WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Don't just tell your friends and family next time you see a moose in Washington. Tell somebody who really cares.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife researchers want to hear about your moose observations when you’re afield this fall and winter, especially in northeast Washington.

A new smartphone application makes moose reporting easier than the old-fashioned method of logging onto a the agency's website.

WDFW wildlife biologist Jared Oyster, who coordinates moose survey work in eastern Washington, says this citizen science survey is designed to collect long-term data on the population status and trends of moose in Washington.

WDFW has been monitoring moose annually using helicopter surveys, and is developing a population estimate for the northeastern part of the state. But monitoring is expensive and limited by weather conditions and other logistical challenges.  A broad geographic coverage of moose observations, collected in a standardized and repeated way by the public, can be very helpful  tracking long-term changes.

WDFW adapted the smartphone app system originating in Canada, (originally initiated in 2012 by Dr. Mark Boyce, and coordinated at the Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta).

Click here for directions for downloading and using the free smartphone application. 

Hunters can use their Wild ID numbers as identification on the app while non-hunters can enter any 11-digit number to identify themselves.

The system also asks for observations to be reported within Game Management Units.