Conservation Northwest protects and connects old-growth forests and other wild areas from the Washington Coast to the British Columbia Rockies, vital to a healthy future for us, our children, and wildlife. Since 1989, Conservation Northwest has worke
Issue link: http://conservationnw.uberflip.com/i/947349
112 pole periodically during the winter as the snow pack builds. Use lag bolts and a cordless drill (take a couple of extra battery packs) to construct run-pole and for attachments to tree bole (much better method than nails or screwing in bolts by hand). 4. At the end of the run-pole, secure a 14-16 inch crosspiece (you can use a piece of the same log you made the run-pole from – shave off some wood at the end of the run- pole and on the underside of the cross-piece to create flat spots for a tighter, better-fitting joint). The crosspiece is critical to making this system work effectively, so make sure that it is attached securely and rigidly to the run-pole log!! The crosspiece provides a platform for the wolverine to stand on such that the front of their body is directly facing the camera. 5. Use another log to brace the run-pole. An angle brace (from run-pole to tree bole) is a preferable method, however, a vertical brace placed near the far end of the run- pole (Figure 2) is also acceptable as long as the base of the brace is on the ground and not resting on the snowpack (i.e., if there is snow on the ground when you install the run- pole, you'll have to dig down until you hit solid ground to secure a vertical brace). The run-pole has to be strong enough to hold the weight of a person (so you can stand on the run-pole to hang or change the bait) and sturdy enough to support a bear. A wolverine might use the brace to climb up to the run-pole (instead of approaching the run-pole by climbing up the bole of the run-pole tree), but that is okay as long the run-pole is constructed properly and the bait is hung properly. 6. The placement of the bait is critical for the run-pole stations to work properly. Hang the bait from a horizontal cable stretched and secured between 2 trees (Figures 1 and 3). Do not use rope as it will sag too much. From the horizontal cable, use another cable to hang the bait about 27-30 inches above the run-pole and about 12 inches in front of the end of the run-pole. Do not hang the bait any lower: the recommended height is specific for the size/length of wolverines in our area, and will force animals to at least look up (exposing the chest and neck area), if not stand up, to reach the bait. Do not hang the bait much higher because if it's too high, the wolverine may not even try to get at it; i.e., they will realize it is beyond their reach and may not go out on the run-pole or else spend their time climbing other nearby trees (which are outside of the camera's view) to try and access the bait. Ideally, we want the wolverines to have to stand up to reach the bait (they should just barely be able to reach the bait when standing on their hind feet) not only to obtain photos of their throat and chest blazes, bust also enabling us to determine gender and reproductive condition. So you may need to adjust the placement of the bait once you get detections and can see how animals are responding. 7. Bait – use a piece of bait that has a large, dense bone in it (e.g., femur, skull, or pelvis). Drill a hole through the bone and run a 3/32-inch wire cable through the bait and bone to secure it and then hang the bait using the same type of cable. Do not use baling or rebar wire (single-strand wires will break as the animals pull and work on the bait and could cut the animal's mouth). The piece of bait does not have to be large. Even if martens or other animals eat all the meat, the bone will continue to put out scent. Also, make sure not to use a chunk of bait that will eventually have long pieces of hide or limb