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Moose project chronology

Moose project chronology

1983

  • Ontario offered opportunity to translocate moose.
  • DNR director and Wildlife Division chief authorized technical preparations.

1984

  • Wildlife Division advance team traveled to Ontario to select capture site.
  • Schmitt and Aho wrote Michigan Natural Resources magazine article on expected translocation.

1985

  • 19 cows and 10 bulls translocated from Ontario to Michigan.
  • Burgoyne wrote Michigan Natural Resources magazine article on translocation.
  • 21 calves observed with 17 radio-collared cows during May-July calf checks (two cows not pregnant).
  • Three translocated bulls died in August.
  • Surveillance flights conducted on a variable schedule, up to three per week.
  • Bulls checked during fall rut for tightness of radio collars (OK).
  • Necropsy performed on a translocated cow that died in December.
  • Bull 20 (a.k.a. "Gulliver") roamed from Marquette to Chippewa County.
  • "Caution - Moose Area" signs posted along forest roads. 

1986

  • 16 of 21 calves from summer 1985 observed from air or ground in April 1986.
  • 10 calves observed with 14 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • No pregnancies were noted in four cows that died during winter 1985-86.
  • Lower calving success suggested that more bulls needed.
  • Necropsies were performed on one bull and four cows.
  • Surveillance flights conducted weekly.
  • Acker wrote Michigan Natural Resources magazine article.
  • "Caution - Moose Area" signs posted along forest roads.
  • MDOT installed "moose crossing" signs at ends of 18-mile portion of M-28, Baraga County.

1987

  • 9 of 10 calves from summer 1986 spotted from the air or ground in April 1987.
  • 15 bulls and 15 cows translocated from Ontario to Marquette County.
  • 30 calves observed with 27 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Gunshot uncollared bull found dead during November.
  • Conservation officers ascertained identity of shooter, but insufficient physical evidence and out-of-state residence precluded prosecution.
  • Hendrickson and Aho attended North American Moose Conference and Workshop in Duluth.
  • Aho participated in development of two moose habitat suitability index models (published in 1988).
  • Schmitt and Dalton published a paper on drugs used to immobilize moose and "reverse" them.
  • Surveillance flights conducted weekly.
  • Necropsies performed on one bull and four cows.
  • "Caution - Moose Area" signs posted along forest roads.

1988

  • 24 of 30 calves from summer 1987 spotted from air in January 1988.
  • 27 calves observed with 23 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Necropsies performed on two bulls, four cows and three calves.
  • Surveillance flights conducted weekly.
  • Michigan Outdoor Writers Association donated commemorative plaque and moose information kiosk constructed at Van Riper State Park.
  • Schmitt and Aho wrote chapter for a book on translocation of wild animals.
  • Wildlife Division provided technical and logistical support for a Northern Michigan University graduate student's research on vegetative and physical characteristics of winter bedding sites.

1989

  • 22 of 27 calves from summer 1988 spotted from air in January 1989.
  • 17 calves observed with 16 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Necropsies performed on two bulls and seven cows.
  • Surveillance flights conducted weekly; flights contracted to NMU for a portion of the year.
  • Biologists on snowshoes darted and radio-collared four calves and one yearling and replaced radio collar on one translocated cow.
  • Hendrickson et al. presented paper at North American Moose Conference and Workshop, Newfoundland.
  • Aho presented paper on movements, reproduction and survival of translocated moose to Wisconsin Chapter of The Wildlife Society.

1990

  • 12 of 17 calves from summer 1989 seen from air during January-March 1990.
  • 12 calves observed with 16 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Biologists on snowshoes darted and radio-collared a female calf and an adult bull and replaced a radio collar on a translocated cow.
  • Trial runs with a piston-powered helicopter to dart moose proved unfeasible.
  • Gunshot uncollared bull found dead in Ontonagon County.
  • Necropsies performed on six bulls, three cows and one calf.
  • Surveillance flights conducted weekly.
  • 2-year-old cow moose struck and killed by minivan on M-28, Baraga County; hide tanned for educational demonstration; meat salvaged and donated to charity.
  • Moose Locator Guide brochure produced collaboratively with Marquette County tourism organization.
  • Aho and Hendrickson published a paper on reproduction and survival of translocated moose in ALCES journal.
  • Quinn and Aho published a paper on whole weights of moose in ALCES journal.
  • Aho presented a paper, "Impact of Moose on Landscape Ecology and Biodiversity," at Hiawatha National Forest.

