SUN JOURNAL • January 29, 2022
Maine citizens — those who hunt, as well as those who simply enjoy moose watching along the state’s wetlands and forest clear cuts — pay close attention to the success rate of moose hunters. Sometimes, they draw conclusions, not always supported by the facts or the biology. When the harvest is down, armchair biologists tend to express concern that the state may be over-harvesting during the hunt. Last fall’s moose harvest resulted in the lowest hunter success rate in the hunt’s 41-year history. Weather is always a critical determinant of the moose harvest. The winter tick seems to be the wild card. With moose, more is not always better. We may have to live with fewer moose, and even lower hunter success rates, in order to have a healthy, thriving moose herd in Maine. ~ V. Paul Reynolds