What's wrong with our Moose herd?

[Drastic711]

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.

X2
(post cutting herbicides are major player in moose no.s IMO)

[ysyg]

I've never commented on this before, but I'm tired of sitting back making sure I don't offend anyone so............ Every October when I go north for moose hunting, after arriving, the first thing that I hear is the number of moose taken in September. These are big numbers and its year after year. On Monday, when the legal hunt starts, the MNR are out in full force to make sure all moose are tagged properly with time and date of the legal harvest. From what I hear in the area I hunt, there are approximately 7 moose shot before the season opens to every one shot during the season. Why worry so much about the 1 and ignore the 7 ?? You can say the problem is wolves, bears, vehicle accidents, or too many tags being issued, to be politically correct, but we all know what the real problem is.

[gibb]

I am not a huge fan of the MNRF but in this situation they have no authority in dealing with First nation people and Metis hunters. Again I will say spraying has nothing to do with the dramatic decline in the moose herd.
It is all about year round hunting of moose by unregulated hunters. There is no mandatory reporting, shoot whatever you see hunting, allowed to hunt at night, using all the new technology that is out there. For sure the access roads build for logging are a problem but only because they are used to road hunt off of. The MNRF is not to blame. A number of areas in Manitoba have had to go to a complete no hunting moose in order to try and save what is left.

[Mr.Boiler]

Three WMUs visited this year and all have the same story. In one WMU I talked with an officer with the First Nations. He had told me of some on the reservation that were killing over 6 per hunter. In the article from the OP I read a lot of comments that said the article and/or the writer was racist in the claims. When you hear from some of the First Nations that these claims are substantiated one wonders. To blame them though is a bit two faced. If we were given the same liberties I'm sure we would do the same. The blame is squarely on the governments inability to manage. Is it that they are inept? Its all political. Its bigger than logging or aboriginal rations. The problem runs deep and its doubtful it'll ever be corrected until the moose become like the buffalo or worse the carrier pigeon. Only then will we wake up but by then it may be too late.

[awndray]

I disagree. It's not all on the MNRF. If hunters cared enough - I mean really and truly cared - they would stop buying tags altogether and start writing the Province. That's not to say the MNRF isn't also at fault. They need to revisit management practices, including the effects of the free-for-all hunts of the First Nations.

[GrizzlyAdams]

2 words - DOUBLE STANDARD
I agree the government is to blame for lack of proper management. You cant have a double standard and try to regulate the crap out of 1 and do absolutely nothing with the other and try to control population levels its just nonsense. There is PLENTY of food in the forest without the need to take a moose whether its regulated or not so the whole sustinence excuse imo is a load of steamy horse plop. Either we all play by the same rules or eventually its game over for everyone!

[awndray]

We can call it a double standard all we want - and I tend to agree with that sentiment - but regulating their hunt is not going to happen anytime soon. The MNRF have absolutely no power to regulate aboriginal affairs. You can't can't them for that.

And no, there isn't plenty of food in the forest. If there was, we wouldn't have any regulations, now would we? The game will end no matter what kind of regulations are in place. For everyone indeed.

[gibb]

http://mwf.mb.ca/2014/06/09/manitoba-moose-crisis/
Good read to help understand the problem.

[DanO]

In 10 years there will be no white hunt for moose. The few moose remaining will only be able to support a native hunt and according to the courts they get first right of harvest. I have a camp in zone 48 on the East side of Algonquin. There are two hunts in the WMU a native and a non-native. The native hunt starts Sept 15 and ends Jan 15th. They do have tags and they do have some very loose limits but everyone gets a tag. The non-native hunt had 72 tags in total. The WMU starts in Pembroke and ends in North Bay. The non-native season is 5 days. Guess who harvested more moose! And this is a relatively well run Native/Non-Native hunt with reasonable cooperation.

[ysyg]

http://mwf.mb.ca/2014/06/09/manitoba-moose-crisis/
Good read to help understand the problem.

Yes, thanks a good read and audio. This is the problem for sure and we all know it. Until the federal and provincial governments decide to act together, the problem will only grow. Forget the brainworm, wolves, bears and any other bs excuses.