Snapshot Wisconsin December News

Snapshot Wisconsin December News

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Science Update - Wild Turkeys

The Snapshot Wisconsin team has been busy putting together a report outlining how far we have come over the last 4 years and our future plans.  Part of that is some interesting new science results that we plan to share in the next few newsletters.  This month is all about turkeys!

Since wild turkeys were reintroduced into Wisconsin in 1976, population levels continue to increase and expand statewide. Turkey population is one thing we can track using Snapshot Wisconsin data. Chris Pollentier, Upland Game Bird Researcher at the WDNR, has been working on using Snapshot Wisconsin data to calculate wild turkey poult to hen ratios. The graph below shows the number of turkey classifications from Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras in June – September 2016. Since 1988, the WDNR has done brood surveys to count hens and poults. However, brood surveys are performed in only a limited number of counties. Snapshot Wisconsin data will be helpful in filling in this information for the rest of the state.

Turkeys by MonthLotsofTurkeys_STCR_2017

The most turkeys ever captured on a Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera!  (St. Croix County - 2017)

Follow Up Survey - Trail Camera Hosts

UW Logo

Have you been participating in Snapshot Wisconsin as a trail camera host for over a year? In the next few weeks you should be receiving a letter in the mail from UW-Madison researchers with a survey about our project. This is your opportunity to provide feedback on the program and help us improve!  

Trail Camera Host Announcement - Cable Locks

Some of our trail camera hosts, especially our elk monitoring volunteers, have their cameras secured with cable locks.  When doing your checks, please remember to make sure that the cable lock isn't restricting the growth of the tree.  If you don't have access to the key to loosen the lock please get in touch with us via email to request a key for your cable lock.  

The cold weather also causes some issues for our cameras.  If your camera is secured with a padlock keep in mind that the lock may be frozen, you will need to be prepared with a deicer or some way to warm the lock.  Additionally, if the camera setup screen does not turn on the camera may still be functioning.  To confirm camera function please check to see if the red light on the front activates when in setup mode.  If the red light does not activate please email us.

Cam with cablelock

Zooniverse Updates - Season 6 Launch!

BobCat_IronCO

 

Season 6 of Snapshot Wisconsin on Zooniverse launched this week!  We are off to a great start with awesome levels of participation by Zooniverse volunteers.  We implemented some new changes to the photos we upload to Zooniverse for crowdsourced classification and to the retirement rules this season.  Read all about it on the blog.

Recently on the Blog - November Super Snap!

 

 

This month's SuperSnap is of a splashy fawn from a  Manitowoc County camera.  Check out our blog post all about it.

Splashy Fawn _ ManiCo_201706

Volunteer Recognition Events!

Dodgeville Event

We recently hosted our first two trail camera host recognition events for hosts who have been active in the project for more than one year.  It was great to travel back to Dodgeville and Hayward and see folks again that we haven't seen since training.  We plan to continue to host these events on a regional basis as needed in the future.  Stay tuned to our blog for an upcoming blog post about these events. 

Spotlight Photo of the Month

We will share one awesome animal photo each month.  To enter one of your favorites from a Snapshot Wisconsin camera please send the image as a jpeg attachment with the animal classification, county location and date taken along with the reason why you love the image to DNRSnapshotWisconsin@wisconsin.gov.  

This month's image of a coyote with prey was submitted by a Dane County trail camera host who loves the photo because it shows the cycle of life in the animal world, something she (and probably most others) rarely get the opportunity to see.

Other interesting photos from our cameras can be viewed in the slide show on our webpage.  The WDNR is now also on Instagram so look for Snapshot Wisconsin photos there also.  

CoyotewithDinner

Contact Information for Snapshot Wisconsin

     Email:DNRSnapshotWisconsin@wisconsin.gov

     Phone: 608-572-6103

     Signup to Host a Trail Camera: www.SnapshotWISignup.org

     Participate on Zooniverse: www.SnapshotWisconsin.org

     Find out more details on our webpage: 

              dnr.wi.gov Keyword "Snapshot Wisconsin        

Thank you to our project partners!

All Partner Logos