Post by: bearpaw on April 11, 2017, 10:00:27 AM
I'm very glad to see a moose study and found the results thus far quite interesting, the results are posted on the WDFW website. The predator impacts on collared cows in the northern study area are far greater than the southern area. I know moose are dieing but was surprised to see that ticks were impacting our moose as heavily as the predators. I do wish the moose study involved a more northern area, I'm certain the moose numbers are dropping moreso in several farther north areas. But this study is certainly far better than nothing, I hope they continue the study, as wolf numbers continue to increase we really need to have some research recording predation impacts on our moose.
I would really like to see the study expanded to an area with a high density of known wolf packs! For the record, it's not that I see wolves as the only predator of moose, the problem is that wolves are an additional predator we didn't used to have. I would hate to see the moose population do what it did in parts of Idaho or end up where it was before wolves were eradicated in Washington. Moose were able to multiply during the absence of wolves over the last 60 to 80 years.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01859/wdfw01859.pdf
Post by: bearpaw on April 11, 2017, 10:05:23 AM
Post by: JKEEN33 on April 11, 2017, 10:12:01 AM
Post by: quadrafire on April 11, 2017, 10:19:30 AM
Post by: bearpaw on April 11, 2017, 11:24:08 AM
Post by: bearpaw on April 11, 2017, 11:26:13 AM
I had read the same thing about ticks and Moose in the NE US. Maine I believe it was. This was talking about ticks and young moose though. It said that they get so many of them that the younger moose could not survive. Interesting to see that it is here and on adult moose as well. As always, I hate ticks. :)
There are moose areas in the west that have been impacted by ticks and other diseases. Some of those areas (which are not wolf impacted areas) are beginning to recover.
Post by: JKEEN33 on April 11, 2017, 12:32:04 PM
I had read the same thing about ticks and Moose in the NE US. Maine I believe it was. This was talking about ticks and young moose though. It said that they get so many of them that the younger moose could not survive. Interesting to see that it is here and on adult moose as well. As always, I hate ticks. :)
There are moose areas in the west that have been impacted by ticks and other diseases. Some of those areas (which are not wolf impacted areas) are beginning to recover.
I agree there are other issues related to moose decline. I was just never aware a moose could get enough ticks to kill it and this is the second time I've seen this reported as an issue now.
I found a dead moose a few years back while turkey hunting. It was covered with some puss filled blisters. I didn't get to close to it, but did report it. Never heard anything back regarding this. Any idea what they could have been? I've never seen anything like it.
Post by: Bob33 on April 12, 2017, 07:02:35 PM
Post by: Miles on April 13, 2017, 06:54:15 AM
I've seen the same thing in Washington state in the 2004 - 2008 timeframe before I left for Germany. While shed hunting around Mt Spokane I would find blood all over the snow and dead ticks. I'm afraid WA is headed down the same path. Wolves and other predators aside, it's those tiny little ticks that can reek havoc on populations. Northern NH and Maine also had problems with a lung disease (or something like that). I have friends who have found sick moose on their wintering grounds actually coughing and to sick to move.
I predict WA will significantly reduce moose tag numbers in the near future. Once it starts it will go downhill fast. Mark my words and we'll compare numbers in 4 - 5 years.
Washington also has something that Maine and NH do not. Wolves, cougars, and an overall healthy predator population.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on April 13, 2017, 07:01:09 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 13, 2017, 07:14:09 AM
The tick problem is HORRIBLE. I heard about a necropsy that revealed 70k ticks on one animal.
Post by: quadrafire on April 13, 2017, 08:37:51 AM
http://nrri.d.umn.edu/moose/information/WinterTick.html
Post by: BeerBugler on April 13, 2017, 08:56:20 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 13, 2017, 09:19:46 AM
. The year before last a warden told me they were finding black bears half eaten (wolves) on top of the snow in the middle of winter.I have heard of that happening, but after spending every winter working and running hounds all over NE Wa and N Idaho, I have never seen it.
Post by: SpurInSpokane on April 13, 2017, 09:26:56 AM
Reading through it, there were 3 main things I thought were interesting:
- While there were more predations of adult moose in the northern unit, they think some or much of that is linked to tick infestation: "Importantly, it should be noted that many of the adult moose that succumbed to predation-related mortalities exhibited symptoms of poor body condition from winter tick infestation and/or old age (14 years old in one case), both of which may have pre-disposed them to predation." (pg 4)
- They estimate twice as many predators in the northern area vs. southern, but the largest source of that difference is black bear populations, which appear to be nearly 3 times higher in that area. Wolves seem to make up ~10% of predator sightings in the northern area.
- The calf survival rates in the north are, not surprisingly, much lower than those in the south (one year survival rate of 24% vs. 71%). They don't speculate why but seems to me the predator differences could largely account for the difference
Anyway, will be interesting to see what they conclude, and hopefully the study can continue beyond three years.
Edit to add: Reminds me of a MeatEater podcast where they were discussing trying to time bear hunts in an area to coincide with calf drops, to specifically help calf mortality. I wish I could find the episode offhand; it may be episode 55, but I'm not certain.
Post by: JimmyHoffa on April 13, 2017, 09:33:38 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 13, 2017, 10:16:10 AM
Are the ticks out of balance? Did a predator kill off something keeping the ticks in line? Some parts of the country that have lots of ground birds (turkeys/grouse) have low tick populations because the birds eat them. Maybe more cats/yotes eating the birds?That's an interesting thought- I don't know if anyone has looked into that too much.
The prevailing thought is that the last 6-7 easy winters have helped increase the population. We had a tough winter this year, hopefully that wiped them out.
I HATE ticks now... I got rocky mtn spotted fever from one last spring and felt like death warmed over for a week.
Post by: bearpaw on April 14, 2017, 03:34:30 AM
. The year before last a warden told me they were finding black bears half eaten (wolves) on top of the snow in the middle of winter.I have heard of that happening, but after spending every winter working and running hounds all over NE Wa and N Idaho, I have never seen it.
I would have to agree, I've heard of it but never seen it, because I haven't witnessed it I don't think bear are a primary target of wolves but I don't know for sure. Another thing to consider is that even in areas where the elk population plunged in Idaho due to wolf impacts there are still quite a few bear. But I know a bio who has worked extensively on predator studies in ID/WY and he told me that they have literally found the remains of every animal in wolf poo.
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 14, 2017, 05:13:58 AM
Wolves are resourceful. I suspect very few die of starvation barring an injury
Post by: Skyvalhunter on April 14, 2017, 05:43:49 AM
Post by: Falcon on April 14, 2017, 10:14:49 PM
No but need to die of lead poisoning.
You mean like yours😆
Post by: huntnnw on April 15, 2017, 03:09:50 AM
Post by: CaNINE on April 16, 2017, 07:15:42 AM
Post by: CarbonHunter on April 16, 2017, 08:11:37 AM
Post by: Jpmiller on April 16, 2017, 08:20:57 AM
Post by: SpurInSpokane on April 18, 2017, 10:15:48 AM
Anyone else have a different take/source?
Post by: gutsnthegrass on April 18, 2017, 12:13:36 PM
Post by: elkboy on April 18, 2017, 12:40:49 PM
https://www.qdma.com/burning-questions-can-fire-reduce-tick-abundance/
Post by: rosscrazyelk on April 30, 2017, 06:50:17 PM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on April 30, 2017, 07:21:59 PM