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Author Topic: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population  (Read 5908 times)

Offline Ridgeratt

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Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« on: April 03, 2019, 07:22:58 PM »
Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
Notably, the agency earlier this year decided to reduce the amount of moose tags available to hunters.

Author: Taylor Viydo
Published: 7:44 PM PDT April 2, 2019
Updated: 7:44 PM PDT April 2, 2019
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Faced with declining moose populations in the Gem State, leaders with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game say they’re taking various steps to ensure that the animals start to rebound.
Notably, the agency earlier this year decided to reduce the amount of moose tags available to hunters.
The issue, which isn’t unique to Idaho, has become especially noticeable since 2010, according to IDFG spokeswoman Kiira Siitari in Coeur d’Alene.

"Across the state, we've been seeing [moose] numbers go down," she said. The findings are based primarily on reports from hunters who left their tags unfulfilled after failing to locate moose during the hunting season.
Siitari noted that due to the nature of the animals, IDFG biologists weren’t able to determine rough estimates of how many moose actually reside in North Idaho.
"Moose are really hard to study,” Siitari said. “They don't herd up in big groups like we deer or elk, so they're more solitary. They're harder to track."
Given that, biologists aren’t entirely sure what’s to blame behind the animal’s decline in Idaho. Siitari said that one of the primary theories among biologists included climate change. Shorter winters and longer summers tend to be more difficult for moose that rely on deep snow to evade predators, Siitari said.
As a result, the state’s Fish and Game commission voted in January to offer 171 fewer moose tags for the upcoming 2019 hunting season. Across Idaho, available tags for antlered moose dropped from 669 in the 2017-2018 season to 560 later this year. For antlerless moose, the tag amounts dropped from 136 to 74.
“We don’t take lightly that there’s a 16 percent reduction in antlered tags, and a 46 percent reduction in antlerless moose tags across the state,” said Fish and Game Director Ed Schriever in a statement. “Certainly, we would like to be talking about increases in tags, but it is simply not biologically supported.”
Hunting moose represents a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for most hunters, said Siitari, noting that individual hunters may only harvest a moose once. "People wait 20 years to get their moose tags,” Siitari said.

The reduction in available tags notes a change from the early 2000’s when IDFG increased the amount of available moose tags after increasing reports of moose sightings and collisions in populated areas, according to Siitari.
Siitari added that other studies and surveys were planned by the agency to better understand the animal’s numbers in the Idaho Panhandle. "These are just iconic species,” she said. “People love to photograph them. People love to hunt them."

Offline MtnMuley

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2019, 07:46:47 PM »
That's a good move on their part. Sucks for us hunters, but it's what's needed at this time. :tup:

Offline fishngamereaper

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2019, 07:50:16 PM »
 :tup: I like it. Noticed a huge decline in Moose this last year in the areas we hunt.

Offline grundy53

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2019, 08:57:15 PM »
Wow. Their game department actually takes what hunters are actually seeing seriously. Wish our state would too.

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Offline Naches Sportsman

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2019, 09:02:44 PM »
Needs to be cut even more, but it's a step in the right direction. I've heard some stories from old timers in the country I work in about the good ole days when elk and moose used to be abundant. People I work with have seen the change as well in the 20 or 30 years they've been working in these woods.

Offline Humptulips

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2019, 09:07:37 PM »
Given that, biologists aren’t entirely sure what’s to blame behind the animal’s decline in Idaho. Siitari said that one of the primary theories among biologists included climate change.
:rolleyes:
Bruce Vandervort

Offline Machias

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2019, 09:18:58 PM »
Hmm increase in moose and moose tags in the early 2000.....now a sudden decline....must be the boogie man, Climate Change, the catch all scapegoat.
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Offline JimmyHoffa

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2019, 09:40:01 PM »
Climate change has a bushy tail and big teeth.

Offline buglebrush

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2019, 10:00:06 PM »
Given that, biologists aren’t entirely sure what’s to blame behind the animal’s decline in Idaho. Siitari said that one of the primary theories among biologists included climate change.
:rolleyes:
Seriously.  The Moose population is plummeting, and they simply cannot bring themselves to be honest about it.  It's the Wolves that have pushed us into this predator pit, and that's the truth.  Some of my friends who've been really successful calling Wolves swear by Moose Calf sounds.  I have four different friends who have called in and killed wolves while calling for elk, and it's happened to me too, but never got a shot. 

Listen, just fifteen years ago when I got married the wife and I would jump in my little Toyota and go chase moose down the mountain roads.  When her family would come visit we'd go up so they could see moose, and it was really easy to find some.  The last couple years we see more moose in town than up in the mountains.  I used to curse about all the moose on my trail cameras, but not anymore. I'm so sick of Biologists lying to everyone to protect their agenda with predators.   :bash:

Offline KFhunter

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2019, 10:27:41 PM »
Habitat loss!

Ticks!

No snow!

Too much snow!



WE DONT KNOW!

Offline BULLBLASTER

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2019, 05:58:07 AM »
I’ve seen a pretty drastic decline in moose in the area I hunted in 2014. Mule deer numbers are much much lower than they were then also. The moose tag would still be a great tag with good potential and not difficult to fill but I haven’t seen the clearcut with 20+ moose like I had before and the year I had my tag.

On the other side it seems like elk numbers are increasing in that area. Seeing them more and more around there.

I really do wish that Idaho and wa both would put more effort and resources into managing moose but am glad Idaho is being active and trying to make a difference.

Offline B4noon

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2019, 07:16:44 AM »
Meanwhile in Washington here's our biologists response to the same issue a declining moose population they will present this to the commission tomorrow. We know their declining but its acceptable amazing. They chopped the crap out of elk permits for a supposive population decline but moose its acceptable the left doesn't know what the rights doing great consistency in management good thing is caribou declined to the point we can hunt them with OTC tags

Offline buglebrush

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2019, 07:45:11 AM »
Meanwhile in Washington here's our biologists response to the same issue a declining moose population they will present this to the commission tomorrow. We know their declining but its acceptable amazing. They chopped the crap out of elk permits for a supposive population decline but moose its acceptable the left doesn't know what the rights doing great consistency in management good thing is caribou declined to the point we can hunt them with OTC tags

They're right that hunters have very little to do with the decline, and they will continue to decline in Washington because wdfw doesn't believe in managing predators.

Online benhuntin

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2019, 08:37:37 AM »
WDFW doesn’t care about Moose or hunters. As long as they can keep selling tags.


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Offline buglebrush

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2019, 10:47:17 AM »
WDFW doesn’t care about Moose or hunters. As long as they can keep selling tags.


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If we go for reduced tags rather than increased predator control we're missing the forest for the trees.  WDFW needs to hear one unified and unrelenting voice from Sportsmen and that's the desperate need for aggressive predator management.  Everything else is just smoke and mirrors without it. 

Offline DOUBLELUNG

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2019, 12:14:02 PM »
It's a 3-legged stool and bad news for moose.  Predation, habitat degradation, climate change - not cow farts and Inslee's agenda, the simple fact that warming temperatures, especially winters, allows tick numbers to greatly increase.  Moose are tanking across the lower 48, both where there are wolves and where there are not. 

A shortage of hardwood browse in many areas due to lack of logging (and a silver lining of wildfires) lowers carrying capacity, productivity and winter survival.  Winter ticks in many areas are so severe that calves die of anemia and adults that do survive are in poor condition.  Concentration of moose where there is abundant browse make them easy to locate for predators and poor condition makes them less able to resist predators.  Bear predation on calves is huge rangewide, and where there are wolves stressed moose don't need that added stress and mortality; and likely can't persist under those habitat and climate conditions where wolves are abundant. 

Wolf and bear reductions would slow the decline, as would more clearcuts, but I suspect moose hunting long term is going to be mainly a Canada and Alaska thing, just like it was in the 1950s and 1960s outdoor magazines I grew up reading.  It's really sad.
As long as we have the habitat, we can argue forever about who gets to kill what and when.  No habitat = no game.

