Moose in the NWT

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The moose (Alces alces) is the largest member of the deer family. To the Dogrib they are known as Dendi, the Gwich'in call them Dinjik, in North Slavey they are Æîts’é, and in Inuktitut they are called Tuktuvak. Historically, native people relied heavily on them for survival. The huge hides were at one time painstakingly tanned and sewn together to cover large, spruce-frame boats. Moosehide leggings, coats, hats and footwear were necessary apparel to ward off the severe cold. Moose meat was essential to people subsisting in remote areas and the hides were used for tents. A successful hunt was occasion for a feast, and the elders were honoured with the head, which is a delicacy.

Today, the moose is still an important resource in many NWT communities. With a single animal yielding as much as 300 kg of meat, it continues to be a staple food for many. In addition, the hides are usually home-tanned and used extensively for the making of garments and handicrafts. Most hunters and trappers below the treeline still prefer handmade mukluks to manufactured winter footwear, and moosehide is essential for their soles, as caribou hide is neither thick nor tough enough. Moosehide is also used to make slippers or moccasins, and heavy winter mitts. The art of moosehair tufting entails working with the hairs of the moose, plucking, dyeing and sewing them into intricate floral patterns.

Bulls (males) average a weight of 500 kilograms, however may weigh as much as 700 to 750 kilograms. Cows (females) are lighter in weight. Both sexes stand about 2 meters at the shoulder. The body is bulky with a short, stubby tail and a disproportionately large head. The long, square muzzle ends with an overhanging upper lip. Moose of both sexes have a "bell" that hangs under the throat. This is a flap of skin covered with hair that grows as long as 25 cm on males. The bell is used in communication, both visual and olfactory. The large surface of the bell in bull moose transfers scents to the cows during their "chinning" behaviour. The size and shape of the bell on bulls may be a secondary indicator of sex, relative to age and rank, especially during the antlerless period.

Moose have long legs which are suited for ploughing through deep snow, walking over bushes and logs, and wading through muskeg. Their normal gait is a walk, but they occasionally trot in a stiff-legged manner. They seldom gallop unless frightened. With this peculiar rocking motion, they can attain a speed of 55 kilometres per hour.

Thick hides and warm coats insulate the moose against the winter cold. A difference of as much as 20°C may be registered between the air temperature and the hide of the moose. A fine undercoat of grey wool, and coarse, scaly guard hairs helps to retain heat. The coat is about 10 centimetres long on the body, but may grow to 20 centimetres on the neck and shoulders. In spring, the old, faded coat is shed and replaced with a short, dark brown coat. In late summer, the guard hairs grow longer and produce a rich, reddish, brown-black coat. The underhair thickens in September to provide additional warmth for the coming winter months.

Moose are well-known for their distinctive palmate antlers. Only bulls grow them and the rack is in its prime when the animal is about six years of age. During the first year a moose may grow short stubs and yearlings may develop one or two forks. As the moose ages, a characteristic shovel shape develops, and the antlers form points on both sides. 

Antlers begin growing in April and reach their maximum size in August or September. They are covered with skin and hair, or "velvet". In late August, the blood supply to the velvet is cut off and it starts to shed, aided by the moose rubbing the antlers against trees. Continuous scraping of the antlers signifies the start of the breeding season. After about a week, the velvet is completely shed and the white antlers begin to stain brown. Older bulls lose their antlers in December, following the rut, while the younger males may keep theirs as late as February.

Distribution

In North America, moose range from Alaska to the northern Rocky Mountains in the United States, and eastward to Newfoundland. The extensive boreal forests of Canada provide the largest moose range in North America and moose occur in both territories and in every province except Prince Edward Island. Samuel Hearne sighted moose south of Great Slave Lake in 1771. At about the same time, there were reports of moose seen down the Mackenzie River as far as Inuvik and east to Great Bear Lake. Traditional moose range encompassed suitable habitat south of the treeline throughout the NWT. Reports indicate that moose began extending their range eastward in the early 1900's.

Since the early 1900's, moose have been seen at numerous locations on the tundra where adequate forage is available. They have been sighted recently near Bathurst Inlet and Coronation Gulf. They have been hunted near Coppermine for years and one was even shot on the east side of Victoria Island.

In the Keewatin, two moose were seen on the Tha-anne River south of Arviat in 1972, and they have also been seen near the Kazan River. Moose distribution near treeline and on the tundra is scattered. Areas with lush willow growth often have small local concentrations of moose, such as the Thelon Game Sanctuary.

