Can Minnesota's moose be saved?

pioneer press ^ | 8-21-11 | Dave Orrick

[WOBBLY BOB]

For the first time, this year's aerial surveys indicated a statistically significant decline - down from more than 8,000 in 2006 - in the moose population of northeastern Minnesota, including the Arrowhead region. The population in the northwestern part of the state already has collapsed, down to about 100 animals from more than 4,000 in 1986. This as the range of the moose has shriveled steadily since the 1960s, when moose could be spotted all across the northern part of the state.

A new draft plan released by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources last week spells out not only the doom possibilities but also the practical ones: Taxpayers will need to spend money to figure it out; tourists, resort operators, cabin owners and hunters will have to cease feeding deer; and hunters might have to give up moose hunts.

In fact, according to the Minnesota Moose Research and Management Plan, moose hunting will close in 2013 if things don't change.

[Sacajaweau]

I like to shoot them from an airplane.

[dangerdoc]

A moose bit my sister.

[Revolting cat!]

[Flag_This]

"For example, the plan doesn't suggest any course of action with regard to wolves, which kill and eat moose. The report concludes the impact of wolf predation on adult moose is small, although it acknowledges that no one knows how significant predation of calves is."

What do moose calves grow up to be? Oh, they're probably right - no impact on adult population numbers. /s

[NormsRevenge]

We used to have moose in the area and on our farm, then they built a interstate freeway using eminent domain or such,, cut right thru a swath of wetlands, smack dab in the middle of what used to be nowhere.. nothing but rolling hills and lakes and farms.. and breweries. lots of breweries.

[WOBBLY BOB]

[Myrddin]

Moose, elk and deer populations are down in Montana and Idaho because a bunch of idiot leftists put Canadian wolves in the area and made it illegal to keep them under control by hunting.

[marstegreg]

Aren’t wolves protected now? I think the shrinking moose population could be a result of that policy. Correct me if I am wrong, please

[HiTech RedNeck]

Furnish guns to the moose.

[Eska]

In Alaska, bear & wolves have more an impact on moose calves than hunters. A buddy hit a yearling black wolf last night at dark. Wolf was trotting down the road towards him, he blasted it with 30-378 from 250 yards. Blood, bone chips, and wolf sure pooped himself quick, but got up and into brush. We trailed some light blood specks for 100 yards then lost it as it got dark, never got the wolf; I’m sure he’s dead which is good just the same. We have way too many wolves in Alaska too. Even had them in my garbage cans last winter, unreal to see huge tracks in your lane.

[marstegreg]

Furnish guns to the moose.

And send them to Mexico!!!

[crz]

He is dead. The pack will make sure of that.

[hosepipe]

Wolves LUV to eat Moosies.. especially young Meece..

[ak267]

Obamazombies to start blaming Palin for this in 3...2...1

[Eska]

We see single wolves all the time, they separate but seem to know where everybody else is at. In Alaska, people don’t want wolves completely gone, just controlled way more than they are right now. Palin got the money for wolf control in our GMU when she was governor and seen that it happened even when the I wanna kiss the wolves people were determined to stop it. Most politicals want the money the wolf luvers send them.

[redhead]

hmmm...wonder if they moved to Canada?

[redhead]

"unreal to see huge tracks in your lane."

The first winter I lived in this house, I went outside one moring to find HUGE "dog" tracks in my yard. My hair stood straight up...

[Eska]

I had some buckets of bear bait in ground last winter and wolves started digging at it. So I got rid of it and them wolves went right to my garbage cans beside shed, 40 feet from house. They'd come in at 3 am so wasn't like I was ready to shoot the buggers. I set up game camera and they never came back. Neighbor shot a yearling female in his driveway last winter, had his springer spaniel by the neck on the ground and neighbor ran out with shotgun hollaring up a storm. Wolf didn't even run or let go of dog. Neighbor shot wolf point blank, sprayed blood everywhere, got wolf.

The tracks I saw in yard & lane were 5 1/2 inched long, over 4 inched wide; lope was over 5 foot between single tracks; nice size wolf actually.

We got one double shovel so far and no moose. Missed a super nice grizz 3 mornings back, 1000 yard shot with 30-378 and I swear I heard second shot hit, but we searched 2 different days and found no dead bear, nicest bear I've ever seen on our summit; was eating blueberries. I think I need one of those barrett 50 cals.

[redhead]

Sounds like meat in your cache for the winter, anyway, even if you didn't get the bear. There's always next year...

After we left Valdez and moved outside, it as a solid year before I could go outside at night without pausing to look around for bears. Old habits die hard, I guess.

A .50 might just do it! LOL!