Newfoundland has a lot to offer tourists who are moose hunters. Successful hunts and good places to stay keep them coming back.

Outfitters provide good services. Each hunter has a guide. Don Pelley, a Central Newfoundland lodge owner, says about 90 percent of his business comes from big game hunters. The majority of these hunters are American. Mr. Pelley says he advertises his lodge. He gets a lot of repeat business. Some of his people have been coming back for twelve years. He has some hunts booked for the next five years .

"Pretty well the best advertising you got in this business is the satisfied customer," he said.

Mr. Pelley's seven staff members give the hunters good food and make them comfortable in the lodge. The out of province hunters are taken to parts of the area away from resident hunters. The guide and lodge workers carry out moose killed by the hunter.

"People are interested in the hunt," he said.

They enjoy the scenery and fresh air and water. Many are trophy hunters who look for moose with big antlers but are willing to lower their standards by the end of the hunt. Hunters had a nearly perfect success rate in past years at Mr. Pelley's lodge That is one thing that draws them hack again.

Outfitters across the province
About ninety operators sold nearly 3,000 non-resident moose licences to hunters from outside the province this year. Each hunter spends an average of $7,000.

Operators have over 190 camps that employ more than 1,000 people annually. Guides, cooks, and others are hired to work from four to twelve weeks. The industry brings in about $30 million each year.

"There has been significant growth in the industry," said Tourism spokesperson Dan Chaisson.

The Wildlife Division does a moose census each year to find out the number in each area of the province. They do counts from the air and then they make an estimate of the number of animals. This is a sampling.

Hunters help in the management of moose populations by returning part of their licences that show the number of days hunted and number of animals seen. They also return bands and tags they find on animals they kill. They send moose lower jawbones to the Wildlife Division within seven days of the kill. A moose's teeth show its age. This information helps determine the population age. Hunting quotas for each area are set based on the information collected by Wildlife Division.

"Part of any management strategy is effective research, an effective enforcement agency, a good education program, and cooperation from the hunting public," said Wildlife Division spokesperson Wayne Barney.

DID YOU KNOW

• Moose have no top front teeth.
• Moose tend to use the same range every year.
• Mature bulls produce the maximum size antlers at 6 to 8 years old.
• Around 84 percent of adult female moose become pregnant each year.
• About 25 percent of moose calves are taken by black bears during their first month of life.
• Dressed weight of harvested animals is only 50 to 65 percent of total live weight.
• More people per capita in Newfoundland hunt moose than anywhere else in North America.
• Success rate for moose hunting in Newfoundland is 70%, one of the highest for any moose hunting area.
• Since the first open season, an estimated 500,000 moose have been legally harvested.
• Moose management in Newfoundland is one of the most successful wildlife stories in North America.
• Economic value of moose on the island is estimated to be at least $100 million annually.

A hunter gets a moose and carefully cleans the carcass. The next thing is to decide how to preserve the meat. Many take it to a butcher.

Some meat cutters and packers are busier during moose hunting season. Emerson Burton, Grand Falls-Windsor meat market owner, said hunters are a good source of business. Tourist lodges bring in their meat for cutting and packaging. Burton also serves 90 percent of local hunters.

Mr. Burton says he gets about 105 kilograms (kgs) of meat from an average size 140 kg. moose People ask for the same cuts from moose as regular meat. They ask for roasts, steaks, mincemeat, and sausages. His biggest demand is for moose sausage patties, burgers, and sausages---hot Italian, Oktoberfest, or regular.

Meat can be cut after it is frozen for two or three days. It will keep four to five weeks hung in a shed when the weather is colder. Moose meat lasts a year if it is packaged and frozen well. It will get freezer burn by spring if it is only tray packed.

Hunters should know how to use their firearms. Always treat a firearm as if it were loaded. Be sure of a target before you shoot.

All hunters should wear blaze orange clothing such as a cap, a vest, or a full suit. The important thing is to be seen by other hunters.

For a safe hunting trip prepare yourself, prepare your equipment, and hunt with a partner or let others know your plans.

Hunting may take place no earlier than one half hour before sunrise and no later than one half hour after sunset on any day.