I

had seen several finished projects and also viewed

several streams that could use some work. To get a

feel for the type of trout stream work the NRCS does

in Buffalo County, I worked with Chad D. We toured

several trout stream restoration projects, and for the

first time I viewed the process of in-stream habitat restoration. Structures included rock

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weirs, single wing deflectors, root wads, lunkers, and riprap. These structures have a

variety of tasks including erosion protection, stream aeration, and cover habitat for trout

and their food source. A big part of the project is making the slopes of the banks more

gradual rather than a steep drop-off into the stream. This prevents major soil erosion,

which is detrimental to the life in the stream.

As I mentioned earlier, there was a major storm that dropped a considerable

amount of rain over night. This flooding event was badly timed for a project that was in the

midst of being built; it pretty much destroyed most of the progress that had been made.

Several structures were washed away or demolished Only a few corners held their riprap,

while most were washed downstream. It was really humbling and a good reminder of how

powerful water truly is and why it is important to implement good erosion prevention

practices.

One aspect of natural resources I had not

considered before this summer was surveying.

This is important for any water management

structure and stream restoration. During the

internship, I was able to get field surveying

experiences with Chad D. One location we

surveyed was for a potential dam structure and

its water reservoir. Before this, I had no idea what the process of surveying was. It turned

out to be more advanced and high tech than I initially believed. We first set up a tower that

received and sent signals. We then used a pole-mounted GPS

unit to collect data points. This unit received signals from a

satellite, sent them to the tower, and then received another

signal from the tower. We took about 70 data points at multiple

elevations. These data points were systematically placed as to

where the dam would be and how far back the water was most

likely going to sit. Chad D. could then calculate how much field

the farmer was going to lose to the dam structure and its

watery footprint; farmers often ask for lost acreage information

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first. After data collection, Chad D. used a program and showed me the finished project of

what the dam would look like.

I remember from my introductory natural resource classes that an area is

considered a wetland if it has two of following: water, hydric soils, or hydric plants. The

professors made it sound really simple in the classroom, but in reality it can be difficult. I

saw this first hand by working with Chad D. and Tim Miland (Area Resource Soil Scientist)

when they were conducting wetland determinations. Most sites we visited were damp or

had water because it had been raining every couple days for the last few weeks. Some

places had hydric plants, but they were the weedy species you find in roadside ditches. The

biggest indicator was soil. If the soil had mottling (presence of redox reactions) it could be

considered a wetland. There was only one site we visited where there was an established

wetland. Normally this would be viewed positively, but this wetland was in the middle of a

farmer’s field. Not only was location an issue but also the water ripping through the

wetland was causing major erosion concerns. This was a tricky situation because it is a

wetland and is subject to special restrictions. Since this was a complicated issue, a solution

took a while to work out.

I believe environmental education is very important. It introduces the next

generation to resources they can use for the rest of their lives and how to properly care for

those reasons. Some of my time spent with the NRCS was assisting with environmental

education. For my first week of my internship, I

spent three days with the 6th grade class from the

Alma Area Schools. I helped instructors teach a

variety of topics that included GPS, plant

identification, fish identification,

macroinvertebrates, water tables, and invasive

species removal. It was rewarding teaching younger

people about topics I was passionate about. Two

weeks later, I was an instructor for the Mondovi

Conservation Days. I was teaching kids about

macroinvertebrates. I focused on why

macroinvertebrates are important and what information they tell us. That morning, before

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the kids got to the site, I collected a few samples. The samples were put into large tubs, and

I had the kids use spoons and turkey basters to remove, identify, and count how many

different macroinvertebrates there were. I showed the kids how to use the information we

had gathered to calculate the health of the stream. The kids liked my station because it was

hands on with things they could see.

Reflection

I first thank all the sponsors again for their generous donations. Without them, this

internship would not be an option. The reason I applied for this internship was because the

description sounded like I would not be doing the same thing every day. I was not

disappointed. I was able to work with several different agencies, and very rarely did I ever

have two days that were the same. I also believe I became better rounded in the field of

natural resources rather than in just my field of studies. This internship provided me with

hands on skills that cannot be gained in the classroom. I wanted to thank the sponsors one

last time but also thank all the great professionals I worked with over the summer. All you

guys made this internship great, enjoyable, and worthwhile.

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A Big Thank You to the 2017 Donors

Alma Rod and Gun Club

Bee Forest Products

Dairyland Power Cooperative

Mondovi Conservation Club

Fountain City Rod and Gun Club

Clear Waters Chapter – Trout Unlimited

Madison Fishing Expo

Buffalo County Farm Bureau

John Balk

Modena Farms

Steve Stamm

Waumandee Rod and Gun Club

Bushy’s Meat Market and Buff’s Bake Shop

Mark Boesch

Melitta Schaffner

Stuart Hagen

Swan Watch

Fountain City Lions Club

Greshik Farms

Gunderson’s Meats – Jon Seipel

Lower Chippewa River Alliance, Inc

Post D Excavating – Doug Sokup

Reglin Excavating, LLC

Ron Hulburt

Rutting Ridge Outfitters – Jarrad Fluekiger

Ryan’s Sport Shop

Sendelbach Construction, Inc

Todd Mau

Weiss Realty

Al Kube