In response to the moose population decline, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has proposed to keep lower deer densities in the moose range.
“Fewer deer in the moose range minimizes the risk of parasites or disease spread by deer that harm or kill moose,” said Adam Murkowski, DNR big game program leader.
One of the suspected leading killers of moose is brain worm, which are carried by deer. Deer are unaffected by brain worm.
Along the North Shore deer are already in historically low numbers, with populations at 1996 or 1975 lows.
Currently there are approximately 2.5 deer per square mile in deer permit area 126, which runs from Taconite Harbor to the Canadian border, said Dave Ingebrigtsen, DNR wildlife manager in Grand Marais.
Ingebrigtsen said in 2005 there were 5 deer per square mile in DPA 126. The DNR’s 2010 moose management plan called for no more than 10 deer per square mile in moose country to decrease the danger to moose.
Whether or not keeping deer numbers lower in moose zones means more deer hunting permits is up for grabs.
“Winters rule everything,” said Ingebrigtsen. “Despite our best management practices, if there is hard winter, the deer herd will be thinned and fewer deer hunting permits will be issued. What we see is that when there is a lot of snow the deer are along the shore, and very few of them can be found where the snow is deep, practically zero. In the summer the deer spread out. But we see very few in the BWCA at any time.”
The proposed changes call for realigning existing deer permit areas (118, 122,180,127,117, and 126) from the Canadian border along the North Shore to Two Harbors, up along the eastern side of Virginia and Tower to the Canadian border and back to Grand Portage.
“We want to set deer permit boundaries and align them with where the moose live,” said Ingebrigtsen.
Moose numbers have climbed and fallen throughout the years, said Ingebrigtsen, noting that moose are on the fringe of their normal habitat. One hundred years ago the state had about 2,500 moose, but by 1950 that number had dropped to less than 500. In 2006 8,840 were estimated to be in Northeast Minnesota, but today that number has fallen to about 4,000.
In an effort to figure out what is killing Minnesota’s moose, wildlife researchers have looked at disease, parasites, winter ticks, vegetation, and predation by wolves and bears as well as climate change in an effort to find out what is causing the dramatic die-off.
Should the deer density plan be approved, the DNR could change deer hunting permits this coming fall. The plan will be revisited in five years to see if it is working or needs to be revised, said Ingebrigtsen.
Complete details and additional information about the proposal are on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/deer. Online comments on the proposal will be accepted through March 13. Written comments should be sent to MnDNR, 500 Lafayette Road, Box 4025, St. Paul, MN, 55155-4025.
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