Expedition to collect moose bones at Isle Royale accepts 2026 season applications
If you are an experienced backpacker at least 18 years old, applications are now open for the 2026 scientific research effort at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior.
The Wolf-Moose Project hosts the annual Moosewatch Expedition series at the remote National Park Service site in Michigan. The volunteer researchers help scientists study the predator-prey relationship by collecting the bones of moose from the island.
"For more than 60 years, the central purpose of the Wolf-Moose Project has been to better know the wolves and moose of Isle Royale – how they live and die, from day-to-day, across the seasons, and through the years," the website says.
There are four dates set for the 2026 season. Each team of four to six people who are selected for the trip will be led by an experienced leader. Applications for the 2026 dates have begun, with returning volunteers getting priority throughout December.
"Typically, all slots are filled and a waitlist is created," the project coordinators said on social media.
The research volunteers hike up to 16 kilometers a day through rugged backcountry and in extreme weather conditions, using aerial photos, topographic maps, GPS and compasses to navigate the wilderness. Their meals are foods they pack ahead and cook on a single-burner stove, using water filtration systems for hydration.
The volunteers then inspect and carry moose bones that are found into their packs during the hike, bringing the specimens off the island for further research.
While the project does not intend to observe wolves directly, participants do hike through wilderness areas where those animals live.
Volunteer participants are asked to make a $500 financial donation to support the Wolf-Moose Project, as funding from the National Park Service and National Science Foundation is limited.
Dates for the 2026 season are May 9-17, May 20-28, June 2-10 and July 31-Aug. 8.