Moose Management and Research

Publications & Reports

Management

Managing moose involves looking at predators, habitat, human harvest, other non-harvest mortality (severe winters, vehicles and trains), and the composition of populations – cows, calves and bulls – and these elements are touched upon in this section. Population density, habitat, and harvest vary from area to area, so each Game Management Unit (GMU) is presented separately in this section.

In some areas, habitat limits the potential size of moose populations, and concentration of moose and open habitat creates the potential for excessive harvests in accessible areas. In other regions it is unknown whether predators or habitat are more limiting moose populations, although some are clearly held back by bear and wolf predation. Moose mortality due to vehicles is significant in some areas where human population and vehicle traffic continues to increase. Land clearing activities associated with agriculture, development and road construction has been responsible for the increase in moose browse that attract moose to highways. The number of moose killed by trains seems to be related to snowfall and varies widely from year to year.

Without fire or other disturbance, forests mature and browse - and moose populations - decrease. Fire, mechanical manipulation, and post-logging site work, which encourage hardwood regeneration, are beneficial for moose habitat and have been conducted on some sites. Ice-scouring also helps to rejuvenate willow stands. After logging, if site preparation is not conducted or is done inadequately, blue-joint grass initially crowd out hardwood and spruce seedlings, creating less desirable moose habitat and slowing forest succession.

Currently, ADF&G has intensive management areas in Units 9D, 13, 16B, 19A, 19D-East, 20E and parts of parts of 12, 20B, 20D, and 25C, where the primary management objective is to provide high harvests of ungulates for human use.

See the status and trends section for details about management practices in specific areas.

Research

A number of moose research projects are being conducted in Alaska, looking at nutritional needs, habitat use, and predator-prey relationships. Alaska has been a leader in moose research. The Kenai Moose Research Center has captive moose and over the past three decades, hundreds of moose research projects have been conducted there. See Alaska's Kenai Moose Research Center, a World Leader in Moose Science.

Working for Wildlife Video

Additional Research Projects


Project Information

Age-specific natural mortality rates of male vs. female moose

Project 1.65, Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Grant. Project Duration: July 1, 2006–June 30, 2011. Principal Investigator: Rodney D. Boertje, Fairbanks.

During the preceding 6- and 5-year studies of moose at high densities in Unit 20A (Projects 1.51 & 1.57), we documented survival rates of female moose and began the study of survival rates of males. The previous studies greatly expanded our knowledge of moose nutritional indices and our understanding of factors limiting moose at high densities. However, we will benefit from some additional data and are well poised to gather these data if moose densities fluctuate.

The Unit 20A moose population is unique and is among the highest density moose populations for any 5000-mi2 area on the continent. The moose population began a strong increase to high densities simultaneous to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's (ADF&G) wolf control activities during 1976–1982 and has maintained a high density in the presence of 3 major predator species. To maintain moose at elevated densities, we need to know when and why population fluctuations are occurring. This knowledge will allow us to propose and evaluate management options for maintaining moose above predation-limited, low levels.

We will study: (1) causes and rate of mortality among collared moose of various ages, and (2) moose reproductive parameters and condition indices to help assess nutritional condition of the population. These studies, and surveys of population recruitment and density, will allow us to evaluate the major factors affecting population change at high densities, e.g., factors affecting mortality (e.g., predation and harvest), and productivity (e.g., adverse weather and food limitation). Comparisons with moose populations at different locations will be a primary focus of this research, in part to allow ready access to the variability of moose population parameters.