Need Bobcat Guard Hair Samples

[Trapper John]

Hi guy and Gals   
I talked with Jeff Lewis yesterday.  Jeff is the guy that introduced the "Fisher" back into Washington.  He is going to write me an article "Update" on what they have found out with the Fisher since the first release.  I talked with him for quit a long time and I found out some interesting things about the Fisher that you will be reading in the next issue (winter) of "The Fur Shed."  He asked me if I could put the word out for some "Bobcat Guard Hair Samples."  He need them from the North and South Cascade mountains.  He said what he would need is ten guard hairs from each bobcat that you catch.  Nothing else just a couple of guard hairs. 

So for all of you that catch any bobcat this year, take out (cut or pull) say 10-12 guard hairs from your cat.  Put them in a sandwich bag.  Put the date of catch, sex, adult or juvenile and county you caught it in.  Send them over to me at this point and I will get them to him.  In his article I will have him leave a place for you to send them.  The reason is wants them is that the Bobcat and Fisher hate one another and compete for the same food.  Two things that they compete for is snowshoe hares and the other is mountain beaver.  Snowshoe hare I can see but mountain beaver, go figure.

So guys and gals let see if we can help him out.  The research that he is doing will be helpful to all of us in the end.  It will be a few years before we can trap them but the more we all know about the Fisher the better we all will be.
JC   

[Boss .300 winmag]

What’s the hair going to reveal to him?

[Loup Loup]

Cripes. Well here is the second ring to this circus. What will the third ring be.

[UrbanTrapper]

Only from this year?  I held my cat pelts over from last year.

[Loup Loup]

Just send them your wife's vest, UrbanTrapper, that ought to keep them off your back.
Give this DNA sample request a lot of thought, fellows. I can think of no reason the game dept would need bobcat DNA for a Fisher study. The only reason would be to identify bobcat hair in Fisher scat. And yes, Fisher will eat your bobcat kittens when they find the natal den.The game dept knows what bobcat DNA looks like. They should know what bobcat hair looks like.
The only reason I can think of for a localized database of bobcat DNA would be for prosecution purposes. Say when a trapper "poached" a bobcat after the game dept outlawed bobcat trapping because fishers need the bobcats for a food source. Sound far fetched? I wouldn't put anything past these wanna be scientists.
Remember, they just got done outlawing trapping of Marten on the peninsula, after dumping Fisher out on top of them. Be careful fellows, and question everything they say.
I could go on but have traps to run.

[ne kid]

The only sample I would give this state is a stool sample. They will probably plant in on a barbed wire fence like they did lynx hair years ago.

[Humptulips]

I think it has more to do with determining what bobcats prey on and how they compete against fisher. I have to say Jeff is pretty accepting about trapping. I heard him say in public before a bunch of non-trappers that the ultimate proof of fisher being recovered would be when we can open a trapping season for them.

[wags]

It is really sad that we have become so cynical; but I understand the phenomenon.

[boneaddict]

I was thinking the same thing wags. 

[JakeLand]

It still makes no sense as what bobcat hair has to do with Fisher ? Even if they compete for the same food source what does a hair sample determine?  Maybe a turd sample is better
Gonna have to take a hard pass on this .

[Trapper John]

The only sample I would give this state is a stool sample. They will probably plant in on a barbed wire fence like they did lynx hair years ago.

It is really sad that we have become so cynical; but I understand the phenomenon.

Okay Guys & Gals,
Jeff is a Researcher doing research on wildlife he's not a ticket writer.  OMG we have become so cynical !

Anyway I asked him to clarify how we trappers can help him (My Idea).  I am and have always been interested in wildlife research.  Wouldn't you like to know just how well or not the Fisher are doing since they were introduced back into Washington State.  WSTA is a strong supporter for this program, plus Jeff is a strong supporter of trappers.  I think it will be a great story for the magazine for all of our members.

If your not a member ....... Sign Up what are you waiting for "We're fighting for you to keep Trapping alive here in Washington State."

Okay here is an email from Jeff to help explain it a little better then I did.  I will update you some more when I get more information from Jeff.

Hi John: We could use 10-15 guard hairs from each of 10 to 20 bobcats from the north and south Cascades (roughly half from north and half from the areas south of I-90.  We can evaluate the isotopes (ratio of carbon to nitrogen atoms) in their hair to see how that ratio aligns with the same ratios in the hair of possible prey species in the area (they align best with prey they eat the most) and how they align with those in fisher hair. This will help us understand if bobcats and fishers are competing for the same prey in the areas where we release them. It’s cool opportunity that your fellow trappers can provide valuable data for, and it will not damage a pelt.  We also need the date and rough location (within a ¼ to ½ mile range ~ Lat-Long coordinates) for each sample.  Give a shout if you have any other questions.  Best, Jeff

[DishBogget]

I agree John I’m all for a scientific approach to wildlife management.

It would be interesting if we could see the data from the study when it’s finished as well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UrbanTrapper]

Oh I get it; it's like a drug test.  They can tell what the cat's been eating long-term from the hair analysis.  With the surprising  amount of needles I find out in the UrbanTrapper bush, I bet I'll catch a cat that fails the drug test. 

[Trapper John]

Here is a good tease for you 

Jeff just sent me an outstanding article for the next issue for the Fur Shed Magazine on the Fisher 
Your just going to have to wait to see what he says 
JC