| Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) are patchily distributed throughout sagebrush-steppe landscapes across the Great Basin and because sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) dominates their diet year-round, baiting traps and traditional trap lines are inefficient for capturing these small lagomorphs. Over 2 years, we set 100 traps around 13-17 of the most active burrow systems at 43 sites across Nevada and southeastern Oregon. In 2016, we trapped a total of 310 individual pygmy rabbits and in 2017, we trapped 257 individuals within our 3 focal study regions, Elko, Hart-Sheldon, and Austin. Here, we evaluate how trap location (e.g., trap in runway or burrow), sex, age, recapture status, and abiotic factors influence the success of our exploration with trap positioning driven by the distribution of active burrow systems. Preliminary results from this study show a total trap success of 5.8% for 16,401 trap nights over 2 years. Traps placed in the burrow facing outward (BO) had the highest success at 11.5%, while traps placed near a burrow facing the entrance (BE) were the least successful at 2.9%. This trapping method will ultimately allow us to monitor a cryptic specialist that does not respond to bait and relies on its burrow systems year-round. |