Adopt a Wildlife Area
 
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Brilyn Brecka (bbrec923@uwsp.edu), Jeffrey Edwards (jedwa186@uwsp.edu), Adam Nyhus (anyhus257@uwsp.edu), Quinn Erdmann (qerdm316@uwsp.edu), Rose Arnold (rarno286@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Buena Vista Wildlife Area
Transportation: Co-Leaders
When: Year-round
Volunteer Duties: Assist Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with wildlife habitat management, invasive species control, and wildlife surveys. Participants usually operate chainsaws and brush saws to remove brush and trees from Prairie Chicken habitat. An exciting addition to duties includes a partnership with SnapShot Wisconsin to study the Prairie Chicken population on the property and their behaviors.
What to Bring: Appropriate clothing, hiking
boots or appropriate shoes, work gloves, water, lunch
Project Purpose: To give students the
opportunity to receive hands on experience in habitat management and
restoration for grassland species.
Advisor: Dr. Riddle
Bat
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Avantika D'Cruz (adcru394@uwsp.edu), Rachel Dooley (rdool087@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Schmeeckle, Parks around
Point, Wildwood Zoo
Transportation: Car, walking
When: Early Fall (Sep-Oct), Late Spring
(April-May)
Volunteer Duties: Bat box building, learn about
technology used for research, help identify bats and calls
What to Bring: Headlamp, Phone (Apple products
preferred)/Tablet, appropriate dress attire (coats, hats, long pants, etc.) for
collecting data in the field.
Project Purpose: Evaluate fluctuations of bat
communities in central Wisconsin.
Advisor: Dr. Yahnke
Bear
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Hayden Walkush (hwalk218@uwsp.edu), Sam Andres (sandr296@uwsp.edu), Sophie Reid (sreid031@uwsp.edu), Alayna Reynolds (areyn827@uwsp.edu), Cece Giesen (cgies194@uwsp.edu), William Watry (wwatr679@uwsp.edu), Quinn Erdmann (qerdm316@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: TBD
Transportation: Co-leaders will provide
transportation
When: TBD
Volunteer Duties: Check hair snares and trail
cameras.
What to Bring: Water, gloves, appropriate
footwear
Project Purpose: Genetic diversity of black
bears in Wisconsin and increasing the number of bears in the area.
Advisor: Dr. Crimmins
Canid
  
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Nathan Bartels (nbart763@uwsp.edu), Julia Nasiatka (jnasi726@uwsp.edu), Benjamin Van Kirk (bvank356@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Treehaven
Transportation: Personal Vehicles
When: First and Second Semester
Volunteer Duties: Installation of trail cameras
and collecting data from cameras
What to Bring: Appropriate clothing for
collecting data in the field
Project Purpose: Record and grade trail camera
set-up given certain instructions
Advisor: Dr. Sartini
Deer
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Jeffrey Edwards (jedwa186@uwsp.edu), Harrison Stasik (hstas943@uwsp.edu), Anna Matthews (amath318@uwsp.edu), Mason Wheeler (mwhee629@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Schmeeckle Reserve
Transportation: Personal Cars, Walking
When: Spring
Volunteer Duties: Help with trapping deer
What to Bring: Headlamp if needed, appropriate
clothing
Project Purpose: TBD
Advisor: Dr. Hygnstrom
Felid
 
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Benjamin Schutt (bschu281@uwsp.edu), Stephen Van Horne (svanh026@uwsp.edu), Harrison Stasik (hstas943@uwsp.edu), Tristan Stanton (tstan216@uwsp.edu), Alayna Corbisier (acorb979@uwsp.edu), Jessica Bjornson (jbjor299@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Mead Wildlife Area
Transportation: Co-leaders
When: TBD
Volunteer Duties: TBD
What to Bring: TBD
Project Purpose: To analyze bobcat behavior,
home range, and diet
Advisor: N/A
Fisher
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Noah Andexler (nande975@uwsp.edu), Tess Bigalke (tbiga779@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Mead Wildlife Area
Transportation: Personal Vehicles
When: Fall, possibly spring
Volunteer Duties: Assist in setting traps and
trail cameras
What to Bring: Outdoor gear for hiking, headlamps
Project Purpose: To study and map fisher home ranges
Advisor: Dr. Sartini
Flying Squirrel
   
