Moose season hits halfway, seems average

The moose season is past the halfway point, with harvest totals appearing nearly on par with last year's.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported 50 moose had been harvested by Sept. 30. The season began Sept. 15, and is set to wrap up next weekend on Oct. 15.

At the halfway point last year hunters in the Wrangell, Petersburg and Kake areas had put away 54 moose, which at the time led ADFG to anticipate an average season. An unexpectedly solid last couple of weeks ended up bringing the season total to the third-highest on record, however.

The numbers for this season's second week may get an additional boost as hunters continue to log their kills. Under state regulations they have five days to report their harvests from the time of the hunt.

Kupreanof Island continues to have the highest count, with 21 moose collected. Up the Stikine River, hunters have taken nine moose so far, with seven killed around Thomas Bay and six on Mitkof Island. On Wrangell Island, four moose have been harvested, already higher than last year's season total of three. In Farragut Bay another three moose have been taken, with two on Kuiu Island and one at Virginia Lake.

Not included among the 50, three moose deemed to be illegal have been confiscated so far this season. Last year, the number of specimens failing to meet regulations had been a problem early in the season, but additional caution taken on the part of hunters brought that number down to a more respectable 13. This year hunters are on track to keep those numbers lower than average.

All hunting permit holders are reminded to complete and submit a season report, even if they did not actually participate in hunting. Reports can be filed with the nearest ADFG department offices in Wrangell, Petersburg, Douglas, Kake or Sitka, or online at http://hunt.alaska.gov. Failure to do so can result in ineligibility for permits next year.