Wildlife Management / Small Mammal Trapping!

Population DNR is always estimating the population of wildlife to determine how best to manage a species. Duck Deer Pheasants Walleye ect.

Methods to Determine Population 1. Actual Count (96 deer in Bunker Hills 2016) 2. Quadrat Method 3. Line Transect Method 4. Mark and Recapture

Quadrat Method 1. 3 2. 2 3. 0 4. 3 5. 4 1 ______ 14/ 6 = 2.33 1. 3 2. 2 3. 0 4. 3 5. 4 1 ______ 14/ 6 = 2.33 2.33 x 30 = 70

Line Transect Used to determine the change in a population over time

Mark and Recapture A simple way to estimate a population of mobile species.

How to Estimate Population How to Estimate Population N = M (T) / P N = Estimated Population Size M = Number of originally marked mice. (day 1) T = Total Number of Mice 2nd trapped P = Number of 2nd trapped mice that were marked

Mark-Recapture Practice Data: Total Number Caught & Marked Day 1 = 17 Total Number captured on Day 2 = 12 Total Number captured 2 day that were marked = 8 Calculate the Population: N = (17x12)/8 N = 25.5 N = Estimate of total population size M = Total number of animals captured and marked on the first visit C = Total number of animals captured on the second visit R = Number of animals captured on the first visit that were then recaptured on the second visit

Benefits of Small Mammals Small mammals play crucial roles in natural ecosystems. They serve as predators, prey, seed dispersers, pests, and grazers. Small mammals can keep pest species down, both insect and vertebrate, and can serve as food for larger game species.

Why Trap??? Most small mammals will never be easily observed in the wild. They may be nocturnal, crepuscular (active at dawn or dusk), or simply too well camouflaged to notice. Live-trapping provides the best way to survey a population without harming them.

Observations and Species ID Deer Mouse Meadow Jumping Mouse Red Back Vole

Determine Population Size

Determine Parasites Bot fly

Human Bot Fly ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Iw0-7EMUo

Potential Captives… Rock vole Red back vole Meadow jumping mouse Plains pocket mouse Woodland deer mouse Eastern chipmunk Red Squirrel Eastern Grey squirrel Southern flying squirrel Whitefooted mouse Weastern harvest mouse Starnose mole Hairy tailed mole Least shrew Northern water shrew Pygmy shrew Masked shrew Arctic shrew Shorttail weasel

Marking Techniques

Marking Techniques