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Amber Smith (asmit846@uwsp.edu), Tess Bigalke (tbiga779@uwsp.edu), Katie Stough (kstou995@uwsp.edu), Jeremy Murray (jmurr966@uwsp.edu), James Doss (jdoss792@uwsp.edu), Kody Woodcock (kwood935@uwsp.edu), and Pamela Regan (prega117@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Schmeeckle Reserve
Transportation: Walking
When: September-October
Volunteer Duties: help check and bait traps
What to Bring: Headlamp, boots, smile
Project Purpose: Understand the flying squirrel
population in Schmeeckle Reserve
Advisor: Shelli Dubay
Gray Squirrel
 
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Maddie Hartlaub (mhart790@uwsp.edu), Adam Tess (atess490@uwsp.edu), Kaylee Woelfel (kwoel5082uwsp.edu), Nicole Luoma (nluom231@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Schmeeckle Reserve
Transportation: Walking
When: First three months of second semester,
January-March
Volunteer Duties: Help place and check traps,
handle wildlife, assist with data analyzation
What to Bring: Warm clothes and a good attitude
Project Purpose: To look at grey squirrel
distribution at Schmeeckle Reserve
Advisor: Shelli Dubay
Lagomorph
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Maddie Tokarski (mtoka592@uwsp.edu), Trevor Pike (tpike323@uwsp.edu), Garrett Schneider (gschn110@uwsp.edu), Aubree Hagen (ahage539@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Dr. Sarah Orlofske’s property
(30 min drive)
Transportation: Personal Vehicles
When: January-March
Volunteer Duties: Collect scat, prepare ear
tags, record data
What to Bring: Warm clothes (outside activities
for approximately 1 hr.)
Project Purpose: Compare eastern cottontail
masses to parasite load in scat
Advisor: Dr. Orlofske
Otter
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Danni Brosend (dbros586@uwsp.edu), Amay Rushing (arush769@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Mead Wildlife Area
Transportation: Co-Leaders
When: TBD
Volunteer Duties: TBD
What to Bring: Good attitude
Project Purpose: Track surveys in Mead for furbearers
Advisor: Justin Sipiorski
Ruffed Grouse
  
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Brady Roberts (brobe131@uwsp.edu), Catrina Johnson (cjohn454@uwsp.edu), Zach Cason (zcaso259@uwsp.edu), Ava Weisbeck (aweis079@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Treehaven, Tomahawk, WI
Transportation: Personal Transportation
When: Spring Semester
Volunteer Duties: Do point count surveys, trap
male ruffed grouse, collar them, conduct telemetry on grouse
What to Bring: Sleeping bag, food, work clothes,
good walking shoes
Project Purpose: To determine why a ruffed
grouse chooses a drumming log
Advisor: Dr. Riddle
Saw-whet Owl
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Dana Lotz (dlotz506@uwsp.edu), Sophie Hauser (shaus129@uwsp.edu), Josiah Gritter (jgrit918@uwsp.edu), Ruby Valadez (rvala443@uwsp.edu), Sophie Reid (sreid031@uwsp.edu), Nicole Luoma (nluom231@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Sandhill Wildlife Area
Transportation: Co-leader or volunteer vehicles
When: October-November on weekends
Volunteer Duties: Participate in set up and
tear down of mist nets, help with banding and processing of birds, participate
in net checks (8pm-2am)
What to Bring: Bedding, food for the weekend,
warm clothes, warm/sturdy hiking boots, homework for downtime
Project Purpose: Investigating migratory trends and life-history characteristics.
Advisor: Dr. Riddle
Small Mammal
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Shelby Truckenbrod (struc634@uwsp.edu), Avantika D'Cruz (adcru934@uwsp.edu), Anna Matthews (amath318@uwsp.edu), Molly Murr (mmurr747@uwsp.edu), Emily Kasal (ekasa624@uwsp.edu), Rachel Schmid (rschm068@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Schmeeckle Reserve, Stevens Point
Transportation: Walking
When: mid-September-October
Volunteer Duties: Check traps and tag ears
What to Bring: Boots, headlamp, appropriate
clothing
Project Purpose: To quantify small mammal
diversity in Schmeeckle Reserve Advisor: Dr. Yahnke
Waterfowl
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Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Victoria Fasbender (vfasb122@uwsp.edu), Aiden Gehrke (agehr082@uwsp.edu), Jacob Tepsa (jteps334@uwsp.edu), Grace Wieland (gwiel295@uwsp.edu), & Will Smith (wsmit404@uwsp.edu), Casey Baye (cbaye115@uwsp.edu) Project Location: Mead Wildlife Area
Transportation: Carpool
When: January-February
Volunteer Duties: Check wood duck box conditions,
replace bedding, record status of box (used, successful, etc…)
What to Bring: Warm clothing, work gloves, snacks
and water
Project Purpose: Check use and success of
waterfowl nesting in boxes at Mead Wildlife Area
Advisor: Dr. Sedinger
Wild Bird
  
