Antler size of Alaskan moose Alces alces gigas: effects of population density, hunter harvest and use of guides

moose Alces alces gigas: effects of population density, hunter harvest and use of guides.- Wildl. Biol. 13: 53-65. Moose Alces alces gigas in Alaska, USA, exhibit extreme sexual dimor-phism, with adult males possessing large, elaborate antlers. Antler size and conformation are influenced by age, nutrition and genetics, and these bony structures serve to establish social rank and affect mating success. Population density, combined with anthropogenic effects such as harvest, is thought to influence antler size. Antler size increased as densities of moose decreased, ostensibly a density-dependent response related to en-hanced nutrition at low densities. The vegetation type where moose were harvested also affected antler size, with the largest-antlered males occu