Transplanted moose thriving in Big Horns

WORLAND — Catching sight of a moose in the Big Horn Mountains is about as common as spotting a celebrity in Los Angeles, and just like most celebs in LA, these moose are non-native transplants.

According to an article written by Christina Schmidt in the May 2018 Wyoming Game and Fish magazine Wyoming Wildlife, moose were first introduced to the region in late spring of 1948. Six female calves, one male calf and a 1-year-old bull endured a 447-mile ride from their capture site near Jackson to their new home, via the notoriously steep and bumpy Red Grade Road. The moose tentatively exited the wood slatted delivery truck which had been lined with tarp and padded with tree boughs to help prevent injury during transport, then disappeared into a grove of Lodgepole Pine.

Conservation efforts were the driving force behind the decision to relocate the moose. Despite the Big Horn Mountains being prime moose habitat, there is no evidence that moose ever inhabited the area prior to the arrival of those initial eight.

Additional moose were trucked in and released in 1950, 1974 and 1987, bringing the total number of moose, all captured near Jackson and released in the Big Horn Mountains, to 29.

A thriving population

According to Eric Maichak, Sheridan District Wildlife Biologist with Wyoming Game and Fish, the current moose population in the Big Horn mountains is estimated to be around 420. Just like other big game herds statewide, the ideal ratio of bulls to cows is between 50- 70 bulls for every 100 cows. Maichak said this ratio helps maintain adequate males for breeding and hunting opportunities and is managed by adjusting hunting licenses.

“We are probably near the upper limit of a desired moose population for the currently available habitat in the Big Horn Mountains — while also meeting public desires for hunting and wildlife viewing uses,” said Tim Thomas, Game and Fish Sheridan Regional Wildlife Management Coordinator.

Thomas says moose populations fluctuate primarily due to the quantity and quality of forage. They gravitate toward willow and aspen, and in the late spring and early summer are often spotted grazing in wet meadows. During the hottest days of summer, moose use heavy timber areas to stay cool, and in the winter they often remain under the cover of heavy conifer for food and security.

Due to their size, healthy adult moose have no real predators in the Big Horns. 

Thomas said the biggest threat moose face is a warming drying climate.

“Moose are well adapted to colder temperatures and poorly adapted to warmer temperatures.

“Moose rely heavily on wet areas for forage and thermoregulation. As areas become warmer and drier, they tend to not favor or support moose populations.”

Throughout the years, biologists with Wyoming Game and Fish have been monitoring the herd, both by tracking their movements with GPS collars and through direct observation.

One thing they found surprising is the variety of habitats used.

“One subset of animals around Little Goose Peak appears to exist in the absence of much willow habitat, relying instead on wet meadow, aspen and mountain shrub communities,” Maichak said.

Studying the herd has also revealed that moose in the Big Horn Mountains are predominantly non-migratory, preferring to spend all of their time in the mountains.

Range update proposal

The current seasonal range map has not been updated since 1988, and a four-year research project that ended in 2021 provided a significant amount of new data on the locations the moose gravitate toward.

This information was compiled into a Seasonal Range Update Proposal drafted by the Wyoming Game and Fish, published in March. Based on direct observation and GPS collared data acquired during calving season, the proposal expands the calving areas from 29,631 acres to 206,294 acres. 

In the proposal, the Critical Yearlong, Spring-Summer-Fall and Winter-Yearlong seasonal ranges designated in 1988 are all removed, and the Crucial Winter-Yearlong ranges are expanded to absorb some of the deleted seasonal ranges.

The range proposal states that the expansion of the calving area and Crucial Winter-Yearlong ranges won’t necessarily interfere with recreational activities, and the department is not recommending any land management changes at this time. 

If recommendations are made, it is up to the discretion of the land regulatory agencies whether or not to enforce regulatory changes.

The range update proposal was presented to the general public in conjunction with the 2026 hunting season-setting process, and aside from a private landowner who cited concerns about potential impacts to winter recreation on United States Forest Service land, the proposal has received no written comments.

Ultimately, the purpose of the proposed seasonal ranges is to assist land managers in making informed decisions which help maintain the herd so people can enjoy the thrill of recreating alongside these majestic twig eaters for years to come.