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LOUISIANA iJikiuirdUMi May/June 2000 $2.00 • [theconservation niid restoration ofLoiiisinnn': Publishedby theIn m & Educntion Division ofthe Louisinnn Dep\ Louisiana Conservationist ISSN0024-6778 Volume52, No. 3 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 M./. "Mike"Foster, Governor JamesH.JenkinsJr., Secretary James Patton, Undersecretary Phil Bowman,Asst. Secretary Comments JohnRoussel,Asst. Secretary Wildlife andFisheries Commissioners ByJames Patton, UnderSecretary Thomas Cattle, Chairman, LakeProvidence n the November/December 1999 BGillylnBnusCbaircvee,rJ,r.P,hL.aDf.a,yeMttaeny bisusiulediIngdiosncutshseeddetphaertsmtenotr'mscflionuadns- WarrenA. DelacroixIII,New Orleans Thomas Kelly,Jeanerette cial horizon. I said the department NormanMcCall, Cameron would soon take action to solve the problemandIaskedourreadersfortheirsupport.Beginningwithapresentation JerryStone,M.D. atthe CommissionmeetingonJanuary6, 2000 wemadea strongefforttogoto DivisionAdministrators the grass roots to share our dilemma ofrisingcosts and shrinking revenue and BennieFontenot, InlandFisheries asked theuserpublictohelp us. BetweenJanuary6 andMarch29, departmentofficialsmetwithusers atfive Karen Foote,MarineFisheries pubUcmeetingsandover25usergroupsandassociationmeetings.Additionally, TommyPrickett, Wildlife department officials appeared on live television, live radio talk shows, pre- Brandt Savoie, Fur/Refuge recordednumeroustelevisionandradiointerviewsandinterviewedwithnews- LyleM. Soniat,Ph.D., Information/Education paper reporters throughout the state, ranging from the New Orleans Times Col. Winton Vidrine, Enforcement PicayunetotheWinnParishEnterprise. Wewantedeveryonetohearourmes- sage-"our sports license fees haven't increased in 13 years and we simply can't MagazineStaff holdthecurrentfeesanylonger." LyleM. Soniat, Ph.D., ExecutiveEditor Sometimes when you go to the grass roots with a message, you come back MarianneM. Burke, Information Director withamessageortwofromthegrassroots.Onemessageweheardwasthatour Janice Collins, Editor licenseandregistrationfeestructureswereoutofdate. Wearenotofferingwhat CatherineCarlockSimpson,NewsManager the user population wants, nor are we offering what users in other states now Thomas Gresham, StaffWriter get.Examplesincludeimplementinglicenseslikeastandalonesaltwaterlicense; Lisa Dobson Noland, StaffWriter a discounted all-privilege combination licenses; a lower cost lifetime combina- Joel Courtney, StaffPhotographer tionlicensesforinfants;acombinationlicenserenewablebymaU;aone-daynon- LindaAllen, CirculationManager residentcombinationfishinglicense; a residentthree-day trip fishinglicense;or changingour "onesizefits all" boatregistrationfee orthebig gamelicensethat Copyright2000bytheLouisianaDepartmentof shouldbeadeerlicense. WildlifeandFisheries. Thispublicationisnot Weheardyou.Inthefuture,weplantopursuelegislationtomakeourlicense responsibleforunsolicitedmanuscripts,photographs orothermaterials. and registrationfeestructuresuptodate. TheLouisianaConservationistispublished Another message we received was thatnonresidents are notpaying enough bimonthlyexceptJanuary/FebruarybytheLouisiana fortheprivilegeofhuntingorfishinginourstate.Louisianianswhohuntorfish DepartmentofWildlifeandFisheries,2000Quail inneighboring states generallypaymore for theseprivileges thannonresidents Drive,BatonRouge,LA 70808,225/765-2918. pay to hunt and fish in Louisiana. Many people would like to see the depart- Second-classpostagepaidatJohnson City,TNand ment enact a reciprocal fee structure. For example, Mississippi charges additionalmailingoffices. POSTMASTER:send Louisianians $228 and Texas charges $250 for an annual all-game himting addresschanges toLouisianaConservationist,P.O. license.LDWFwouldinreturnchargecitizensfromthesestatesthesamefeesfor Box98000, BatonRouge,LA 70898. the same licenses. This idea wouldbe an administrative nightmare, for several Regidationsofthe U.S. Departmentofthe reasons. Thefirstbeingthatdifferentstateshave differentways