As most of you know the moose herds of western Wyoming and the areas surrounding Yellowstone in ID and MT have been in severe decline for some time now. In Wyoming we still have cow moose seasons in some of these areas. I think WY should eliminate all of the cow hunts in these areas as the decline clearly isn't a result of overpopulation. If you agree, submit a comment to the WG&F before this year's season proposals go into effect. Here's the link to WG&F's comment page https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13Rzz1y9tFMwQ8cpbWJGDpiaw2bjC6rPq52XMldmx-S4/viewform?edit_requested=true&fbzx=-3889142313389744820
Save a Moose
- Thread starter WY ME
- Start date
I've never really looked at Wyoming's moose population or health. Do you have an idea of the reason(s) behind the decline? I know that ticks can reek havoc on moose in some area's, predators too.
I don't oppose cow seasons if the science backs removing a few, but certainly wouldn't want to see it on a struggling or rebuilding population.
I don't oppose cow seasons if the science backs removing a few, but certainly wouldn't want to see it on a struggling or rebuilding population.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I think CC just gave you a very accurate solution to our problem. LOL
It's pretty sad to see what's happened to our moose over the past 15 years. In 2001 we harvested 1215 moose statewide. In 2015 our statewide harvest was 365 so it's safe to say that in western WY our harvest is probably down 75 - 80% over the past 15 years. 65 wolves were introduced into Yellowstone in 1995 and their numbers have probably increased 3000%
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Extractor
Active Member
Kinda funny how that decline coincides with the increase in wolves, but nobody in Fish and Game will come out and say it. The know-nothings in Washington blame everything on Global Warming. Ohh, how politically incorrect of me, I meant to say Climate Change. No sh#$@t, the climate changes. The only good wolf is one on its way to the tannery.
laxwyo
Very Active Member
The G&F actually blame a carotid artery worm. I remember many years ago they brought it up in meeting. I personally believe all the cows tags probably hurt more since the kemmerer doesn't really have wolves
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An old Iowa farmer told me once when asked about climate change, that there use to be 2 miles of ice on top of what we now call Iowa. He says, I think it's been changing for awhile.
6mm Remington
Very Active Member
As we all know part of the issue with permits and Wildlife Agency's is that they have to sell tags to exist. Can you imagine not knowing from year to year how much you will make and then trying to figure out a house you can afford and other essentials. So what that means is they sell tags and permits. You cannot blame them really, but it is their responsibility to help keep our natural resources, one of those being wildlife, and keeping them in healthy numbers. I think they try to do the best that they can, but fudge on tag numbers frequently just trying to stay afloat. For an example there is an area in Montana where I have hunted antelope since I was 12 years old. There used to be roughly 1200 either sex and another 1000 doe fawn tags every year. Of course populations go up and down, but after a few hard winters, some disease, and too many tags sold, the antelope numbers dropped dramatically. It is something like 250 either sex and 30 doe/fawn tags now and has been so for a few years. It is so bad that I don't feel they should give any permits for antelope out, yet they still do it every year. Same with elk and deer in certain locations where they need to give the poor buggers a break for a couple years.
It is way past time that our Wildlife agency's get some hard funding from our legislators. I know in Montana there is some work trying to be done just for that specific reason. I hope they do it because I know that the decisions on permit numbers won't be critical to the agency survival and they will make some better decisions on our precious resource.
David
It is way past time that our Wildlife agency's get some hard funding from our legislators. I know in Montana there is some work trying to be done just for that specific reason. I hope they do it because I know that the decisions on permit numbers won't be critical to the agency survival and they will make some better decisions on our precious resource.
David
Extractor
Active Member
