The abundance of low-density species like carnivores is logistically difficult to directly estimate at a meaningful scale. Predictive distribution models are often used as a surrogate for density estimation. But because density can continue to increase as occupancy asymptotes at 1, occupancy may have little value as an index, and home range expansion in marginal habitat may further confound the association. We sought to estimate bobcat population size at a landscape scale (14,286 km 2 ) in central Wisconsin, which provided an opportunity to relate predicted occurrence to individual space use and population density. We sampled bobcats using motion-sensitive trail cameras at 9 arrays across central Wisconsin. We estimated bobcat sitespecific occupancy, and regressed these estimates as linear or asymptotic functions of site-specific density to determine the strength and shape of their association. We subsequently modeled both parameters relative to habitat covariates and repeated the regression process. A linear functional relationship between density and occupancy was most supported when detection parameters were held constant (w i ¼ 0.97, R 2 ¼ 0.72) and when detection, occurrence, and density were modeled as a function of habitat covariates (w i ¼ 0.99, R 2 ¼ 0.95). This suggests that repeated presence-absence data alone may be an efficient and reliable method for inferring spatial patterns in bobcat density or identifying habitat types with greater density potential in the northern parts of its range. Bobcat occupancy and density were both positively associated with surrounding woody cover and wetland edge density. Our most supported spatially explicit capture-recapture model estimated bobcat abundance as 362 adult individuals (95% CI 272-490) across the study area.

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We translocated and released a total of 90 (55 F and 35 M) wild American martens (Martes americana) from Minnesota to northern Wisconsin, USA, during 2008–2010. Our objective was to evaluate the short‐term results of this translocation project by comparing marten dispersal, time to residency, and survival by release method, sex, and age categories. On average, translocated martens took 18 days (range = 1–64 days) and traveled 4.6 km (range = 0.4–45.7 km) from release sites before establishing residency. Although survival probabilities for adults and males were 0.84 and 0.79 and juveniles and females were 0.66 and 0.71, respectively, they were not statistically different. Translocated adult and juvenile survival was similar to resident adult and juvenile survival reported in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Predation (primarily by other carnivores) was the main cause (85%) of observed mortality for translocated animals, but it did not appear to be a major limiting factor for adults or juveniles. Contrary to some studies, we found no significant difference between release methods for any analyzed parameter, but we observed increased injuries to slow‐released individuals. We concluded there was no benefit resulting from slow‐release or an acclimation period for translocation of American martens and that long‐term monitoring of the population is needed to evaluate species recovery in Wisconsin. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.