Moose Hunts

All moose on Earth belong to one species (Alces alces linneaus). Moose are native in nearly all Northern forest zones:Northern Europe, Northern America, the Baltic region and Siberia as well as in the colder regions of Asia. In North America there is another member of the Deer family, the Wapiti, which is often referred to as Elk. So, the Swedish Älg is called Moose in American English and an Elk in British English. So it is the same species. But remember that the Elk in Europe is not the same as Elk in North America. Moose are very large, fascinating creatures; antlers are the fastest growing tissue in any mammal, and can grow an inch a day. A big bull moose can grow an 80-pound rack in a summer, adding a pound of bone a day. And of course moose are the largest of the deer family.

There are guessed to be 1 to 1.4 million moose in North America between the three(3) sub-species; Alaska-Yukon, Shiras and Canadian. Approximately 1 million moose in 9 provinces and 3 territories across Canada and 350 to 400,000 in the United States spread across 15 states with Alaska holding 75% of that population. In Russia Kamchatka and Chukotka both have stable populations of moose. Finland, Norway and Sweden have the biggest moose populations in Europe with huge harvest statistics annually.

Russia, Alaska and Yukon Territory have the biggest moose. The best hunting is typically during the rut in September. British Columbia and Alberta both have very big Canadian moose. Shiras moose can be hunted in a few parts of southern Canada and several of the western states. All of the European moose are smaller than the North American and Russian versions. The European moose hunts are a very different affair with regard to methods of hunting.

Across the board most moose can be hunted from August (in velvet) through October, hunting through the rut. Several opportunities exist to hunt moose in November and December.

BIG. Everything in the moose world is big. The country is big, the moose are big, the antlers are big, the rivers are big etc.

And SLOW. Typically not much moves fast during a moose hunt. Most moose hunts in North America and Russia are spot and stalk events with calling mixed in. Once a moose is down the work really begins, in all of North America all the edible meat must come out of the field and that is a monumental task.

A moose hunt is a monumental undertaking on almost every level, it's a hunt you'll never forget and it's an experience that can't be duplicated.