Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board Sets Permit Numbers for 2012 Moose Season
OutdoorHub 02.16.12
A total of 385 permits will be issued for Vermont’s 20th annual regular October moose season under a proposal the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board gave preliminary approval to on Wednesday.
The board voted unanimously on a proposal presented by Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department biologists that allocates permits in 17 of the state’s 26 Wildlife Management Units.
The 385 permits proposed by the department represent a slight decrease from the 405 permits issued last year. Under the proposal, hunters are expected to harvest over 200 animals during the Oct. 20-25 season.
“Given Vermont’s track record of hunting success rates, this proposal allows us to achieve moose population goals for various parts of the state that have been set in the 10-Year Big Game Management Plan,” said biologist Cedric Alexander, Vermont’s moose project leader. “It’s the intent of this proposal to allow slow population growth in some regions of the state and stabilize moose numbers in other parts of the state.”
Alexander estimates Vermont has 2,500 to 3,000 moose statewide with the greatest concentration occurring in the Northeast Kingdom.
Vermont also holds a special “archery-only” moose season. Fifty permits will be awarded for the Oct. 1-7, 2012 archery moose season.
Moose hunting permit lottery applications, $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents, will be available on Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) in early May. Printed applications are scheduled to be available at license agents in early June.
Two lotteries will be held, one for the regular hunting season and one for the archery season. Winners of either lottery will purchase resident hunting permits for $100 or nonresident hunting permits for $350. Hunters also will have the option to bid on five moose hunting permits in an auction to be announced later.
As part of the Fish & Wildlife Board’s rule process, the moose permit proposal must be voted on at two more upcoming board meetings.
