23
winter. *Denotes the last date cameras were checked, but survey area was not uninstalled. ~Cameras active over multiple
years, data received in 2017.
Wolverine Camera Survey Areas 2017
Survey Area General Region
# of
Installations
Installation
Date Removal Date
Total Trap
Nights Lure
Chiwaukum OWNF 2 2016/12/04^ 2017/09/10* 560 Gusto / Bait
Chiwawa OWNF 2 2016/11/24^ 2017/9/07 574 Gusto / Bait
Hannegan Pass+ NCNP 2 2017/08/26 2017/10/29* 64 Gusto / Bait
Ice Lakes~ OWNF 1 2015/06/19 2017/07/23* 765 Gusto / Bait
Kendall Peak+ MBSNF 1 2017/01/11^ 2017/08/15* 145 Gusto / Bait
Lake Ethel OWNF 1 2017/06/03 2017/10/18* 137 Gusto / Bait
Lookout Mountain MBSNF 1 2016/10/29^ 2017/10/28* 364 Gusto / Bait
Mountaineer Creek
(Multi-St)
OWNF 1 2016/11/25^ 2017/02/25 92 Gusto / Bait
Summer Blossom
Ridge~
OWNF 1 2015/06/28 2017/09/25 820 Gusto / Bait
Table Mountain MBSNF 2 2017/07/30 2017/10/15* 154 Gusto / Bait
Union Gap OWNF 1 2016/11/19^ 2017/10/14* 329 Gusto / Bait
As previously described, wolverine survey areas are different from our other survey areas because they typically
consist of two cameras at each installation. The vicinity camera captures detections within the general area and
the run-pole camera photographs animals head-on, on the run-pole. For run-poles that have been elevated to
accommodate for winter snowpack, the height differential between ground level and run-pole can sometimes be
over 10 feet. Since two cameras are running simultaneously, duplicate events are deleted prior to updating our
database to obtain a more accurate understanding of detection rate and species detected, without doubling
detection events. Two survey areas did not have run-poles established; Hannegan Pass and Kendall Peaks had one
camera each. The Ice Lakes and Summer Blossom Ridge cameras were installed in 2015 and data was collected in
July and September, respectively, with both cameras still operational and detecting species presence.
Our cameras detected wolverines at Ice Lakes and a fisher at Lookout Mountain, both level one species. The Ice
Lakes camera, which has detected wolverines in past years, was active from June of 2015 to July of 2017 and
recorded eight separate detections, one with two individual wolverines passing through the site together. The
wolverine detections at Ice Lakes spanned over four days in August 2016, in September a month later, again in
December of 2016, and two visits eleven days apart in July of 2017. Because the site had not been rebaited in
some time, the desired behavior needed to obtain photographs of an individual's unique chest blaze pattern or
the act of rubbing on a hair snag for genetic samples were not achieved.
The small sample size of cells related to non-invasive genetic sampling (hair samples compared to blood or tissue)
and the degradation of genetic samples from the elements, means that hair samples must be collected on
frequent intervals to obtain a quality sample and put in desiccant to dry and preserve the sample from
degradation
27
. In areas with high detection rates of target species, like Ice Lakes, we will be developing a plan for
27
Correspondence with Cory Engkjer; Lab Technician; Forest Service Contractor, RMRS/Wildlife & Terrestrial
Ecosystems, February, 2017.
