Development and Testing of Breakaway Snares

摘要

Snaring is an effective method to catch wolves and in a preferred trapping method for Alaskan trappers (Blejwas 2006). Between 40 and 50 percent of the wolves harvested annually in Alaska are cauth with snares. However, accidental capture of moose does occur in wolf snares. In tow moose studies unis radio collars (50-125 actove radio/year), during most years 1-3 percent of the radiocollared moose were acidentally caught in wolf snares annually (Boertje and Keech unpublished data, Fairbanks). Most moose caught in wolf snare die either at the capture site or subsequent to release . Former studies indicated accidental ungulate catch could be reduced through trapped education and use of snares with improved selectivity.