Category Archives: Wildlife

Interpretive Blogs about Wildlife and Plants

Razor clams (Siliqua patula)

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What’s not to like about a recreational pastime with delicious rewards? Hunting razor clams is a challenging but fun coastal activity that can be done in many areas along the Oregon coastline.

Courtesy Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife

Habitat

Razor clams live in salty, sandy, surf swept beaches. Some are found in coastal bays. An 18-mile stretch of Clatsop beaches have a very dense population (the most for any other area in the state), and account for 95 percent of Oregon’s razor clam harvest. Other areas can include Cannon Beach, Tillamook, three beaches around Newport, Winchester Bay, Coos Bay, Bandon, and Gold Beach.

The bigger clams (about 4-6-inches long) may not be near the surface. Juveniles are usually found in the first few inches of the sand and as they grow will dig deeper into the sand.

As the water warms in the spring and summer and food (plankton) supplies increase, growth is accelerated. Clams that are 3-1/2 inches and larger may be harvested. Adult clams spend part of their time deep in the sand away from diggers, birds, crabs, and fish.

What to look for

Razor clam. Photo courtesy ODFW.

Razor clams have a long, narrow, thin shell with a smooth brown coating. This shell is rather delicate and can be damaged during harvest. Many diggers want only big clams and discard or rebury smaller ones. Fully 80 percent of the discarded clams die because they are broken, have their necks cut off, or are improperly reburied.   

More than one species may be present in the digging site and can also be broken during the digging process. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has documented incidents of wasting small clams where 30-40 percent of dug clam holes contained broken or small clams. ODFW regulations call for clam diggers to keep the first 15 razor clams they dig, regardless of size or condition.

Wastage occurs when diggers return small or damaged clams back to the sand. Small clams can be damaged when handling, by pressure caused from digging, and when washed out from wave action. The law requires that diggers keep the first 15 clams dug regardless of size or condition. If everyone followed the rules, less clams would be wasted and more would be available for the frying pan.

What is your strategy?

Get there early. The best clamming is during low or minus tides (minus tides are the best). Clams will be nearer to the surface when ocean swells are low and more beach will be exposed for digging.

First shovel.
Courtesy ODFW

Use the right tools. There are several potential tools including a clam gun which sucks the clam from the sand, special narrow clam shovels for manual digging, and even a few dogs who love to dig. Whatever tools and techniques that are used the secret to your success is SPEED.

Understand the prey. Razor clams can dig up to a foot in a minute and have been recorded at depths more than four feet. Digging up four feet of sand quickly can be challenging. Our advantage? The clams can only move vertically through the sand. They are incapable of horizontal movements.  

A clam hole show.
Photo courtesy ODFW.

Learn how to find them. Razor clams will extend their neck near the surface and create a distinct imprint in the sand called a “show.” Shows are found most commonly by one of two methods: Looking for small round dimples in dry sand or pounding a shovel handle in receding surf.

Learn how to net them. Dig like crazy, try not to break or damage other species, and be careful when reaching into the hole to retrieve the clam… they have earned the ‘razor’ name for a reason. You are required to keep the first 15 clams you dig, large, small, broken, or whole.

When open?

First there are seasonal closures on some beaches to protect juvenile clams. There are also closures due to a build-up of Domoic acid which is a powerful biological toxin created by some species of phytoplankton. This toxin does not make the clams sick, but can make humans sick.

Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) in cooperation with ODFW and other agencies collects and tests razor clams during most low tide series. Check for shellfish safety closures or call the toll free ODA shellfish hotline 1-800-448-2474), and get open season information for the beach you plan to visit from Up to date information on seasons.

ODFW has a great online tutorial and references on razor clams. Do a little research before you go to increase your odds for a successful hunt. Recommended ODFW references include:  https://myodfw.com/crabbing-clamming/species/clams, https://myodfw.com/articles/how-razor-clam, https://myodfw.com/articles/shellfish-and-biotoxins, and https://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/razorclams/lifehistory.asp.

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

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What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.
Abraham Lincoln

A skunk’s publicity, as referenced above, would be its chemical defense system. All skunks have a highly developed, musk-filled scent glands (even the babies have developed the glands by day eight).

The pungent musk can be sprayed from two special glands near the skunk’s anus up to 10 feet away about five times before running out of fluid. It takes about ten days for the musk to be fully regenerated.

Predators

Ernest Thompson Seton (one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America) described the oily, yellow-colored musk as a perfume with the essence of garlic, burning sulfur and sewer gas “magnified a thousand times.”

As such, the skunk has few natural predators which include cougars, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, foxes, and predatory bird such as eagles and owls. Hunting a skunk, and the associated risks, make this a ‘starvation’ choice rather than a normal act.

Their black and white coloring makes skunks highly visible during the day and fairly invisible at night when they are most active. The coloring may not be for camouflage but as a warning advertisement for other animals. This strategy is called ‘aposematism’ and is used by many insects, birds, and other mammals.  

