Moose populations in trouble
 

Outdoor Canada Article

Moose menace

With populations in steep decline, hunters, government and First Nations must work together

During my formative years growing up near Chapleau in northern Ontario, moose fascinated me. My dad was the regional fish and wildlife supervisor for the old Department of Lands and Forests. Whenever he’d return from the field, the first thing I’d ask was how many moose he saw. And some mornings when my mom woke me up from school, I’d watch moose eating black currants in our garden. It’s no exaggeration those early experiences kick-started my own career in wildlife management, and a particular interest in moose biology.

Though I recently retired after 40 years with Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, moose are still the focus of my activities. Having made presentations at conferences in such distant places as Sweden, Norway, Poland and Russia, as well as most jurisdictions in North America that have moose populations, I’m still often consulted for my expertise on these giant ungulates.

In short, moose have long played a big role in my life. But never in my wildest dreams during the early years of my career did I foresee what’s now happening to moose populations in many parts of Canada.

Why moose are hurting

Yes, the animals are doing well in places such as Newfoundland, but in other jurisdictions—namely northwestern Ontario, Manitoba, eastern Saskatchewan and B.C.— populations have seen dramatic declines. In certain areas of Manitoba, for example, I’ve witnessed numbers drop by more than 80 per cent. So why is this happening? Blame it on uncontrolled overharvesting.

Since arriving in North America via the Bering land bridge, which ceased to exist some 12,000 years ago, moose themselves have not changed. The same certainly can’t be said for the technology we use to hunt them, however. Consider the advances we’ve seen in just the past 100 years—trucks, cars, aircraft, snow machines, all-terrain vehicles, assorted types of communications equipment, GPS technology, advanced firearms with laser-guided scopes and, yes, roads in places that would have been unheard of 50 years ago.

All of this has made it easier for hunters to take down moose and to access remote habitat, not to mention all the not-so-remote areas. Now add in the issue of uncontrolled traditional hunting by First Nations.

The solution is clear

If Canada’s moose resource is to remain viable, it’s imperative that discussions begin now to ensure all harvesting is regulated. Governments are the management authority, but they must involve all user groups, including First Nations, to level the playing field and to ensure moose populations can sustain traditional uses.

If inclusive management practices are not initiated, current governments will be held accountable for the likely demise of sustainable populations—and the resulting economic and cultural ramifications. Governments at all levels, for example, will be unable to deliver on such obligations as those contained in paragraph 13 of the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement. That’s the 1930 document in which the federal government turned over responsibility of managing resources to the three Prairie provinces. In paragraph 13, it’s stated the provinces will guarantee First Nations the right to hunt and fish. If resources, such as healthy moose populations, are unavailable due to mismanagement, however, First Nations could conceivably sue governments for not living up to the agreement.

The cost of doing nothing is clearly monumental.

Working together is crucial

Thankfully, there’s a growing contingent of biologists, conservation organizations and members of the public—hunters, rights-based users and those with an interest in wildlife—who are concerned. Now is the time for everyone to step forward and work together with respect and transparency in a new conservation movement.

On my first visit to Russia many years ago, I was greeted by schoolchildren who presented me with flowers and a poster depicting moose and people. The caption on the poster read, “When the moose were doing fine, the people were doing fine.” I reflect on this phrase often, and hope it’s one that we in Canada can also say about our relationship with moose.

We just have to work together to make it happen.

LC

Can't argue with the man's logic. Good luck getting all parties to agree on harvest practices though, at least until it's too late.
Leo

Yup have seen it firsthand. Don't know when that article was written, but Manitoba is a disaster when it comes to their moose populations, try and get a tag there!

“All of this has made it easier for hunters to take down moose and to access remote habitat, not to mention all the not-so-remote areas. Now add in the issue of uncontrolled traditional hunting by First Nations.”

Sad times indeed!

An old L and Fer!
 

Well times have changer for sure. It is good of you to make your well thought out advice available. I live in central Alberta and we have moose running around here. I suspect it is because few people know that they are here.

It would be a terrible tragedy if we lost one of Canada's most iconic animals.

I remember that New Brunswick closed their season for many years to help the population recover.

Almost exactly a year ago it was written. Very honest article about the issues moose populations face.

LC

Moose populations are doing ok in many spots in AB, where a certain group of people can't get at them. Just saying

Maybe because NOBODY can get at them unless they have permission?
Cat

If the author's initials are VC he is a self absorbed ego maniac.......on one hand he promotes all hands on deck and must have everyone at the table and just as quickly blames Indians for the decline. As he states he had 40 years of management experience in Manitoba and what did he do, exactly what he's done in the article, play the blame game.

I will agree though that everyone has to be at the table to come up with a solution, because if Indians are solely responsible for the demise, they sure as heck should be part of the solution.

Lastly all one has to do is type in "Declining Moose populations into Google" to see this is happening at a rapid pace right across North America and biologists are struggling to identify the problem. Even where there are no Indians.....the biggest factor being pointed out being global warming but that will go over like a lead balloon on this site.....lol

I agree with you entirely Lefty..unfortunately it's like preaching to the choir.
As long as there is that segment of our population that are UNCONTROLLED, how can the moose population be managed...and don't expect THEM ever to have such controls instituted. If size doesn't matter....VOTES do..
Where you do see moose thriving, is in the farm lands, where certain factors can be eliminated.
Granted there are other factors but when I see cow moose taken,in all seasons and in cases not all of it, then it makes my neck swell and it's not the rut doing that..

