BANGOR, Maine — The window is closing soon for Maine hunters who want to apply for a chance to bag a moose. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is taking online applications to participate in the moose permit lottery until May 13. According to The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website, the department no longer accepts paper applications, so people who want to apply must complete the application online.
HOW THE MAINE MOOSE PERMIT PROCESS WORKS
According to the IFDW website:
To hunt for moose in Maine, you will need a permit; and due to high demand, these permits are administered in four ways only:
- Through three chance lottery drawings: resident, non-resident, and the adaptive management zone
- Through a competitive auction
- Through a controlled moose hunt for disabled veterans
- Through a hunting lodge moose lottery
Ninety percent of all permits in Maine's 21 eligible Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs) are allocated to residents, no more than 8% to non-residents, and no more than 2% to hunting lodges.
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HOW TO ENTER THE MAINE MOOSE HUNT
- Visit MDIFW Website
- Detail which Wildlife Management Districts (WMD) you would like prefer to hunt. MDIFW asks to list other WMDs you would accept.
- Detail which season you prefer.
- Detail if you would accept an antlerless permit.
MAINE MOOSE HUNT PERMIT ELIGIBILITY
According to the MDIFW website:
- Hunting License Required - Applicants must be eligible to obtain a Maine big game hunting license, either currently or by the opening day of the moose hunting season.
- Minimum Age is 10 - A person under 10 years of age on the opening day of the moose season is eligible to apply for a moose hunting permit and may accrue bonus points, but is neither eligible to receive a moose hunting permit, nor to be a sub-permittee or alternate.
- Hunter Safety - All applicants 16 years of age and older must comply with Maine's hunter safety law before a hunting license can be issued. See current safety courses.
- Three-year waiting period – After winning a Maine moose hunting permit, you must wait three years to become eligible to win another one (so if you received a permit in 2018, 2019, or 2020, you are not eligible for 2021); however, you can still apply and earn a bonus point. This waiting period affects permit holders only; it does not affect sub-permittees, nor does it prohibit a hunter from being a sub-permittee during their three-year waiting period.
According to the Associated Press, the lottery attracts tens of thousands of applications from hunters each year.
The moose lottery permit drawing is scheduled to take place on June 12. The hunt takes place in the fall.