REGIONAL— Northeastern Minnesota’s moose population remained stable for another year, continuing a trend that has now lasted more than a decade. The DNR’s annual moose survey results pegged the northeastern Minnesota moose population at 4,040 animals, well above last year’s estimate of 3,470, although well within the normal variability for wildlife surveys.
Results continue to suggest that after a steep decline from a population estimate of approximately 8,000 moose in 2009, Minnesota’s moose population appears to have stabilized. Since hitting a low estimate of 2,760 moose in 2013, the survey has consistently pointed to a more stable population at around 3,800 animals.
This year’s number is simply a point estimate within a wider range, reflecting the degree of uncertainty around any wildlife population estimate. The DNR’s latest survey results point to a population of between 3,130-5,390 moose, with 90 percent certainty.
This year’s survey continued a trend of apparently better moose reproduction, with a calf-to-cow ratio of 0.41, the sixth highest ratio in the past 21 years. Lower calf-to-cow ratios in the late 2000s and early 2010s seemed to herald the decline in the region’s moose numbers.
The northeastern Minnesota moose population is estimated annually through an aerial survey generally conducted in January when deeper snow cover makes it easier to spot moose from the air.
While recent estimates suggest continued stability in the population and reproductive success, Minnesota DNR researchers point out that Minnesota moose remain at risk. Presently, the long-term survey trends indicate the moose population has declined approximately 60 percent since the mid-2000s. Climate change, parasites, and predator impacts on calf survival all play a part in the long-term survival of the moose population.
Both the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the 1854 Treaty Authority are full partners on the moose survey and contributed funding and personnel for the 2025 annual survey. The survey is available on the Minnesota DNR’s moose management webpage (mndnr.gov/moose).