An Alaskan bull moose is best thought of as starting between 700-800 pounds for a 2 year old spike/fork and can go upwards of 1600 pounds for an old bull. In most parts of the range, the moose are seldom found south of the 50th parallel, and when they are, it’s usually in the mountainous regions. Montana is home to approximately 5,000 moose, of the Shiras subspecies. Permits to hunt moose are issued by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and are valid for specific locations. P&Y classifies only moose taken in the lower 48 as Shiras however SCI and Super Slam club recognize moose taken in SE British Columbia and SW Alberta as Shiras. Time of Day: The best time of day for moose hunting is during the coolness of early mornings and evenings when moose are the most actively in search of food and water. Northern Maine is the best choice for hunters who find that either the cost or the distance of a trip to Alaska puts that option out of reach. This region is comprised of over a million acres and is one of the best units in Colorado to harvest a giant bull. The subspecies of moose found in Maine is the Eastern variety. In our hunting areas, specifically unit 6, we have trophy cyrus bull moose. There are other limitations, too, including the fact that a large part of the state is a short-range weapon only zone. My 2019 moose season was a great one with lots of moose rutting activity. North Dakota Game and Fish doesn’t offer recent moose population estimates, but claims they are stable or growing. In 2019 the moose population in Colorado was estimated at 2,910 animals. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the moose population in the state is doing better than in other states of the Lower 48. The land is served by logging roads that give hunters easier access to the interior, and cutting practices make the forests more open with greater visibility. If you are fortunate enough to draw a Moose permit, give us a call. GMU's (Game Management Units) 17/171. The moose population in Utah, like in Colorado, is a relatively new thing, fostered by logging (that replace mature timber with meadows and young trees that are the preferred habitat for moose) and extermination of wolves and grizzly bears. 348 tags were available in 2019, with 330 going to residents and only 18 to non-resident. Residents pay $112 and non-residents $1,402. The last known member of America’s wild reindeer, the American caribou, is spending her days in a pen in British Columbia.Once nearly 50 strong in 2009, the herds that traversed the boundaries of Canada and Idaho and Washington have drastically declined. Much of it is covered with hardwood forests, but they are interspersed with stands of softwood and cedar. Hunting is a way of life in the United States, and we are here to help you be as successful on the hunt as possible. There are two moose hunting seasons in Vermont: archery (October 1-7) and main (6 days starting with 3rd Saturday of October). ... Getting into lower 48 draws for moose at this point is tossing money in the shit can. Almost all the land in Maine outside the North Maine Woods is also privately owned. When you are making plans, it is a good idea to check the maps on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website to see where your guide will be taking you and confirm that it is permissible for you to hunt there. Moose hunts in Alaska usually require a plane ride to your camp. Moose seasons were open in 11 of the Lower 48 states: Washington, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, Minnesota, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. Moose are not smart or tough, but they are big. They do not do well in areas where there is no stable snow cover in winter. A law passed in 2010 placed moose on the game species list and allowed for hunting up to 10 bulls a season; however, the population growth didn’t live up to optimistic predictions and currently a moose season is not on the table. On average an adult moose stands (1.5 – 1.8 m or 5 to 6 feet) high. This is also a excellent moose area located on the banks of Long Harbour River. So, there is such a thing as an OTC moose tag in the Lower 48! On the other hand, I consider moose to be the best of all wild meats, and there’s a lot of it if you get one. You do not want an expensive trip to be made even more costly by fines, and you do not want to have your kill confiscated or yourself arrested because the hunt was illegal. Maine has the most dense concentration of moose in the lower 48 states. Now as you all know, the border between the USA and Canada west of the Great Lakes runs along the 48th parallel, which explains why Canada is a moose country and the USA not so much. Resident moose licenses are $332, non-resident $1,652. The large, mature Roosevelt Elk bulls will often times have "crown points" which project at different angles off the main beam. We have hunting rights in a part of Alberta that contains some of the best Moose habitat in the country. Tags are available to residents only. The moose hunting season in Washington may be impacted by snow. It strongly recommended that you consult with additional sources, particularly on information about hunting seasons and legality. A stable permanent population also exists in Massachusetts, that could number up to 1,000 animals. So, what can the heart of the USA offer to an aspiring moose hunter? If you’re lucky enough to draw a permit, it will specify the season dates. The moose is the creature of the temperate climate and the boreal forest. Moose are widely distributed throughout the state. The managed