Let's not forget our beloved canid, the wolf. They sure take their pound of moose flesh.

Other uncontrolled harvest includes predation, poaching, also habitat loss. The unlicensed harvest is not the only thing but you cannot deny it certainly has its part in the decline.

LC

Wolves and Moose have co-existed for millennia, not saying wolvers are not part of the problem, but there is a bigger problem than wolves!

Can't compare coexisting years ago to today...many relatively recent changes have given wolves a greater advantage (as well as humans)

I've heard that between tics, bears, legal hunting , poaching , and of course the "stewards of the land" that the Cumberland Delta is pretty much wiped out as far a moose go.

In 06 when I was running the semi vacs, I had a guy working for me from Preccville,SK. . He said the moose and a lot of the forest were gone.
Extensive forestry and a healthy moose population don't mix either.
No worries the Alberta Bios kill em all philosophy we won't be to far behind in some zones shortly.

Not sure on the reason of declining moose but all I know is what I see and a few years ago I drove past a First Nations hunt camp to my moose spot and they had 11 moose hanging in camp! Funny thing I never saw a moose that year and now it is on draw for bow now!! Buddy of mine said they would see 5-30 moose a day 20 years ago in his spot the first nations from sask. Came in now they are lucky to see 2 in a week! It's easy to point fingers but all I know is I have had no part in the decline of moose and not from a lack of trying! So don't blame me!!

Darn wolves on quads and holding 300 win mags!!!!

And don't forget them darn wolves that use spotlights!

Although many factors affect moose population large black bear numbers eating calves and wolf eating moose all year are major cause of decline. The cutblock and quad also have contributed to major over harvest of moose.

The same thing is happening in Manitoba where there was not as much access don't know what the problem is but they're cutting back seasons and closing seasons on the moose

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

I'm not sure what exactly the cause of the decline is, but they've cut off most licensed hunters from harvesting and apparently that's not working so... it shouldn't be rocket science to figure this one out.

Only problom with this is that they have lived like that for thousands of years, and yes ungulent numbers go up go down, it's just in the past 50 years or so that hunting and habitat has changed ( it is much easer) and with out regulation this will happen!

Agreed it is a factor but not the sole reason for the decline. And solutions have to be arrived at jointly and get away from the blame game....that doesn't do the moose or any other species any justice.

Yup here where I poke around the woods it is rather unusual to not see a moose, to the fact that my son calls them in and passes on them...waiting for the right one to fill his draw tag on and first one with the bow...
Game management is something all have to be on board with and has to be adheared to by all not just some.

Back in north central Saskatchewan we had many moose growing up 20 years ago then the wolf population got high and most moose had been eaten for lunch and or pushed south. In the north some residents that could hunt year round decided they liked the taste of unborn moose calf. If i didn't see it first hand I wouldn't have believed it. Shoot a cow moose in april or may cut out the calf and leave the cow. The northern sask zones are still low in population but if you get away from the roads into thick stuff you can find them you just have to be better at hunting than the wolves. South of the forestry we started having a good moose population some nice bulls and good numbers of cows. About three years ago a local farmer was fed up with the moose and called in some manitoba First Nations and without permission they killed over 20 moose in one week in that area taking only prime cuts of meat. Leaving the rest. Let me tell you word traveled fast that there was moose to be had for easy pickings In that area. In those zones guy can drive his truck around the frozen farm land push the bluffs with one guy then drive and shoot animals trieing to get away across the open. If they made it alive to the next bluff i guy can just push that one and start over till the moose can't run anymore. They also don't discriminate if deer or elk decide to run across the fields they kills them as well. 20 years ago we used to see 50 white tails a day and pass up 150" deer. Last 5 years i have not seen a 150" deer
Elk have vanished and moose are shot out but yet First Nations are on the roads and driving fenclines year round blasting the last remaining animals. It had taken my dad 8 years to draw a tag for our home zone for a chance at one moose. Others can shoot 2 or 3 or however many in a day.

Moose Populations in trouble
 

I believe the biggest issue is the roads and cut lines that allow wolves to travel 60 miles in an evening which I have seen in fresh snow and was amazed. How many miles do you think they would travel in thick bush and deep snow when the animals are vulnerable.....

That we can deal with, it's the uncontrollable factor of Native hunting that's the Bugaboo. Unless we come up with a solution, our Wildlife is doomed. High minded talk ain't gonna do it.

Grizz

Logging roads make it easier for wolves to travel greater distances in search of game animals plus the main roads are normally in the valley bottoms where the moose tend to congregate in the winter.

This, these roads also allow another group of predators to travel of and down them for easier access.

I've been watching it first hand for the last 15 years up here.

It's a combination of issues, from logging and wolves to unsustainable harvest practices from a certain group of people.

The tag numbers up here have been slashed, but yet the population hasn't made a comeback yet.

Logging and oilfield roads make it much too easy for a certain group of people to hammer on these animals all year round. I watched a honey hole this past winter go from holding a pile of moose right before to calving time to being devoid of moose in the period of a month, all due to a logging road being put in. We would watch everyday as trucks came and went, many of them loaded with dead pregnant cow moose, and calves.

If we want to get this population turned around, everyone has to do their part. The problem with the whole subsistence hunting issue is that it's a political hot potatoe. Nobody wants to touch it.