This is written in response to Minnesota Bowhunters, inc.
Moose numbers in Minnesota had been on a steady decline since 2009. Even though the DNR knew about this, moose hunting wasn’t officially called off until 2013. In the years since, moose hunters have blamed wolves for the population crash and the ongoing struggle to save the species, even though it’s complete BS. Moose populations are also dropping in other places like New Hampshire, which, fun fact, has zero wolves.
Long-term studies in Minnesota show the real PRIMARY cause of the moose decline is BRAINWORM, with contributing factors including ticks, climate change, habitat loss, and yes, wolves. Wolves, however, are doing exactly what nature designed them to do: they prey on the sick and weak, keeping ecosystems balanced and helping the healthiest moose survive. That’s good for the species, NOT bad.
And now the same hunters who spent years insisting “wolves are eating all the moose!” have done a complete 180. They’re begging for a moose hunt because the population has been “relatively stable for the past decade” and currently stands at 4,040.
So, according to Minnesota moose-hunter logic, wolves supposedly caused the moose population crash, yet now that moose numbers are “stable,” they should be allowed to hunt them. Sure. Makes total sense.
Let's look at the numbers
The wolf population has remained pretty consistent since 2008, except during the wolf slaughter seasons when their population was taken down to 2,211. Following those 3 years (2012–2014), wolf numbers began to rise again, and they’ve stayed between 2,600 and 2,900 ever since.
At their lowest point after the sudden decline, moose numbers were 2,760 in 2013, at the same time wolves were near their lowest at 2,423. AS WOLF NUMBERS HAVE RISEN SINCE, SO HAS THE MOOSE POPULATION. Imagine that!
So what happened in the early 2000s that caused the sudden collapse in the moose population? A convergence of climate change and increased parasite transmission. That’s what.
1. Climate Change.
Warmer weather has had a negative impact on the forest types moose prefer: spruce, fir, and birch.
2. Ticks.
Warmer winters are allowing winter ticks to explode, causing massive blood and weight loss in moose, leading to shorter lifespans for both adults and calves.
3. Brainworm.
Warmer winters also mean higher deer populations and deer are the primary hosts of brainworm. Adult worms live along the outer edge of the brain in deer and don’t affect them, but deer shed eggs that are picked up by snails and slugs. Moose accidentally ingest those infected snails or slugs while eating vegetation. Once inside, the larvae migrate to the spinal cord and brain, causing debilitating neurological damage, often fatal.
Moose weakened by heat stress, malnutrition, and parasites become much more vulnerable to predators, particularly wolves and bears. Studies show a high percentage of wolf-killed moose already had underlying health problems from brainworm or severe tick infestations.
It’s almost impressive how quickly some people went from “wolves are the problem” to “we demand hunting because moose aren’t disappearing fast enough.” The science never supported their wolf-blaming claims and their logic hasn’t improved since.
If we want healthy moose populations long-term, blaming predators and demanding hunting isn’t the answer. Addressing disease, habitat loss, ticks, and climate stress is.
And while we’re at it, let’s be clear: 4,040 moose in Minnesota isn’t some roaring conservation “success.” It just means they’ve managed to hang on and barely. They’re surviving, not thriving. The challenges to their long-term survival are still very real, and opening hunting to non-tribal members won’t help that. It only pushes an already fragile balance closer to collapse.
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