BELCHERTOWN, Mass. — State wildlife officials say despite an estimated 100 moose living on and around the Quabbin Reservation there are no plans to hold a moose hunt to control the population.

The moose devour 10 times as much vegetation as white-tailed deer, but the moose are not considered an immediate threat to the watershed forest.

Wayne MacCallum, director of the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, says there is a bill in the Legislature that would give the agency the authority to establish a moose-hunting season for management purposes, should the population warrant such a move.

The Telegram & Gazette reports he says that is not under consideration at this point.

The state established controlled deer hunting around the watershed two decades ago to control a large population that was damaging vegetation.