The annual moose survey in northeastern Minnesota is usually flown in the first three weeks in January. Counts on these plots are statistically transformed to estimate the number moose in the entire northeastern Minnesota survey area. This area does not include all moose range in Minnesota, and also would not include peripheral range with lower densities of moose. The figure below, taken from the 2008 aerial survey report by Mark Lenarz (Get entire report from DNR website), shows which plots were counted in 2008.
Survey methodologies were changed in 2004, which means that population estimates from prior to the change are not directly comparable to the recent estimates. The figure below, also taken from the 2008 survey report, indicates a possible downward trend in the moose population estimate according to the line for these last 4 years, but point estimates are not significantly different from each other.
Surveys are limited in northwestern Minnesota because snow conditions are not always suitable, and because of limited funds. The last survey in northwestern Minnesota was done in winter 2007. Changes in the northwest moose population are summarized in an abstract on the publications page and on the Minnesota Moose Mystery Website that was created for the northwest Minnesota moose research project.