1991

  • Suspect in 1990 bull shooting sentenced to six-month jail term.
  • Lt. Ekdahl wrote article on 1990 Ontonagon County bull shooting for Michigan Natural Resources magazine.
  • Calf checks suspended.
  • Surveillance flights conducted biweekly.
  • First attempt made to conduct aerial census, following Ontario's protocol.
  • Moose Locator Guide revised.
  • Unsuccessful effort to remove a nuisance bull from a farm resulted in death of moose.
  • Necropsies performed on three bulls and three cows.
  • Minzey and Robinson published a paper on characteristics of winter bed sites of moose in ALCES journal.

1992

  • Calf checks suspended.
  • Surveillance flights conducted biweekly.
  • Biologists on snowshoes darted and radio-collared two female calves and one male calf and replaced a radio collar on a translocated cow.
  • Moose Locator Guide revised.
  • MDOT abandoned "moose crossing" signs on M-28 because of repeated thefts since 1986.
  • Necropsies performed on three cows.

1993

  • Calf checks reinstituted late in summer.
  • Biologists on snowshoes darted and radio-collared a male calf.
  • Bull moose struck and killed by semi, M-28, Baraga County; meat salvaged and donated to county food pantry.
  • Biologist dispatched bull hopelessly mired in mine tailings basin.
  • Moose Locator Guide revised.
  • Michigan Tech professor contracted to develop aerial census technique.
  • Technical and logistical advice provided to a University of Michigan exploratory study of moose habitat use.
  • Necropsies performed on two bulls.

1994

  • Aerial census sightability trials conducted.
  • Six calves observed with six radio-collared cows during calf checks.
  • Surveillance flights conducted biweekly.
  • Biologists on snowshoes darted and radio-collared a male calf, a female calf and a translocated bull that had slipped its original collar in February 1986.
  • MTU statistician attended North American Moose Conference and Workshop in Idaho and heard about Helicopter Wildlife Management, Inc., which specializes in the net-gun capture of wild animals.
  • Cow struck and killed by pickup truck, M-28, Baraga County; meat donated to charity.
  • Trial attempt to dart moose calves in October proved unworkable because of lack of tracking snow.
  • Moose Locator Guide revised.
  • Necropsies performed on one bull and three cows.

1995

  • Helicopter Wildlife Management Co., Inc. captured (net-gunning) and radio-collared 26 moose in five days.
  • Biologists on snowshoes darted and radio-collared two female calves in two days.
  • Aerial census sightability trials conducted.
  • Surveillance flights conducted biweekly.
  • Aho presented a 10-year retrospective paper at the North American Moose Conference and Workshop.
  • Seven calves observed with 10 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Moose Locator Guide revised.
  • Wildlife Division provided partial financial, technical and logistical support to University of Alberta (Canada) study of gastropod intermediate hosts of brainworm.
  • Necropsies performed on two bulls and two cows.

1996

  • Six of seven calves from summer 1995 spotted from the air in March 1996.
  • Five calves observed with 10 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Surveillance flights conducted biweekly.
  • Technical bulletin written and distributed (Aho et. al.).
  • Aerial census sightability trials conducted.
  • Financial, technical and logistical support provided to University of Alberta study.
  • Bull 29's carcass recovered in Chippewa County.
  • Nuisance bull unsuccessfully hazed with crackershells and truck horn from farm in northwestern Baraga County, then darted, radio-collared and translocated 40 miles away in October.
  • Necropsies performed on one bull and two cows.

