What's wrong with our Moose herd?

[gibb]

http://www.merrittherald.com/vohring...is-in-trouble/

[Swamp donk]

If only our government had the balls to stand up, we'd be in a lot better shape in many different aspects. I have a buddy who goes moose hunting to the same area year after year, as they have a camp there. They were told by a local they know up in that area, that last year the natives took 24 moose out of the area, and when they spoke with this gentleman this year he said they got 37 this year. They didn't see a moose and barely seen any fresh sign

[Hunter John]

Bears , wolves , unregulated harvest , ticks , incompetent mnr. ? Lots of reasons.

[fishing1]

Good article,no more needs to be said. It said it quite clear.

[johny]

Too easy to blame the "First Nations".
They have been around hunting with rifles on logging roads as long as anyone else.
Their population is a bit higher than it used to be but the population of non-aboriginals in Canada is vastly more than 50 years ago and they hunt too.

Yes, unregulated hunting is a problem for many reasons but moose numbers are collapsing all over North America. The First Nation kill can't be the only reason. It's a real probability multiple factors are occurring. Deer with their brain worm can't be ignored. Neither can warming climate and the increased survival of tics as a result.
Logging is not moose friendly. For a couple years of regrowth, a cut might be favourable. But then spraying of glyphosate to kill as much decidual trees decimates the habitat to useless mono-culture jack pine or spruce-- not much good for any wild life.

Logging is more likely the reason for decline. Roads permit deer and brain worm to spread. Roads permit everyone to hunt more area and with greater success. Post cutting herbicides destroy useful habitat. Forest loss adds to global warming and the warmer winter that permit tics to survive.

I doubt Unregulated hunting alone is the problem. The fulcrum is more likely logging and all the un-anticipated consequences of it.

[gillshot]

Yup, good article. All harvest needs to be regulated.

[MikePal]

Yup, good article. All harvest needs to be regulated.

How will they differentiate between the harvest for sport shooters and the harvest required for sustenance hunters ?

[Ahuntr300]

Good article. States the obvious - there is an assault on our moose herd on many fronts and that is the reason that our moose herd is sadly disappearing.

Unregulated hunting is definitely a big problem and growing that cannot be ignored - there wont be any moose for them also if this keeps up; so is access to the remotest areas by big gangs of hunters with the best equipment money can buy like ATVs, planes, motor boats, etc. - this increases hunter success due to use of this better technology - the moose have nowhere to hide. Diseases brought on by deer is another one. Increased predator protection by government is another one (bears, wolves) causing their populations to explode - they have to eat something. And I am sure global warming does not help.

So, in my opinion, until all these are fixed - and we all know there is little chance of that, it will only get worse.

[TheProvider00]

Unregulated hunting, disease, predators, easy access and I am not the biggest fan of shooting calves.

First nations want to be substance hunters they need to report every moose. Guess what I lived in Nunavut for over a year on Baffin Island. Guess how the caribou herd is doing? Plummeted from the late 90's by 95%. Now theres only 250 yearly tags available to inuit hunters. When I first moved there you could go on facebook to the local buy/sell bag and see people selling 5, 6, 7 caribou at one time from different communities. I also build a water treatment plant on the first nations reserve by Sudbury, native joked about how he himself shot 30 moose the previous year.

I am also a fan of closing areas to motorized vehicles. I know of a few areas here in the north like that as well as it is becoming popular in BC. Surprising how much it can do for wildlife.

We all know the bear population is exploding as well as wolves. They need to be managed properly.

Never been a fan of shooting calves. Will I shoot one? Yes however I think its a poor system to automatically get a calf tag when you buy a licence. I like BC's system where if your not successful in the draw the in areas with an open moose season you get a tag for a spike/fork bull. Has to be either a spike or fork on one side. However the down side is hunters shoot what they believe is a legal spike/fork and it turns out to have an extra point so the hunter leaves it. No system is perfect but ours need major work!

[pbonura]

Too easy to blame the "First Nations".
They have been around hunting with rifles on logging roads as long as anyone else.
Their population is a bit higher than it used to be but the population of non-aboriginals in Canada is vastly more than 50 years ago and they hunt too.

Yes, unregulated hunting is a problem for many reasons but moose numbers are collapsing all over North America. The First Nation kill can't be the only reason. It's a real probability multiple factors are occurring. Deer with their brain worm can't be ignored. Neither can warming climate and the increased survival of tics as a result.
Logging is not moose friendly. For a couple years of regrowth, a cut might be favourable. But then spraying of glyphosate to kill as much decidual trees decimates the habitat to useless mono-culture jack pine or spruce-- not much good for any wild life.

Logging is more likely the reason for decline. Roads permit deer and brain worm to spread. Roads permit everyone to hunt more area and with greater success. Post cutting herbicides destroy useful habitat. Forest loss adds to global warming and the warmer winter that permit tics to survive.

I doubt Unregulated hunting alone is the problem. The fulcrum is more likely logging and all the un-anticipated consequences of it.

Sorry but I do not agree. When you control the unregulated hunting then the moose population at least has a chance. When you are able to control regulated hunters and allow them to harvest wolves, bears and trap then you can help. But if the unregulated hunters shoot everything that is the number 1 reason for the major decline in the moose population.