Moose here are gone. 15 years ago it was like a petting zoo. 30 years ago it was like today. Not sure on actual count but I spent way more time in the woods 30 years ago and can count on one hand the moose I would see in a deer season. 15 years ago I could run out of hands in one day. Cycle? Dunno. I do know I threw out my 906# bull because of parasites. Yes 906 dressed into the dumpster. Do parasites cycle with weather? Dunno.
Would very much like to read a study on population explosion/decline relative to food sources, weather and geographic location. It would be mind boggling the variables involved. To say it's "THIS" is impossible i'm afraid and a fools parade to say so.
Can only guess (with no background in the matter whatsoever) that if a healthy herd of warm blooded anything has food stores that run a percentage above population and that population sees a sharp increase in numbers #$^ happens. A perfect storm of weather provides a few years of excellent birthing opportunities with little loss. Exponential numbers of new moms are now producing. After 5 or ten years food stores cant keep up. Now disease and malnutrituion are prevalent. Prey animals and human counts increase like they will always do. The herd numbers drop in epic fashion. Big surprise.
IIRC Quebec has cut a few trees in the last 30 years. Last 75 years. Last 125 years. Suppose the population increase in North America in the last half century has required 30 extra 2x4's for housing alone much less commercial populations? They cut trees up there. Lots of #^$#^ trees. And that would be one variable without weather although it may effect as weather would the food sources. Dunno.
Humans pretty much @#%^6 it all up. But an ever changing planet is also to blame. We just happen to all be old enough to remember when and look at it now. Throwing darts in the dark....
W