of"packaging" Interiorstrictlyprohibitunlawfuldiscriminationin privileges. Some states have a onebuck limit on deer while other states allow departmentalfederallyassistedprogramson the onebucktobetakenwithoutabiggamelicense. Somestatessellshortduration Abansiyspoefrrsaocne,wchoolorb,elniaetvieosnahleoorrigsihne,haagseboerenhadnidsiccraipm.i- trip Ucenses, while others don't and even more complicated would be those natedagainstinanyprogram,activityorfacility statesthatsellspeciestags thatarenotavailableinLouisiana. operatedbyarecipientoffederalassistanceshould Another problem would be the sheer number of additional nonresident writeto:Director,OfficeforEqualOpportunity, license types that would have to be created. The fees for these licenses would U.S. DepartmentoftheInterior, Washington,D.C. have tobe adjustedwhen other states change theirfees andinmanyinstances, 20240. all ofthe effort and additional cost would be for naughtbecause some licenses This public document was published at an average cost of wouldneverbesold. Andlastly,licensevendorswouldspendmoretimeselling $pu5b1l,i7s5h1e.d60a.tAapnparvoexrimaagteeplryin3t5in,g00c0osctoopfi$e2s3o,f91th0i.s44d.oTchuemetnottalwceorset licensestononresidents,increasingtheircosts,andmakingresidentswaitlonger ofallprintingofthisdocumentaverages$23,910.44.Thisdocu- fortheirlicenses. ment was published for Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70808, by Bourque Again, we heard you. We plan to address these issues and other issues Printing, Inc.,toprovideinformationonoutdooropportunitiesin brought to our attention during the last few months. We are listening. Let us Louisiana.Thismaterialwasprintedinaccordancewiththestan- dardsforprintingbystateagenciesestablishedpursuanttoR.S. hearfromyou. 43:31.Printingofthismaterialwaspurchasedinaccordancewith theprovisionsofTitle43oftheLouisianaRevisedStatutes. 2 LouisianaConservationist Conservationist FEATURES Wahoo and the Redears An angler remembers his grandfather fishing on Lake Bistineau. By DavidMoreland 8 Cooperating for Success Creating suitable wildlife habitat onJackson-Bienville WMA. By Steve]ohn Hebert Lyme Disease Exploring the facts behind Lyme disease and deer ticks. By Lisa Dobson Noland Renaissance Lalte Reseeding and revitalizing animportantreservoir. By Bobby C. Reed EastTimbalier 2000 Review of progress on an aggressive reconstruction project in the Gulf of Mexico. ByJanice Collins Last Island Lost The story of one of the deadliest hurricanes in Louisiana history. Part 11. By Bill Grimley DEPARTMENT! WMA Profile PassA Loutre wildlife managementarea is one of the premier sites foraquatic habitat in the state. Species Profile Louisiana's state amphibian, the green treefrog. LawLines Some great excuses givenby wildlife violators. ByMajor Keith LaCaze Conservation Notes Wildlife and Fisheries newsbriefs. Regarding Nature Let's Go Fishing By Angela Capelloand PaidJackson Front Cover Green Treefrog Photography Showcase byJoeMacHudspeth,Jr. Back Cover C'est Bon Lake Bistineau by Steve Cole Recipes by ChefPhilippe Parola. Don't miss LCM's 4-page pull-out gift catalogue! #«-**^: C^* 0. i STORY BY DAVID MORELAND It was my last summer offun and doing absolutely nothing except what I wanted to—fishing in the morning and playing baseball in the evening. Before all ofyoubegincalling theeditor "One of these days Alice, bam, to the moon." about a fish story written by a deer Baker would slam his fist into his hand when biologist who apparently doesn't he recited the lines and we thought it was know one fish from another, let me give you hilarious. Whenever we got together we some assurances. I took both Ichthyology would be all over him until he performed his and Advanced Ichthyology in college and act and then we would go about our play. Dr Neil Douglas, author of The Freshwater Baker and Dad got along quite well. Both Fishes ofLouisiana, was my professor I know had done a lot of flying during WWII and a wahoo is a saltwater fish and a redear is a they were also outdoor oriented. Dad really fresh water bream, and other