1997

  • Five of five calves from summer 1996 spotted from the air in March 1997.
  • Aerial census plots flown during Feb. 3-March 12, during record snowfall.
  • One DNR airplane and one observer crew used.
  • Observers in State Police helicopter on April 21-22 spotted six moose.
  • Three calves observed with eight radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • 10 radio collars refurbished and seven new collars purchased in anticipation of another helicopter capture of moose; capture deferred until 1999.
  • Moose Locator Guide revised.
  • Financial and technical support provided to University of Alberta study.
  • Display about Bull 29 constructed at River Mouth Campground, Tahquamenon Falls State Park.
  • Necropsies performed on two bulls and one calf.
  • Cow moose in Baraga County killed by gunshot in firearm deer season.
  • Mount of bull moose with antlers in velvet installed in lobby of DNR Baraga District Office.

1998

  • Aerial census plots flown during Dec. 1, 1997-Feb. 4, 1998.
  • Aerial census logistics improved by use of three DNR aircraft and three observer crews.
  • Precision of estimate improved by increasing number of plots examined.
  • Technical support provided to University of Alberta study; Boppel completed thesis on gastropods.
  • Necropsies performed on one cow, three bulls and one calf.
  • Proposal to study the dynamics of the moose population and to evaluate alternative population estimation techniques developed.
  • Seven calves seen with seven radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Moose research proposal is approved; project to be done cooperatively with Michigan State University.
  • Bull struck by semi on U.S. 41 west of Ishpeming on Oct. 1; meat donated to charity.
  • Grouse hunter found a bull moose trapped in tangled, old telephone wire on Oct. 1; Wildlife and Law Enforcement personnel darted moose, cut away wire, fitted a radio collar and eartags, and released it.
  • Drummer and Aho published a paper on a moose sightability model in ALCES journal.

1999

  • Hawkins and Powers Aviation helicopter and DNR personnel captured (net-gunning) and radio-collared 26 moose in seven days.
  • Movements and survival of radio-collared moose monitored with weekly flights.
  • Necropsies performed on one bull and three cows.
  • Radio collar slipped off one calf.
  • 21 calves seen with 19 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Dodge et. al. presented a paper on current research at Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference.
  • Beyer et. al. presented a paper on the status of the translocated moose population at North American Moose Conference and Workshop.
  • Aho presented paper on his study of aquatic plant resources on Isle Royale National Park at the North American Moose Conference and Workshop.
  • Nankervis et. al. presented a paper on the potential exposure of moose in the Upper Peninsula to brainworm at the North American Moose Conference and Workshop.
  • Skeletal remains of nuisance moose translocated from a Baraga County farm in 1996 found by deer hunters in Ontonagon County.

2000

  • Hawkins and Powers Aviation helicopter and DNR personnel captured (net-gunning) and radio-collared 29 moose in eight days; four GPS radio collars are fitted on moose and later recovered.
  • DNR donated hide and antlers from a 1998 road-killed yearling moose for mounting and display at the Superior Dome at Northern Michigan University, Marquette; DNR also donated a large set of antlers from a bull translocated to Michigan in 1987 for the display.
  • 19 calves seen with 27 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Necropsies performed on three cows, three bulls and one calf moose.
  • Radio collar slipped off a yearling cow.
  • Dodge et. al. presented paper on Upper Peninsula moose reproduction at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference.
  • Aerial census work begins in December and seeks to compare alternative population estimation techniques.

2001

  • Aerial census work continues through January.
  • Hawkins and Powers Aviation helicopter and DNR personnel captured (net-gunning) and radio-collared 28 moose in five days; six GPS radio collars are fitted on moose.
  • 27 calves seen with 39 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Necropsies performed on three cows and three bulls.
  • Radio collar slipped off a young bull.
  • Two radio-collared moose dispersed to northern Wisconsin.
  • Dodge et. al. presented paper on moose population dynamics at the The Wildlife Society 2001 Annual Conference.
  • Michigan Moose brochure published and distributed.

2002

  • 22 calves seen with 33 radio-collared cows during summer calf checks.
  • Aerial census work continues.
  • One bull broke his collar and three other young bulls slipped off their collars.
  • Necropsies performed on three bulls and 10 cows.
  • Radio-collared bull that dispersed to Wisconsin died.
  • Dodge et. al. presented paper on moose reproduction, survival and movements at the Michigan Chapter of The Wildlife Society 2002 meeting.