Moose Population Remains Low in Minnesota; 5-Year Population Decline Improves

By Justin Stakes

St. Paul, MN -(AmmoLand.com)- Minnesota’s moose population remains low despite a slowing population decline during the past five years, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.

Results from the 2016 aerial moose survey indicate that the population change from an estimated 3,450 in 2015 to 4,020 in 2016 is not statistically significant. Northeastern Minnesota’s current moose population could be as high as 5,180 or as low as 3,230.

“Moose are not recovering in northeastern Minnesota,” said Glenn DelGiudice, moose project leader for the DNR. “It’s encouraging to see that the decline in the population since 2012 has not been as steep, but longer term projections continue to indicate that our moose population decline will continue.”

Annual population comparisons are made to 2006 because northeastern Minnesota’s highest moose population estimate of 8,840 occurred that year. Since then, the moose population has declined 55 percent.

Studies have shown that adult moose survival has the greatest long-term impact on moose populations. Northeastern Minnesota’s collective moose population may be reflecting the annual survival rate of moose collared as part of the DNR’s moose mortality research project, …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand