MONTPELIER, Vt. -- A total of 225 regular firearms moose season permits and 40 archery moose season permits would be issued for Vermont's 2015 October moose hunt under a proposed regulation approved by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board at their February 25 monthly meeting in Montpelier.

The board voted on a proposal presented by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department that allocates permits in 16 of the state's 21 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). The proposed permit numbers must be voted on at one more Board meeting in April.

The number of permits would be reduced from 2014 in nine WMUs, and permits would be for bulls-only in all WMUs except C and E1 units. The 265 permits proposed by the department represent a 20 percent decrease from the number of permits issued last year. Under the proposal, hunters are expected to harvest close to 112 moose.

"We recommended both a reduction in permit numbers and a shift toward bulls-only permits in most of the units this year based on the biological data we have collected on Vermont's moose, and our calculated population estimates indicating moose densities remain below management goals in some areas, " said biologist Cedric Alexander, Vermont's moose project leader. "It's the intent of this proposal to allow slow population growth in some regions while continuing to stabilize moose numbers elsewhere. "

Alexander estimates Vermont has 2,200 moose statewide with the greatest concentration in the Northeast Kingdom.

"We also want to take a conservative approach given recent regional and national trends of moose populations and health, " added Alexander. "Moose biologists from the southern tier of moose range across North America are increasingly concerned about the effects of warming temperatures on moose health. Moose can easily become stressed by both warmer weather causing them to feed less and early spring snow melt that results in higher winter tick loads the following year. "

Vermont's "archery-only" moose season will be held October 1-7. The regular moose season is scheduled for October 17-22.

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-April. Applicants who enter the lottery or purchase their license from the website before May 15 will automatically be entered into the department's raffle for a free LL Bean Angler's Kayak or before December 31 for the free shotgun to be drawn at the 2016 Yankee Classic. Printed applications will be at license agents in early May.

Two lotteries will be held, one for the regular hunting season and one for the archery season. Winners of either lottery must 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.

You can review the proposed 2015 moose hunt by going to the Fish & Wildlife website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) and clicking on Law Enforcement and then Rules and Proposed Rules. Comments on the proposal can be sent to ANR. FWPublicComment@state.vt.us.

Three Fish and Wildlife Board public hearings also are being held to provide an opportunity for comment on the proposed moose season. The hearings will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 p. m. at the following locations:

March 23 Barre – Spaulding High School, 155 Ayers St., Barre, VT 05641

March 24 Brighton – Brighton Elementary School, 825 Railroad St., Island Pond, VT 05846

March 26 Castleton – Kehoe Conservation Camp, 636 Point of Pines Road, Castleton, VT 05735



Contact: Mark Scott,
802-777-4217
or mark. scott@state.vt.us
Cedric Alexander,
moose project leader,
802-751-0105
Scott Darling,
802-786-3862