Despite harsh winters, drought, predation and license restrictions, moose hunting opportunities should rival those of last year. Vermont is adding an additional 195 tags for the upcoming season, mostly in management unit D-2 in the Northeast Kingdom, where moose numbers continue to increase. The state's Cedric Alexander says the increasing population is resulting in severe damage to young trees and may impact the future makeup of the region's forest. The state's moose herd is estimated at about 4,700 animals and hunters enjoyed a success rate of 65 percent last year.

Both Maine and New Hampshire report stable or increasing moose herds and similar tag numbers as last season. Statewide success rates average 74 percent.

"The best chance for any moose is north of the White Mountains where the population is the highest," says New Hampshire's Kristine Bontaites. "The success rate in that area was 91 percent."

Maine's moose herd is at about 29,000 animals, says the state's Karen Morris, and big bulls tend to come from those areas with the most difficult access. Units 3, 6 and 11 offer the most tags, and statewide success rates average 80 percent. The highest bull ratios are in Units 5, 6, 17 and 29.

Wyoming is losing moose to both large predators and weather-related factors, says the Game and Fish's Doug Brimeyer. Grizzly bears and wolves are increasing in numbers and having a significant impact on the moose population in the regions north and south of Jackson, says Brimeyer.

"In 1991, there were 500 licenses available in the units north of Jackson. This season there will only be 50," he notes. "The long-term drought has also had an impact on moose numbers."

The Bighorn and Snowy Mountains continue to offer good moose hunting and good trophy potential, says Brimeyer, and success rates will likely be high for those lucky enough to draw a tag in the units south of Jackson.

Moose numbers are down in Saskatchewan, particularly in the few regions open to nonresident hunters. The province's Al Arsenault says the number of tags available have been reduced substantially, particularly for bulls.

"We over-harvested our mature bulls, so we want to get the population back in balance before we relax the restrictions," he says. "We also had heavy snow in the central region early in the season and then some melting and crusting, so I expect the wolves did a pretty good number on the moose in those areas. Overall, our population is about a third of what it should be, so the current restrictions will probably be in place for at least a few more seasons."

Alaska moose numbers have experienced a downward trend overall, but the statewide population is still in the neighborhood of 120,000. To help moose numbers improve in areas where they have declined, the state is implementing a predator control program.

The one bright spot continues to be the region south of the Alaska Range, says the state's Gino DelFrate, where moose numbers have grown too large. Managers are offering more cow tags this year.

DelFrate says the best bets for trophies are areas that aren't accessible to a lot of people and areas with antler restrictions.

Idaho's moose population is expanding, but the state's Brad Compton says biologists are trying to increase the quality by reducing bull permits. However, hunters who draw a once-in-a-lifetime bull moose permit will now be able to apply for a cow tag beginning this year.

"The best way to find out where to go is to go to our website and study the draw odds for each unit. Most people don't apply for the units with only a few tags, but those units often have the best odds for drawing," he says.

The biggest bulls typically come from the Panhandle region as well as eastern Idaho.

Ontario moose have rebounded from a tick infestation that took a heavy toll in some regions, particularly around Algonquian Provincial Park. The province's Freya Long says the herd has seen an overall increase of about 40 percent since the early 1980s and stands in the neighborhood of 114,000 animals. The northwestern corner of Ontario has the highest population densities and offers the best chance at a trophy bull. The best bet for a trophy is to seek areas that are harder to reach.

Yukon moose had a tough winter in some regions, says the province's Susan Westover, but overall the herd continues to do well. There are an estimated 70,000 moose, with the highest concentrations in the southern and eastern regions.

"The biggest bulls are in the northwest near Alaska. The population is quite a bit smaller, but the best bet for a trophy bull is in that region," says Westover.