In Numbers 4:6, God tells Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to insert the poles into the rings of the Ark before shifting camp. In Exodus 25:15 God says that the poles are never to be removed from the Ark. Also, in 1 Kings 8:8 and 2 Chronicles 5:9, the poles of the Ark are so long that they could be seen from the Holy Place while the Ark was in the Most Holy Place. So the poles stayed attached to the Ark while it was in the Temple.

Does anyone know why they would have been removed sometime during the wandering? Have I missed something?

Well, without putting poles at the Ark of Covenant will cause people die immediately!!!
2 Samuel 6
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
;)http://www.sciforums.com/Ark-of-the-Covenant-t-29599.html

If you read the context, you will find that this is the FIRST time the ark is to be moved, since it's being built. The staves had never been inserted prior to that, it would seem.

Hey Christian Surname. Glad to have you here but you need to scope out the rules my friend. Non Christians are limited to the place they can post on the board.

Those rules can be found here: http://bibleforums.org/showthread.php?t=59397

Once again, welcome to Bible Forums. If there's anything I can do for ya, holler!!!