Just out of curiosity, what is the state or status of moose in the BWCA?

I know the moose in Minnesota are not doing well as of late, and am wondering if there are any regions that hold more moose than others? I have a trip planned already this summer, but would love to see some moose in the wild in the future from a canoe, if even possible.

Thanks all

2024 Aerial Moose Survey NE MN

No matter what, seeing any wildlife will always be a gamble no matter were you decide to trip within the BWCAW.

I can’t direct you to a specific area, but if you want to increase your chances of seeing moose, look for areas that are “moosey” and hit these areas early morning before sunrise and late evening near or after sunset-and be quiet.

That being said, I’ve encountered moose at all times of the day, especially on hot days after 3:00. The heat and mosquitoes drive them out of the woods and into cool water.

Its interesting least short term in the big burn areas, moose are getting lot less of the brain worm and other parasites, especially brain worm.
The reason snails and slugs that carried a intermediary stage of the brainwork fluke got killed and burned out of the area.
Also up the Gunflint trail area moose are doin much better than other areas.

There were some years around the 2000 to 2018 that I didn’t see any moose.
However, the last few years I have been seeing them again. Certainly not a scientific survey but I ‘feel’ there are moose out there now than 10 years ago.

About 15 years ago we were paddling down the Nina Moose river just at ice out and found two dead moose in the river. A real sad sight actually. Animals generally do not die a peaceful death when their day comes.
Tom

I see the most around the Gunflint area

Last year I saw 5 moose in one day paddling from Ham Lake to Long Island Lake.

I live just outside Winton and have seen more than 100 moose in the area over the years. More than half were about this time of year in the ditch eating the "salt snow".

Thanks all - This gives me hope and optimism. I hope I can spot a few eventually.

Best wishes

I recommend Horseshoe Lake, moosey in there.

Last year I saw the trifecta in the Superior NF. Moose, Bear and Wolves.

scat: "I recommend Horseshoe Lake, moosey in there.
"

Yep!!!!

I tend to see more off the beaten path, PMAs for instance. I think Sept. during the rut is the best time to see bulls.

We saw a big bull on Dix Lake on our way up to Knife last September. I followed the sound of a Moose on Moosecamp Lake all the way down a show one day, but it never came down to the water. We had a bull moose run through our camp every night for 4 nights on Crystal Lake One year. A guy in our group filmed a cow moose running down towards Clearwater on the portage from West Pike. Then we saw one on a lake just off Seagull with its baby. My conclusion? They're everywhere. You just have to be at the right place at the right time...

tumblehome: "There were some years around the 2000 to 2018 that I didn’t see any moose.
However, the last few years I have been seeing them again. Certainly not a scientific survey but I ‘feel’ there are moose out there now than 10 years ago.


About 15 years ago we were paddling down the Nina Moose river just at ice out and found two dead moose in the river. A real sad sight actually. Animals generally do not die a peaceful death when their day comes.
Tom"

Quite often especially in Quetico we find a dead moose that fell thru the ice that winter.

YaMarVa: "Last year I saw 5 moose in one day paddling from Ham Lake to Long Island Lake. "

One of the best areas in the BWCA for moose.

I was camped on West Pike on a solo and having my morning coffee when I heard a moose crashing thru the woods and it got in the water and started swimming across the lake directly at my campsite. It got maybe 100 yards from landing right in front of me when I made a movement to grab my binocs or camera and the moose saw that, did a 180 and swam all the way back across the lake and crashed back into the woods. I always felt bad about that, all that work for nothing. Those suckers are strong swimmers I can attest to that, was huffing & puffing like a steam engine.

I saw many Moose on Hog Creek during a trip

Most I have seen while traveling through creeks in the morning hours. The one exception was on Gabbro Lake. I pulled up on a small island (halfish acre in size) with my mother and kids to fish a little while the kids explored during the middle of the day. As soon as we got out of the canoe branches started cracking and a bull moose stood up. Took a couple steps towards us as we scrambled back into the canoe and he turned back into the brush. We paddled around the island a couple times to watch him from a safer distance. Most of my sightings in the BW have been over the last few years.

jeremywade: "... I have a trip planned already this summer, but would love to see some moose in the wild in the future from a canoe, if even possible.

Thanks all"

If you share where your trip is, maybe people could more specifically share the areas they have seen moose in the past few years.

Thanks all, that is great info going forward.

Heading in to EP 37 Kawishiwi lake. Any tips near that area would be amazing!!

I saw signs of moose around the campsites on Fishdance a couple years ago, but didn’t see the moose themselves.

I did encounter a beautiful bull moose on the portage between West Pike and Clearwater, also a couple years ago, near the Clearwater end.

I see more Moose when I’m driving early in the morning. I’ve seen 25+ along the gunflint trail just driving my car.

jeremywade: "Heading in to EP 37 Kawishiwi lake. Any tips near that area would be amazing!!
"

Like Egknuti said, look for the moosey places like shown in his photo. There are plenty of them heading north from Kawishiwi. It can be a pretty busy corridor up to Polly, so to improve your chances try paddling less direct roots or side trips to more remote places. Maybe make side trips a short wash up the Phoebe or Louse rivers, or Baskatong Lake which get less traffic. Fishdance was mentioned, and I recall a remote swampy place on the western side. My best advice would be to head to Amber. The lovely southern campsite has a major game trail that comes from the south and runs right through the edge of camp, onto the beach, and out through some cedars. I saw plenty of moose sign there 3 years ago, and some 30 years ago had a moose come into camp at dawn and sniff my tent while I was in it. On that particular trip, from Kawishiwi to Boulder to Amber and out, I saw 23 moose in 10 days. But it’s really random, and on 4 trips before I saw none. Good luck.