than being enjoyedbass fishingand wheneverwevisited members of the largest division of verte- them inFlorida heand Dad would gofishing. brates, don't have much in common. The 1 was too young to be on the bass circuit at wahoo in this story is actually spelled Jahue. that time but around the third grade Baker Jahue B. Baker was my mother's stepfa- gavemea spinningrod and reelandIbecame ther. He married my grandmother shortly Dad's fishing buddy. I caught my first bass after World War II and would be the only on Lake Bistineau with that rod and reel grandfather who I would know and experi- using a Devil's Toothpick. ence as a young boy. Baker, as he was affec- My first fishing experience with Baker tionately called by my family, had a colorful came one Saturday when we were at the the background. Baker was a native of West lake. Baker paddled us out along the boat Texas and began a military career at the age channel and we fished for bream around the of 16. He enlisted in the Army in 1918. cypresstrees. ItwasthefirsttimeIsawsome- Somehow the age factor was overlooked, one spit on a worm after putting it on the and he was shipped to France. He was dis- hook. Of course I inquired why and Baker appointed that he didn't get into combatbut said it was good luck. I didn't see that it gratefully spent a few years in Europe. He worked because he wasn't catching any fish. returned tothestates in 1922andentered the As we approached the floating duck blind AirCorps. tied along the boat row for the summer, I An aircraft engineer. Baker was stationed flipped my line toward it. My hook hit the at several air bases around the world until side of the bUnd and then fell into the water. •1933 when he was assigned to Barksdale Air The bait was grabbed immediately by a Force Base in Bossier City. He remained at bream. I quickly adopted this technique and Barksdale until the start of WWII. A short- caught several more fish. Baker had to admit age of officers resulted in a promotion to that my method worked better thanhis. .«. major and he was sent to the South Pacific. Bakerhadahand inmybiologicaltrairiing. Again he was assigned to various locations With all the flying stories that I heard as a during the war, which added to his large youngster, it was only natural that I liked air- arsenal ofwarstories. He retired in 1947but planes. Baker gave me an official Air Force remained active in the Retired Officers' manual on aircraft identification and I would Association at Barksdale. climb on the roof of our house and ID planes Baker was an awesome figure to my flying in and out of Barksdale (Our country brother and me. He was a stocky, robust home was on one of the flight routes in and man with tattoos on his arms and legs. He outofthebase). Thisearlytraininginfinding had a deep coarse voice which was a little key features to identify the various planes frightening to us. Wesoon, however, discov- paid off when I began using biological field ered that this bulldog was all bark and no guides in college and with my work. bite, particularly with Mama Baker around. Our major fishing adventure came during He did a great imitation of Jackie Gleason, the summer following my freshman year at PhotobyDavidMoreland college. My summer plan contained only I told Dad about the find and he thought two items, fishing and playing baseball. I Baker would like the "island." Sure enough, was only 18 and could play one more sum- when Baker arrived and I informed him of mer of American Legion Baseball with the ouroptions, hechosethechinquapins. I went team in Minden. to buy some small bait crawfish while Dad Fishing was particularly good that sum- and Baker had their morning coffee. mer. For two people who fished mainly for Soon we were on the lake and at the fun, Dad and I were doing quite well. I spawningsite. I easedtheboatintoposi- remember one trip where we both tion, putting Baker in front. He caught about tenbass in the two immediately started catching to four pound category. My fish and he didn'thave to spit dai—ly schedule was sim on the bait. I fished a little pie fish in the mornings but thought it best to let and go to the ballpark in Baker catch most of the the evenings fish. As I watched the Occasionally I would fish in the water 1 umpire a Little decided I would try League game at some hand line fish- Heflin. ing. When a fish Baker would would swim by I come and watch would lower the whenever we bait in the water played the Bossier and dangle it in City team. It was front of it. The on such an occa- fish didn't want sion that I met the crawfish Baker after a around, so I game and we caught a fish talked about how every time with good the fishing this technique. was. He said he Baker got a big would like to go kick out of my sometime. I talked lazy method of to Dad and he sug- fishing. gested I take him We ran out of bait out one day during andheaded inwitha the week. I called nice stringer of more Baker and set up our than 75 hand-size trip. redears. We hadn't The day before our motored very far when planned outing, I was out weranintoWaylanandhis on the lake trying to find mom and dad. some fish. Thebass action Now Waylan never told me slowed down and it wasn't look- he was coming back to fish and ing too good. While he never told me motoring around Bird these were his fish. ,„ 1918,atthe ageof 16,Jahue B. Bakerenlisted in Island I came across thearmy. He retired as a major in 1947 Buthe certainlyhad a Waylan Boley, one of funny look on his my high school buddies. He told me to fol- face. Ohwell, therewere stillplentyoffishin low him and he took me to a small shallow the water for them. "island" of cypress trees. In the shallow When we got home I asked Baker if he waterwerelots andlotsofspawningRedear wanted to clean the fish now or take them sunfish, chinquapins as they are known to home. Heinformed methathe didn'tneed to most people. Waylan and I watched them take any fish home and that he and Mama for a while and then parted company. Bakerwould comebackforafish fryone day. 6 LouisianaConservationist With that he loaded up his gear and headed back to Bossier City. This was just great, now I had to clean all the fish! 1 was still cleaning fish when Dad arrived home at 4:30 that evening. He came over and inspected our catch. I quickly explained to him how Baker had left me to clean all the fish and I was getting a little tired of it. 1 was hoping to get some sympa- thy and a hand with the chore. But Dad told me a good guide takes care ofhis clients and since he hadn't been along he didn't feel obliged to help, and proceeded to take a nap before supper. 1 would never get to experience fishing with Baker again. Thatwas my last summer of fun and doing only what I wanted. Baker would, however, get to experience the enjoy- ment of great-grandchildren. While Baker was somewhat hesitant to accept our hugs and kisses when we were little, it was a dif- ferent story with our children. He truly enjoyed their affecdon and anfics and this tough veteran of two world wars developed The author's father, Joe Moreland, displays a into a softhearted great-grandpa. handsome string of bass caught on Lalte Every Memorial Day cannot help but 1 Bistineau in 1951. think of Baker. He died in 1986 at the age of 83. 1 can still see and hear the Honor Guard Officerashehanded Mama Bakerthecrisply folded American flag that draped his casket. "This country will now pay tribute to one of Fourth generation fisherman Ruffin Moreland caught his first bass at Lake Bistineau In 1989. her own." With those words the bugler played taps and the rifles fired a final salute to Wahoo Baker. This weekend or one coming up soon, take your grandchildren or grandfather or — grandmother or your neighbor fishing. You'll all be glad. V DavidMorclaihlis the DeerStudyProject Lender for the Department ofWildlifeand Fisheries. An avid hunter andfisherman, Morelandfrequently contributes stories to the Louisiana ConservationistMagazine. Heisa memberofthe Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. May/June2000 7 OGRAM STORY BY ^—ym n eastern wild turkey hen and her poults feed on insects and Barenburg Tripoli clover STEVE JOHN HEBERT \ f\ planted on an Entergy right-of-way (ROW) as 230,000 volts of electricity quietly pass PHOTOGRAPHY BY .^-overhead. Farther down the ROW, abobwhitehen silently sits onhernestwhile plant- specific herbicides developed by Monsanto and Cyanamid corporations are sprayed to pre- LUKE LEWIS vent encroachment of woody vegetation. Next to the ROW, Willamette Industries' foresters supervise the placement of water dams and the seeding of fire lanes and logging sets as part ofWillamette's commitmentto theSustainable ForestryInitiatives. Financialsupportfromthe Louisiana Chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation and the Shreveport Chapter of Quail Unlimited is also added to the funding and in-kind services provided by the companies alreadynoted. Add the nearly one-halfcentury commitment bytheLouisiana Departmentof Wildlife and Fisheries to Jackson-Bienville Wildlife Management Area 0-B WMA) and you have the foundation oftheJackson-Bienville Wildlife Habitat Program. WMA J-B is 12 miles south of Ruston and encompasses more than 32,000 acres of rolling pinehills interspersed withuplandhardwood-laced streams. Willamette Industries and three 8 LouisianaConservationist private families provide free access to Now Ln its fourthyearthe program is used ROW Louisiana's outcioorsmen for hunting and to maintain the Entergy and has other outdoor activities. expanded into several additional projects on The Jackson-Bienville Habitat Program Jackson-Bienville WMA. Cooperators have developed indirectly following Entergy donated more than $50,000 to the program Corporation's construction of a new power since its beginning. All the projects are addi- line during the mid 1990s which linked the tions to the ongoing management work con- ROW towns of Grambling and Hodge. The ducted by LDWF's Wildlife Division and WMA crossed the southeast portion of J-B Willamette. and required the clearing of 21 acres. Soon Efforts to utilizenew techniques and mate- ROW after construction the began to go rialsarea majorconsiderationwhenplanning through the normal stages of plant succes- projects. The selective use of herbicides sion, first supporting annuals and grasses under the direction of Monsanto, Cyanamid and then forbs which wildlife in the area and Entergy technicianshas resulted in major heavily used. Soon however woody sprouts savings in funds and personnel time while begantoinvadethevaluablewildlifehabitat. improving the wildlife habitat on ROWs and Luke Lewis, then working as a Willamette road shoulders. Theuseofherbicides incom- Industries wildlife biologist, had a vision of bination with prescribed burning ofpine tim- how the ROW could be developed. Lewis ber stands has helped to encourage preferred first met with Entergy representative Billy vegetation, allow for better wildlife viewing Sanford and the first project of what would and improve hunter access. turn into the Jackson-Bienville Habitat Whileworkwasproceedingontheoriginal Program started to take shape. Tim Ford of ROW project, numerous compliments were Monsanto Corporation and this writer were received on the beauty ofthe native and rein- contacted about reclaiming the ROW. troduced wildflowersonthe ROW. Currently As with all projects, funding and person- LDWF is trying to incorporate wildflower WMA nel were majorconcerns during theplanning management into all projects because WMA. stage. The Louisiana Department ofWildlife of the interest generated at J-B and Fisheries manages wildlife and recre- Parking areas were constructed and planning WMA ational opportunities on J-B with only continues for development of wildlife and one full time employee. His duHes included scenic viewing areas to encourage use of the planting 160 acres of supplemental food area all year. strips along with his other wildlife manage- Other projects funded by the cooperators ment duties. of the Jackson-Bienville Habitat Program The restoration plans for the Entergy include the continued de\'elopment and ROW called for a three-year project with expansion