Moose sightings

Moose (Alces alces), or mooz in Ojibwe, are Minnesota’s largest wild animal. They have a large home range stretching across swathes of Canada with their southernmost edge extending into the northern part of Minnesota. This tool allows you to report a moose observation anywhere in Minnesota so DNR wildlife managers can use sighting data to better understand moose movement and distribution. Use our elk and deer ID tool if you are uncertain if what you saw was a moose.

Reports

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In the mid-20th century moose sightings ranged from the boreal forests of the Arrowhead region in Minnesota’s northeast, to the prairie edges of northwestern Minnesota. However, in the 1990s, the northwest moose populations began declining until the core moose range was constrained to only the Arrowhead.

Today, the northeast moose population is stable, but lower than its peak estimated population in the early 2000s. In recent years, there have been increased sightings of moose outside their core range, prompting the development of a moose sighting reporting tool.

Report a moose sighting

The DNR will turn off public viewing portion of the map for the duration of the tribal hunting season (mid-September through December). Sighting submissions during this period are still encouraged using the form. These records will be stored but will not display publicly until the completion of the moose hunting season.

We appreciate your assistance in this effort to better understand the location of moose in Minnesota. We are only interested in sightings within the state boundary. For more information on moose in Minnesota, visit our moose management page.

The DNR will not respond to deceased moose observations submitted through this form. If you observe a deceased moose, please contact your local wildlife area manager. Click here to view your local wildlife area office contact information. Sightings of tagged or collared moose should be reported to the Big Game Program.