How to Become a Moose Watcher on Isle Royale

If you love the outdoors and want the opportunity of a lifetime, become a volunteer moose watcher on Isle Royale.

Wolf and Moose Project on Isle Royale

The wolf and moose project on Isle Royale has been around since 1958, making it the longest-running study of a predator-prey system in the world. The program has been continuously monitored by scientists from Michigan Technological University.

For six decades, the study of wolves and moose has continued on Isle Royale. In 2026, the study will continue but there are opportunities to volunteer to be a moose watcher. The data that is collected during the four expeditions is crucial in managing both the moose herd and the wolves that live on the 893 square miles of protected land.

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Help Track Moose on Isle Royale, Here’s How to Join

There will be four moose watching expeditions that will be one week each where four to six volunteers will be guided through Isle Royale's wilderness, but you will be looking for moose bones. The dates are listed below:

• May 9-17
• May 20-28
• June 2-10
• July 31 - August 8

It is important that you are an experienced backpacker and able to carry a pack, along with moose bones collected roughly 10 miles per day. The moose bones will give scientists information including the size, age, and health of the animal, if a wolf killed the moose, or it died by starvation over the winter.

According to the Wolves & Moose of Isle Royale website, if you are interested in volunteering for one of the moose watch expeditions you can apply here.

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Everything you need to know about the moose watch volunteer opportunity can be found here.

👇BELOW: A Tour of Isle Royale, 2020s👇