DNR Study Shows Michigan Moose Still Struggling

Michigan reintroduced moose to the Upper Peninsula in the 1980s with big dreams. The goal was to have 1,000-plus moose wandering the wilds of The Mitten State. Fast-forward four decades, and the herd is stuck at 300 animals.

Michigan’s Moose Population Falls Short of Goals

According to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) February 2026 bulletin, the core moose population in Marquette, Baraga, and Iron counties actually dipped from an estimated 426 in 2023 to about 300 in 2025. That may be a real decline, or it may just be moose quietly relocating because, frankly, they don't submit a forwarding address.

Reproduction Isn’t the Problem

The good news is the moose are trying. In the first phase of a new DNR-led study, 17 of 20 collared moose survived the year. Eight out of ten collared females gave birth, producing 11 calves. Reproductively speaking, the moose are holding up their end.

The bad news is that predators, winter ticks, and vehicles in the Upper Peninsula remain big problems for Michigan's small moose population. Then there are other struggling species in the state, wolves and bears, that target calves. Cars have killed at least 60 moose in the past four years. And winter ticks can swarm a single moose by the tens of thousands, which has to be as unpleasant as it sounds.

Can Michigan’s Moose Population Recover?

This February, the DNR, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and Northern Michigan University will capture and GPS collar up to 43 more moose. More tracking means better insight into disease, nutrition, and habitat changes.

RELATED: Michigan's Apex Predator: Record Cougar Sightings in 2025

The goal of the program isn't to just count moose. It's figuring out what's holding them back, and maybe, helping Michigan's most elusive residents stop hovering at 300 like it's a population cap.