Let the Season Begin!

Let the Season Begin!

Earlier this week, Deb, myself and John Harbuck ventured out to set up the season’s first Wolverine Monitoring Stations.  Let’s call it a “Soft Opening” to the study season, since delays in procuring a regular supply of bait have left us with only a very limited number of stations we can set.

Anxious to get underway, we were supplied with some alternative “lures” by Idaho Fish and Game in order to set up two stations with a high value to being set early. Sorry, but study locations are necessarily vague for both security of wildlife as well as the integrity of the study.

With freshly fallen snow we were able to ski and snowshoe to our two desired locations with ease, well at least until the ski binding jammed up on us.  Thankfully we had carried snow shoes along with the skis in anticipation of needing to bushwhack over some rough terrain near the stations. The day had it’s other challenges too, but they were simple obstacles that were easily overcome and were far overshadowed by the sheer fun of the project!

An ideal winter day, a snowy landscape, good friends, good winter recreation and being in the first wave of a project that will be of great value to our wildlife and land management agencies; who could ask for more?

A few tips, or hints, from our experience to other project volunteers:

1. Allow more time than you think you will need; we set the last station up as it was getting dark and had two hours of night travel to return to the cars.
2. Bring a shovel and a tow rope, and preferable drive two cars; we were glad for all three.
3. Two people was the minimum number of hands needed, three people made life much easier.
4. Don’t forger extra layers of clothes and extra water – see tip number 1 and 2.
5. Have fun, take photos and send them to us!

To other volunteers anxious to get out and set up their location, our coordinator Kelsey will be sending out a detailed update. For those folks not yet signed up, but interested in volunteering, please contact our Study Coordinator:

Kelsey Brasseur            mustelids@scotchmanpeaks.org