Portland, Maine
Moose survival in far northern Maine represents a glimmer of hope for the enormous animals in the far northeastern corner of the country. And hunting permits might reflect that by increasing by more than 20 percent this year, to 2,500, said Lee Kantar, the state’s moose biologist.
“All of that increase is coming from the far north,” Kantar said. “Our survival for adults is high across the board.”
State regulators in Maine and elsewhere, concerned about the toll of pests and disease on the herd, have trimmed the number of moose hunting permits in recent years.
In Vermont, for example, authorities are recommending the lowest number of permits in the modern era this year — only 14. Minnesota suspended its moose hunt completely, with some exceptions for members of native tribes.
Northern Maine’s moose might be aided by the fact that their habitat has more in common with southern Canada than Vermont and New Hampshire, Kantar said. A major threat facing moose is the winter tick, which especially harms moose calves, and the calves appear to be experiencing fewer ticks in the state’s far northern reaches, he said.
The news of a potential bump in permits is welcomed by hunters, but it’s still a good idea to be conservative with the state’s moose population, said David Trahan, executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.
Scientists collared about 70 moose in Maine this year and all but two have survived, Kantar said. Overall survival rates of the animals in the state have been “pretty robust,” he said.