Declining numbers of moose in Idaho have prompted state wildlife officials to reduce hunting opportunities.
In February, Idaho Fish and Game cut the number of moose tags due to population declines across the state. In 2019-20, there will be only 634 moose tags available, down 22 percent from 2017-18, which saw an 8 percent reduction compared to 2015-16.
The Panhandle region saw the largest reduction for the upcoming season, with a 45 percent cut in moose tags and the elimination of antlerless tags.
There are an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 moose in the state, though hard numbers are difficult to determine because moose do not herd up in the winter like deer or elk.
Agency biologists say the most severe declines of moose numbers are in northern Idaho and southeast Idaho, but they don’t know exactly why they are dropping. Suspected causes include loss of habitat due to wildfires, disease-carrying ticks, and a lack of heavy snowpack that increases predation by wolves and mountain lions.
Other Western states are also seeing moose declines, including Utah, which went from a record population size of 4,000 in 2005, to 2,600 in the most recent estimate in 2017.
Idaho officials recently met with representatives from Utah, Wyoming, Washington, and Oregon to create regional and state-specific moose management plans. (Bend Bulletin)
