B&C Fellow - Landon Magee

University of Montana – M.S. Student in Wildlife Biology - Projected to Graduate 2024
Project Title: Analyzing Moose Abundance and Calf Recruitment on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation

Oki Nistoo Nitankinoo (Hello my name is…) Landon Magee. I am a member of the Blackfeet Nation (Amskapi Piikuni). I grew up at the heart of the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana. I enjoy hunting and fishing with my dad, as well as experiencing the amazing landscape the Reservation and other surrounding areas have to offer. As an avid outdoorsman, I was propelled into the Wildlife Biology field. I recently graduated from the University of Montana with my B.S. in Wildlife Biology, and I’m continuing my education to pursue an M.S. degree in the same field. I am currently working on my master’s thesis to estimate the abundance and other demographic features of moose on the Blackfeet Reservation using trail cameras. During the summers, I work for the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department’s Threatened and Endangered Species Program to deal with human-bear conflicts. In the future, I want to work for the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department as a biologist to collect baseline biological data for big game species. I am also interested in working for a federal or state agency, or an NGO, as a biologist or technician.

Analyzing Moose Abundance and Calf Recruitment on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation

Moose on the Blackfeet Reservation (Montana) provide a significant source of funding for the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department (BFWD) through the auctioning of hunting permits. However, with no biological data available, the tribe does not know the status of the moose population. This is especially concerning given that states and provinces surrounding Montana are showing signs of a declining moose population, the tribe has detected CWD in their white-tailed deer herd, and residents have noted seeing fewer moose calves in recent years. My study aims to provide BFWD with baseline biological data to describe the moose population. Trail cameras will be deployed using a GRTS sampling method to estimate abundance and calf recruitment rates. I will look at calf-to-heel observations and a Space to Event Model to estimate abundance and calf recruitment. These models will also be compared to determine the best way to estimate moose parameters.