Wildlife Class using game cameras to observe local wildlife

The Lincoln School's Wildlife class, taught by Nancy Schwalm, has been using game cameras to capture images of wildlife species inhabiting the Lincoln area in hopes of learning more about their patterns, movements, behaviors and survival skills.

Students began putting cameras out at the beginning of the year and have been monitoring them at least once a week.

They currently have four cameras out in the Lincoln area and each week students change out the memory cards and monitor battery life on the cameras.

"Through placing these cameras, it offers a non-consumptive way to learn something about wildlife," Schwalm said.

They have carefully chosen areas to place the cameras in hopes of capturing photos of as many wildlife species as possible including wolves, elk, weasels, lynx, coyote, bobcat, as well as other waterfowl and bird species. So far, students have photos of deer, fox, beaver, Canada geese, mallard ducks and hooded mergansers. They've also seen two fox dens and are looking forward to capturing kits on camera when they are born.

The class is an elective for high-school students and the two sections of classes include Damion Birkholz, Scott Butterfield, Hayden Dempster, Ryan Greenwood, Justin Fry, Allen Walker, and Hailey Corrigan.

"I chose it because I wanted to be outdoors in nature," Dempster said when asked why he chose the class, while Birkholz said "I want to learn more about and see wildlife that I normally don't see, like mountain lions."

Prior to cameras being put out, the class completed a trapping section and spoke with trappers. One of the most important things they learned from the trappers who spoke with them is that the trappers are always learning something new about the wildlife.

Students hope to learn more about the animals, such as the times they come through specific areas. By knowing what time they come through, they hope to gain a better understanding of wildlife in the area while giving them the opportunity to look at things differently.

On Feb. 11, Birkholz, Butterfield, Dempster, and Greenwood placed a new camera in an area behind the Lincoln Airport that acts as a natural funnel with various species heading to and from the Blackfoot River. They also chose the area because there were visible deer tracks.

Once students returned from placing the camera and changing out a memory card on a different camera, they found they had captured images of two mountain lions crossing in front of their camera about three minutes apart.

The class plans to continue placing and monitoring the cameras through the end of the school year and are looking forward to seeing species in the spring, including offspring such as kits and fawns, as well as new construction of beaver dams.