Moose on the loose in Idaho

Idaho’s moose populations are much larger than those in Washington, and still growing.

The Gem state’s moose numbers are so large that the state issued 1,095 permits to hunt moose this fall. The permits totaled 864 for antlered animals and 231 for antlerless moose.

More than 285 of those permits are for hunting in North Idaho. Most, totaling about 255, are for antlered moose.

By comparison, Washington granted only 100 permits for this fall’s hunting seasons.

Despite the relatively big moose population, Idaho allows hunters to kill only one antlered moose in a lifetime. A new regulation allows hunters to also take one cow moose, for a total of two Idaho moose in a lifetime. Hunters who have bagged bull moose in the past can now submit applications for a cow permit. Washington allows only one moose per hunter in a lifetime.

Wildlife biologists reported that most of Idaho’s moose survived last winter’s mild weather and calf production was good. Moose aren’t as quite susceptible to predation as other big-game animals.