ORIGINAL: Hiawatha
Any possibility its ticks? The ticks here are the moose's worst predator especially on a drought year. They take far more moose than any wolf and it looks as though they just laid down and went to sleep. I guess that is what they actually do, once the hair is rubbed off they die of exposure. Wiped us out heavy a few years back but have been slowly coming back to where we are seeing moose again on a regular basis.
Yeah I would guess that ticks could be the source as well. We did have a really pretty dry year last year and woodticks and deer ticks are thick in most places in MN.