Philip A. Tappe

There is little published information available on non-target captures during small mammal trapping. We used a variety of snap traps baited with a rolled oat-peanut butter mix to capture 2,054 individuals from 9 genera of small mammals in a study of small mammal and avian community structure in riparian areas and adjacent loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations. We also captured 170 individuals from 24 non-target species over 122,446 trap-nights. Trapping was conducted from 1990 throught 1995 in 57 riparian areas and adjacent pine plantations in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, during 10-...

Wildlife population studies that involve marking of animals assume that the "mark" will remain with the animal for the duration of the study. Violations of this assumption may contribute to biased estimates of population parameters. Thirty-six gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and 16 fox squirrels (S. niger) were marked with ear tags and toe-clipped to study ear tag loss in these species. Fortynine percent of all squirrels lost at least 1 ear tag, whereas 15% lost both tags. Fox squirrels lost ear tags at twice the rate of gray squirrels. Female fox squirrels lost ear tags at a rate...

The mean maximum distance moved (MMDM) of a southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) population during a l2-day trapping period was compared between radiotelemetry and capture location data. MMDMs derived from capture locations averaged 51% less than MMDMs derived from telemetric locations. In addition, tests of MMDMs based on capture locations failed to detect a difference between sexes, whereas MMDMs based on telemetric locations indicated a significant difference. Density estimates of the fox squirrel population were calculated using MMDM/2 as an estimate of boundary-strip width (W)...

We used correlation analysis to test for relationships between habitat types and numbers of courting American woodcock (Scolopax minor) recorded along singing-ground survey routes in eastern Texas. Availability of 10 different habitat types was quantified at each survey route stop and compared to the number of woodcock recorded. Numbers of courting woodcock recorded were strongly correlated to pine (Pinus spp.) seedling and pine sapling habitats. Results may prove helpful in monitoring long-term trends in singing-ground habitat availability.