Tag: Louisiana Mammals

Certification, Workshop Adventures

Mammals of Louisiana Workshop

Louisiana Black bear sow with back to tree cradling her cub
Louisiana Black bear sow with her cub at Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge, C.Paxton image and copyright.

Join us for a full day of discovery as the Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast dive into the biology, diversity, and conservation of our state’s mammals under the expert tutelage of ULM’s Dr. Ana Couvillon. This workshop blends classroom learning with hands‑on field experience at one of northeast Louisiana’s richest wildlife areas. This Workshop can count towards your certification as a Louisiana Master Naturalist!

Saturday, March 28, 2026

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: ULM & Russell Sage WMA

Classroom Tuition

9:00 a.m.: We’ll convene in the Natural History Museum STEAM Room, Hanna Hall 1st Floor, ULM Campus

Classroom topics:

  • Mammalian origin story & what makes a mammal a mammal
  • Diversity & life histories of mammals
  • Mammal management & conservation; mammals of Louisiana
  • Research into mammal biology & ecology
  • Examining specimens (pelts, dentition, etc.)

11:30 a.m.: Break to travel and eat along the way (make your own arrangements).

Afternoon: Field Work at Russell Sage WMA (12:30–2:45 p.m.)

Reconvene at Russell Sage WMA, where Dr. Ana and graduate students will guide us through:

  • Camera trap demonstrations
  • Small mammal survey techniques
  • Data collection and species identification in the field

We’ll wrap up with announcements around 2:45 p.m. wherever the fieldwork concludes.

 

Special notes:

  1. Bring the usual field gear: notebook, pencil, camera, ruler. (I learned the importance of rulers at our first mammals workshop and now carry several small ones in my camera bag.) Binoculars also good, if you have them.

 

  1. Dress for outdoors. Bring bug spray and your own water and snacks as needed. Right now, the long-term forecast is for a pleasant day, with temps in the high 60s, low 70s, and no precipitation. We’ll check that again closer to the date.

 

  1. We are going onto a State Wildlife Management Area. “Either a WMA Access Annual or 5-day Permit is required for all users of LDWF administered lands, including wildlife management areas, refuges and wetlands conservation areas (LDWF website).”

 

  1. If you want to pay for the workshop on site, please notify Bette Kauffman or Charles Paxton that you are coming in advance. Also, please arrive 15 minutes early so we can conduct the business first and then focus on the expert tuition.