Moose management and the economic value of hunting: Towards bioeconomic analysis

Abstract

An appropriate moose management requires knowledge about how the economy of moose, in terms of values (benefits) and costs, responds to alterations in the moose population. This article, that is based on an empirical study, focuses on one segment of this problem field—the value of moose hunting. It deals with the question of how this value, including aspects of recreation as well as meat, is changing when the moose population density is altered. Furthermore, the article discusses the significance to the hunting value of the moose population's age structure. Generally the hunting value increases—but at a decreasing rate—as the moose population density is increased. There are, however, large geographical differences, so that a certain increase in the moose population density means a lot to the hunting value in one region but less in another. Many moose hunters would, in consideration of their own hunting pleasure, prefer an adult/calve ratio for the bag of moose that diverges considerably from what is stipulated by the authorities.