News
Moose threatened by sloppy hunters
Posted: Nov 6, 2011 9:45 AM by Dr. Anya Winslow
FRISCO, Colo. (AP) - Colorado wildlife authorities say the state's small moose population faces a frustrating threat: sloppy hunters who think they're aiming at elk.
The Summit Daily News reports that just halfway through this year's fall rifle season, officials know of 11 moose accidentally killed. Last year the number was 14 for the entire year.
Colorado has only about 1,700 moose, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife issued 175 moose hunting licenses this year. The lifetime bag limit for antlered moose in Colorado is one.
In contrast, wildlife managers issued elk licenses to more than 214,000 hunters in 2010. Wildlife officials say too many elk hunters are mistakenly shooting moose, which live in similar terrain.
Elk hunters that mistakenly kill a moose and don't turn themselves in can be fined $20,000.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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