ofbobwhite quail and eastern wild most of the work handled by contractors turkey habitat. Managementtechniques such who would gradually conxcrt the ROWback as the mechanical removal ofunderstoryveg- to productive wildlife habitat. Three years etation in the Red-cockaded woodpecker WMA seemed like a long time forthe original plan- colonies on J-B has resulted in ners and cooperators but planning contin- improved quail and turkey nestingandbrood ued, workbegan and enthusiasm among the habitat. Theestablishmentoftravellanesand cooperators continued to grow. Local con- trails through and around the colonies has tractors, businesses, organizations and indi- also improved access both for wildlife and viduals began offering help after watching a sportsmen. WMA oncenon-productivewildlifearea turnintoa During thenearlyfiftyyearsthatJ-B lush ribbon of green. Visitors stopped daily hasbeen available to sportsmen, it has devel- along U. S. Hwy 167 to watch as the project oped a reputation for excellent deer and developed and view visible deer and other turkey hunting. Sportsmen using the area wildlife on the ROW. What started as a since the start of the habitat program are three-yearprojectwascompleted in less than pleased with the increased efforts to improve two. With the success of that one program the wildlife habitat for small game like rab- and its growing support, there was an obvi- bits and quail. Quail numbers on J-B WMA, ous need to direct that support intonew pro- while still not like the "good old days," have jects. The result was the Jackson-Bienville steadily increased as the habitat improved. Wildlife Habitat Program. Phone calls from across the state and as far May/June 2000 9 tions involved the daily activities. They are national and local organizations which from our hometowns and some are our next door neighbors. Anyone who wants more information on the Jackson-Bienville Wildlife Habitat Programorwouldliketobeacontributorcan contact LDWF's Wildlife Division at the Minden Region I Office at (318) 371-3050 or write to LDWF, Attn.: J-B Wildlife Habitat Program, R O. Box 915, Minden, LA 71058. ^ Steve John Hebert is the Wildlife Division Supervisor for District I. He has worked for LDWF for22 years as a wildlife biologist. Entergy technicians away as South Carolina inquiring about the JACKSON/BIENVILLE W.M.A. direct the application quail population are common at the WMA. HABITAT PROGRAM of selective The Jackson-Bienville Wildlife Habitat herbicides developed COOPERATORS Program's goalis to contribute to the contin- by Monsanto and ued management and development of American Cyanamid woCoydaynavmeigedtatoticoonntarnodl wildlife habitat on Jackson-Bienville WMA Bank One promote desirable and provide quality outdoor experiences for Barenburg species. allusers. Thededicationandcommitmentof Bill Cox the cooperators supporting the program are Bo Epperson proofoftheircommitmenttoproperwildlife BrownContractors WMA managementonJackson-Bienville and Columbia Equipment Co. elsewhere. LDWF invites anyone who Construction Safety Products would like to see the results to visit J-B Dollar Embroidery WMA. A short drive down U. S. Hwy. 167 Douglas Burt Sign Works south from Ruston approximately 12 miles Entergy Quail habitat or about the same distance down LA. Hwy. Enterprise Rent-A-Car developed as a result 147 south from Arcadia goes directly to the Gene Ponti Communications of prescribed twomajorROWprojects ontheWMA. Look Gueydan Mowing burnings performed byWilliamette and the for the cooperatorsigns and take aminute to John Lampkin LDWF's Habitat note the cooperators listed on the signs. Kaufman-Seeds, Inc Program. They are international and national corpora- LAChapter NWTF LATech Forestry Club LATech SAF Chapter LDWF LSUAgricultural Center Madden Contracting Micky Ferryman Monsanto Montana Welding Newcomer-Young O'Neal's Farm & Garden Quail Unlimited R. W. Rogers Maintenance Ragan & Massey, Inc. Redden's Welding Ruston Farm Implement, Inc. Sharp Brothers Seed Co. Tommy's Tees Wal-Mart Willamette 10 LouisianaConservationist