Weeks 23 & 24:
The feral hog aerial gunning in South Texas a few weeks ago was unfortunately cut short due to helicopter malfunction, so we only had a total of 34 carcasses provided this round to attract the local coyote population and other scavengers. We set cameras on 6 kill sites during that first morning’s shoot, as we expected to have more opportunities that afternoon and the following day. After learning that was not to be the case during the course of the second morning, we revisited most of our previous day’s sites and set cameras on another 2 carcasses. In doing so, we discovered something interesting: every pig carcass without a camera that we located (4) had been found by scavengers and largely consumed overnight, but those with cameras that we revisited (4) were virtually untouched, though evidence of discovery by one or more coyotes was present at one of the carcasses due to circling tracks and very minor damage to the carcass. This dichotomy, even with such a small sample size, begs the questions of if and how the cameras might be affecting site use by some or all scavengers. It will be interesting to see if this lack of, or delay in, scavenging will be observed in the GPS data on collared coyotes in the concurrently active broad-scale coyote study, as well as in this event’s associated camera data, to be collected on the next visit to the project area. I’ve included a photo from the trip that shows me using a trick I learned from Dr. Tomeček regarding testing the trail camera view of the intended area or subject matter. In order to determine if the trail camera setup is ideal, reverse the camera on your phone to the front-facing ‘selfie’ mode, then line it up with the camera’s lens while your phone is pressed flush against the trail camera’s casing and take a photo. You can then assess if you need to adjust the camera height, angle, and/or direction in order to capture the entire desired viewing area, or in our case a few times, just move the pig.
I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and appreciated the opportunity to participate in an aerial gunning operation as part of the ground crew, which also included Dr. Tomeček and two Wildlife Services employees, all of whom expertly coordinated with the skilled team of the Wildlife Services helicopter pilot and gunner to determine search patterns, spot live pigs, and locate downed pigs. I was also shown how to pull a blood sample from behind the eye of a pig carcass using a spinal tap needle, rather than from the heart, which is the traditional source but often less reliable due to bullet penetration and consequent blood loss. I successfully filled a syringe on my second attempt, the product of which will be submitted for testing along with the other blood samples taken by the Wildlife Services personnel, in order to determine if the sampled pigs were carrying any diseases.
I do not have a surplus of photos from the trip, so I have attached a few more recent trail camera photos from around the farm, including a rare daytime bobcat sighting, an updated shot of the curious raccoon kits that frequent one of the camera sites, and a nine-banded armadillo in an instant of stillness. Additionally, this somewhat chilled diamondback rattlesnake was discovered holed up along a fence line that needed work and was relocated elsewhere on the property, away from human activity.
Later this week, I will provide some information on small mammal trapping surveys, which will be conducted soon. I will also have the final tally of the reported harvest for our public duck hunting season, as the the farm only participates in the first split.
Until next time.
Dani Miller
Wildlife Biologist
Stiles Farm Foundation