Offline Magnum_Willys

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #16 on: April 04, 2019, 12:24:42 PM »
Driving N. Idaho fews years back in the snow we cut dozens of different sets of moose tracks.  Every single one had a wolf or more following them.  Boggles my mind how we have any moose left at all. 

Offline buglebrush

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #17 on: April 04, 2019, 01:29:50 PM »
Driving N. Idaho fews years back in the snow we cut dozens of different sets of moose tracks.  Every single one had a wolf or more following them.  Boggles my mind how we have any moose left at all.

Exactly.  Climate change?  What a farce!  In North Idaho moose decline directly correlates with wolf numbers

Offline idaho guy

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2019, 02:57:53 PM »
Driving N. Idaho fews years back in the snow we cut dozens of different sets of moose tracks.  Every single one had a wolf or more following them.  Boggles my mind how we have any moose left at all.

Exactly.  Climate change?  What a farce!  In North Idaho moose decline directly correlates with wolf numbers

Wouldn't the "climate change" have too make winters warmer to create the tick problem? I wouldn't say we have had warmer winters for a while quite the opposite. I know the moose all died because of global warming and ticks but why did the ticks decide to finally kill the moose when the wolves showed up? I guess I will have to ask a biologist :chuckle:

Offline buglebrush

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #19 on: April 05, 2019, 08:32:36 AM »
Driving N. Idaho fews years back in the snow we cut dozens of different sets of moose tracks.  Every single one had a wolf or more following them.  Boggles my mind how we have any moose left at all.

Exactly.  Climate change?  What a farce!  In North Idaho moose decline directly correlates with wolf numbers

Wouldn't the "climate change" have too make winters warmer to create the tick problem? I wouldn't say we have had warmer winters for a while quite the opposite. I know the moose all died because of global warming and ticks but why did the ticks decide to finally kill the moose when the wolves showed up? I guess I will have to ask a biologist :chuckle:

Exactly.  We broke records for cold this winter. 

Offline idaho guy

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #20 on: April 05, 2019, 01:48:38 PM »
I have drawn my moose tag already, and with friends and family in the past, we have done the late season tags in 1. Last year a hunting partner had the same tag as me and it was pretty disappointing and really sad how bad the numbers had seemed to decline in just a few years. He ended up shooting a dink at the end of season.  Anyways, I am putting my son in and wonder if anyone has recent experience with 5? I had hunted that for deer and elk in the past but its been a while since I have spent any serious time there. Used to be polluted with moose where I hunted but was wondering if anyone had a more recent status of the moose in 5?  pm or whatever would be appreciated. Thanks! I will add that its great that Idaho f&g has reduced the tags based on what I have been seeing with the moose. I just wish there was more honesty surrounding what the moose problem really is.     

Offline wolfbait

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #21 on: April 05, 2019, 09:52:33 PM »
WDFW doesn’t care about Moose or hunters. As long as they can keep selling tags.


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If we go for reduced tags rather than increased predator control we're missing the forest for the trees.  WDFW needs to hear one unified and unrelenting voice from Sportsmen and that's the desperate need for aggressive predator management.  Everything else is just smoke and mirrors without it.

 :yeah: But as we have already seen some hunters agree that cutting hunting to help the herds is a plus, they seem to forget it's the uncontrolled predators that's having the biggest impact.

Offline fishngamereaper

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #22 on: April 06, 2019, 06:20:16 AM »
WDFW doesn’t care about Moose or hunters. As long as they can keep selling tags.


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If we go for reduced tags rather than increased predator control we're missing the forest for the trees.  WDFW needs to hear one unified and unrelenting voice from Sportsmen and that's the desperate need for aggressive predator management.  Everything else is just smoke and mirrors without it.

 :yeah: But as we have already seen some hunters agree that cutting hunting to help the herds is a plus, they seem to forget it's the uncontrolled predators that's having the biggest impact.

