When the bred cow percentage is 78% and the calf survival in February/March ranges from 8 to 37% a problem is obvious.
These surviving 9-10 month old calves are in a vulnerable stage of life and a long ways from being productive moose in regards to increasing numbers as part of the breeding herd.
Of these calves only 50% can be a producing cow moose one day....so now we have a 9-10 month old female calf moose recruitment ranging from 4 to 18.5%.
Whats the survival number of female calves that make it to 2 and 3 years of age....my bet is that it's pretty bleak.
Another 5 year extension to the studies will not stop the decline in moose numbers.
One thing it will do is suck up the money that's been earmarked for a recovery.