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sample of its DNA for research purposes. Similarly, scent stations can be used as a double-sampling
method to directly validate snow tracks (as camera sets have been used in the past). These non-
representative surveys, however, are entirely exterior to the National Survey Protocol, and we are doing
no testing which can directly be used to indicate their efficacy. Additionally, as mentioned above, these
data are extremely limited in their utility. They cannot, for instance, be used to infer anything about
habitat relationships, the spatial extent of a local population, or the absence of lynx within a specific area.
We therefore strongly recommend that these methods only be used to answer very specific questions in
very specific areas. In most cases, laying a grid of transects across an area of interest will provide more
usable information and is a better allocation of resources.
Selection of sites and station positions
Each survey consists of placing 25 sites within a predetermined study area. Place sites 2.0 mi apart in a
grid fashion with the beginning of grid randomly located. Each site consists of one transect with 5
stations spaced 100 m apart and directed downhill. In areas lacking any measurable slope, transect
direction can be random. Ideally, transect length is 400 m, however when transects encounter human
development, natural openings, meadows, new clear-cuts, ponds or small lakes, breaks in transect may
occur and increase the overall transect length. If these breaks cause over-all transect length to exceed 1
km, part of the transect can be run uphill from the starting
location (with the same rules concerning meadows, water
etc.). If the overall transect length is still longer than 1 km,
relocate the starting point to a location not further than ½ km
of the original start, then repeat the protocol. If the relocated
transect still encounters too much human development, open
water, meadows, etc., then remove the site from the grid and
locate the transect at the next closest grid location. It is best
to accomplish this task using aerial photo and topographic
maps prior to going into the field.
Figure 1. Example demonstrating placement of sites. Yellow line is area of
interest. Red symbols are location of sites with 2-mile spacing.
