Outdoor News Bulletin February, 2013
| Moose are the iconic big game species of the north woods. The largest subspecies is found throughout much of Canada and Alaska, while the lower 48 states have populations of three different subspecies in New England, the Upper Midwest, and Rocky Mountain states. Moose had largely been extirpated through much of their southern range by the late 1800’s, but populations rebounded due to conservation efforts by wildlife managers. Within the last twenty to thirty years, limited hunting programs were established in most states with moose populations. However, in recent years managers have seen declines in moose across most of their range in the lower 48 states causing concern and spurring new research efforts and hunting restrictions. This increased focus should help managers better understand what factors are contributing to the population declines, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. Continue reading |
