Hangman moose tag...not so good

[huntnnw]

My buddy was up on top opening day and almost everyday from there on.

He ate the tag he was going to shoot a cow or a whatever from the 27th on , but couldnt bring himself to shoot a cow. He spotted a good bull the 29th right before dark..went back the final day to hunt it to no avail

[boneaddict]

Unit one is declining terribly.   Wolves, too many permits, bad winters, cut back on logging,  take your pic.  Its not all sunflowers and Daisys.  The other spot in Idaho I go, huge decline.  Might have been weather, happenstance, wolves, too many permits.....  Hangman is connected with them, not good to be seeing the same thing there.   I hope its not a trend.   I like moose.

[idahohuntr]

Unit one is declining terribly.   Wolves, too many permits, bad winters, cut back on logging,  take your pic.  Its not all sunflowers and Daisys.  The other spot in Idaho I go, huge decline.  Might have been weather, happenstance, wolves, too many permits.....  Hangman is connected with them, not good to be seeing the same thing there.   I hope its not a trend.   I like moose.

As I mentioned earlier it is indeed a trend...across North America...Washington seems to have been lagging behind the trend, but maybe times are catching up 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/science/earth/something-is-killing-off-the-moose.html?_r=0

[bearpaw]

Wolves, too many permits, bad winters, cut back on logging,  take your pic.  Its not all sunflowers and Daisys.  The other spot in Idaho I go, huge decline.  Might have been weather, happenstance, wolves, too many permits.....

Other possible factors are herbicide spraying, parasites, and disease. There are many possible factors. For example, in southern Idaho much of the moose decline is thought to be due to parasites/disease, there are not many wolves in some of those areas and there has never been much logging, but it seems in the last two years that the moose numbers are beginning to increase again.

Moose have declined throughout the west for several reasons. It has not been wolves that have caused all the declines, there are other factors impacting moose. But wolves do seem to impact moose heavily in the areas where wolves have over populated and it's very likely the additional impact of wolves is simply more than a depressed moose population with lower calf production can overcome, so it appears the moose population stays depressed longer in wolf impacted areas.

For the last several years WA has been a leader in quality moose hunting, two of our units are leading in B&C entries. There is certainly reason for concern though, it's obvious that moose numbers are declining in some areas and I hope that we can curb the decline before it spreads and impacts all our moose areas. On a positive note I have noticed that both ID and WA are requiring hunters to collect more samples from hunters. In ID we had to collect blood, hair, and tissue samples. WA is also collecting samples, so it seems the agencies are looking for potential causes of moose declines.

Factors affecting moose likely vary from area to area. Logging is important for making better moose habitat and the lack of logging in some moose units comprised mostly of USFS lands is likely a problem but a lack of logging certainly isn't a factor in Spokane or Hangman, those units are mostly owned by timber companies and much of the landscape is in various stages of regrowth which is what moose normally thrive in. So it's obvious there are other factors impacting the moose in those units that did not impact them only a few years ago when the herds were still increasing.

We saw numerous young bulls and we noticed calves with most of the cows in Spokane, I do not think reproduction is the problem. It is no secret that WDFW wanted to reduce moose numbers around the city of Spokane due to all the moose coming into the city. It's possible that we are simply seeing the results of increased hunting pressure in Spokane and Hangman units. That doesn't explain declines across the border in Idaho or declines in certain other areas in WA.

[bobcat]

Hmmm.... it sounds like Hangman will have better odds of drawing next year. I think I'll put it down as a fourth choice.

[Tbar]

I hunted with one of the tag holders this year. I would report much of the same. We hunted the tree farm, there were lots of Moose but never saw any possible shooters.  They were grunting everywhere like emskou said but I disagree about missing out.  I don't mean to disrespect his dad's animal but we saw bigger and didn't move on them.  I reached out to just about every Avenue available and the only true mature bull spotted was in a semi residential area(I'm sure there is more but we didn't find them). It seemed the age class just wasn't there. 
P.s. emskou please tell the rest of the story of you hunt and "easy" pack out.    I believe there is a story there.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

While logging is good for moose (and deer and elk for that matter) It's not just that things are opened up that matters, it's what grows up after the opening up. Willow is a big one for moose. And in the area Of Aladdin that I hunt deer in, it appears that chaparral is an important winter food.  They sure love the stuff. This is where herbicides come in. Not a factor on NFS land, but if private companies are using herbicides to prevent broadleaf plants from growing, then it is. Not to mention the effects on animal immune systems.

Dale, its interesting that you mention collecting blood. It looks like they are testing for toxic stuff. They did the same thing in SW Washington with the elk in the hoof rot affected areas. If you were drawn for a cow tag, you were required to turn in all sorts of things from liver samples to female reproductive organs. My guess is that WDF&G is on to something, probably about herbicides, but isn't making that public.

[bearpaw]

While logging is good for moose (and deer and elk for that matter) It's not just that things are opened up that matters, it's what grows up after the opening up. Willow is a big one for moose. And in the area Of Aladdin that I hunt deer in, it appears that chaparral is an important winter food.  They sure love the stuff. This is where herbicides come in. Not a factor on NFS land, but if private companies are using herbicides to prevent broadleaf plants from growing, then it is. Not to mention the effects on animal immune systems.

Dale, its interesting that you mention collecting blood. It looks like they are testing for toxic stuff. They did the same thing in SW Washington with the elk in the hoof rot affected areas. If you were drawn for a cow tag, you were required to turn in all sorts of things from liver samples to female reproductive organs. My guess is that WDF&G is on to something, probably about herbicides, but isn't making that public.

It was in Idaho that we had to collect blood, hair, and a generous liver sample. I too wonder about the impacts of herbicides, I can't say one way or another, but it could be a factor in moose units where lots of spraying is occurring.

I live in the Aladdin unit and spend a ton of time throughout most of the unit. There is increased spraying and there are some areas where wolves are eating moose, people are finding wolf killed moose, in some areas of Aladdin it seems the moose are definitely declining. I would not say the decline is affecting all areas of Aladdin but that may be happening and we can't see it everywhere yet.

[BULLBLASTER]

I was asked to give blood and hair liver from my idqho moose also. I was able to get all but the liver. They were glad to get it.
Where i hunted in idaho moose had been on the downturn 3-5 years ago. But in this area they are rebounding well.

[Ridgeratt]

I would be interesting to know since Inland Paper shut down the motorized access to the area just how deep alot of the tag holders got into it. The all up hill could knock the lustre off of a hike in. When you would have to make it perhaps several times. 

[boneaddict]

Pretty small hill actually

[Ridgeratt]

Pretty small hill actually

For some folks others it could be huge!!! 

The first mile stroll to get out of the private, Then another mile to the first spur road,then another to the second spur, Then depending on how far they want to range out on them. Granted there are connectors between the spurs but without the offroaders running them keeping them open. All those tag alders will take over in a few years thats not even considering the rest of the stroll to get to the "Golf Ball"

Then that doesn't even take into the lake creek side which will also be growing over as well.

[boneaddict]

Good point

[trophyhunt]

I see some good points here?

[Ridgeratt]

Then don't forget to include " No Overnite Camping" So you make the stroll everyday to fill the tag.

On a side note"  I never saw a Moose on Kelly Hill either this year.