forests of the North Maine Woods offer excellent habitat for moose, which has helped to increase their population. And beyond hunting, no gun collection is truly complete without a .30-06 rifle of some sort in the mix. Applications must be made months in advance, and it may take years before you win a chance to hunt. Read more about moose hunting in Idaho in “Slugging the Hulk” by James Reed. Snow may make some roads impassible, and property owners may close off roads that hunters expected to have available. Moose hunting is one of the most exciting big game hunting experiences out there and the United States is loaded with hunting opportunities for this magnificent game animal. Peaking at about 12,000-13,000 animals in the early 2000s, Wyoming moose population is now down to some 4,000. According to 2014-2018 study, tick mortality is on the rise, and it is associated with both shorter winters and higher moose densities. Non-residents are allotted only up to 10% of tags. While Alaska-Yukon moose cows give birth to two calves in about 70% of cases, the “twinning rate” for Shiras moose is no higher than 15%. There’s also a special limited disabled military veteran hunt. In the Midwest, there are about 500 moose in Michigan, mostly in a reintroduced herd transplanted from Canada. Three of the four subspecies of moose recognized in North America are found in the Lower 48. Above friends Corey and Deric, Aaron (packer), and I pose with their 60” bull that was called to us as the sun set on day 3 of their hunt. At higher elevations the ground will be more rugged, while the river valleys are more accessible and easier to navigate. It is, however, your duty to ensure that your hunt is legal. The Lower 48 have hardly been on top of anyone’s moose hunting destination list – until COVID-19 and related travel bans made many Americans look more closely at hunting opportunities at home. This was partly a conscious management act, meant to reduce the number of vehicle collisions, and partly attributed to winter tick and brainworm parasite infections. Dall sheep are in abundance in this area and the trophy quality is exceptional with top end rams pushing 40 inches. Hunting land in Idaho may be publicly or privately held. Horseback Hunting in the KwaZulu-Natal Mountains. The VF&W doesn’t aim to increase the population, their goal is to keep it at moderate levels, so that the densities are low enough to stop the transmission of ticks and brainworm, on the one hand, and still have enough of the animals to satisfy the public need for watching and hunting. Shiras moose also begin to reproduce, on the average, a year later than other moose. They are the smallest variety of moose, with the bulls ranging from 850 to 1100 pounds with spreads that average about 45 inches. When discussing the correct armament for adequately tackling the task that is Alaska moose hunting, the first step is to not ignore the animal’s generous size. With large swaths of the state available for hunting, and moose that have adapted to almost every habitat, finding the environment that best suits your preferences and abilities is not difficult. According to the state Department of Fish and Game, Idaho has a population of about 10,000 to 12,000 moose. In 2020 634 tags were issued. Moose have a very keen sense of hearing and hunters must be very quiet and patient while hunting. If you are not planning to use a guide, there is one more thing to be aware of when you choose a location: Some public lands are only open to residents who live in rural areas. And if they have to die, a hunter’s bullet or arrow is better than ticks, brainworm, lack of food, or wolves’ fangs. No ducks or Geese either. It is suggested that the tick does not become a problem even with shorter winters if moose populations are at or below the density of .25 moose per square mile. Discussion in 'Hunting' started by Freedom_fighter_in_IL, Dec 12, 2011. Your chances to draw are slim if you don’t have 20-21 preference points. Moose tags are issued through a draw, you must apply in April. In 2019, residents drew 41 and non-residents 8 permits. With over 24,000 applications, the chances to draw were about 2% (1 in 50). You must also take care to be aware of state boundaries and not unintentionally stray into Idaho. Or 385 – 534 kg) and females (600 to 800 lbs or 270 – 362 kg). A stable population of about 40 moose exists in Wisconsin, and in Minnesota average population estimates are at about 3,150. There is a slim chance that one year, no or only a few bowhunters would hunt moose as those that were drawn only hunted with ML or rifle. Although most people use the services of guides, it is ultimately your responsibility to make sure your paperwork is in order and your hunt is legal. Whether you want the biggest bull you can find for a trophy or would be just as happy with the meat from a cow to stock your freezer, you need to know where to go to have the best chance of a successful hunt. Hunting success rates in Idaho approach 100 percent, and many of the animals are true trophy quality. Moose hunting season is September 15 to November 29. Since moose can be found throughout Alaska, the terrain that you will be navigating during your hunt can vary, but it will almost always be rough. FILE - In this Aug. 21, 2010 file photo, moose graze in Franconia, N.H. Whatever the reason, lower reproduction of Shiras moose explains why wildlife managers in the West allocate fewer tags per 1,000 of moose than their colleagues from the East. | Powered by WordPress. There are an estimated 2,200 moose in Vermont, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife. This lodge will offer the finest of hunting for all of Newfoundland’s big game animals including Black Bear. Read also: “Moose Hunting in Alaska: A conversation with an outfitter“. Moose in Maine are considered Eastern Canada Moose and can be a very tough draw as well, even though this state has the highest population in the lower 48 states. Call or email Bearpaw Outfitters to get on the mailing list to be advised when and how to apply. Residents pay $125 for their tags, and non-residents $1,250. The Bob is home to an array of wildlife that includes nearly every animal indigenous to the Northern Rockies. 