Moose on the loose
Villagers reminded of safe hunting practices after moose shot near town
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, May 5, 2016
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
A moose wandering around Fort Simpson has been stirring up some excitement - and, in the case of a local hunter, some alarming activity.
This tick-ridden moose has been spotted wandering through Fort Simpson. Community members say the ticks are what turned this cow's fur white, while Environment and Natural Resources says she may be pregnant. - photos courtesy of Larry Campbell
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The moose, which is believed to be tick-ridden, has been sighted off and on over the past 10 days on the snye and walking along Mackenzie Drive, usually in the early morning or the evening.
"We're advising the public not to get too close - just leave it alone," said Carl Lafferty, regional superintendent for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Lafferty said the department has no public safety reason to shoot the moose, adding tick-ridden moose often recover from the ticks and go on to lead healthy lives.
"It does not appear to be suffering, so there is no reason to remove it," he said.
Hunters in the community are being advised to leave the moose be as well.
Lafferty said he also wants to remind community members to observe safe hunting practices near municipalities, after one community member was seen shooting at the moose near the flats.
That person is not being identified and Lafferty said the shot was legal and had been fired in a safe direction.
"Regardless, we got a call from RCMP. That means you're (firing) too close to town," he said.
Seeing moose near or inside a community is rare. Lafferty said he is not sure what is drawing the moose to Fort Simpson, although he acknowledged it could be due to scarce food.
He added it's a sight community members should enjoy while they have the chance.
"It's nice for people to see," he said.
On April 29, Environment and Natural Resources posted an alert on their Facebook page warning community members to keep their distance from the moose.
That post states the moose is suspected to be a pregnant cow, and advises people to keep children and dogs from getting too close.
Community member A.J. Augier said he was with a group of friends when they saw the moose coming across the causeway and heading toward the golf course last week.
"I knew right away it had ticks," he said. He described clumps of fur missing from the creature's neck, creating a mangy look.
Augier said while he has seen tick-ridden moose in the past, they are rare in the Northwest Territories -- although he and other community members recall a moose plunging to its death through the ice last spring, which had ticks on it.
Moose with ticks are often distinctive because of white patches in their fur.
While Environment and Natural Resources warns of a cow moose, other community members have spotted what they believe to be a bull, leading Augier to believe there may be two moose in the area suffering from ticks.
"The one I saw was a cow," he confirmed.
Larry Campbell has also seen the moose around town, although it has not been spotted in the last two days.
He agreed the moose sometimes recover from ticks, but they often die as well, he said.
"We should let nature take its course," he said.
