ABSTRACT
In recent years, much interest has developed concerning man-made and natural obstructions as possible inhibitors to the dispersal of small rodents. Common vegetation in the prairie was buffalo grass, western wheatgrass, little bluestem, and silver bluestem. Eastern hemlock, short-leaf pine, and a variety of oak and hickory were abundant in the forests. The basis for the census methods is the capture-recapture technique, with individuals marked by toe-clipping. Bait live traps with oatmeal or seeds and place them at approximately 15-m intervals in both rows and columns of grids. The length of each period of trapping should be a minimum of 3 successive days or nights, depending on whether the rodents are diurnal or nocturnal. During the initial trapping period, release rodents at the site of capture to identify which individuals are residents of the study area and to provide an opportunity to test if the animals will cross the inhibitor of their own volition.