2,000 to 3,000 hunting permits are issued every year in two draws, for residents (who are allotted 90% of permits) and for non-resident (8%). Colorado is a moose haven right now. Success rates for adult first draw applications was 1.5% (1 in 67) for residents and 0.7% (1 in 145) for non-residents. Private land is most often under the control of corporations owned by native populations, although there are also some plots owned by individuals near the more populated areas. And human harvest continues to be an irreplicable method of moose population control. But these hunts aren't cheap, running in the range of $14,000-$18,000. 10 permits are sold from a sealed bid auction, and 2% are distributed, via a special lottery, to licensed hunting lodges, who then can sell them to their clients. there are numerous outfitters … According to the Denver Post, Colorado’s moose population was at 2,300 animals and up 35 percent in two years. Guided and Non-Guided Moose Hunting in WMD 11, 10, 19, 18 & 6 Northern Maine, with it’s vast wilderness, has the largest Moose population in the lower 48 states. These bowhunts are very expensive but often times produce exceptional trophies. - Designed by Thrive Permits are distributed by a lottery system, with up to 10% of tags available to non-residents. If you choose to book your Moose hunt with us, you will be hunting in units 17/171 located in historic Jackson County, CO. Best Hunting in the Lower 48. I know that Maine offers tags. Still, there are states with moose populations and hunting opportunities. Before the moose population in the state can grow again, the numbers of the animals must be kept down, so that the foraging resources may recover. This lodge is currently under construction. There’s also bald eagles, falcons, owls, grouse, not to mention a plethora of cutthroat trout. It is best to check the maps at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to see where your permit allows you to hunt, and always make sure you have permission from private landowners to hunt on their land or pass through it. Maine offers very good hunting opportunities for the Eastern subspecies, while Washington, Idaho, and Colorado have good habitat for the Shiras population. The archery season is in September, and the general season in October. Some of the most impressive growth in ten years from 1991 to 2001 was recorded in Washington, that went from 200 to over 1,000 animals, Idaho (from 5,500 to 15,000), and Vermont (from 1,300 to 3,500). Moose seasons may run for a few weeks in September, October and November, depending on the wildlife management unit. Since all North American moose are genetically similar, this ought to be explained by environmental factors. It looks like the current numbers of moose in the Lower 48 are likely to remain at the same level for the next few years if not decades. The lowest numbers of moose tags were issued in Washington (69) and Colorado (74); in both states, as well as in Idaho, North Dakota, and Minnesota, moose tags were not available to non-residents. The average number of preference points of successful winners were between 13 and 18. You can occasionally see a moose in South Dakota, Nebraska, and even New Mexico. With three subspecies available and terrain that ranges from agricultural land in Idaho to the rugged Alaskan interior, your chances for a successful hunt are high. Males weigh (850 to 1180 lbs. Only 49 permits are issued. The moose in Alaska are of the Alaska-Yukon variety, which is the subspecies with the largest animals. During the fall hunting season, the oldest, biggest bulls will be the first to move out of their summer ranges and into the higher elevations. Also, we’ve left Alaska off of consideration because while there may be more game to hunt here in the lower 48, Alaska’s openness and public lands give it quite a hunting advantage. There are several Western states that support moose populations, and Idaho is particularly attractive for hunters. The populations in ND, MN, and WI are resident only hunting, if there is hunting at all. The state carries out an extensive moose research program, that indicates that the population is overall stable. Bulls in the Lower 48 (Alces alces) weigh from 800 to 1,000 pounds. Both residents and non-residents can apply. It also demonstrates the lowest reproduction rates. Some people may ask, why, if Nature has self-regulatory mechanisms? The landscape in northeastern Washington is attractive to moose and hunters alike. They prefer the vegetation in the more open patches of forest that have been cleared by logging or burning, which makes the animals easier to spot. The population is estimated at about 3,000 head and a hunting season is open. Logging activity in this region has actually created great opportunities for moose hunters. Moose can be found throughout the state, but the area closest to the Canadian border has the greatest density. 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