Greetings all, thanks to the efforts of local John Shaw, the Nippo Lake area is part of a statewide bobcat study.   This area is where the TuckermanOutfitters.com office is located and one of our favorite hiking spots. 

Working with trappers around the state, UNH and NH Fish and Game have  equipped a group of bobcats with collar-mounted transmitters. The collared bobcats will provide information on important habitat features and also provide an opportunity to develop methods for estimating bobcat abundance that can be applied statewide. Information on movements of a wide-ranging animal, such as bobcats, can also help to locate important movement corridors. As a result, the information obtained from marked bobcats may help identify important habitat linkages and enhance land protection efforts. 

When John heard about the study he let folks at UNH know about the bobcat that had been hanging out in his yard (in itself a story!).  He used  good old fashioned tracking techniques and a web cam set up in the woods at the bottom of Nippo hill to spot a young female bobcat, he called the trapper and wildlife folks and  safely and oh so gently caught the bobcat and fitted her out with a collar.   

And speaking of Nippo wildlife, three eagles have been feasting on a frozen deer embedded in the lake ice.  One eagle  is said to be mature over four years, one in its fourth year starting to get it's white, and one that hasn't started to change is probably in its third year.  Very cool to see! 

click on this link to learn more: http://mlitvaitis.unh.edu/Research/BobcatWeb/progress.htm