A Modified Track Tube for Detecting Beach Mice

  Standard track tube designs are ineffective for long‐term monitoring of beach mice ( Peromyscus polionotus ) largely because of blowing sand and rain in the coastal dune habitat. We developed a novel track tube design with the tube elevated, capped on one end, and covered on the other end with a short 90° elbow tube. We tested this tube design against 2 other designs (elevated and ground). Our elevated 90° elbow track tubes detected beach mouse tracks more often and they were disturbed less frequently than elevated or ground tubes. Elevated 90° elbow track tubes are a practical means for managers to conduct long‐term monitoring of beach mouse populations.