CRETE, M. 1989. Approximation of K carrying capacity for moose in eastern Quebec. Can. J. Zool. 67: 373 -380.Estimation of moose density ranged between 18 and 20 animals I 10 km2 in a 120-km2 boreal area of eastern Quebec that has been excluded from hunting for many decades. Moose were sedentary; 81 % of telemetry locations of 12 adults (6 of each sex) that were captured in the area were within the block boundary. Use of winter forage was low for balsam fir, but variable and relatively high (29%) for deciduous twigs. When pooling the present results with comparable studies done elsewhere in Quebec, a significant positive linear relationship was found between percent deciduous browse removal and moose density. Annual summer and winter forage production of deciduous species was low in the study area in comparison with other areas in Quebec; however, the situation was the reverse for balsam fir. The K carrying capacity was estimated to exceed 20 moose I 10 km2 when considering actual density in the study area. The same conclusion was reached by comparing forage consumption rate by moose for the whole winter and the annual production of 14 kg . ha-' of deciduous twigs. Daily forage needs versus annual production led to an unrealistic estimate of the K carrying capacity when also taking into account the annual production of balsam fir. Prime moose habitats in eastern North America probably possess comparable or higher K carrying capacities. CRETE, M. 1989. Approximation of K carrying capacity for moose in eastern Quebec. Can. J. Zool. 67 : 373 -380.La densitk des orignaux a kt6 estimke h 18-20 individus par 10 km2 dans un secteur forestier borkal de 120 km2 situk dans l'est du Qukbec et ob la chasse est interdite depuis plusieurs dkcennies. Les orignaux ktaient skdentaires et 81 % des repkrages tklkmktriques de 12 adultes (6 de chaque sexe) capturks dans l'aire d'ktude furent rkalisks h l'interieur du pQimktre expkrimental. L'utilisation du sapin baumier comme nourriture hivernale ktait faible, mais la consommation de ramilles dkcidues ktait variable et relativement klevke (29%). La combinaison de ces donnkes h des donnkes comparables recueillies ailleurs au Qukbec a rkvklk l'existence d'une relation linkaire significative entre le pourcentage d'utilisation des ramilles dkcidues et la densitk des orignaux. La production annuelle de nourriture d'ktk et d'hiver s'est avkrke faible dans l'aire d'ktude dans le cas des espkces dkcidues par comparaison avec d'autres endroits au Qukbec; cependant, la situation ktait inverse pour le sapin baumier. Compte tenu de la densitk mesurke dans l'aire d'ktude, la capacitk de support a kt6 kvaluke h plus de 20 orignaux I 10 km2. La comparaison entre les besoins aliinentaires hivernaux des orignaux et la production annuelle de 14 kg ha-' de ramilles dkcidues corrobore cette conclusion. Cependant, l'intkgration de la production annuelle de sapin baumier aux calculs a donnk une estimation irrkaliste de la capacitk de support. Le potentiel des habitats optimaux de l'orignal dans l'est de ...