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53RD NORTH AMERICAN MOOSE CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP 
CARRABASSETT VALLEY (SUGARLOAF), MAINE

JUNE 10-14TH, 2019

The 53rd North American Moose Conference 
and Workshop was held in Carrabassett Valley, 
Maine at the Sugarloaf Resort on June 10-14th, 
2019. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries 
and Wildlife (conference organizer Lee Kantar) 
hosted this annual gathering of biologists, 
managers, researchers, students and stakeholders 
who gather to present information on moose 
research and management. The Conference 
and… 

The theme “The Research and Management 
Nexus: Integration and Synergy” represents both 
the power of harnessing research and management 
as well as a reminder of the importance of 
understanding and effectively melding these two 
aspects of wildlife biology. Moose management 
relies on understanding population dynamics, 
habitat relationships, impacts of disease and a 
host of other complicating elements. Research 
dedicated to quantifying and elucidating these 
complexities is vital to the manager who must 
provide empirical evidence and the “best 
available” data to make informed decisions on 
behalf of the public interest. Managers often 
find themselves challenged by perceptions 
and observations that, without evidence to 
the contrary, weakens their credibility and 
ability to adapt to short and long-term changes. 
Researchers must also consider the needs of 
the manager, the social-political pressures and 
demands that complicate management decisions. 
Research projects that address the needs of 
managers as well as regional phenomena serve 
to strengthen area knowledge while bolstering 
the collective wisdom of agencies responsible 
for managing moose. Managers gain immensely 
from regional research and researchers gain as 
well from understanding the pitfalls and benefits 
that managers face in the absence/presence of 
current information.

Maine hosted over 92 delegates (plus family 
members) and MDIFW staff. This included tribal 
representation, many Canadian provinces and 
a wide representation of delegates from across 
moose range in the US. 

In lieu of a traditional workshop, the 
conference hosted an evening Q & A for the public 
with renowned moose biologists from across 
North America. An expert panel presentation and 
interactive discussion of Chronic Wasting Disease 
highlighted the current status, knowledge, and 
developments of this wide-ranging, troublesome, 
and minimally understood disease. 

Papers were organized into 8 sessions: 
“Unique Perspectives in Provincial Moose 
Management”, “Management Approaches”, 
“Habitat”, “Techniques”, “Harvest and 
Predation”, “Diseases”, “Winter Ticks” and 
“Management Issues” with informative posters 
also available to participants throughout the 
meeting. Dr. Roy Rea, the 2018 recipient of the 
Distinguished Moose Biologist Award, provided 
the traditional DMB presentation - “Use of the 
Montréal Process for Constructing Criteria and 
Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable 
Management of Moose”. 

Participants chose from one of four field 
trip options that included a drive to the top of 
Quill Hill for a discussion on wind power and 
impacts to wildlife; a high elevation hike up 
Bigelow Mountain in the public reserve lands; a 
scenic road trip to look at mitigation strategies 
to minimize moose-vehicle collisions; and a 
hike into the Mt. Abraham area to discuss high 
elevation moose habitat and moose hunting. 

The annual business meeting occurred at the 
end of the week with review of publication items 
and finances of the journal ALCES, discussion of 
future meetings, and other moose issues.

The annual banquet featured amazing 
views of the Bigelow Mountain range, music 
by Vermont’s only Davey Davis, and the silent 
and not-so-silent auctions were successful in 
providing important funding for future travel 
awards. Recipients of travel awards and the 
many folks on the local committee were duly 
recognized followed by presentation of the 2019 
Distinguished Moose Biologist Award to Lee 
Kantar, State Moose Biologist for the Maine 
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. 



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Delegates were provided with canvas gift 
bags featuring the 53rd North American Moose 
Conference logo holding logo t-shirts and hats, 
logo insulated mug, and a bronze moose head 
magnet created and made in Maine by Dave 
Hentosh of Smoldering Lake Outfitters. 

CHAIR:  Lee Kantar, Maine 
Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife

HOST:  Maine Department of 
Inland Fisheries and 
Wildlife 

LOCATION:  Carrabassett Valley, Maine

DATE:  June 10-14th, 2019

NUMBER OF 
DELEGATES/
PARTICIPANTS: 92+