The Moose — Potential American Domesticate?

[Incognito]

So we have one of these threads every once in a while: "what if horses survived in North America?" or "what if American Camels didn't go extinct?" or "what if Amerindians had some super-lamas?" or some such. But here is an interesting I haven't seen brought up before — the moose. Some background:

On the topic of moose domestication, Valerius Geist's Deer of the World claims that Swedes in late middle ages had used moose to pull light sleds, that King Charles XI attempted to create moose cavalry but failed and that Siberian tribes commonly used moose as steeds until the conquest of the region by Yermak Timofeyevich on the orders of Ivan the Terrible. Sadly, the only citations for these claims that I found (via internet search) is this one book and, coupled with the reported difficulties encountered by the Soviet moose domestication projects, make me doubt the validity of Geist's statements.

So, assuming for a second that Mr. Geist can be believed, what if the Indians of North America (maybe someone like the Iroquois who had settled villages, farming and lived within moose's range) managed to domesticate the moose? How far would the domesticate spread from its initial spot of domestication? Would specialized breeds be bred by the various Native Americans? How would it change societies? And so forth.

 

[Rstone4]

So we have one of these threads every once in a while: "what if horses survived in North America?" or "what if American Camels didn't go extinct?" or "what if Amerindians had some super-lamas?" or some such. But here is an interesting I haven't seen brought up before — the moose. Some background: So, assuming for a second that Mr. Geist can be believed, what if the Indians of North America (maybe someone like the Iroquois who had settled villages, farming and lived within moose's range) managed to domesticate the moose? How far would the domesticate spread from its initial spot of domestication? Would specialized breeds be bred by the various Native Americans? How would it change societies? And so forth.

When they made contact with the afro-eurasians the disease spread would be two way...

It could lead to much larger populations and forcing civilization on a much larger percentage of the Amerindian population groups allowing them to fair much better against the western invasion, who would be dealing with their own plagues because the Amerindians would cultivate their own isolated diseases from civilization and animal breeding.

Might force some major arms races as the christians try to holy war them in the 1500s.

 

[twovultures]

Being somewhat specialized animals with a limited geographic range (compared to wild cattle and pigs anywho), I don't think moose would spread too far-perhaps into the deep south along the east coast, but I don't see them reaching Mexico.

Being very water tolerant, I can see them taking a niche like that of water buffalo-a beast of burden working in extremely moist areas. Having the labor of an animal would greatly change the moundbuilding cultures in eastern North America, as it would free up a lot of the people who would have done work by hand. Having animal dung to fertilize fields and livestock meat to supply them if hunting cannot would also make the people of eastern North America much more food secure.

 

[Rstone4]

Being somewhat specialized animals with a limited geographic range (compared to wild cattle and pigs anywho), I don't think moose would spread too far-perhaps into the deep south along the east coast, but I don't see them reaching Mexico.

Being very water tolerant, I can see them taking a niche like that of water buffalo-a beast of burden working in extremely moist areas. Having the labor of an animal would greatly change the moundbuilding cultures in eastern North America, as it would free up a lot of the people who would have done work by hand. Having animal dung to fertilize fields and livestock meat to supply them if hunting cannot would also make the people of eastern North America much more food secure.

Pastoralism and agraculturalism developed in different places. They wouldn't't have to get to Mexico. Where ever they lived the locals could, in an ATL, domesticated them rather than go hunting.

This would lead the herds to expand and create a pastoral culture in north america that butts up against the agricultural culture in central america. Also raises problems between the pastoralists and the horticulturalist hunter-gatherers in north america.

If this divergence is long enough ago, new cultures that are both agricultural and pastoral develop, like they did in the old world, to allow the spreading of disease from herds to humans. Also provides sufficient food supply for larger cities outside of the areas that had happened, also changes the entire culture.

 

[Beedok]

Considering Reindeer and Caribou are effectively the same thing, that many native people's were dependent upon Caribou, and that Reindeer were domesticated in the old world, domesticating them seems much easier. Moose are grumpy and dangerous, especially during mating season. Early horses were probably small enough to control during those times, but I think even the largest breed of Horse is smaller than Moose, so good luck dealing with rampaging fighting males every year who will trample people underfoot. We're talking about an animal that does as much or more damage to cars than it receives in a collision.

 

[Rstone4]

Considering Reindeer and Caribou are effectively the same thing, that many native people's were dependent upon Caribou, and that Reindeer were domesticated in the old world, domesticating them seems much easier. Moose are grumpy and dangerous, especially during mating season. Early horses were probably small enough to control during those times, but I think even the largest breed of Horse is smaller than Moose, so good luck dealing with rampaging fighting males every year who will trample people underfoot. We're talking about an animal that does as much or more damage to cars than it receives in a collision.

Could such creatures be bread for mounted attacks?