WTIP
WTIP Outdoor News Podcast

Minnesota Moose And Wolf Population Updates Summer 2022

Calf recruitment for Minnesota’s moose is the process of young moose surviving to become adults.

This spring, in the far reaches of northeastern Minnesota, calf recruitment of moose does not present an uplifting narrative.

“It’s abysmal. I think this is the worst calf recruitment year we’ve seen in 12 years of study,” said Dr. Seth Moore, the director of biology and environment for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. “Essentially, of our collared moose. 100 percent of the calves are gone.”

Moore shared these sentiments during a live outdoor news special that aired July 7 on WTIP. Joining Moore was EJ Issac, a fish and wildlife biologist for the Grand Portage Band.

The update from Moore and Issac strayed from a more optimistic done the the state Department of Natural Resources released in April 2022 about the population of Minnesota’s moose herd. The DNR said Minnesota’s moose population is the largest it has been in more than a decade, after 11 consecutive years of remaining relatively stable.

The DNR’s 2022 survey estimated the moose population at about 4,700 animals, with a potential range between 3,440 and 6,780. The survey showed no statistically significant change from the last one conducted in 2020 but is the highest estimate since 2011.

Learn more about Minnesota’s moose and wolves in this week’s episode.