6th Annual Judith Ramaley Celebration of Research and Creative Scholarship
 
Online Book of Abtracts

Poster #77

Compliance of Boaters with the Big Lake Voluntary Avoidance Area, Pool 4, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge-Winona District

Joshua A. Morrissey, Lisa Reed, Brian Pember, Mary Stefanski

Faculty Mentor: Neal Mundahl

Big Lake in Pool 4 of the Mississippi River is closed to waterfowl hunting during the Wisconsin waterfowl hunting season.  This closed area (2,461 acres) also becomes a voluntary avoidance area for boaters beginning October 15, to reduce disturbance to feeding and resting waterfowl during fall migration.  The objectives of this study were 1) to assess boater compliance with the voluntary avoidance regulation during the 2011 waterfowl hunting season, and 2) to determine the level of response of waterfowl to boat intrusions into the avoidance area.  The area was monitored (20 different observers, 76 daytime observation periods) from an observation tower on the northeastern shore of the lake during 28 days between September 24 and December 3, 2011.  Boat movements were recorded and levels of waterfowl disturbance (no disturbance, <1000 birds disturbed [minor disturbance], >1000 birds disturbed [major disturbance]) were noted.  Numbers of waterfowl using the lake were recorded on each observation date. Fifty-nine boats were observed on the lake during the study period, with most (71%) observed prior to October 15.  Boat counts exceeded 5/day prior to October 15 and <1/day after that date (significant decline, t₂₅=2.98, P=0.02).  Waterfowl numbers increased dramatically (3-4 X) after October 15 and remained high through December 3 (significant increase after October 15, t₂₃=6.24, P<0.001).  Prior to October 15, waterfowl were disturbed by 57% of boat intrusions, but disturbance rate increased to 94% after October 15.  Major waterfowl disturbances were associated with 24% of boat intrusions before October 15, but with 53% of intrusions after October 15.  On two dates (October 29, November 3) when >20,000 waterfowl were present on Big Lake, 12 boat intrusions all disturbed waterfowl, with six intrusions producing major disturbances.  Boater compliance with the voluntary avoidance regulation on Big Lake during 2011 generally was good, with 58% of days without any boat intrusions and/or waterfowl disturbance (likely aided by cold weather and windy conditions).  However, periodic warm weather led to increased boat traffic and multiple, major waterfowl disturbances per day.