I Had two cameras set up here all winter and one stopped working on me. Didn't get quite the turnout of critters that I expected all winter. But when you consider the camera is only covering a very small spot in a vast winter woods, it make sense. Hopefully this summer will be better. There are a few moose here with sever winter tick infestations. The very last video is of a young moose in very bad condition and the worst I have seen on my winter trail camera's. I do think that the moose will survive considering it made it this far. And now that the adult ticks will soon drop off and an abundance of green browse will help it re-nourish itself. The following is a bit of winter moose tick information if anyone is interested.
The winter tick affects species such as deer, elk, and is especially hard on moose in winter. The life cycle of the moose tick begins in late spring, when adult female ticks (having lived on a moose all winter) drop off of the host moose and lays their eggs on the ground. The eggs hatch into larvae which go through a dormant stage, waiting for warmer weather. Then they become active again.
In August or early September they form clusters and begin to climb up on bushes about 3 1/2 feet high. Here they can easily latch onto any passing animals. They have tiny hooks to grab onto the animals hair and will stay connected to each other as they climb, like a barrel of monkeys game. Once on the moose they will then progress to the nymph stage which is usually about ten days later.
The reason that the moose tick situation has become worse as of late is, the progressively earlier melting of spring snows. If the female ticks drop off onto the snow they will freeze. But earlier warmer spring conditions lead to more pregnant ticks surviving.
So.. the larvae climb on the moose in late summer or early fall and then progress to the nymph stage. They then go though what is called (diapause) which is a dormant stage before progressing into adults around late February. This is thought to ensure the adult ticks can survive the cold air temperatures. The adults then mate and the females gorge themselves on the moose's blood all winter. And once again the cycle continues, with the female ticks dropping off in late spring and laying her eggs on the ground.
When full of blood the adult females can actually grow to 15 mm in size. And as many as 75,000 ticks have been found on a single moose. The young calves are most severely affected. And die from blood loss. As also hair loss, due to the moose rubbing onto trees makes it very difficult for the moose to retain body heat. There have been drastic increases in moose calf mortality in recent years due to these ticks. In both the eastern U.S. Quebec, Alaska and is now adversary affecting the moose here in New Brunswick.
I read that a woman in British Columbia (who has an animal refuge) has an idea to control the moose tick problem. Her son is an avid paint ball enthusiast. And her plan is to develop a paint ball filled with a tick killing powder. Then shoot it at the moose. Well its not a bad idea ..in theory. But not that easy to accomplish though. I actually would put a more military spin on the idea. How about a small drone with a laser guided missile launcher that could lock onto a moose and shoot a tick killing powder bomb at it. One big giant puff of white dust engulfing the moose and its game over for these nasty little blood sucking buggers!