Master Sgt. Mark Bound, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, military conservation agent, watches a moose calf as an Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist, Fort Richardson, Alaska, natural resource specialist and University of Alaska, Fairbanks, wildlife biology department personnel run a variety of tests on a darted moose near a housing area here. This is a joint effort between Alaska and the Department of Defense to study the movement and overall health of moose on base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

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Dave Battle, Fort Richardson, Alaska, natural resourse specialist, works with an Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist and personnel from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, wildlife biology department, to document statistics and run a varity of test on a moose near base housing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. This is a joint effort between Alaska and the Department of Defense to study the movement and overall health of moose on base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

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Rick Sinnot removes the cover off a sedated moose's head at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, while Sean Farley and Jessie Coltrane monitor the moose. All three are biologiest with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. They, along with Fort Richardson, Alaska, natural resourse specialists and personnel from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks wildlife biology department, are studying the movement and health of moose near base housing areas. This is a joint effort between Alaska and the Department of Defense to study the movement and overall health of moose on base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

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Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists, along with Fort Richardson natural resourse specialists and personnel from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks wildlife biology department, check the teeth and run a varity of tests on a moose near base housing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. The study is a joint effort between Alaska and the Department of Defense to study the movement and overall health of moose on base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

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Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists, along with Fort Richardson natural resourse specialists and personnel from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks wildlife biology department, place a GPS tracking collar and run a varity of tests on a moose near base housing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. The study is a joint effort between Alaska and the Department of Defense to study the movement and overall health of moose on base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

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Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists, along with Fort Richardson, Alaska, natural resourse specialists and personnel from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks wildlife biology department, place a GPS tracking collar and run a varity of tests on a moose near base housing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. The study is joint effort between Alaska and the Department of Defense to study the movement and overall health of moose on base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

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Good moose hunting: Base, state officials track wildlife populations

Published March 27, 2009
By Airman Jack Sanders
3rd Wing Public Affairs

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Moose, moose everywhere as far as the eye can see. That's how some residents of Alaska say they feel. It seems like no matter where people are there's a moose wandering around.

Where do they all come from? Where do they go? What kind of things are they doing? These are the questions that the base and nearby Fort Richardson wildlife conservation agents and Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists are asking.

A team including military conservation agents has been tranquilizing, tagging and tracking moose on both military installations. The tagged moose are fitted with specialized collars, which allow their movements to be tracked over a two-year period.

The ADFG, along with the military installations, is running this study. The funding for the experiment is being provided by the Department of Defense.

The team has undergone a similar study in the past where it has tagged grizzlies.

"The bear study was kind of a big eye opener both for people on base and in Anchorage seeing how often brown bear go through areas that are, really, quite populated," said David Battle, Fort Rich's natural resource specialist.

Since the team tried the tracking process with bears and saw all of the positive information, they decided to start a project for moose, wolves and black bear, too.

"We're trying to determine if there are any travel corridors for moose on Elmendorf or Fort Rich," said Mr. Battle.

With the large majority of construction that has gone on in the past, team members said they are worried how this has affected the moose population.

For the past few weeks, the group has taken to the installations' streets with a vigilant eye. The teams split up and scour the base looking for the furry friends that might be milling around.

The information from this and other studies will be used to determine moose movement patterns. That information will be used when deciding where buildings should be built, and to control the amount of moose related accidents, Mr. Battle said.

The team is currently only tagging the female, or cow, moose. The females have a smaller range, or wandering patterns than the males. The males will be tracked later on in the year.

Working with animals can be dangerous.

"It's a risk that we take, and we take for the animal too," said Sean Farley, a research biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Mr. Farley said all of the animals are given the best care.

"When you're trying to capture a wild animal there are a lot of variables to take into account ranging from, not hurting them to, not having them escape when you're trying to catch them," he said.

Caring for the wildlife population and ensuring the safety of those who live and work on the installations is what this study is all about.