2015 Moose tags

[bobcat]

Or, the extra tags allow hunters to take a few more mature bulls that would have died of natural causes over the winter anyway. Only time will tell- perhaps even with the wolves, moose tags will remain the same or even increase even more in the future.

With habitat improvement, due to logging and/or fires, I could see the moose population increasing by quite a bit. They're already beginning to establish themselves in new areas where moose haven't existed previously.

[idahohuntr]

Its definitely interesting...WA is bucking a national trend of declining moose numbers.  WDFW has pretty solid data that moose numbers are increasing in NE WA.  Will wolves take care of the surplus that WDFW believes may be resulting in density dependent effects   

I'll go along with what the biologists determine is an acceptable number of moose tags. Also I don't believe the antlerless tags were increased, or if they were, it wasn't by much.

Of course you will    I tend to go along with what I've observed and that is lower calf recruitment of the larger ungulates.  What I really mean is that I don't think there should be any antlerless hunting opportunities in the Northern units for either species.

The lower calf recruitment is one of the signs of a population of ungulates which is higher than habitat will support.  The common response is to reduce the number of adults.  This is an issue for elk over in Unit 11 of Idaho too.  In very simplistic terms...adults eat all the food, and the children starve. 

[Jonathan_S]

I understand that idahohuntr, but you're talking about very small groups of elk in areas that have historically held much more along with whitetail populations that were 200% what they are now.

[idahohuntr]

I understand that idahohuntr, but you're talking about very small groups of elk in areas that have historically held much more along with whitetail populations that were 200% what they are now.

I'm not sure I follow...moose are exceeding habitat capacity is what WDFW is finding some evidence of...therefore increasing harvest of adults (cows and bulls) to increase calf recruitment and avoid a skewed age structure doesn't seem unreasonable...particularly given the increase in the moose population.

[Jonathan_S]

I understand that idahohuntr, but you're talking about very small groups of elk in areas that have historically held much more along with whitetail populations that were 200% what they are now.

I'm not sure I follow...moose are exceeding habitat capacity is what WDFW is finding some evidence of...therefore increasing harvest of adults (cows and bulls) to increase calf recruitment and avoid a skewed age structure doesn't seem unreasonable...particularly given the increase in the moose population.

My points originally were about elk AND moose.  Since this is a moose thread, I will drop that for now.  Some of the units farther south towards Spokane reflect that logic but I don't recall seeing data showing big numbers increases in most of the more northern units.

I guess we'll see.  Calf recruitment can also be affected by very high predator populations.  Let's not even brings wolves into it...the cougar population is extremely high in a lot of these same areas.   

[WABONEHNTR]

I understand that idahohuntr, but you're talking about very small groups of elk in areas that have historically held much more along with whitetail populations that were 200% what they are now.

I'm not sure I follow...moose are exceeding habitat capacity is what WDFW is finding some evidence of...therefore increasing harvest of adults (cows and bulls) to increase calf recruitment and avoid a skewed age structure doesn't seem unreasonable...particularly given the increase in the moose population.

I really don't know where you are getting your information idahohuntr.  There should not be a man on this planet that says "our" moose population is increasing.  We are gaining moose in the cascades but definitely not in the NE.  Lets use Winchester Creek/49 unit for example.  There once was a day when you could not drive that road at 10mph because odds were very high that a moose would pop out in front of you.  I dare you go up there today and tell me how many tracks you see. You could take that road at 70mph and not worry.  We "HAD" the best moose hunting/populations in the country.   

These increased tag numbers would have been relevant 7-9yrs ago when the moose population were booming and the numbers where high.  Today is a totally different ball game.  More tags mean more $$, nothing else.    Its very sad when a guy can talk about the good ole days and its only from 7-9 years ago.  Pretty sad and our game dept should be ashamed of themselves. 

[Bob33]

I really don't know where you are getting your information idahohuntr.  There should not be a man on this planet that says "our" moose population is increasing.

They may be wrong, but there are quite a few.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/mar/24/moose-declining-in-idaho-spreading-in-washington/

[huntnnw]

I dont disagree with upping some of the units have a ton of moose! huckleberry is a joke with 12 tags..huge unit with tons of country to hunt.I have seen 5-7 bulls in one draw in the very extreme southern end of this unit and nobody hunts them there.

[Limhangerslayer]

What's a joke is the Yakama's getting tags.  The funny thing is we don't give them tags they give themselves tags. Same with sheep and goats, and there is nothing we can do about it.  In 09' when my cousin had a sheep tag, the day he killed his Bernie checked it and we were talking about how many tags were offered.  He was telling us how we had something like 43 sheep tags for state hunters and between the Yaks and Mucks they had almost the same amount for them.  Seams pretty stupid to me.

[idahohuntr]

I understand that idahohuntr, but you're talking about very small groups of elk in areas that have historically held much more along with whitetail populations that were 200% what they are now.

I'm not sure I follow...moose are exceeding habitat capacity is what WDFW is finding some evidence of...therefore increasing harvest of adults (cows and bulls) to increase calf recruitment and avoid a skewed age structure doesn't seem unreasonable...particularly given the increase in the moose population.

I really don't know where you are getting your information idahohuntr.  There should not be a man on this planet that says "our" moose population is increasing.  We are gaining moose in the cascades but definitely not in the NE.  Lets use Winchester Creek/49 unit for example.  There once was a day when you could not drive that road at 10mph because odds were very high that a moose would pop out in front of you.  I dare you go up there today and tell me how many tracks you see. You could take that road at 70mph and not worry.  We "HAD" the best moose hunting/populations in the country.   

These increased tag numbers would have been relevant 7-9yrs ago when the moose population were booming and the numbers where high.  Today is a totally different ball game.  More tags mean more $$, nothing else.    Its very sad when a guy can talk about the good ole days and its only from 7-9 years ago.  Pretty sad and our game dept should be ashamed of themselves.

I get my information from biologists actively involved in mark-recapture estimates of moose in NE Wa.  I'm sure its not equal across all units...but overall numbers are up...noticeably.  Sorry if you don't also see this...I doubt your information is as reliable as actual data collection.  As far as upping tags for money...I don't think thats it...20 tags would be what, about $6k?

[huntnnw]

I actually think it was good that Mica stayed the same at 7 tags...it was not good this past year. I know of 1 bull tag eaten and 2 cow tags

[benhuntin]

20 more moose tags=40 less moose sheds


If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[724wd]

I actually think it was good that Mica stayed the same at 7 tags...it was not good this past year. I know of 1 bull tag eaten and 2 cow tags

how much, if any, was that due to the Mica Peak motorized closure and people not willing to walk in for a moose? 

[BULLBLASTER]

I actually think it was good that Mica stayed the same at 7 tags...it was not good this past year. I know of 1 bull tag eaten and 2 cow tags

how much, if any, was that due to the Mica Peak motorized closure and people not willing to walk in for a moose?

i spoke with numerous tag uolders for mica this year all were having trouble. Even in my time up there i saw noticeably less moose amd no big bulls. Places i havw always seen moose were void of even sign... definitely was not a normal year up there.

[shanevg]

Definitely surprised by the negativity present when WDFW finally adds some more tags for us.  I don't have any first hand knowledge of the moose populations in NE but I'm glad for the extra opportunities these new regs seem to be providing for hunters.