The preliminary numbers are in from this fall’s moose hunt, and this year, 2,226 hunters were successful in their quest for a moose. The department issued 2,895 permits, and the preliminary success rate for hunters in 2005 is 76 percent. Moose season ended on Oct. 15.
“Moose hunting in Maine is the opportunity of a lifetime for many hunters,” said Roland D. Martin, Commissioner, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, “so it is always pleasing to see so many hunters having success in the field.”
Last year, 2,317 out of 2,895 hunters were successful in getting their moose, for a success rate of 80 percent in 2004. In 2004, deer hunting success averaged 17 percent, bear hunters a 29 percent success rate, and turkey hunters had a 26 percent success rate.
Once again this year, 2,895 permits were issued to hunt moose in Maine. Of the 2,895 permits, ten percent from each wildlife management district, or 285, go to nonresidents. This year, 740 antlerless permits issued and 2,155 any-moose permits issued.
This year, there were 68,841 applicants who wanted to hunt moose in Maine. 49,267 of these applicants were residents, and the other 19,574 were non-residents. Residents are allowed to purchase one, three or six chances in the lottery, and nonresidents can purchase one, three or six chances, as well as unlimited blocks of ten. Last year, the odds for residents of being selected for a permit were 1 in 126 for each chance (a resident who purchased six chances would have a 1 in 21 chance). For nonresidents, the odds were 1 in 707 for each chance.
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