JANUARY 20, 2025|
Photo – Moose – Bigfoot99 file photo
The University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute is asking the public to help count moose around Laramie, including in the Snowy Range.
UW’s Biodiversity Institute is hosting the 11th Annual Winter Moose Day, on two days next month– February 8 and 9. Communications Specialist Abbey Morales explained that despite their large size (they are world’s tallest, largest, and heaviest species in the Cervidae, or deer family), moose can be difficult to spot.
Biodiversity Institute is inviting the public to search the Vedauwoo, Happy Jack, Snowy Mountains, and Arlington areas for signs of moose.
Moose Day volunteers can sign up to patrol one of 30 different routes, 12 of which are in the Snowy Range. The routes, which can be found on the Biodiversity Institute’s website, are labeled according to their length and difficulty.
Once a participant chooses a route, Morales said they will receive a two-hour instructional course on how to safely spot signs that a moose is nearby.
Due to the difficulty of spotting moose, Morales said that reporting tracks, bedding areas, and scat can be just as valuable as actual moose sightings. Participants will also be trained on how not to spook the moose.
For safety, Moose Day participants are encouraged to travel in groups of at least two people. Communications Specialist Abbey Morales said groups have no size limit and multiple groups can take the same route. The more people on a route, the more likely they are to see a moose.
The Moose Day training course will be held on February 1st at the University of Wyoming’s Business Building Auditorium in Laramie.
Morales said all the Winter Moose Day routes can be accessed by vehicle. However, once you arrive at a trailhead, you will be required to get out and walk. Morales said to dress appropriately and enjoy the day.
Last December, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department estimated that there are between 3,600 and 4,000 moose in Wyoming. It is unclear how many of those moose live in the Snowy Range Mountains.
During the 2024 Winter Moose Day, eleven moose were spotted in the Laramie area, with a record of 19 being seen in 2022.
Morales said the data collected by Moose Day volunteers is used by a variety of scientific agencies to further research into moose behavior.
The Biodiversity Institute website states that the Moose Day data is managed by researchers in the University of Wyoming Department of Zoology and Physiology.
Researchers use the collected data to help build a better picture of the detectability of moose, which will lead to more accurate population estimates in the long term.
Most winter routes used by the animal are not found on trails. Moose tend to follow Forest Service roads—likely for the ease of walking—or creek beds.
To sign up to participate in the Winter Moose Day, visit the University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute website.
First-time participants must attend a mandatory training class on Saturday, February 1 from 10 to 11 a.m. The class will be held in the Business Building auditorium on Ivinson Avenue between Coe Library and the stoplight at 15th Street across from the Cooper House.
A link will be included in this story on Bigfoot99.com. You can register to volunteer and choose the route you want to take.
Winter Moose Day Registration: Winter Event Routes :: University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute
