Learning More About Lynx During The Winter Months

By Regional Wildlife Biologist Scott McLellan One of the responsibilities of a wildlife biologist in the Moosehead Lake region is to research and collect information about Canada lynx. Most townships within this region have lynx present, which was not the case 20 years ago. Our data indicate that the population of lynx across the state has been increasing during that time period. During the snowy months of the year, when the conditions cooperate, we look for signs of lynx, which allows us to determine population status, regional distribution, and to collect DNA. [caption id="attachment_2729" align="alignleft" width="226"] The tracks from a lynx carrying it's prey can often be mistaken for tracks left by a mountain lion.[/caption] Back in December, I was able to backtrack a lynx after noticing some scuff marks in the snow that were associated with the walking tracks of a lynx. We often receive phone calls when someone sees a large cat track with scuff marks that he/she believes is a mountain lion dragging its tail in the snow.  However, in these cases and the one that I witnessed in December, it was a lynx carrying its prey. Although it would have been easy to assume that is was a snowshoe hare being carried (since the majority of their diet is comprised of hares), I backtracked the lynx to determine what species had been killed.  As I followed the tracks, I found ruffed grouse feathers that had sloughed off during transportation. I continued backtracking the lynx until I located the kill site. [caption id="attachment_2730" align="alignright" width="226"] The kill site littered with feathers. The roost with wing prints is located at the top of the photo.[/caption] Once I reached this site, it was evident that the grouse had been situated in a snow roost when the lynx came upon it. Based on the observed track evidence, the lynx walked to approximately 15 feet from the grouse, took 3 bounding gaits, and captured its prey. I recorded the location on my GPS unit, and then forward tracked the lynx to see how far the grouse was carried before it was consumed. The lynx carried the bird 0.37 miles without stopping to a mature cedar swamp, where the prey was fed upon (all but the skin with attached feathers were eaten). It was unclear why the lynx travelled such a long distance to do so; however, when I arrived at the site, there were so many tracks that it was likely that a family group (consisting of an adult female and her kittens) convened to consume the grouse. I observed 2 other lynx tracks intersecting the track that I was following, so it is possible that all 3 lynx were related and exhibiting hunting behavior in that area. [caption id="attachment_2727" align="alignleft" width="226"] The tracks of a lynx that climbed up a large, leaning northern-white cedar tree.[/caption] In addition to the high number of tracks, there were several scats, beds and places such as stumps, root masses, and leaning trees where the lynx were travelling and exploring.  According to the track evidence, these structures were often climbed and leapt from, suggesting a playful behavior.  We do not have an accurate estimate of the percent of ruffed grouse in a lynx’ diet, but from our data collected over the past 20 years of studying lynx, snowshoe hares have definitely been the vast majority of kills that we have observed.