Grey shaded area - Distribution of Moose

South of the treeline, moose are widely distributed in the NWT. Generally, they are found only at low densities (5 to 15 moose per 100 km2) compared to other northern jurisdictions in the boreal forest. The best areas for moose are characterized by semi-open forest cover, an abundance of willow and aspen stands, and are located close to lakes, river valleys, stream banks or sand bars. They prefer deciduous shrubs for fall and winter food and thick conifers for winter cover. In the summer they can be found close to river valleys and lakes where they feed on aquatic vegetation. Moose tend to favour areas 15-30 years after a forest fire because natural regeneration provides all of the habitat types they require.

Behaviour

Moose are unpredictable in their behaviour. They have excellent senses of hearing and smell, but poor vision. When a moose perceives a threat, it often withdraws silently into the trees and stands quietly until the danger has passed. A startled or frightened moose will crash noisily headlong through the bush. Its antlers do not become entangled in dense thickets when it runs because it holds its head back so the antlers lie along the shoulders and the branches are pushed aside. Although ungulates are generally gregarious, moose are solitary animals and do not form permanent groups. The only social bond formed is between mother and calf. Moose may "yard" together in winter, but this is more of a temporary survival mechanism than a social one. When snow is very deep, it tends to restrict their movements to small areas which become well-packed and laced with trails. In the Northwest Territories where snowfall is generally light, yarding is probably not as important as elsewhere, but small groups are still often seen together.

Reproduction

During the rut, in late September and early October, bulls become unpredictable and dangerous. At this time, both sexes call to each other. Cows emit a wail-like bawl while bulls respond with a heavy grunt-like noise that can be heard up to half a kilometer away. Moose often form temporary associations ranging in size from male and female pairs to several adults. Bulls are polygamous and may seek out more than one cow to breed with. The cows are receptive for 7 to 12 days, but experience true oestrus for only about 24 hours. If breeding does not take place immediately, successive oestrus cycles may occur at 20 to 30 day intervals. Serious fighting between bulls erupts occasionally. It often starts by one pushing the antlers of the other for six to eight steps, then the other will plant its feet and push back. Such activity may be interspersed with jerky grazing motions, and continue for hours. Serious fighting may result in death or locking of the antlers. If the animals cannot break loose, they eventually die of exhaustion and starvation. 
 

In late May or early June, the cow moose seeks out a secluded location, often on an island or peninsula, to give birth. A single calf is usually produced by young cows, while mature animals often have twins, and triplets occasionally occur. The calf or calves from the previous year may still be with the cow when the young are born, but she will reject them in order to be alone with her new calves. Cows give birth lying down and often nurse while still on the ground. The cow thoroughly licks the calf at birth and this becomes a ritual activity, reinforcing the maternal bond.

The new calf is totally helpless and is kept isolated and carefully guarded for a few days. If the calf is frightened, it will fall to the ground and lie absolutely silent until the danger passes. The protective instincts of the cow are strong, and she will often charge at perceived threats such as a bull moose, humans, and bears, by rushing forward and striking at them with both front feet.

A newborn calf has a reddish-brown coat, long legs and ears, and a short muzzle. By the time it is a week old, it can run faster than a man and swim short distances. Young calves are frisky and playful, and do not develop a fear of humans until they are older. At about two months they begin to lose their baby appearance, and the characteristic long muzzle begins to develop. The pelage changes to a longer, dark grey-brown coat as winter advances.

The moose grows more quickly than most animals as a result of the high fat content of the mother's milk. A calf weighs an average of 14 kg at birth and gains 0.05 to 0.09 kg daily in its first month. By the second month it starts gaining over 1 kg per day. By six months of age the moose can weigh nearly 200 kg. The rapid weight gain is facilitated by nursing which continues until fall, and foraging which begins at two weeks of age.

Survival

In addition to hunting, the three major determinants of moose survival are predators, snow conditions and disease.

The timber wolf is the most serious predator of moose in the NWT. They often detect moose by scent. When the moose population is thriving, wolves act as a culling agent for old or diseased animals and weakened calves. When the moose becomes aware of danger, it can either stand and fight or run. A single wolf or a small group of wolves are no match for a healthy moose, which uses all four powerful legs to strike an opponent. However, a group of more than four or five wolves can pull down and kill a large moose. If the moose decides to run, wolves give chase and attempt to slow the moose by grabbing it by the nose, rump, or hocks. In this case, an organized attack by a large group of hungry wolves is often fatal for the moose.

In the Yukon and Alaska, calf predation by grizzly and black bears has been shown to have a major effect on the size of moose populations. This may also be the case in the NWT, but to date no data are available.

