07/20/2026
I know I have seen a lot of moose this year! A lot more than usual. What do you think about the system?
OFAH CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO FIX FLAWED MOOSE AERIAL INVENTORY PROCESS
The OFAH has exposed a flaw in Ontario's moose aerial inventories: a system of "statistical inertia" that relies heavily on previous survey results while potentially ignoring current, real-world population growth. We contend that this rigid approach creates an artificial delay in recognizing population growth, particularly in small units.
Recent tag reductions in WMU 54 caught our attention but the problem can happen in any small wildlife management unit. OFAH biologists knew the survey results contradicted what was happening on the ground, where hunters have been seeing double the number of moose over the last five years. In response, we dug into the Ministry’s methods and uncovered a design flaw in how moose numbers are calculated.
Current methods use large Wildlife Landscape Zones to smooth out data and select sample plots to fly. This method is cheaper and more efficient but can mask localized population booms (or declines). Even worse, the survey design can lock in multi-year data lags that blind them to what’s happening on the ground, meaning that skewed population estimates cannot be corrected until the next MAI at the earliest.
This problem has real world consequences for moose hunters, particularly in small units. We have officially submitted a formal request to the Minister of Natural Resources to fix this broken methodology before the 2026 season, along with a list of common-sense recommendations. See our full letter here:https://www.ofah.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Harris-MAITagAllocations-jun23-26.pdf
The OFAH is the only organization dissecting the data, identifying areas of concern, and putting solutions on the Minister’s desk. If you’re a moose hunter in Ontario, you can trust that the OFAH is always working behind the scenes to protect your hunt.
Support the only team standing up for your season. Become an OFAH member today.