Conservation Northwest

13 area in the Cascade Mountains and four survey areas in the Kettle River Range, one of which was on the Canadian side of the border. Each survey area had between one and eight discreet camera trap installations spread out spatially and/or temporally throughout the survey area, with a total of 82 unique camera installations. Based on guidance from our Advisory Council, ten of the Cascade Mountains survey areas focused on documenting wolves, eight focused on documenting wolverine, two focused on documenting the North Cascades grizzly bear, and three were dedicated to documenting species along I-90. The remaining four Kettle River Range survey areas focused on detecting lynx. CAMERA INSTALLATIONS Depending on the target species and location of each survey area, remote camera installation setup can vary. CWMP follows specific protocols for remote camera installations based on the target species or monitoring activity. All installations targeting wolves or I-90 structures have a similar setup that includes motion-triggered cameras secured to trees with scent lure applied nearby, unless specifically instructed otherwise (Appendix II). Generally, two cameras are placed within the same designated area, spaced far enough apart to potentially capture different individual animals (spacing varies depending on the target species or monitoring goals for the survey area). Installations targeting grizzly bears use a special lure developed by the U.S. Forest Service containing fermented cattle blood and fish oil. This lure is highly attractant to bears and is poured over a large pile of brush and sticks constructed by volunteers maintaining these installations (Appendix III). Cameras are positioned to capture bears as they smell and explore the brush pile and lure. Though these installations do not include hair snagging devices, if grizzly bears are suspected to have visited the installation, volunteers are instructed to collect hair if available. The majority of installations targeting wolverine have a setup conducive to capturing visual documentation of their chest blazes (Appendix IV). These installations, called run-pole stations, are constructed with natural materials on-site. Wolverine run-pole stations include two cameras: a run-pole camera, set directly across from the run pole, and a vicinity camera, off to the side. These cameras are accompanied by bait, strung strategically above the run-pole. The hope is that the wolverine will stand on the run-pole and look up at the bait, allowing the run-pole camera to document its chest blazes. Wild bait (deer, elk, etc., often from road kills) is preferred for these installations. However, in cases where wild bait is unavailable, bait is purchased at butcher shops. In addition to the bait, each installation designated for wolverine detection is equipped with snags for hair collection as well as a scent attractant. Though individual wolverines can be identified visually from chest blaze photographs, DNA analysis is important to confirm individuals and retrieve additional information. The hair snag system that CWMP employs consists of a gun brush belt with eight gun brushes attached horizontally. This belt is attached just below the run-pole around the tree. Hair samples are removed from the gun brushes using latex gloves at each visit and are immediately sent for lab analysis. Installations targeting lynx follow a national protocol developed in 1999 by McKelvey et. al (Appendix V). In addition to having remote cameras, these installations are also equipped with hair-snagging devices and scent stations designed to attract lynx for DNA analysis. We use a special mixture of glycol, glycerine and beaver castorium as recommended by McKelvey et. al. Scent stations also include catnip that prompts lynx to rub on the hair-snagging devices. In addition to using scent to attract lynx to installations, volunteers are encouraged to hang

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