We regularly host students of the
Wildlife Mangement Techniques
course for some of their field work.
The Bridger Canyon property where the work is done is less than 20
minutes from the MSU campus and less than 7 miles from the center of
Bozeman,
making it very convenient for the students to commute to the practice
site.
Below are example pictures from over 5,000 taken by three cameras in a
four week span.
Note that the cameras record the date,
time,
available light,
and temperature.
Clicking on the thumbnail takes you to a large size picture.
Clicking again will take you to an even larger picture,
which may not fit on your screen;
if a + sign appears for your cursor,
click yet again on the part of the picture you would like to enlarge.
Students learn a great deal about camera settings and camera placement
from this exercise.
They are able to observe the timing and regularity of animal movements,
the behaviors at different sites,
and the varieties of animals at the sites.
In this four week period,
students estimate that as many as six different bears were photographed
by the three cameras.
At other times,
students have used the site to practice use of telemetry equipment to
locate and track animals.
The placement at the upper part of the creek
(starting with the moose pictures below)
had a problem because a bush in front of the camera kept setting it off
as the wind blew and made the bush move.
Fortunately,
the moose noticed the tasty bush and
demolished it
in just over one minute.
(click on pictures to view larger version)
Mother bear with two cubs
(one is the dark spot several feet above and left of her rear)
