What's wrong with our Moose herd?

One thing that few people point out is the effect of forest fires on moose populations. With current technologies and programs for prevention, detection and elimination of forest fires in order to protect people and properties, moose, who experience great upsides in the aftermath of forest fire areas are not seeing them. For example, the long term average for annual forest fires in Northwest Ontario is 1000 per year (MNRF). This year, according to the last number I saw was around 620 and last year there were only 297.

I'm not saying we should stop forest fires but it's just another factor that will affect the moose population long term. Moose see the benefit of forest fires for 50 years where a fire has burned. It's another human controlled issue that we tailor for ourselves to the detriment of other species.

I think you have nailed that one pretty well.
Many years ago , old burned out areas were where we hunted and shot our moose. All you had to do is check out where there had been a forest fire at least 5 years previous and that is where you found moose , in the new growth they were easy to spot .
One big disadvantage was to get to them , and then get them out after you had shot one .

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Originally Posted by boozyleroux

One thing that few people point out is the effect of forest fires on moose populations. With current technologies and programs for prevention, detection and elimination of forest fires in order to protect people and properties, moose, who experience great upsides in the aftermath of forest fire areas are not seeing them. For example, the long term average for annual forest fires in Northwest Ontario is 1000 per year (MNRF). This year, according to the last number I saw was around 620 and last year there were only 297.

I'm not saying we should stop forest fires but it's just another factor that will affect the moose population long term. Moose see the benefit of forest fires for 50 years where a fire has burned. It's another human controlled issue that we tailor for ourselves to the detriment of other species.

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Agree.
Like I said, forestry practices in general are likely the main culprit and that includes fire suppression.

Fire suppression has absolutely nothing to do with the decline in he moose herd.

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Originally Posted by gibb

Fire suppression has absolutely nothing to do with the decline in he moose herd.

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Agree. This has been going on for 100 years; our moose herd started to decline severely less than 10 years ago.

One forestry practice that in my opinion has an effect is the clear cutting and then immediate spraying of an area - this does not give the moose enough time to benefit from the rich new growth that follows. Clear cutting benefits moose as it opens up areas for good nutrition for them but only if its available to them for a few years before it is sprayed.

What's wrong with our Moose herd?

SIMPLE ANSWER!

It's being managed by the MNR!

Really? How many references would you like me to find that indicate that forest fires have an immense benefit for moose? Plus, the last 10 years have seen a boom in communications and detection technology which have made finding, reporting and directing efforts at fighting those fires. How many people had 4G smart phones 15 years ago?

Clearly, if they're spraying the areas they log afterwards with Round-up, that will have negative consequences for the animal life trying to re-enter the area as there will no food left for them which is one of the major benefits of burns and clear cuts (minus the glyphosate). Naturally, this is not a single issue solution as others have illustrated however this is another factor that is piling on with all the others (predators, over-hunting, illnesses, etc).

"Moose numbers are often highest in parts of the forest disturbed by fire or forestry. Fire and forestry promote the growth of young trees and shrubs, which provide nutritional food for moose." (OMNRF)

"Moose generally benefit from fire because their preferredfoods are shrubs and saplings. These plants are mostabundant and most productive in burned areas. Habitat formoose is generally improved for about 1 to 30 years" (USFWS)

If you want to research something google the powley court case than add it up in a time line to the state of the herd today.
There is not a resource on this planet that can withstand open unregulated year round hunting/harvesting.

I think it's a combination of a lot of things working against the moose as to why their populations are so low. Unregulated harvest, "regulated" harvest of cows, "regulated" harvest of calves, high quotas in WMU 21 for caribou management, predation, habitat loss, habitat quality, disease, the harshness of the past couple winters, increased availability to remote areas, vehicle collisions, poaching, ect.

If the OMNRF would step up and cut quotas for a few years, stop handing out cow and calf tags altogether, stop limiting and charging for wolf and coyote tags, not charge $50 for a bear tag, and actually allow the herd to grow I don't think the problem would be as bad as it is now.

The OMNRF manages for "sustainability", so are they trying to keep the populations at the lowest possible "sustainable" level?

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Originally Posted by x_xeon_x

I think it's a combination of a lot of things working against the moose as to why their populations are so low. Unregulated harvest, "regulated" harvest of cows, "regulated" harvest of calves, high quotas in WMU 21 for caribou management, predation, habitat loss, habitat quality, disease, the harshness of the past couple winters, increased availability to remote areas, vehicle collisions, poaching, ect.

If the OMNRF would step up and cut quotas for a few years, stop handing out cow and calf tags altogether, stop limiting and charging for wolf and coyote tags, not charge $50 for a bear tag, and actually allow the herd to grow I don't think the problem would be as bad as it is now.

The OMNRF manages for "sustainability", so are they trying to keep the populations at the lowest possible "sustainable" level?

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