Abstract

Topic: Moose management and monitoring

A RETROSPECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF MOOSE MANAGEMENT IN ONTARIO: 40 YEARS OF SELECTIVE HARVEST

Alan Bisset¹, Brian McLaren²

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (retired 24 years), 5-307 Metcalfe St, E., Strathroy, Ontario, N7G 0B3, Canada
Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 5E1

Abstract
In 1983, Ontario (Canada) implemented a selective harvest program with the intention of emulating the successful programs in Scandinavia. Based on aerial inventory estimates from the 1960s and 1970s, the program committed to increase the moose population to 160,000 with increases in associated benefits. Harvest planning was formalized with the aid of a population model. Planned harvest quotas recommended ratios of 50% bulls, 15% to 20% cows and 30% to 35% calves and less than 8% of the estimated population to allow for growth. Harvest control was applied as a limit on the number of adult license validation tags. Calf harvest was not restricted because it required a major change in the licensing system and because it was believed that with effective control on the adult harvest, there would be no need to control calf harvest. The program has not lived up to the commitment and recommendations. Instead of increasing, the moose population has declined to 70,000, and hunter numbers have fallen to fewer than 40,000 from an estimated 100,000 each in 2000. A variety of factors have contributed to the moose decline. These include failure to correct for apparent population growth when survey estimates increased with increasingly more accurate aerial surveys, failing to plan harvests consistent with the guidelines, or controlling harvests to those planned. In 2000 and 2009, population targets were reduced because the population had not increased. Inability of the land to support the 1983 estimates was cited as the reason. Considering the biases in the 1960s and 1970s surveys and understanding the history of development in the moose range, the population at that time was probably more than 300,000 moose. Ontario has been unable to create a complete and effective moose management system. Although described as “direct” control over the harvest, offering three to seven times more tags than the planned harvest did not prevented overharvest. An alternative system that translates the principles of the Scandinavian program into the more open hunting systems in North America is proposed.