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1854 Treaty Authority |
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Each January, the 1854 Treaty Authority cooperatively works with the Minnesota DNR and the Fond Du Lac Band to conduct an aerial survey to estimate moose numbers and determine the calf:cow and bull:cow ratio in northeastern Minnesota. As a partner, the 1854 Treaty Authority provides both financial assistance and survey personnel. The survey is conducted with the use of two Bell Jet Ranger helicopters to spot the moose. The helicopters allow the crew to fly slower, get closer, and take quicker looks at the animals, making it easier to count and to determine antlerless bulls from cows. Twelve inches of snow cover is required to fly the survey as the snow cover allows easier spotting of moose while flying over. Not enough snow, and rocks and bushes tend to make the spotting trickier. |
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AERIAL MOOSE POPULATION MONITORING |
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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Bell Jet Ranger helicopter |
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Moose spotted during the survey |
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Whenever a moose (or multiple moose) is spotted, the pilot maneuvers the helicopter closer to allow the observers a chance to determine the animal's sex and to look for moose that may have been missed or are flushed out of cover. The sex is determined by the presence of antlers, shape of the bell, nose color and/or vulval patch. UTM coordinates for all of the moose observed are recorded, along with temp, snow depth, wind speed, group size, cover type, and amount of visual obstruction. By expanding on the information collected in each survey plot, an estimate of the total number of moose in northeastern Minnesota is calculated. Check out the moose research project that started in 2002. |
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Estimated moose numbers, calves:cow, bulls:cow, and percent cows with twins from aerial surveys in northeastern Minnesota. |