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Amanda Leemann (aleem726@uwsp.edu), Sophia Sperduto (ssper053@uwsp.edu), Rachel Schmid (rschm068@uwsp.edu), Hannah Wachtler (hwach328@uwsp.edu)
Raptor Road Survey Location: Buena Vista Transportation: One of project leaders or participants drives When: Saturday and Sunday afternoons a few times a month. Surveys last about 3 - 4 hours. Volunteer Duties: Look for raptors or possibly record observations What to Bring: Binoculars and bird books if you have them, and munchies for the ride What We Are Looking For: Raptors -- perching, soaring, stooping, etc. Project Purpose: Give students chance to see and identify WI raptor by species, age, and sex.
Saw-Whet Owl Banding Location: Linwood Springs Research Station, Stevens Point
Transportation: Volunteers drive
When: Most nights throughout October; times vary 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Volunteer Duties: Assist master bander Gene Jacobs in handling owls and taking measurements. Our primary goal is helping Gene any way we can and being courteous of other visitors and the Jacobs' home.
What We Are Looking For: Collecting data on and banding migrating saw-whets and other owls.
Project purpose: Contributing to the scientific knowledge base by acquiring basic life history data; learning techniques for removing birds from mist nets and processing them.
This is a separate project from the TWS Saw-Whet Owl Project.
Visit Gene Jacob's website -- www.raptorresearch.com
Crane Count Location: Portage County
Transportation: Volunteers with cars
When: One weekend in mid-late April; watch announcements for more specific dates
Volunteer Duties: Spot, count, and record crane numbers
What to Bring: Warm clothes and binoculars
What We Are Looking For: Helping International Crane Foundation (ICF) census Sandhill crane populations
Project Purpose: Sandhill crane census. Learn more on www.savingcranes.org
Primary Contact: Miranda Myli (mmyli483@uwsp.edu)
Road Trips Wild bird project goes on various bird related trips as time allows. These trips include to Raptor Education Group in Antigo WI, the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo WI, Hawk Ridge in Duluth MN, and the Mississippi River.
Woodcock
   
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Shelby Truckenbrod (struc634@uwsp.edu), Jeffrey Edwards (jedwa186@uwsp.edu), Everly Eldeen (eelde873@uwsp.edu), Zach Cason (zcaso259@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Buena Vista Wildlife Area
Transportation: Personal Vehicles
When: April-May
Volunteer Duties: Working mist nests and
assisting in banding process
What to Bring: Appropriate clothing
Project Purpose: Track woodcock populations
Advisor: N/A
Woodpecker
 
Project Co-Leaders and Emails: Emily Knaack (eknaa486@uwsp.edu), Grant Koch (gkoch389@uwsp.edu), Jesse Tucker (jtuck249@uwsp.edu)
Project Location: Sandhill Wildlife Area (Babcock, WI)
Transportation: Co-leaders
When: After winter break and before spring
break on weekends
Volunteer Duties: Get up at 6am to open traps
on Saturday and Sunday, check traps at 9am, 12pm, and 3pm, 10 miles of hiking
per day, assist with bird banding, handling, and processing, etc…
What to Bring: Bedding, food for the weekend,
warm clothes, warm/sturdy hiking boots, homework for downtime
Project Purpose: To examine pair-bonding
relationships and home ranges in woodpecker and nuthatch species
Advisor: Dr. Riddle
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