Figure 2.—Lakes are common throughout most of the study area. (Photo courtesy of L. D. Mech.)
Figure 3.—Ridges, islands, swamps, and bays are part of the variable topography in the Superior National Forest. (Photo courtesy of L. D. Mech.)
METHODS
The observations discussed in this paper were all made from aircraft, the method of flying being that reported by Burkholder (1959) and Mech (1966a). The following aircraft were used (in order of size): Aeronca Champ,[1] Supercub, Cessna 172, Cessna 180, and Cessna 206. The smaller aircraft were excellent for holding in tight circles during observations but had the disadvantage of being slow and cold; the larger planes could cover the study area much more quickly and were more comfortable, but were not as maneuverable during observations. For radiotracking, to be discussed below, the best compromise seemed to be a Cessna 172.