Officials with Saskatchewan Environment say it should be another good fall for moose hunters across the province.
Moose numbers in the north have remained stable — and with the drier weather, more areas will be accessible by vehicles, which usually leads to more success.
However, wildlife biologist Rob Tether says there is one area where the moose population appears to have dropped.
“I would say one area that we’ve heard reports is over in the Cumberland Delta area, and our moose numbers there are down. So, the winter population that we’re expecting is lower than it should be.”
Tether says the large number of ticks has also had a detrimental affect on moose numbers.
“The winter of 2012 to 2013 was probably one of our worst winters with ticks and they seem to be from the east to the west, south to the north — and they can have quite a severe affect on moose numbers, especially on calves.”
Tether says the number of moose licences issued in the southern farming area has increased by 27% and the success rate there is as high as 75%.
In the northern boreal forest, he says the success rate for moose hunters is usually around 40%.