Blackfoot Area Wildlife Biologist

Blackfoot Area Wildlife Biologist

The Blackfoot biologist's responsibility area includes all of the Blackfoot watershed in Region 2 to include the communities of Seeley Lake, Potomac, Ovando, and Lincoln and deer/elk hunting districts 280, 281, 282, 284, 285, 290, 292, a portion of 293 and 298; an area encompassing over 2,500 sq miles. The responsibility area includes a diverse mix of private and public lands, including numerous working cattle ranches, as well as portions of the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness areas.

The biologist is expected to develop strong working relationships with landowners, stakeholder groups, city governments, local conservation non-government organizations (e.g., Blackfoot Challenge, Clearwater Resource Council, The Nature Conservancy), industry, and government agencies (e.g., BLM, DNRC, USFS, and USFWS). Building and fostering these relationships will be critical to the responsibilities of managing a diverse suite of wildlife-related issues: game damage issues on private property, grazing leases on FWP property, serving as FWP's representative for the Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (BCCA) and the Blackfoot Prescribed Fire Working Group, representing FWP on collaborative habitat projects with partner land management agencies, and monitoring FWP conservation easements in the watershed.

The biologist serves as the Wildlife Management Area (WMA) manager on more than 48,000 acres of FWP lands on four WMAs: the Blackfoot-Clearwater, Aunt Molly, and Marshall Creek. Management of WMAs includes serving as the lead on habitat improvement projects (e.g., forestry, prescribed fire, noxious weed management), infrastructure maintenance and improvement (e.g., roads, buildings, irrigation, etc.), hunting and trapping seasons, and public access issues.

Teamwork is important to this position, as effective WMA management involves close collaborative work with enforcement, maintenance, forestry, habitat, fisheries, and parks and outdoor recreation staff. Annual wildlife surveys include but are not limited to: aerial elk surveys in the winter and spring; aerial mule deer surveys, spring green-up white-tail deer ground surveys, and spring mountain grouse surveys. The biologist is responsible for running a game check station at Bonner for 6 weekends during the general rifle hunting season every year and overseeing student volunteers at the check station.

The biologist works closely with the non-game and furbearer biologists and contributes to the annual monitoring efforts for the furbearer and non-game programs. Inspection and sealing of harvested species including wolves, mountain lions, black bears, and numerous furbearer species occurs during open seasons annually. Physical and environmental demands:
Survey, capture, and handling methods frequently involve stressful and dangerous situations. Surveys require use of low-level fixed wing and helicopter flights in mountain valley, foothill and high mountain habitats at low altitudes in hazardous flying conditions and sitting in confined spaces with exposure to high noise levels. Capturing and handling big game animals involves the use of controlled substances and potentially lethal immobilization chemicals and handling big game animals such as deer, elk, bears, lions, moose, and sheep.

Work schedules are variable including weekend and nights when necessary, requiring the wildlife biologist to exhibit flexibility in daily, weekly and annual work schedules. Self-motivation is an important part of this position. Heavy lifting, up to 40lb, and the ability to work in remote and difficult terrain is necessary under varying and occasionally extreme weather conditions. Travel via 4-wheel drive, ATV and snow machines is a necessary aspect of this position.

Job duties include designing and conducting ground and aerial field investigations and surveys; recording and analyzing survey data, species information statistical models and data from Department databases; formulating management strategies and plans that benefit wildlife populations and habitats; obtaining public support for proposals and submitting proposals through a public process which are often highly visible and controversial, involving the entire spectrum of interests and stakeholders in wildlife conservation issues;

identify habitat conservation and access needs; utilize population models to predict adaptive harvest and changing environmental factors influencing wildlife conservation; establish hunter check stations and collect pertinent biological data to assist in evaluating population trends and status; respond to wildlife damage complaints following legal statutes and department policies; collaborate with Department staff to design, implement and interpret findings of wildlife and wildlife habitat related studies to further understanding and management of specific species;

oversee and conduct habitat maintenance and improvement projects on department Wildlife Management areas; work…