Inuvik (Jan 30/06) - Gwich'in elder Bertha Francis worries about the snow.

A Fort McPherson resident, Francis says the snow is so deep around town and up in the hills that many hunters are not even going out onto the land.

"Imagine yourself with your Ski-Doo broke down and you don't have snowshoes," Francis said.

Gwich'in game officer, Ian Mcleod, says many hunters have told him the snow is deep in forested areas throughout the Delta.

"Hunters are still going out some," said Mcleod.

"In the early part of winter it was bad because of the overflow, but now with the colder weather the overflow is freezing."

Mcleod said the Delta is like a lemon meringue pie.

The ice is the bottom crust, the overflow is the lemon filling, and the snow atop the overflow is the meringue.

Cold and dry weather ensure hunters are safe driving their snowmobiles over such terrain.

Environment Canada says 2005 was the fifth wettest year on record in the Delta with 20 per cent more precipitation than normal.

The Delta hasn't received this much snow in 58 years, says Yvonne Bilan-Wallace, meteorologist with Environment Canada.

Weather is variable from one region in the Delta to another, but on average, the entire Delta is receiving more snow than usual, says Bilan-Wallace.

Bilan-Wallace also notes 2005 has been the second wettest year in the Arctic tundra with 23 per cent more precipitation than usual.

As a consequence of high snow levels, the moose in the region are forming larger groups and staying in what are known as relief areas, says Tim Devine, manager of wildlife for the Inuvik region.

Devine says this year's accumulation of snow and warmer weather didn't freeze many lakes and rivers in the area. "The moose have been walking out onto ice that isn't thick enough," Devine said.

"In such weather, the moose try to find areas of relief."

The animals move closer to communities, travel on snowmobile trails, and generally stay on wind-blown areas such as lakes and rivers where the snow is packed. "In conditions like this the moose form large groups to help each other," Devine said.

A herd of moose will trample the snow to make their movements easier, says Devine.

The wildlife expert also says that migration of moose to waterways is not food-related.

"It's more a question of mobility," Devine said.

Working closely with area hunters, Devine says many hunters and trappers have reported difficulty this year because of snow levels. "But they are seeing lots of moose," Devine said.

The conditions are putting the animal at greater risk of predation from wolves. "They are definitely more vulnerable," Devine said, when asked if being out in the open leaves the animals at risk.