Living With Wildlife Foundation

EDUCATION:

B.S. in Natural Science from the University of Puget Sound, 1999

PROJECT:

A comparative analysis of the affects of road densities, hunting pressure, and management strategies on the movement and behavior of black bears in Northern Idaho

Objectives:
Over the course of two years, we will aim to deploy GPS collars on up to 25 individual bears throughout the study area. Data from these collars will be retrieved from denned bears, and then analyzed in a GIS framework. By combining our data from the Coeur d’Alenes with data previously collected in the Purcells (Lewis et al. in press), we will look at the affects of varying road density, volume of use, and hunting practices on black bears. To supplement the four years of GPS data that our study combined with the Purcell study will provide, we will deploy traffic counters throughout both studies during spring and fall hunting seasons, as well as the summer pursuit season. In addition, we will conduct phone and/or mail surveys of licensed bear hunters in both areas, in an effort to determine amount of hunting pressure in each area, as well as method of hunting used. In the Coeur d’Alenes, we will also look to get an estimate of number of bears both harvested and pursued with the use of hounds. This coalescence of information will enable us to more effectively asses the impacts of roads, hunting pressure, and hunting techniques on black bears within these areas.

Progress:
From June 1 through August 8, 2007, we had between 15 and 29 trap sites open at any given time throughout the study area, resulting in a total of 32 black bear captures (18 males and 14 females). Among these, 27 individual black bears were captured, consisting of 13 females and 14 males. For the purpose of collaring bears, we had a minimum weight requirement of 70 pounds. For males, we collared only animals that weighed at least 130 pounds, and were estimated to be at least five years old. Given these requirements, a total 18 collars were placed on black bears (15 GPS and three VHF) this summer. Eight GPS and two VHF collars were placed on females, while seven GPS collars and one VHF collar placed on males. VHF collars were used on one smaller male, and on females after all GPS collars had been deployed.