Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: With additional collars deployed during winter February and March 2007, we have 10 black bears collared including 3 black bears outfitted with redesigned GPS collars that each contain 2 VHF beacons. Since emergence from their den sites, these bears have been monitored using aerial telemetry. These bears are generating important information on the movement of bears through agricultural habitat. December monitoring via aerial and ground telemetry has verified that the collars continue to function as expected and that the bears have entered hibernation. A total of 2,235 baits were placed in 29 Wisconsin counties during 2006 of which 971 were consumed by bears. This represents a 43.5% success rate, much higher than that seen in similar studies. The 2006 harvest was 2,930 bears. A total of 2,592 rib samples (88.5%) were submitted by hunters for analysis. Rib samples were cleaned a prepared for analysis and then sent to Matson's Laboratory in Milltown Montana. Matson's is the
nationally recognized lab for the analysis of wildlife samples and the only commercial lab which conducts tetracycline analysis. We are currently beginning analysis of results from Matson's laboratory received during late August 2007. Dissemination of results of this project includes 1 paper given at the winter meeting of Wisconsin's Chapter of the Wildlife Society, 2 updates to the Wisconsin DNR black bear technical committee, and 2 manuscripts submitted (1 each to American Midland Naturalist and The Journal of Wildlife Management).
PARTICIPANTS: Individuals working on this project include Timothy R. Van Deelen (PI) and Karl D. Malcolm (Graduate Student)both of the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Partner organizations include the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and The Wisconsin Bear Hunter Association.
TARGET AUDIENCES: The anticipated primary users of this research will be the Wisconsin DNR and Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protections (DATCP) programs charged with managing black bear populations and wildlife damage to agriculture. I am currently a member of Wisconsin's interagency black bear technical committee and will communicate research results to decision makers through informal updates on project progress at the twice-annual committee meetings. Formal research products will be documented and presented in written reports annually. These will include mark-resight population estimates (due June 30 2008), an analysis of black bear productivity, and a documented spatially explicit model of population expansion (both due June 30 2010). Secondary users will be the larger wildlife management and research community. Communication to these users will occur during scientific meetings (e.g. the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference and the Annual meeting of The Wildlife
Society) and through peer-reviewed scientific papers. Anticipated outlets for the latter include The Wildlife Society Bulletin, Journal of Wildlife Management, and Ecological Applications. In addition, this research will generate at least 1 Ph.D Degree dissertation in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Failure of the telemetry collars in 2006 will preclude the modeling portion of this project unless additional data is generated. However redesigned collars deployed in 2007 are functioning as expected. I am proposing to continue this work and to expand to include a study area in Michigan. This project will likely continue to receive funding from Michigan and Wisconsin DNRs. Work on this project is continuing during 2007 under a $30,000 grant from the Wisconsin DNR as outlined in the original project proposal. A collaborative proposal to add a Michigan study area survived the pre-proposal phase of Michigan's Pittman Robertson program and a full proposal was requested. A full proposal was submitted on January 27 2007. I expect that this will be funded pending action by the Michigan legislature on the Michigan DNR budget.
Impacts
Analysis is not yet complete but this project is expected to contribute to the following outcomes. A predictive model of expansion for the central forest black bear population. This model will be useful for predicting how the distribution of bears will change under different harvest (which influences the number of dispersers) and landscape change (which influences the behavior of dispersers) scenarios. This information will be useful for setting harvest quotas and for predicting bear damage to agriculture. A rigorous estimate of bear density. The central forest bear population is relatively young having reached a harvestable size only relatively recently. Consequently, DNR population models which are based on reconstruction and accounting techniques are believed to suffer from poor precision. A rigorous estimate of bear density would be useful for calibrating current understanding of population trend and provide a starting point for developing more reliable models.
Enhanced understanding of linkages between black bear life history and the changing agro-forested region of central Wisconsin. Black bears have great cultural, economic and ecological significance in Wisconsin. Despite its importance to life history characteristics, dispersal behavior and its relevance to population dynamics is very poorly understood. This information will enhance the knowledge base supporting the conservation and appreciation of Wisconsin Black bears.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
During the past year, we outfitted 12 yearling black bears with gps/vhf collars to track their movements. We were unable to locate these bears over the summer despite extensive aerial searching. Two collars recovered from hunter-killed bears indicated substantial damage to the antenae and moister in the electronics. Taken together, these facts suggest that the collars failed. We are working with the manufacturer to deploy redesigned collars for the 2007 field season. Over 3500 tetracycline laced baits were placed by volunteers in the northern and central. These baits were placed at a frequency of 1 bait every 3 miles with instructions that individual baits be at least 2 miles from each other to maintain independence with respect to an individual bear encountering more than 1 bait in its home range. The baits consisted of a small wooden box (to discourage smaller scavengers) placed in a tree which contains 0.5 pounds of bacon. Contained within each bacon bolus were
nine 500mg tetracycline tablets. Tetracycline is a commonly used broad spectrum antibiotic. It also has the added benefit of being detectable in bone. Baits that were not taken by bears were removed and disposed of in a manner making them unavailable to scavengers during late July. Each year 2500-3000 bears are harvested in the state in September and October. For the next two hunting seasons (2006, 2007) successful hunters will be required to submit a rib sample from their harvested bear. This rib will be analyzed for the presence of tetracycline. These procedures will provide us with several key pieces of information. We will know total number of bears marked, we will know how many bears were harvested, and we will know how many of the harvested bears were marked. From this data we will be able to determine the total number of bears in the population. Results of the baiting effort are pending. The collection of rib samples from hunters will be conducted during the 2006 and 2007
annual bear harvests.
Impacts
1. A predictive model of expansion for the central forest black bear population. This model will be useful for predicting how the distribution of bears will change under different harvest (which influences the number of dispersers) and landscape change (which influences the behavior of dispersers) scenarios. This information will be useful for setting harvest quotas and for predicting bear damage to agriculture. 2. A rigorous estimate of bear density. The central forest bear population is relatively young having reached a harvestable size only relatively recently. Consequently, DNR population models which are based on reconstruction and accounting techniques are believed to suffer from poor precision. A rigorous estimate of bear density would be useful for calibrating current understanding of population trend and provide a starting point for developing more reliable models. 3. Enhanced understanding of linkages between black bear life history and the changing
agro-forested region of central Wisconsin. Black bears have great cultural, economic and ecological significance in Wisconsin. Despite its importance to life history characteristics, dispersal behavior and its relevance to population dynamics is very poorly understood. This information will enhance the knowledge base supporting the conservation and appreciation of Wisconsin Black bears.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Field work has not yet begun on this project. GPS collars are purchased and relevant permits are in place. A graduate student has been hired and is coordinating logistics with cooperators. No results are available to report yet.
Impacts
This project will benefit people who are impacted by the management of black bears, notably rural landowners and farmers who encounter nuisance black bears and wildlife enthusiast who appreciate the opportunity to view or hunt bears. Understanding the population-level impacts of dispersal will help managers cope with an expanding bear population by providing information on where bear population are likely to colonize and cause nuisance complaints.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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