An Evaluation of Total Trapline Captures as Estimates of Furbearer Abundance

The total number of individuals captured on traplines has been used as an index of abundance for furbearer species. However, few studies have actually compared trapline indices to estimates of population size. These comparisons are needed before inferences concerning population trends can be made with confidence. At the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Plant (SRP) in South Carolina, the number of captured furbearers has been used as an index of furbearer abundance since 1954. Since 1976, animals have been livetrapped, tagged, and released to provide estimates of population size via mark-recapture techniques. The objective of this study was to determine whether the total numbers of furbearers captured annually actually reflected trends in furbearer population size.