Except for Human Predators

Humans trapped and captively bred skunk for their fur and sometimes as pets. At one time skunk fur was highly sought after. Compared to other animals the fur is more durable and has a rich luster.

Skunk furs were the second most harvested animals after the muskrat. In the late 1890s, skunk farming became popular as a way to meet foreign trade demands. Captive selective breeding and selecting is fairly simple compared to other fur animals. There was high demands for blacker pelts. Skunk faming did not generate a great deal of revenue.

A pet or meal?

Some folks adopted skunks as pets and used them to rid barns of mice and rats. Skunks are highly adaptable to human-conditions and are easy to tame compared to other animals.

Skunk meat was eaten by trappers and indigenous people, and sought after by Chinese immigrants not only for the met but some medical properties. The meat has been described as “white, tender, sweet and more delicate than chicken.”  Maybe that is where the phrase “tastes like chicken” came from. You think?

Prey

Striped skunks frequently consume insects and their most favorite insect is the yellow jacket. Skunks are immune to the yellow jacket venom and will dig up their underground nest and eat the bees as they escape.

In the winter, skunks supplement their diet with mice, voles, and other small mammals. They will also feed on eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds, crabs, and beached fish, and vegetable matter (such as fruit, corn, and nightshade vegetables).

Home, Stinky, Home

Skunks make their homes in the ground, under buildings, and in hollow logs and often den communally. They will inhabit unused dens from other animals. They typically occupy dens during late fall, winter, and early spring for rearing kits.

REFERENCE:
–Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Weasels, Skunks, Badgers, and Otters (https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/weasels-skunks-badgers-and-otters)
–Brainy Quotes (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lloyd_doggett_307751?src=t_skunk)
–Wikipedia, Ernest Thompson Seton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Thompson_Seton), Aposematism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aposematism), and Striped Skunk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk)
–Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden (https://www.cmnh.org/perkins-wildlife-home/woods-garden/striped-skunk)

Cougar (Puma concolor)

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It was a bright sunny morning. Beautiful blue skies.
Leaf rake in hand. The dog lagged behind, sniffing as usual.

The garden was just ahead, not more than 10 feet away.
A scuffle. A deep growl. My legs stopped moving.
The dog laser-focused on something angry nearby.

The palette crashed spilling nursery pots across the path.
The cat scream split the morning calm like an untimely tear of a dress seam.
The dog leaped, feet running before touching ground, barking fearlessly.

The cougar looked nearly as big as the 100-plus pound dog.
The giant cat didn’t know the dog also liked to climb trees
and that chasing lions was her birthright.

Not all wildlife is friendly

Courtesy ODFW

Living in a rural area, we are often surprised by the variety of wildlife all around us. Some of it is not very friendly.

Oregon is home to more than 6,000 cougars, also called mountain lions. Quite a change from the estimated 200 cougars counted in the 1960s.

Oregon has three cat species, all belonging to the same family as the domestic house cat. Cougars however are considerably larger than a house cat. Size will vary depending on location and prey population. Males can top 200 lbs. with females being somewhat smaller and lighter.

Territory pressures

Chance interactions with humans increase as cougar populations grow and humans encroach on territories. In recent years, more cougars are being seen in the wrong places, like suburbs.

Interactions occur not just from population increases. Territorial pressure, particularly with males also increase. Males are very territorial and will push out or kill young male cougars to retain it.

Cougars have the largest range of any wild land animal in the Americas. Males can have a huge range of up to 500 square miles; females less.  

Normally cougars are very solitary. On occasion will work as part of a pack (females raising young will congregate). Cougars can be found on the western half of North America including southern Canada, through South America. Some are found on the U.S. East coast.

Prey

Like other cats, cougars are graceful and muscular hunters. Great leaping and short sprint abilities make it possible for them to take many types of prey. Cougars will sprint between 40-50 mph, but typically avoid long chases.

They have large front feet with five retractable claws to hold prey. Back feet are smaller with only four retractable claws. Foot prints will look similar to a large dog minus the claws.  

Common prey includes: deer, rodents, porcupines, beavers, raccoons, rabbits, wild turkey, small insects, and baby bears. No species prey on cougars except humans.

Silent hunters

Cougars are not considered a “big cat” like a lion or tiger–they lack the physical ability to roar. Cougars will hiss, growl, purr like a domestic cat, and are well known for their scream. To safely hear cougar screams browse YouTube.

Check out these great references from the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wild life to learn more:
—Living with Wildlife, Cougar (https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/cougars.asp ) which provides information on tracking, precautions, and safety.
Wildlife Viewing (https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/cats) and hunting (https://myodfw.com/big-game-hunting/species/cougar).
—Cougar Country brochure (https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/docs/CougarBroch.pdf).

Other references include:
–Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougar) which has an excellent detailed description on cougar characteristics, behavior, range, and more.
–True cougar story above based on author’s experience… Yikes! The dog was a rather large Rhodesian Ridgeback cross. Ridgebacks are used in Africa for hunting cats and will climb trees.