Prepping for Moose Captures: A Behind-the-Scenes Look
- NPLSF
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
Updates From the Field with Moose Researcher Adam Mortensen
By Adam Mortensen
Prepping for captures:
Moose captures for the joint MNDNR/1854 LCCMR (Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources) funded project began in January, with Grand Portage captures following soon after. The prep work, however, was already in full swing leading up to January. We were already busy pulling together capture kits and preparing the collars.
You might notice the bright blue tape in the photos. Each year, we will choose a new color of tape for the collars allowing us to identify exactly which year a moose was collared during our aerial surveys. This is a technique that Grand Portage has used for many years and has been very effective when prioritizing which moose to target for recapture.
Accounting for growth:
You may have also noticed the foam in the pictures. One of the trickier parts of collaring juvenile moose is that they aren’t fully grown, and we need a collar that is snug enough that it won’t fall off, but not so tight that it will cause problems as the animal grows. We addressed this by lining the inside of the collars with foam to provide a snug, comfortable fit for younger moose. As the animal grows, the foam will compress and deteriorate creating space for their widening necks.
Final tests:
The collars must pass a few tests before they can be deployed on any moose:
GPS: Is the collar connecting to the satellites and taking locations?
VHF (Very High Frequency): Can we hear the telemetry signal on our receivers?
Mortality mode: Does the collar send the research team an alert when it switches to mortality mode?
To test these, we leave the collars outside overnight. If the collar stays stationary for over six hours, it is programmed to send the members of the research team a mortality alert that includes the collar ID, the time that movements stopped, and the location of the collar.
Stay tuned for more information and sign up here to join the Northern Moose Alliance email list.
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About “Moose Browse”
“Moose Browse” offers a look behind the scenes at Northeast Minnesota moose research in action. These regular updates will include descriptions of specific tasks we’re trying to complete, tales from the field, a look at the wide range of gear moose biologists use, and anything else that we think makes wildlife research exciting. Adam’s work, and this column, are part of the Northern Moose Alliance and will soon be hosted on a dedicated website.
About NPLSF
The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF) exists to provide financial support for projects and programs that preserve the natural resources and cultural heritage of the five Lake Superior national parks: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Funded through grants and private donations, NPLSF projects and programs ensure that these great parks and historic sites are maintained for the enjoyment of all current and future visitors.
To learn how you can support our work visit nplsf.org/donate.
