Cougar Ecology & Verification
About
Sponsored By
A Naturalist's World & University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Secretive, elusive, the creature of myths and rumors, and capable of killing people, cougars stir our imagination, curiosity, and fear. Improve your knowledge about cougars, their presence, dangers, and management. The instructor, Dr. James Halfpenny, will also cover cougar ecology and how cougars interact at the human interface. If you are interested in, or encounter any of the situations below, then this is the workshop for you.
- Population Biology
- Behavior and Ecology
- Cougar/Human Interactions
- Cougar Pet Trade
- Locating Tracks and Signs on the Trail
- Identifying Footprints
- Verifying Presence
- Collecting Quality Evidence
- Determining Sex and Size of Animals
- Gaits and Reading Stories
This workshop will provide the knowledge and skills needed to accurately identify and document signs of cougars, dogs, lynx, wolves, and other rare carnivores. You won’t leave empty handed. This two-day workshop will provide you with extensive handouts and plaster casts of carnivore footprints you make during the laboratories. Also, Dr. Halfpenny will have his books and plastic carnivore footprint collections for sale.
Dates and Locations
Saturday, December 1 & Sunday , December 2, 2012
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
The workshop will be at UW-Whitewater. Directions will be sent upon registration and are available at www.uww.edu/maps.
Instructor
Dr. James C. Halfpenny (A Naturalist’s World) is one of the world’s foremost experts on finding rare carnivore species. His work on Human/Mountain Lion encounters is featured in A Beast in the Garden by David Baron and the November 2003 Reader’s Digest
This professional-level workshop is designed for finding and documenting the signs of rare carnivore species, not just cougars. The focus will be cougars and differentiating their sign from those signs of other species, wild and domestic. Emphasis will be placed on collecting and preserving quality evidence to document the field track scene and facilitate analysis..
Biographical Sketch
Dr. James C. Halfpenny, Ph.D., President of A Naturalist's World, tracker, carnivore ecologist, educator, and writer. Jim is author of many books and videos including Tracking Cougars: The Basics, A Field Guide to Mammal Tracking, Tracking: Mastering the Basics, Tracking Elk for Hunters, Yellowstone Bears in the Wild, Yellowstone Wolves in the Wild, Scats and Tracks Regional Series, and Winter: An Ecological Handbook, among others. See ww.tracknature.com for more information.
Jim specializes in finding signs of cougars, lynx, bears, wolves, wolverine and other carnivores. He trains professionals on a worldwide basis in the skills of finding carnivores. Dr. Halfpenny knows what level of skills it takes to find signs that will "stand up in a court of law." Jim will share his personal experience and pass on valuable tracking skills that have helped him locate mountain lions.
Cost & Details
Cost is $150 for both days and includes handouts and plaster casting supplies. The program is designed for and limited to 40 participants with 20 per laboratory. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Lunch breaks are one hour and you may wish to bring a sack lunch. Each participant will receive extensive handouts and certificate of completion. You may wish to bring a notebook for writing. Cameras may be used to copy some displays and materials.
The workshop will be held in Upham Hall on the UW-Whitewater campus in Whitewater, WI. Free parking on weekends is located behind the building. An interactive campus map can be found here: http://www.uww.edu/.
To register and pay via credit card, please go to http://tinyurl.com/UWWCougar. If you cannot pay via Visa or MasterCard, please contact Kari Borne at bornek@uww.edu or 262-472-1003 to make arrangements to register and pay with a check.
Contacts
Jim Halfpenny, Ph.D.
A Naturalist's World
www.tracknature.com
(406) 848-9458
PO BOX 989
Gardiner, MT
59030
UWW Continuing Education
ceoutreach@uww.edu
1-800-621-5376
or 262-472-1003
800 West Main Sreet
Whitewater, WI
53190
Schedule
Day 1
Setting the Stage: The Cougar from Myth to Reality
8:00 - Registration and Introductions - Ecology Morning Luctures
- Morning Lectures
- The Gestalt: Ecology and Verification
- Cougars: Biology, Ecology, and Behavior
- Afternoon Lectures
- Cougars and People: Pets
- Cougars and People: Confrontation
- Cougars and People: The Neighborhood and Confrontation Time Line
- Trails: Carnivore Gaits, Behavioral Stories, and Blood
Day 2
Track Scene Identification: Field Knowledge and Skills
9:00 - Programs Start
Morning Lectures and Laboratories
- Footprints: Clues, Criteria, and Measurements
- Signs: Scats, Burials, and Sounds
- Lab A - Footprint Interpretation and Track Preservation
- Lab B - Cougars in Wisconsin: Research, Laws, and Management
Afternoon Lecture and Laboratories
- Predation: Events, Signs, and Case Studies
- Lab A - Cougars in Wisconsin: Research, Laws, and Management
- Lab B - Footprint Interpretation and Track Preservation
Special Notice
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is committed to equal opportunity in its educational programs, activities and employment policies, for all persons, regardless of race, color, gender, creed, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, Vietnam-era veteran status, parental status and pregnancy.
If you have any disabling condition that requires special accommodations or attention, please advise us well in advance. We will make every effort to accommodate your special needs.
I understand that the University may take photographs and or videos of event participants and activities. I agree that the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater shall be the owner of and may use such photographs and or videos relating to the promotion of future events. I relinquish all rights that I may claim in relation to use of said photographs and/or videos.