Predation and snow conditions are interrelated factors that can have a significant effect on moose numbers. When snow is deep and moose ''yard'' together, they are more accessible in greater numbers to wolves. Moose have relatively long legs that allow them travel through deep snow easier than most other ungulates. However, snow depth of over 90 cm greatly hinders their movements and their foraging ability is seriously restricted. Crusted snow can also be detrimental to moose in that it can pierce the skin on the forelegs and crack the hooves, making it vulnerable to predation.

Moose are susceptible to a variety of parasites.

• Tapeworms that cause cysts do not directly influence moose mortality, but instead hinder their response to stress. Three types of tapeworms that can be found in moose in the NWT are liver tapeworm cysts (Taenia hydatigena), hydatid disease in the lungs (Echinococcus granulosus), and muscle tapeworm cysts (Taenia krabbei).
• "Moose disease" is caused by a parasitic roundworm (P. tenuis) carried and transmitted by white-tailed deer. Infestation in moose can damage the central nervous system and ultimately invade the brain, usually causing death. The symptoms of the disease include walking in circles, bumping into objects, losing fear of man, and general lack of co-ordination. "Moose disease" is not found in the NWT and Western Canada at this time, which can probably be attributed to the low populations of white-tailed deer in these areas.
• Ticks (Demacentor albipictus) feed on the blood of the moose, severely weakening the animals and causing hair loss which then increases heat loss. External ticks have been reported on moose in the South Slave and Deh Cho regions.

In some places a significant number of moose are killed through collisions with motor vehicles. So far, this is not a problem in the NWT because there are so few roads. Other minor causes of mortality to moose are drowning, falls, and wounds caused during rutting combat.

Management

The importance of moose in the NWT means that their management must be carefully planned. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has conducted aerial surveys in selected areas and are developing guidelines for management of moose populations and habitat.

The effect of forest fires and development activities in the NWT are important management concerns and may significantly affect moose numbers in the future. Clearing of land initiates forest regeneration and succession, providing excellent moose habitat. However, this can also increase hunter access into previously remote and unavailable areas. As well, clearing too much forest in one area can also reduce winter cover that moose need. Current trends indicate that moose are overharvested in areas around communities, but healthy populations exist farther away from human settlement. Fortunately, these problems are limited by minimal development in remote areas and relatively low human populations. Careful management now and in the future will help ensure that NWT moose populations maintain or increase their densities while allowing for a continued and sustainable harvest.

Management activities undertaken for other species can also affect moose populations. For example, in an effort to improve bison habitat in the Fort Resolution area, prescribed burning of willow-choked meadows was carried out, potentially reducing moose habitat in that area.

Harvest Levels

Currently in the NWT, moose are managed mostly by controlling the hunting season for resident and non-resident hunters. As well, they are limited to one moose per hunter. For resident hunters, the moose hunting season is September 1st to January 31st. Non-resident hunters, Canadian and alien, are only allowed to hunt moose September 1st to October 31st. General Hunting Licence holders (including all natives, most Metis and a few long-time non-native residents) may hunt during any season.

The numbers in the following chart have been taken from the annual NWT Resident Hunter Survey performed by ENR. Non-resident harvest numbers have been collected from Regional ENR offices.

Year	Resident Harvest	Non-resident Harvest	Total
1991/1992	306	40	346
1992/1993	276	32	308
1993/1994	274	56	330
1994/1995	270	46	316
1995/1996	188	49	237
1996/1997	202	46	248
1997/1998	208	44	252
1998/1999	162	52	214
1999/2000	139	36	175
2000/2001	141	44	185
2001/2002	164	47	211
2002/2003	Not Available	42	42
2003/2004	Not Available	48	48

Residents of communities within and near the treeline harvest moose. The estimated total NWT moose harvest is 1000-2000 animals per year. Both resident and non-resident hunting levels have remained relatively constant throughout the years. About 45 moose are taken annually by non-resident trophy hunters in the Mackenzie Mountains, and resident hunters take from 100 to 200 each year throughout the NWT. Thus, 80 to 90 % of the total moose harvest is taken by General Hunting Licence holders.

Based on these estimated numbers of harvested moose, the estimated meat replacement value for resident hunters is roughly $900,000 per year in the NWT. The non-resident hunt in the Mackenzie Mountains is valued at approximately $203,000 per year.

Populations

The estimated number of moose in the NWT is approximately 20,000. Moose are on the edge of their range in the NWT. Therefore, their density is quite low (3 to 17 moose per 100 square kilometer) when compared to other areas in North America and Europe.