7 CWMP 2013-2014 Winter Field Season Report
South Cascades Blue Lake Ridge Wolf 2 Lure only
South Cascades Cispus River Wolf 3 Lure only
South Cascades Taneum Wolf 2 Lure only
South Cascades Bumping Lake Wolf 2 Lure only
RESULTS
Interstate 90 Transects
Transect data
Volunteers recorded 103 observations this season, the third highest number since the
project's start in 2007. Observations identified 9 species this year (Table 2). Following
the trend of past years, coyote made up the majority of detections, with "ambiguous"
(species unclear), and bobcat being the next to most frequent detections. Shallow
snow packs and low-quality tracking conditions in the beginning of the winter likely led
to the increase in the number of ambiguous detections: tracks is mud or on drier ground
are much harder to make out than those in snow. This year, Gold Creek transect was
richer in species detections than at all other sites and during other years. 2007 was the
only other winter tracking season with higher detections at Gold Creek. This may be
because there was no new construction to deter wildlife; there are also new crossings
structures now in place to attract wildlife, and future years may confirm this trend.
Table 2: Species detections over the winter season.
Species Conservation Priority Proportion of Detections Most frequent area(s)
Marten 1 0.04 Snoqualmie Pass
Elk 2 0.09 Easton South, Price
Noble West
Mule deer 2 0.04 Easton North
Coyote 3 0.46 Gold Creek
Ambiguous 3 0.11 Hyak
Bobcat 3 0.10 Price Noble West, Gold
Creek
Beaver 3 0.08 Gold Creek
