If moose had webbed feet, perhaps we'd hear an outcry over the news announced by the DNR late last week. In the Arrowhead, Minnesota's remaining moose herd is taking a tumble. According to aerial surveys, the northeast population fell by nearly 25 percent in the past year. The situation eerily resembles the population collapse that occurred in northwestern Minnesota a decade ago.

So, will there be a rally for moose on the lawn of the State Capitol? Nope. Will metro-based outdoor writers raise a hue and cry that somebody should do something to save our vanishing moose? Nah. Will the DNR partner with Arrowhead Ojibwe bands and the Superior National Forest to develop a moose recovery action plan? Don't hold your breath.

Our northeastern moose herd is very likely in serious trouble, but I think the best we can expect from the powers that be is population monitoring and perhaps a study or two by graduate students as Minnesota's largest free-ranging mammal slips toward nonexistence. When it comes to the politics of Minnesota wildlife management, moose have two strikes against them: They live way up north someplace and they don't quack.

Yet we ignore the plight of moose in Minnesota and beyond (they are in decline at Isle Royale and in Ontario) at our own peril. It is possible that the root cause of the moose decline can't be fixed with the tools of wildlife management. The Arrowhead's climate may become too warm for moose, which are on the southern edge of their range here. The real question may be this: If the moose goes first, what else will follow?
 

A crash may happen quickly. In the northwest, a moose population that numbered 4,000 animals in the mid 1980s fell to just 84 animals in the recent aerial survey. And that was down from a count of 253 moose in 2003.

The Arrowhead moose count is sobering. The population was estimated at 8,400 animals last year. This year, it is estimated at 6,500 animals. The decline cannot be blamed on overhunting or habitat loss. The state and tribal hunting harvest is controlled and monitored. Forest habitat disturbances such as logging, blowdown, and fire should benefit moose.

What is troubling is that moose are diminishing in spite of a somewhat conservative hunting harvest and moose-friendly forest management. In fact, a significant number of animals are just tipping over and dying, for reasons biologists don't completely understand. Over the past five years, 80 of the 116 moose captured and radio-collared in Lake County died. In most cases, the cause of death remains unclear.

If the population decline continues, it is not difficult to imagine that a day may arrive when the moose-hunting season is closed. Whether we hunt moose - or the number of available hunting permits - should not influence our moose management decisions. Moose are a valued component of the northern forest that people enjoy seeing and having around. More importantly, they belong there.

We cannot forget the larger question: If Minnesota can no longer support moose, what else may we lose? The Canadian Shield and its boreal forest extend southward to Duluth. Living in that environment are flora and fauna that thrive in a cold, northern climate. Will they continue to find suitable living conditions in our northwoods?

So far, the discussion about how climate change may affect out fish and wildlife is still on the fringe of state politics and policy. Someday, I suspect the topic may rise to the top of our conservation priority list - just as soon as the weather gets too warm for ducks. Let's hope we don't lose our moose in the meantime.

The decline in moose is evident to folks like me who wander the spring woods looking for moose antlers. In recent years, I've not only found fewer antlers, but have seen less evidence of wintering moose. Browsed balsam and aspen, moose droppings, and even tracks and trails are less common than they used to be.

I now encounter deer sign in places that were exclusively moose wintering areas just a few years ago. Perhaps deer are becoming more abundant and are taking over moose habitat. More likely, mild winters and lesser snowfalls allow the deer to remain in summering areas rather than migrating to winter yards.

At any rate, my enthusiasm for seeking antlers hasn't diminished - if for no other reason than it is a great excuse to roam through places where few other people go. This spring I intend to check out a couple of places that are a long walk from anywhere. The only drawback is that I may find a pair of heavy antlers and have to carry them out. Such 'problems' are fun to dream about.

Tags: Moose