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SANTA FE, N.M. - New Mexico is one of many states working to find the most efficient and humane methods for harvesting furbearers, said Rich Beausoleil, cougar and furbearer biologist for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
"Furbearer trapping is an especially controversial method of harvesting wildlife because it usually does not result in rapid death after the animal is caught," Beausoleil said. "Research is currently being conducted in 22 states to determine the most effective and humane way to trap furbearers."
This search for "Best Management Practices" begins with this fall^s trapping season in New Mexico and represents a team effort between the Department and the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Beausoleil said the Department will create trapping teams of one trapper and one technician and provide training for the teams. The training will cover trap setting, lures used, data recording and the design of the study.
"Six trap lines will be randomly chosen and each line will be run for 10 to 15 days or until each team catches 20 specimens of the target species," Beausoleil said. "All captured animals will be necropsied by a licensed wildlife veterinary pathologist to examine injuries."
To eliminate bias between the teams, each trap site will be randomly chosen and each trap type will be randomly chosen at the site. New Mexico^s teams will be evaluating four trap types for effectiveness, selectivity, and safety to both the animal and the trapper, Beausoleil said. Overall, 26 trap types and four drag-chain systems will be tested by the participating states.
"Our Department will provide reports on the results of the Best Management Practices Program and use this information to manage for efficient and humane harvest," Beausoleil said.
The Department of Game and Fish also is running surveys of beavers and predators. The evidence of beaver activity in waterways of Northern New Mexico was observed this summer and more than 50 miles of waterways were surveyed. Southern waters will be surveyed this winter when the irrigation season concludes. During the irrigation season beavers use ditches rather than natural streams, making surveys more difficult to accomplish. The intent is to get a general population index of beavers statewide.
Scent stations are used to census species like coyotes, bobcats, foxes, badgers, skunks, ringtails and raccoons. Each survey route will be 16 km in length and have 10 stations per line for a total of 330 stations. The distance between stations should limit the probability of a single animal visiting more than one station between checks and being counted twice. Each station consists of a one-meter-square area in which vegetation is removed and replaced with a mixed sand and mineral oil to record track impressions. A scented lure is used to attract the animals. Each transect will be surveyed once, for one night. From these data, distribution of each species will be mapped with GIS and an index of abundance (sign/scent station, sign/km transect) will be calculated, Beausoleil said.
The trapping season for raccoons in New Mexico begins Sept. 1 and continues to May 15, 2001 statewide. The season for badgers, weasel, fox, ringtail, bobcat, muskrat, beaver and nutria is Oct. 15-March 15. There is no bag limit on any furbearing animal.
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Uploaded: 9/9/2000
Uploaded: 9/9/2000