Moose hunt lottery winners drawn

By Eagle Times Staff
MONTPELIER, Vt. — The winners of Vermont’s 2023 moose hunting permits were chosen during a lottery Wednesday, but unlucky applicants aren’t out of luck.

The drawing at the Fish and Wildlife office in Montpelier was done by a random sort of applications that were submitted by the June 21 deadline. Additionally, a “special priority drawing” was held for five permits to go to resident Vermont veterans with the names of unsuccessful veterans then included in the larger regular drawing.

All applicants for both drawings who did not receive a permit were awarded a bonus point to improve their chances in future moose permit lotteries.

The department is issuing 80 either-sex moose hunting permits and 100 antlerless moose hunting permits for a hunt limited to Vermont’s Wildlife Management Unit E in the northeastern corner of the state.

The “science-based hunt” will result in an estimated harvest of about 100 moose, less than 10% percent of the more than 1,000 moose estimated to live in the management unit.

Winners in this year’s moose hunting lottery are posted on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s website, www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Those whose names weren’t drawn may still bid in Vermont’s auction for three moose hunting permits, which is open until 4:30 p.m., Aug. 9. To receive a moose permit bid kit, call 802-828-1190 or email [email protected].

“Moose are abundant in WMU E, with significantly higher population density than in any other part of the state,” said Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s moose project leader. “Moose are the primary host for winter ticks and higher moose densities support high numbers of winter ticks which negatively impact moose health and survival.”

The Fish and Wildlife Department recently partnered with University of Vermont researchers to conduct a study of moose health and survival in the unit. The results of this study, in which 126 moose were fitted with GPS tracking collars, showed that chronic high winter tick loads caused the health of moose to be very poor. Survival of adult moose remained relatively good, but birth rates were very low and less than half of the calves survived their first winter.

The Fish and Wildlife Department said the goal of its 2023 moose season recommendation is to improve the health of moose by reducing the impact of winter ticks.

“Research has shown that lower moose densities support relatively few winter ticks that do not impact moose populations,” Fortin said. “Reducing moose density decreases the number of available hosts, which in turn decreases the number of winter ticks on the landscape.

“Given the poor health of the moose population in that area, and a clearly identified cause, we need to take action to address this issue,” he said.

The 2023 Moose Season Recommendation and information about moose research and management are available on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website.