As far as Idaho goes though you can hunt and kill wolves and you can run dogs for cats.  So I applaud the recognition of reduced #'s and the reduction of tags in an attempt to help the #'s rebound.

Offline idaho guy

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #23 on: April 06, 2019, 01:26:53 PM »
WDFW doesn’t care about Moose or hunters. As long as they can keep selling tags.


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If we go for reduced tags rather than increased predator control we're missing the forest for the trees.  WDFW needs to hear one unified and unrelenting voice from Sportsmen and that's the desperate need for aggressive predator management.  Everything else is just smoke and mirrors without it.

 :yeah: But as we have already seen some hunters agree that cutting hunting to help the herds is a plus, they seem to forget it's the uncontrolled predators that's having the biggest impact.

As far as Idaho goes though you can hunt and kill wolves and you can run dogs for cats.  So I applaud the recognition of reduced #'s and the reduction of tags in an attempt to help the #'s rebound.

 :yeah: I just heard Idaho increased wolf tags to 20 from 10. Idaho has gone all out on every predator AND they have the wisdom to still cut tags at the cost of revenue. They have proposed lions with dogs stay open through June which I think they are going over board on cat control but they just keep adding to the wolf seasons which is great. Idaho big game is going to be fine Washington on the other hand might be screwed

Offline BULLBLASTER

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #24 on: April 06, 2019, 01:38:07 PM »
WDFW doesn’t care about Moose or hunters. As long as they can keep selling tags.


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If we go for reduced tags rather than increased predator control we're missing the forest for the trees.  WDFW needs to hear one unified and unrelenting voice from Sportsmen and that's the desperate need for aggressive predator management.  Everything else is just smoke and mirrors without it.

 :yeah: But as we have already seen some hunters agree that cutting hunting to help the herds is a plus, they seem to forget it's the uncontrolled predators that's having the biggest impact.

As far as Idaho goes though you can hunt and kill wolves and you can run dogs for cats.  So I applaud the recognition of reduced #'s and the reduction of tags in an attempt to help the #'s rebound.

 :yeah: I just heard Idaho increased wolf tags to 20 from 10. Idaho has gone all out on every predator AND they have the wisdom to still cut tags at the cost of revenue. They have proposed lions with dogs stay open through June which I think they are going over board on cat control but they just keep adding to the wolf seasons which is great. Idaho big game is going to be fine Washington on the other hand might be screwed
Wolf tags are otc in Idaho. Anyone can buy up to 5 tags

Offline meatwhack

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #25 on: April 06, 2019, 02:30:03 PM »
You can buy 10 for some regions along with 10 trapping tags. So there are areas you could kill 20 in a year.

Offline Falcon

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #26 on: April 06, 2019, 05:22:32 PM »
I believe Idaho F/G has their crap together.  I hope the moose have a fighting chance, but that’s a tall order when wolves are imo the smartest hunting animal on the planet bar none.   I feel extremely lucky to have drawn a Washington late  moose tag back a few years back.   I hunted 14 days to take a average mature bull.  I passed up many small dink’s so it was rewarding to hit pay dirt late in the season.  I never saw a wolf during my hunt, but saw many tracks.  Honestly there was way more cougar sign, and I did run into a female cat with 3 kittens.  I wish every hunter had one chance to hunt moose in Washington before they are a rare species😳
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Offline huntnnw

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #27 on: April 08, 2019, 06:55:47 AM »
people say its a more complicated problem than just predators.  Lets say there were no wolves introduced we wouldnt be talking about this. Bios have stated that wolves are and have targeted moose calves in areas with moose. A moose calf is a easy dinner for a wolf it doesnt take rocket scientist to figure out when calf survival is plummeting why the population is tanking.

Offline Stein

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Re: Idaho Fish and Game takes steps to improve moose population
« Reply #28 on: April 08, 2019, 07:55:31 AM »
I venture a guess that savvy states will start adding wolf tags for free with their big game tags for both residents and nonresidents. 

 


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