As a Utah State Alumni and ex-resident of Logan, the Cache Valley still has a special place in my heart. So when I hear of moose making headlines in North Logan I have to post it.

It seems that this young Bullwinkle was apparently looking for place of his own after getting the boot from his mother. For those science geeks in the spring before giving birth to their new calves cow moose will chase off their calf from the previous year, these yearlings in looking for a new place to roost make their way quite often into residential areas looking for a place to reside. In the case of this young bull he may have been looking for his own territory after a much larger and older bull had chased him off as well. Sometimes it sucks to be the new guy on the block er woods.

Moose in Logan

The Alaska moose federation has a few more dollars in the their bank account these days after receiving more than a millions bucks in state funding. This money is for the “rescue and relocation” of moose on the roadside to more remote areas where moose aren’t as plentiful. What makes this moose controversial is that the Moose Federation who has stated that they would move moose from one area to another has yet to happen.  In fact last winter not one moose was moved to a more remote area by the federation. This news makes many in the community wonder why such a generous sum of money is being given to an organization who up until now has been good only on their intentions.

This will surely be a story to follow as spring finally makes it way to Alaska who continues to not only dig out after a record snowfall but also with the increasing number of moose within the city limits and on the states many city roads and highways.

I can understand some in the community who find this move strange and even ridiculous because of the lack of work seen and done by the Federation, however I also see what the Federation wants to do to is not only protect moose but more importantly protect the public from moose related incidents.

1.5 Million for Moose?

The Anchorage Daily News/Associated Press

This year in Alaska they experienced record snowfall, and when I mean record snowfall I’m saying 133.6 inches that is almost 11 feet of the white stuff. Shoveling your driveway this past winter in Alaska would have been hellish and in quite literally back breaking work.  I love a good snow fall but when the snow stands taller than twice of you that’s when I get a little nervous and want to scream at mother nature “enough’s, enough!”

So how do moose play into the record snowfall in Alaska? Well moose live all over this great state and when snow drifts get deeper than even the hardiest moose can manage you have problems. This record snowfall has pushed moose out of the woods and onto the streets of Anchorage and other Alaskan cities. This increase in moose in city limits especially on road ways is a recipe for disaster as already the number of moose and car collisions has far passed the average yearly amount.

Hitting a moose is not like hitting a rabbit, skunk or deer it can be so much worse and in some cases deadly. Each year throughout the world where moose roam there are many who lose their lives in moose collisions. This is heartbreaking too many families who lose loved ones and as result in some of these areas where moose car collisions are dangerously high, they are pleading for more strict rules when it comes to moose and other wildlife crossings.

Moose on the Roads

Who would have thought genealogy let alone moose genealogy could be exciting?  Frankly, it’s not, and unless your a die-hard moose  fan(like myself) or extremely bored, you would probably find this article about genealogy quite boring.

The one  interesting point it brings up that I took interest in was that moose were extirpated from the Adirondack Mountain’s in 1860′s. That is incredible, and shows how in a little more than two hundred years after the white man landed in North America, the moose who were native to these rugged mountains were wiped out. It wasn’t till the 1980′s that moose were once again found moving back into their historic range. This is a clear example how the lack of or if any hunting management can have dire consequences on a wildlife species.

So if you want to impress your friends with moose genetics than feel free to read this very interesting article, it may surprise you how little you knew or how much you didn’t want to know about moose genetics.

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