Munching moose in for a shock

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

POINT MACKENZIE - When the lush summer vegetation is dead or covered with snow, thousands of Mat-Su moose nibble away at tender willow branches to get them through the long winter months.

This year, moose around Point MacKenzie may be in shock when they come across their ideal winter meal and find it's been sprayed with hot pepper juice and commercial repellent.

Wasilla resident Jim Hazlett has taken it upon himself to spray several plots of land with these concoctions, to learn how to keep moose from eating ornamental trees and plants that Valley residents might not want turned into moose meals.

Hazlett's work is related to a thesis project for a bachelor of science degree in natural resource management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The moose-grazing experiment is taking place in the far reaches of the Point MacKenzie Agricultural Project. The area is one of Alaska's most densely populated winter moose ranges, with approximately 10 moose per square mile.

"I got this idea from living around the things for the last 18 years and watching them tear up people's yards," said Hazlett, a retired military man who, after retiring, decided to pursue a passion for natural resource management. "I've heard all the wives's tales about how to keep them out of your yard. Millions of things have been tried, most of them unsuccessful."

After researching countless peer review journals, articles and Internet sites, Hazlett began his actual experiment last weekend, spraying 2-by-300 sections of forest with two separate repellents to see whether and how well they work at discouraging moose from taking a bite.

Hazlett said he tried to keep the repellents simple, cost-effective and easy for the average person to use.

"I bought a bunch of sliced peppers at Costco in half gallons, strained the juice out of the containers and combined it with water," he said.

Hazlett then used a standard garden sprayer to coat every willow tree on three plots of land with the pepper juice. He sprayed the commercial repellent on three other plots and left another three plots unsprayed to serve as a control. In 30 days and then again after 60 days, Hazlett will check the plots for signs of moose grazing.

Everything from soap to wolf urine to dog hair has been touted as effective in discouraging moose from feeding in certain areas, but Hazlett's research indicates the two most effective products will either be the pepper spray, which is an agricultural product, or the Plantskydd repellent, which is made from dried swine or cattle blood.

"I really don't know what will work best," he said.

The two substances are reportedly effective for summer use but winter test results are ambiguous or nonexistent.

By testing the winter effectiveness of these substances on premium browsing areas, when moose are limited in what they can eat and in an area with a high moose population density, the winter effectiveness of these substances will soon be known.

The project is scheduled for completion before Hazlett graduates in May, so results should be in by spring.

"These willows are young, tender trees that are premium eating for moose," he said. "If it works on these, it should keep moose from nibbling on Joe Homeowner's mountain ash trees."

Once his experiment is finished, Hazlett will present his results to UAF faculty in May. He also plans to make individuals aware of his results.

Hazlett's findings will be published in the spring newsletter of the Mat-Su Natural Resource Conservation Service, for which he is a student trainee.

Those interested in the results may call NRCS at 761-7749 and ask for Public Affairs Specialist Cassandra Stalzer.

Hazlett recognizes his research will be of greater interest to people who own decorative yard plants, but depending on how effective the sprays are, they might also be used to spray along roadsides to keep moose from grazing near traffic.

"If it turns out it can be done on a larger scale, then I'm sure many more people would be interested," he said.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.